Stinson Beach, CA

Tucked between the Pacific Ocean and the steep slopes of Mount Tamalpais, Stinson Beach is a small coastal village about 45 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge along Highway 1. Home to roughly 500 year-round residents, it offers an easygoing blend of quiet beach living and dramatic Northern California scenery. Daily life revolves around the outdoors, whether that means catching morning waves, kayaking on Bolinas Lagoon, or hiking straight into the hills along the historic Dipsea Trail.

ATTRFrank Schulenburg / CC BY-SA 4.0

Living here means embracing a slower, tight-knit community where neighbors run into each other at the local market, cafe, and the shared Bolinas-Stinson school. Highway 1 winds over the mountain to connect the village to Mill Valley and the wider Bay Area, though the drive keeps the town feeling pleasantly secluded. It is a relaxed, nature-first setting where ocean tides, coastal fog, and redwood trails shape everyday life.