Nestled below majestic Mt. Tamalpais, Mill Valley is reminiscent of a charming European village. Beyond the flat coastal area, Mill Valley occupies narrow wooded canyons, mostly of redwoods, on the eastern slopes of Mount Tamalpais, much of which is reached by narrow, winding roads built in the early 20th century. The city is named for a saw mill established by John Reed in the 19th century, the site of which is now Old Mill Park. It is now an affluent residential suburb and in 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Mill Valley tenth on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States.

Downtown activities center around Lytton Square, where people gather for coffee or for a game of chess while conducting some serious people-watching. Fashionable boutiques and restaurants fill the downtown. Sweetwater, one of the top roots music clubs in the nation, is well-known for its live musical performances and famous guest musicians who occasionally "drop in" for an evening to improvise. It is also the home of the Dipsea Race, the Mountain Play, Mill Valley Film Festival, and Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival all of which have an international following. Adjacent to 100 miles of trails on Mount Tamalpais and its surroundings, Mill Valley provides easy access to both Stinson Beach and San Francisco. It is also well-known for its excellent school district.