Some cities are synonymous with a particular feature or industry, but Novato is no one-trick pony. You can find a thriving biotech biz here as well as the former headquarters for that ugly duckling turned fashion must-have, Birkenstocks. This multifaceted city perched at the top of the county map houses the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art at historic Hamilton Air Force Base and the world-renowned Buck Institute for Research on Aging; and, it boasts 10 open-space preserves. Novato is also privy to some of Marin’s most consistently fair weather, making it a prime spot to enjoy urban assets plus all that open space.