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Sausalito, Sausalito, CA

Photo: Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingLocal GemDate Night

Sausalito

· Sausalito, CA

Why you should go…

A hillside bayfront town just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, Sausalito is known for its houseboat community, waterfront restaurants, and views back across the bay to the city skyline. Bikers and ferry riders make it a popular day-trip destination, with a walkable downtown of galleries and shops along Bridgeway. The Chamber of Commerce serves as the visitor information hub for the town.

  • #houseboats
  • #bayfront
  • #day trip
  • #golden gate
  • #waterfront

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Sausalito, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Golden Gate Bridge

    Free

    San Francisco's iconic suspension bridge, open to pedestrians and cyclists with sweeping bay views.

    2.7 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Angel Island State Park

    Under $25

    Ride a ferry to an island in San Francisco Bay to hike, bike the perimeter road and tour the old U.S. Immigration Station.

    2.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Alcatraz Island

    $25–$50

    Ride a ferry across San Francisco Bay to walk the cellhouse corridors of the former federal penitentiary.

    4.1 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Palace of Fine Arts

    Free

    Walk under a 162-foot rotunda and curving colonnades beside a swan lagoon, built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition.

    4.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Muir Woods National Monument

    Under $25

    Old-growth coast redwood forest just north of San Francisco, reachable only with an advance parking or shuttle reservation.

    4.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Shopping
    Iconic

    Ghirardelli Square

    Free

    Browse shops and restaurants in the brick buildings of a former chocolate factory near the San Francisco waterfront.

    5.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping