North County, San Diego vs Marin County (Encinitas, San Rafael: fit in, houses)

[ZorionZ]

I currently live in Encinitas in North County(7 years), San Diego and really like I it but am considering moving to Marin for more natural beauty, hiking, greenery, lakes, trees, natural playground, proximity to Tahoe and Mendocino and more culture in the city compared to SD. I am starved for green, trees and places to hike close by. We are caucasian family with 2 and 5 year old boys, spiritual/personal growth focused, raw/organic foods, environment/green living, yoga and outdoor focused. Finances/commute are not really an issue. I am wondering what town is the most similar to Encinitas? What are the major differences in Marin from North County SD.(not in climate,topography but in people, attitudes, politics, spirituality, environmental focus, family, and community feel. I know each town is different like it is here in San Diego. I have read posts that people are rude and pretentious in Marin but have also heard the exact opposite. We have a wonderful community of friends here in SD even with the affluent, pretentious people in La Jolla, Del mar and Rancho Santa fe. We attract real, healthy, happy, conscious, loving people in our life not superficial people. Can I find that in Marin? I'm interested in Marin as a whole not just to here about Mill Valley or Fairfax as I know they are very different. I find most people in Coastal North County to be very friendly and nice with the exception of some snooty people in Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe. Is it similar in Marin? Sorry for the long post.(my first) and please no Marin, rich people haters blasting out negative energy. Conscious, real, positive answers only.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can enlighten me a little more.

[mkl654321]

In Marin, the level of snooty pretentiousness varies in inverse proportion to relative distance from The City (SF). For instance, Sausalito is full of people who do nothing, but make a lot of money from it, spend hours in cafes arguing about the relative merits of Sartre or Chagall, and spend $2000 at the spa to soak in a tub full of warm clam feces. Novato, by contrast, is a suburban bedroom community where most people are relatively sane. San Rafael is somewhere in-between. For my money, Mill Valley is the nicest place, if you're talking about the west side with all the houses tucked into the forested hillside canyons.

As far as political/cultural climate, the two places aren't that dissimilar. Marin, particularly Southern Marin, is a bit leftier than San Diego County. In Marin, they didn't just vote for Obama, they burned down the houses of anyone who didn't (just kidding; what they actually did was toilet-paper them).

[mayorhaggar]

If you are a zillionaire hippie (I'm getting that vibe from your post) you'll fit in in Southern Marin. It's a lot of hippies who bought a house there when it was cheap then grew up, got a job as a banker or lawyer, and traded in their VW bus for a sporty Audi midlife-crisis-mobile. They make big bucks now but still want to eat macrobiotic whatever and go do yoga.

[roadwarrior101]

I would argue that areas of north SD county can be fairly pretentious as well, especially in the beach communities. While there are many surfer dudes there that don't care, there are a lot of well off people who are into their spas at La Costa, etc. I don't think its too different from Marin, only Marin has more people that qualify as very well off.

Another key difference is level of education. Aside from the wealthy in North SD, the level of intellect/education is much greater in the Marin area. Also, North SD has a large military influence (something that Marin doesn't have), which lowers the educational levels and causes it to be much more conservative leaning.