Across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, you’ll find a beguiling gem offering unmatched views across San Francisco Bay. With its enviable location, Sausalito, California, is a regular pit stop on trips to Muir Woods National Monument, but the lovely town calls for slower, indulgent visits. Among the things to do in Sausalito, you can stroll the Bridgeway Promenade and kayak among the free-spirited houseboats in Richardson Bay. Check out the Bay Model Visitor Center to see a hydraulic scale model of the bay and local river deltas, and your visit is well-spent.
Like Marin County, Sausalito is blessed with mild weather year-round. And like San Francisco, it’s prone to sudden bursts of fog and chills. Spring is full of festivals, including the Mill Valley Music Festival, Jazz and Blues by the Bay, and the Sausalito Art Festival. Summer is a great time to get outside but be warned: Sausalito becomes a bit of a tourist trap during the high season.
For a stress-free visit, take the ferry from San Francisco—and bring a bike if you’d like. In most cases, two wheels or two feet are enough for exploring Sausalito. Marin Transit runs public buses throughout Marin County, while Golden Gate Transit connects to San Francisco and Sonoma County. The seasonal shuttle service to Muir Woods from downtown Sausalito is one of the most convenient transit deals in the Bay Area.
There’s still a salty side to this well-heeled harbor town. The best place to find it is along Waldo Point Harbor facing Richardson Bay, home of the famous bobbing wooden houseboats. The Sausalito Seahorse south of the harbor is an old-school seafood spot hosting rowdy live music shows on the weekend. Nearby, tour groups explore the houseboats with local guides, and, legend has it, American singer Otis Redding wrote "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay” here.
