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Quality of Life - San Rafael’s location lends a number of benefits to the local economy as well as the quality of life for its residents. San Rafael is located just a few minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge and directly connected to the East Bay Area by the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. This, along with efficient bus and ferry service, offers San Rafael business and resident’s easy access to the many thriving cites of California’s Bay Area, such as San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose. Other areas of economic and recreational importance, such as Sacramento, Lake Tahoe and California’s famous Napa and Sonoma Wine Regions are conveniently reached in a few short hours
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Education- San Rafael is home to over a dozen high quality K through 12 public school districts and to a similar number of private schools. Parent involvement in schools is high. Voters consistently approve school bond measures to improve the schools and their infrastructure. Students at the two San Rafael High Schools score consistently higher than the national average on the SAT test. Elementary students show ongoing improvement in state testing results.
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Real Estate - Marin County is among the state’s most desirable place to live, so people are willing to spend a large percentage of their income to live here, Local schools rank near the top of the list, crime is low, and recreational areas are close at hand, Residents are less than an hour’s drive away from agricultural settings and ocean beaches, yet they are near shopping centers, cultural activities and a thriving business center
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Health Care - San Rafael offers a wide range of excellent medical facilities for health maintenance as well as for acute care and emergencies. The area also offers a wide range of facilities with services for seniors, including assisted living and nursing homes.
Recreation - San Rafael offers a lively urban environment while retaining the ease and comfort feeling of small town life. Among its amenities, there are wide choice s of entertainment and cultural activities. The Marin Symphony presents an annual season of world class soloists and quality performances. The Marin Ballet, which offers professional training to talented students, performs The Nutcracker every December and offers other concerts throughout the year
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Accommodations - San Rafael is an ideal location for meetings and conferences. The city’s central setting provides easy access to regional tourist destinations, from San Francisco to the south to the Wine Country to the north. San Rafael maintains hundreds of guest rooms located in bed and breakfast inns, small hotels, motels and two full -service hotels. Hotels and motels in San Rafael include the Embassy Suites and the Four Points by Sheraton, the Colonial Inn, Panama Hotel, and Motel 6. Neighboring communities offer the Cavallo Point in Sausalito, Larkspur Hotel Mill Valley, and Courtyard by Marriot in Larkspur and Novato, and the Tiburon Lodge in Tiburon
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Shopping and Dining - The retail scene in San Rafael is rich and packed with selection and value, no matter what you’re looking for. Residents and visitors can choose from small specialty retailers, malls, department stores and large retail operations.