Woodacre, Woodacre, CA

Woodacre sits at the eastern end of Marin County's San Geronimo Valley, just over White Hill from Fairfax, and it feels like a small mountain town more than a suburb. Redwoods and oaks crowd the slopes, and the main road and some side streets follow the old railroad route that once ran up the valley. Homes are mostly single-family houses on sloped lots under tall trees. Older cottages stand beside remodels and newer builds, and a lot of them sit up a driveway with a deck, a creek or a wall of green behind them. A 1923 fire swept through the village, so the housing is a mix of eras rather than one look. Open land starts almost at the back door. White Hill Open Space Preserve falls within town, and its trails link toward Loma Alta and Cascade Canyon. The Gary Giacomini preserve is just beyond, reached from Railroad Avenue to Carson Road and then Conifer Way, with grass hills that go gold in summer. Samuel P. Taylor State Park and its redwoods along Lagunitas Creek are a short drive west. The dining list is short. Woodacre Country Market & Deli on San Geronimo Valley Drive handles sandwiches and basics, and it's where neighbors bump into each other. For a sit-down meal, Giaco's Valley Roadhouse in San Geronimo, a few minutes west, serves a seasonal American menu with a full bar. No dedicated coffee shop turned up in Woodacre itself, so a good latte usually means driving out of the valley. Bigger grocery runs and most other errands mean going over White Hill to Fairfax, the nearest town, or on to San Rafael. Sir Francis Drake Boulevard is the only real way in or out, and the car does nearly all the work. Marin Transit Route 68 stops at Park Street and Central Avenue and runs to the San Rafael Transit Center, about hourly at peak times and thinner otherwise. Living here means planning your trips around that one road. In exchange, the hills are the backyard, and a morning on the trails is a short walk from the front door.