Marin City, California
Marin City is a community of 3,195 people in Marin County, California, founded in 1942.
Why visit Marin City
Townapedia lists 15 museums and landmarks, 33 parks and trails, 28 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Rodeo Beach, Bay Model Visitor Center, Benjamin and Hilarita Lyford House and Aramburu Island.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; December lows average 42°F.
Weather in Marin City
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Marin City
Marin City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Marin County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 2,993, up from 2,666 in 2010. It is located 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) northwest of downtown Sausalito, 8 miles (13 km) south-southeast of San Rafael, and about 5 miles (8 km) north of San Francisco from the Golden Gate Bridge, at an elevation of 23 feet (7.0 m). Marin City was developed for housing starting in 1942, to accommodate wartime shipyard workers and other migrants to California.
From the Wikipedia article Marin City, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks15
Bay Model Visitor Center
Museum · 1.2 mi
A surviving building from Marinship WWII Shipyard. Not eligible for listing on the National or California Registry of Historic Places.
2100 Bridgeway, Sausalito
Tu-Fr 09:00-15:00; Sa 09:00-16:00
Benjamin and Hilarita Lyford House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Historic house in California, United States
Forts Baker, Barry, and Cronkhite
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Group of historic sites in California
Outdoor Art Club
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historical Landmark in Mill Valley, California, United States
Sausalito Woman's Club
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic building in Sausalito, California, United States
William G. Barrett House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic house in Sausalito, California, United States
ART Industrial Center Building
Monument and historic site · 0.8 mi
A surviving building from Marinship WWII Shipyard. Appears eligible for listing on California Registry of Historic Places.
480 Gate 5 Road, Sausalito
Brig Matthew Turner
Monument and historic site · 1.2 mi
Educational Tall Ship, now Call of the Sea, set out to construct a historic and sustainable wooden tall ship, Matthew Turner, for the...
60 Liberty Ship Way, Sausalito
Headlands Center for the Arts
Museum · 2.9 mi
Non-profit organization in the USA
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Bay Model
Museum · 1.2 mi
Hydraulic scale model
Marinshiip
Monument and historic site · 1.2 mi
One of about 15 surviving Marinship Buildings, the Machine Shop retains historical integrity. This was part of the Outfitting area after...
25 Liberty Ship Way, Sausalito
3 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds33
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The Marine Mammal Center
Park · 2.7 mi
Non-profit organization in the USA
21 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes28
Le Garage Bistro
Restaurant · French, Bistro · 1.3 mi
85 Liberty Ship Way, Sausalito
Mo-Th 11:30-20:00; Fr 11:30-20:30; Sa 10:00-14:30, 17:00-20:30; Su...
Piatti
Restaurant · Italian · 1.4 mi
625 Redwood Highway, Mill Valley
Mo-Fr 11:30-21:00; Sa-Su 11:00-21:00
Robata Grill & Sushi
Restaurant · Japanese · 1.2 mi
591 Redwood Highway
Mo-We 11:30-14:00,17:30-20:30; Th-Fr 11:30-14:00,17:30-21:00;...
Avatar's
Restaurant · Indian · 0.7 mi
2656 Bridgeway, Sausalito
Mo-Sa 11:00-15:00,17:00-21:30
Bahn Mi Zon
Restaurant · Sandwich, Vietnamese, Bubble Tea · 1.0 mi
256 Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley
16 more on the map.
History
Prior to World War II, this area was occupied by a dairy farm and a handful of families. Soon after war was declared on December 8, 1941, Marin City was rapidly built during 1942 in order to house 6,000 of the 20,000 workers who migrated from all over the United States, attracted by the defense jobs at Marinship, the Sausalito waterfront shipyard. A total of 93 liberty ships and tankers were built and launched from Marinship in fewer than three years.
Many of the African-American shipyard laborers who had migrated to the Bay Area from the South during the second phase of the Great Migration continued to live in Marin City after the war, either by choice or because many black families were restricted by local zoning from living in or buying homes in the towns surrounding Marin City. They became the core of the community after many of the other workers moved to other areas at the end of the war. During the war, African Americans comprised about 10 percent of Marin City's population. By the 1970s, African Americans comprised more than 75 percent of the population of Marin City, most of whom were descendants of the Marinship workers.
From the History section of Marin City, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Churches and places of worship3
Old Saint Hilary’s Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Shopping12
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries28
Anthony G. Bacich Elementary
School · 5.7 mi
699 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Kentfield
Marin City Branch Marin County Free Library
Library
164 Donahue Street, Sausalito
Healthcare3
Map of Marin City
137 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 42°F | 8.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 61°F | 43°F | 8.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 65°F | 44°F | 6.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 69°F | 46°F | 2.6 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 74°F | 50°F | 1.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 52°F | 0.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 53°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 54°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 53°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 76°F | 50°F | 2.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 64°F | 45°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 56°F | 42°F | 9.8 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Kentfield (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Marin County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-05-17: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
San Rafael Airport (SRF) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 10 miles away.
- Tamalpais-Homestead Valley 1 mi northwest, about 2 min by car
- Belvedere 2 mi east, about 4 min by car
- Alto 2 mi north, about 4 min by car
- Mill Valley 3 mi northwest, about 5 min by car
- Corte Madera 4 mi north, about 7 min by car
- Larkspur 5 mi north, about 8 min by car
- San Rafael 8 mi north, about 12 min by car
- San Anselmo 8 mi north, about 13 min by car
- Richmond 10 mi northeast, about 16 min by car
- Berkeley 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Marin City from the Alta Trail in May 2022, Mrarich, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marin City Public Housing, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 100 3335, Tmork08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lyford House, Tiburon, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fort-Baker-Sausalito-Florin-WLM-33, Fabrice Florin, CC BY-SA 3.0
- William G Barrett House 156 Bulkley Ave Sausalito CA 3-21-2010 11-59-16 AM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sausalito Woman's Club 120 Central Ave Sausalito CA 3-21-2010 11-19-55 AM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Outdoor Art Club, Mill Valley, California, Bento00, Public domain
- Rodeo Beach, Fuzheado ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fort Cronkhite (Sausalito, CA), Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Marine Mammal Center, Fuzheado ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- USCAE Bay Model - San Francisco Bay Detail, Something Original, Public domain
- MarinTransit NewFlyer DE35LF, Wishfulanthony, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ca-1 N and US 101 N just before the Ca-1 exits the US 101, Fietsbel, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mill Valley - Sausalito Path from 101, December 2019, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sausalito, California - USA (8730384145), Mic from Reading - Berkshire, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0
- Sausalito, California - USA (8730373515), Mic from Reading - Berkshire, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0
- Sausalito, California - USA (8730379005), Mic from Reading - Berkshire, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0
- Sausalito, California - USA (8730363507), Mic from Reading - Berkshire, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0
- Sausalito, California - USA (8730368367), Mic from Reading - Berkshire, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0
- Gall (2113393575), Franco Folini from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Nature Shape (2126116962), Franco Folini from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Oak Gall (2113366419), Franco Folini from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Witches' broom gall (2113384027), Franco Folini from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Coyote bush gall - Tennesee Valley (2114148972), Franco Folini from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Gall on a tree bark (2114176034), Franco Folini from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Coyote bush gall - Tennesee Valley (2114157784), Franco Folini from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Gall (2114153470), Franco Folini from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Coyote bush gall - Tennessee Valley (2113401321), Franco Folini from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Luscombe Floatplane N71486 at Sausalito, California (June 1971), GarlandFamily, CC BY 4.0
- Taylorcraft BC12-D Floatplane (N43225) at Sausalito, GarlandFamily, CC BY 4.0
- Cramp balls (Hypoxylon thouarsianum) (2136609271), Franco Folini from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Gall on Coyote bush (Baccharis pilularis) (2136568211), Franco Folini from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Buckeye Roadhouse - Feb 2019 - Stierch 03, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Buckeye Roadhouse - Feb 2019 - Sarah Stierch 02, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Sausalito, California - USA (8725897694), Mic from Reading - Berkshire, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0
- Sausalito Houseboats, Waldo Point, in 2017, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sausalito, California - USA (8724787065), Mic from Reading - Berkshire, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0
- Sausalito, California - USA (8725921986), Mic from Reading - Berkshire, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0
- Sausalito, California - USA (8725909570), Mic from Reading - Berkshire, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0
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