Reading on the Ferry
A great read while you're on the trip is Houseboats of Sausalito by Phil Frank, part of the Images of America series. If you're a fan of architecture or of San Francisco Bay Area history, it's a fascinating trip from the 1800s through the Summer of Love and today's architect-designed floating homes. It's loaded with vintage and modern photos. Frank was a popular local historian and cartoonist who passed away recently, and he manages that rare combination of good humor and historical accuracy.
Walking in Sausalito
Here's all you need to know to never get lost in Sausalito: Our little town is sandwiched between the cliffs of the Marin Headlands and the shore of San Francisco Bay. If the Bay is on your left you're facing south; if it's on your right you're facing north. Bridgeway is the main street, and in some places practically the only street! Almost every restaurant in town is on Bridgeway or within a block on either side.
As you disembark from the ferry you'll be facing towards the hillside. Unless you've decided to eat at the Spinnaker (see below), walk one block towards the hill and you'll be standing on the corner of Bridgeway and El Portal or Bridgeway and Anchor, depending on which side of the little park you choose to walk. That puts you in the heart of Sausalito.
If you're heading to the Spinnaker, don't walk the block to Bridgeway. Instead, head to your right along the shore of the Bay after you disembark from the ferry. After walking through a small park you'll see the restaurant to your right, atop a pier jutting into the Bay.
Restaurants in Sausalito
There are many excellent restaurants, from casual to elegant, within easy walking distance of the ferry pier in Sausalito. The prices aren't cheap, but you came from San Francisco, so you're already used to that! A few restaurants in Sausalito are tourist traps that offer routine food and inattentive service, but most are good and several are real gems.
A few of our close-to-the-ferry favorites, running north to south:
• Poggio Trattoria, 777 Bridgeway - About one block north on the far side of the street from the ferry, at the base of the Casa Madrona Hotel. Consistently rated in the top 100 Bay Area restaurants, the beautiful dining room co-mingles the casual and the elegant. One of the few places where the Manager visits your table, asks about your meal, and then actually listens to what you say.
Article comments
1 - Anna
And if you are up for a little walk, hang out with the locals on Caledonia Street, home of Sushi Ran and other eating and browsing places. Just keep heading north on Bridgeway, and take a one block jag west near Taste of Rome.
2 - Kare Anderson
Plus discover more about he people, places and happenings in our quirky town by visiting Sausalito Loves You.
3 - bliffle
Back in the 60s and 70s my buddies and I would ride our bicycles up the old county road from Palo Alto, Mission street, Powell, through SF, Up Filbert Street (steepest street in SF according to the City Engineer), across the bridge, onto hiway 1 to Stinson beach, back over the brow of Tam and into Sausalito to take the ferry back to the SF Ferry building, and thence back home. Pretty satisfying day. Nice thing about the ferry: you don't have to watch your bicycle closely: where's a thief going to go?
Well, I still like to drive up to SF once in awhile and take the big cat across the bay. The "Dolphin" comes to mind. You've gotta ride up front on the bow in the wind. I wear a windproof jacket, silk scarf, watch cap and leather gloves, for comfort. Anything less will freeze your arse off. When that big cat gets up on it's hulls you're in for 45 minutes of pure sailing thrill as you blast into the wind like an ancient viking sailing off to adventure. You've gotta ride the bow because in the stern you get a snoot full of diesel fumes.
4 - ComeToSausalito
Biffle, somewhere over the years we probably have walked/ridden right past each other in Sausalito!
I'm terrible remembering the names of the ferries -- was the Dolphin one of the Blue & Gold boats? Golden Gate has moved the catamarans around on different routes as well.
Your advice on how to enjoy the great feeling of being on the bow is dead accurate. The other day on a 4:00 sailing on a catamaran to the Wharf, even with the weather nice, I had a hat and a nice jacket and had forgotten to bring gloves. I lasted about 5 minutes before it just got too cold.
Thanks for coming by and posting this comment.
5 - Kery
A hidden gem on the other side of the golden gate bridge is marin headlands. Great views of the city, water, and bridge.