Travel Guide: Best Things To Do in Sausalito California
The charming bayside town of Sausalito is a super popular destination for visitors to the Bay Area; most people spend an hour or two walking around the shops and having a bite to eat, and feel like they’ve done Sausalito. But we know our Marin Hotels guests want the full Sausalito Experience: art, food, views, nature, and a view into the unique way of living in this beautiful bayside town.
Immersive travelers, this post is for you! Read on for lots of ideas for a full day or two Sausalito exploration. Also check out A Perfect Day Around Sausalito, a full-day itinerary consisting of 7 carefully selected destinations that allow you to experience the totality of Sausalito.
Start your day with the locals at either Equator Coffee or Taste of Rome. Located about a block from each other on bustling corners of Bridgeway (the main street in Sausalito), both offer the cafe essentials: excellent coffee, good people watching, and local crowds. Equator is housed in an industrial-modern space, and they serve excellent fresh house-made pastries, avocado toast, and vegetable hash. Taste of Rome feels like a cafe from San Francisco in the 70’s with robust coffee and full breakfast. Both are a good launching pad for your next activity….
After breakfast, we suggest walking along the waterfront from the Pelican Yacht Harbor — located directly behind Taste of Rome — to the end of Bridgeway. At about a mile, it’s a flat walk with really incredible views of the San Francisco Bay, Angel Island, and San Francisco.
Next head up into the hills! There are some pretty fantastic homes in the hills of Sausalito, and views galore. Trust, seeing this part of Sausalito is a must-do. The best way up? The stairways of Sausalito. Here’s a link to part one of a detailed 3-part article about the stairways - directions, history, homes of note. Click through to all three parts for the full rundown. Please note, you may get “lost” up there. We do, every single time. No biggie, just take roads, paths, and stairways in the down direction until you arrive back on flat land.
Bayside Joinery in Sausalito is a stellar spot.
Ready for lunch? Let’s head to a spot by the water. Our favorite bayside restos are Joinery (hello roast chicken!), Le Garage (hello french bistro vibe!), and Fish (hello any fresh daily special!). All are casual and fun with excellent food and only-in-Sausalito bayside seating.
You can walk to any of these spots once you’ve completed your stairway walk; the Joinery is easily found just off Bridgeway a few blocks from Equator/Taste of Rome. Le Garage is located about half a mile from Joinery, and Fish about a mile. Both are a little tricky to find since they’re hidden amongst industrial type buildings, but you know you’re headed towards the water and the hunt is worth it in both cases.
Float your boat at one or all of the houseboat docks in Sausalito.
Afternoon activities, take your pick: shopping, kayaking, a stroll around a houseboat community, a sail on the bay? Are you thinking this might take two days?!
All you need to know about visiting the houseboats of Sausalito.
Heath Ceramics is a must for the design and ceramics lover.
Here’s a round-up of Sausalito kayaking resources.
And finally, a Sausalito sailing adventure aboard the Freda B Schooner. Their afternoon Sunset sails and Full Moon sails are stand-out Sausalito experiences.
Dinner at Sushi Ran is a world-class experience.
Is it time for dinner already? Seriously seriously seriously top notch cuisine is served Sausalito-style in casual, laid back, lively environments at our top three recommendations.
Sushi Ran is considered the best Japanese restaurant in the Bay Area, and maybe even all of the U.S. Please get the shrimp and scallop dumplings and the miso glazed black cod. Oh and the sushi! People travel from all over for the Sushi alone.
Go to Poggio for the Italian trattoria experience and food. We are all about their pastas and risotto. The vegetables are pulled from a garden located a few blocks up the hill from the restaurant…maybe you saw that on your walkabout through the neighborhood?
We are really not making this easy on you, because Copita is equally good. We always order the chicken mole enchiladas but ya know what? Everything is good because it’s all made from scratch with fresh, seasonal, California ingredients. N.B. if you’re on a gluten-free diet, this is the place for you, since lunch and dinner menus are 100% gluten-free.
Here’s an in-depth Sausalito Restaurant Guide.
Barrel House Tavern in Sausalito, a perfect end to the perfect day.
What a day, let’s have a nightcap! We love Barrel House Tavern — a short walk from Copita and Poggio and a bit longer from Sushi Ran — for an after dinner drink in the chic bar area with a fireplace and cozy seating. Their cocktail program is stellar; worthy of the “Cocktail Program” designation. We suggest The Smoked Cherry to close out your day, but any selection from their well-edited menu of House Cocktails will be created with care by the excellent mixologists on staff.
Now, go to bed! A note to guests of our Acqua Hotel, you’ll be sliding into your bed in under 10 minutes, since the hotel is a short 3.5 mile distance.
See you out there!
p.s. Check out our Perfect Day in Sausalito and our top secret best Golden Gate Bridge view spot too!
