My Novato Errand Loop: How Much Can I Actually Get Done?

My Novato Errand Loop: How Much Can I Actually Get Done?

I’ve been saying that everyday life in Novato is remarkably convenient. Today, I decided to put that claim to the test.

Illustrated map of LynAnn King’s real-life Novato errand loop, showing local stops completed between 11:40 AM and a 1:00 PM dentist appointment.

In my first Novato blog, Novato Has Everything. Seriously., I made a claim:

I can practically run my errands around Novato in an hour.

So today, I decided to stop talking about it and actually time myself.

And because real life rarely follows a perfectly planned route, my morning didn't even begin in Novato.

11:00 AM — Off I Go

I left home at 11:00 AM and headed south to San Rafael.

First stop: Best Buy to pick up my new iPad.

Then Michael's Arts & Crafts for supplies for a themed event I'm working on in October.

By approximately 11:40 AM, I was heading back into Novato.

And that's when the real Novato errand loop began.

Gas. Car Wash. Done.

Coming back into town, I stopped at Matt & Jeff's for gasoline and a car wash.

One more thing off the list.

Then I headed toward San Marin Drive—what I think of as the north end of Novato—and began working my way back south through town.

Alterations, Rent and the Garden

Next stop: alterations.

I had something to pick up and drop off, took care of it and kept moving.

Then I dropped off the rent nearby.

From there, I stopped at Sloat Garden Center for succulent soil and a few gardening supplies.

And because the bank was easy to hit along the way, I stopped for cash.

No major detours. No driving all over Marin. Just working my way through Novato.

Groceries—and the Post Office Is Right There

Next came Grocery Outlet, where today's mission was a case of wine.

And here's another little thing I appreciate about Novato: the Post Office is in the same shopping center.

So I handled that errand, too.

Then I headed back down Novato Boulevard.

1:00 PM — In the Dentist's Chair

My final destination was my dentist appointment.

I made it by 1:00 PM.

Done.

In two hours, I had traveled to San Rafael and back, picked up an iPad, bought event supplies, filled the car with gas, got the car washed, stopped at alterations, dropped off the rent, bought gardening supplies, went to the bank, bought a case of wine, went to the Post Office—and still made my dentist appointment on time.

And remember:

The first 40 minutes weren't even in Novato.

So, Was My One-Hour Novato Claim True?

Pretty darn close.

Once I returned to Novato at about 11:40, I managed the rest of that list and arrived at my 1:00 dentist appointment.

That's roughly an hour and 20 minutes of real-life Novato errands—including driving, parking, getting in and out of the car, making purchases and actually getting things done. The bank actually took the longest in line, as it was smack in the middle of lunch hour.

Could I have planned the route more efficiently? Probably.

But that's really not the point.

This wasn't a staged REALTOR® tour of Novato. It was Tuesday.

I had things to do.

And Novato made them remarkably easy to get done.

This Is What I Mean When I Say “Novato Has Everything”

When buyers are looking for a home, we naturally talk about bedrooms, bathrooms, yards, neighborhoods and price.

But where you live also determines how you live.

How far is the grocery store?

Can I get to the bank without making a special trip?

Where do I get something altered?

Can I pick up gardening supplies, mail a package, wash the car and still make my dentist appointment?