A Day Trip to: Sausalito, California
Sausalito is a town on the bay just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. It’s charming, a bit upscale, and gorgeous.
Did you know it’s called the Amalfi Coast of California? I’ve lived in the Bay Area the majority of my life and never even knew there were Amalfi Coast-like views just an hour away from home!
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How to Get to Sausalito
We drove to Sausalito from the east bay, but there are a few different ways to get to it, depending on where you’re coming from.
Car: I love to drive, so I prefer to go by car – especially since we came from the east bay. We took 580 all the way up and over, then switched to the 101 into Sausalito.
Ferry: Take the ferry from the San Francisco ferry building to Sausalito for gorgeous views of Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Angel Island.
Bike: If you’re feeling adventurous, take a bike tour across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco to Sausalio. You can take a bike tour along Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, bike across the bridge, then explore Sausalito and return at your own pace.
Things to Do in Sausalito
Sausalito is a perfect waterfront town for a leisurely day out. We didn’t feel rushed or overwhelmed, but instead explored at a casual pace. It is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of San Francisco and enjoy a relaxing day by the bay.
Floating Houses
Sausalito is probably most known for the floating houses on the harbor – Richardson Bay houseboat community. This is a community of houseboats where many people live full-time and each one is completely unique, artistic, and eclectic.
They were built by artists, hippies, and other free spirits looking for a place to live an alternative lifestyle. Much of that history and free-spirited vibe still lives on today in the community.
Remember to be respectful when walking around the houseboats. They are peoples’ homes and not a tourist attraction (although I’m sure they get many tourists).
I recommend reading Sharon McDonnell’s article about the history of the floating homes for a more in-depth description of the homes and their history.
Amalfi Coast Views
As I mentioned earlier, Sausalito is known as the Amalfi Coast of California because of the hillside of houses looking over the bay, similar to the way houses in Amalfi are situated on a hillside overlooking the ocean.
Tiffany Park is a great spot to see the “Amalfi Coast” and take some photos!
Golden Gate Bridge Lookout
If you drive down to the U.S. Coast Guard buildings, you’ll reach Moore Road Pier. This pier is just below the Golden Gate Bridge and has amazing views across the bay of San Francisco. There’s also a large field to hangout and play on with the mountains in the background.
I made a fatal blogger error and didn’t take any photos of the Golden Gate or pier, mostly because there were just too many people on the pier and we didn’t feel like going that close to people.
Walk Around Downtown
The main street in Sausalito is Bridgeway Road. It’s along the water with cute shops and restaurants with Angel Island and Belvedere Island visible just across the water! We didn’t spend much time downtown, aside from eating dinner, but I wish we had because of how charming it was.
Explore the Neighborhoods
Some of the largest houses I have ever seen in person are in Sausalito. They are in the neighborhood up on the hill looking over the bay, viewable from Bridgeway Road (seen in the downtown photos above!).
We didn’t walk around the neighborhood, but if you walk up the big hill (Richardson Street, past Golden Gate Market) you can stroll around the houses in that neighborhood. They were jaw-dropping from the street, so I imagine they are even more impressive up close.
Where to Eat
There are lots of great spots around Sausalito, with many of them right on the water. While we’ve only been to one restaurant in Sausalito at the time of writing, there are tons of options to choose from!
Scoma’s of Sausalito
We stumbled upon Scoma’s after we parked near Tiffany Park and started walking towards downtown along Bridgeway Road. Scoma’s is on a pier so you’re seated right over the water! Depending on which side you sit, you’ll either have a view of the “Amalfi Coast” or a view of downtown and Belvedere Island.
The food was incredible, service was great, and we were on the side with a view of downtown and Belvedere island.
I got a seafood burger, which was some of the best seafood I’ve ever had, along with a Bellini!
Lappert’s Ice Cream
Most Sausalito guides have this ice cream spot on their list. We didn’t go, but it seems to be a popular, must-see place to grab ice cream! They have one dairy-free flavor, too!
Best Photo Spots
Sausalito has a perfect variety of spots to take photos. I think the best way to find them is to just walk or drive around, but if you need some places to get started (and are dying to know where that famous Golden Gate Bridge photo spot is), I’ve got some perfect spots for you!
Gate 6 ½
At the entrance of Gate 6 ½, the entrance to a dock of floating homes, there is a large grouping of everyone’s beloved pampas grass. It makes for a really great backdrop!
East Road
On the drive back from the Golden Gate Bridge lookout (near the U.S. Coast Guard) to Sausalito downtown, there were a bunch of spots on the side of the road that I quickly pulled into.
We got out and took some photos with the greenery around me and the bay in the background. It’s a nice spot for some quick portraits!
Kappas Marina
There are two docks—Kappas Marina East and Kappas Marina West—that are both great photo spots. If you walk to the very end of Kappas Marina West, there’s a picnic bench and an outlook towards the water, Belvedere Island, and Gate 6 ½ floating homes.
Battery Spencer
This is the world-famous photo spot with an up-close view of the massive Golden Gate Bridge. People post photos from here so often and never tag the location, so if you’ve been struggling trying to find it, now you know! :)
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