Located “just over the hill” on Highway 101, Corte Madera is a half-hour drive from San Francisco. Covering 3.2 square miles and with a population hovering around 10,000, it captures a mix of modern amenities, appealing architecture, and unparalleled natural beauty that make it an idyllic place to find your Corte Madera home for sale.

The Town of Corte Madera was officially established in 1916, although the area was active well before the start of the Gold Rush. Corte Madera is Spanish for “chop wood,” an appropriate name given that the area was well-known as a place where redwood trees were turned into lumber and shipped to San Francisco for construction purposes.

With friendly neighborhoods and quality shopping areas, along with vast open space and rolling hillsides with spectacular vistas of Mt. Tamalpais, the community offers variety in its Corte Madera homes for sale, employment opportunities, recreation, entertainment, and quality public services. The Town of Corte Madera is friendly, highly educated, involved, and inviting the community to live, work, shop, and visit.

Corte Madera has two upscale shopping and dining destinations: the Village At Corte Madera, and the Corte Madera Town Center. Situated on either side of 101, both areas offer premier retailers and specialty shops, plus nearly 30 food and drink establishments combined. There is also Old Town Corte Madera, surrounding Piccolo Pavilion, which is home to a number of historic buildings housing a mix of retails shops and businesses.

The town is convenient for Bay Area commuters as it offers both easy access to 101 as well as regular ferry service to the city from the ferry terminal in nearby Larkspur.

The Larkspur-Corte Madera School District serves Corte Madera’s elementary and middle school students. There are two elementary schools: Neil Cummins Elementary and The Cove School, and Hall Middle School for grades 6-8. The area’s secondary school, Redwood High School, is located in the Tamalpais School District and is recognized as one of the best in the Bay Area. Corte Madera is also home to Marin Country Day School, a K-8 private school.

In Corte Madera, the average resident age is 43, with nearly 70% of the population owning Corte Madera real estate. The median price of Corte Madera houses is just over $1.35 million. The average household income is close to $180,000. Corte Madera scores an 8.5 out of 10 in terms of climate, according to the BestPlaces Comfort Index. There are approximately 263 sunny days per year in Corte Madera as compared to the national average of 205 sunny days.

The town’s annual Fourth of July celebration joining Corte Madera and its "twin city," Larkspur—draws thousands of spectators and residents from all over the Bay Area. The event includes a parade through Old Town, as well as festivities and a picnic in the nearby Town Park. Corte Madera has its own town band, a volunteer organization that regularly puts on free shows for the public.

Christmas Tree Hill is Corte Madera is one of its oldest and quaintest neighborhoods but is also a great place to experience the personality of the town. The hill’s zig-zag roads and winding staircases are popular for hiking and discovering beautiful views at the top.

Along with spectacular views of nearby Mount Tamalpais, Corte Madera is also home to the Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve, in which many rare and endangered plant species can be found. This designated open space also overlooks the whole San Francisco Bay, and its fascinating Petroglyph Rock still bears historic Native American carvings.

Along Corte Madera Creek, you’ll find kid-friendly paved trails along the shores perfect for an easy walk or ride. Bird watchers will flock to the Corte Madera Marsh Ecological Reserve, filled with wildflowers and vegetation of all sorts and home to sandpipers, meadowlarks, egrets, and great blue herons.

There are oh so many ways to enjoy your time in the area once you’ve done research on Corte Madera homes for sale and found your perfect fit.

Kick-off your morning with a personalized cup of java at Philz Coffee, followed by a short drive over to dog-friendly Ring Mountain Preserve for an easy hike, where you can take in the area’s geology and see rare plants found nowhere else in the world. If it’s a clear day, take in the expansive, 360-degree views of the Bay Area.

Corte Madera has some of the best shopping in Marin County, making the area a perfect midday destination. Wander through the open-air Town Center and grab a bite of lunch at World Wrapps or Blue Barn Gourmet. Shop for home goods at Crate and Barrel or pick out gear for your next outdoor adventure at REI or travel across to the Village at Corte Madera to visit Nordstrom or the Apple Store. If you are more recreationally inclined, there’s the bike path that winds alongside Corte Madera Creek and onto Paradise Drive.

In the evening, trek over to Marin Joe’s, a 1950s-era steakhouse that still has the original retro look, where you can often spot a local celebrity or two. Or try Flores, a relative newcomer to Marin that offers delicious Cal-Mex fare; or try the Cheesecake Factory, famous for its expansive and kid-friendly menu and of course, cheesecake.

Learn about other neighborhoods:

• Larkspur, CA Real Estate For Sale