Things to do in Sausalito and Marin County

Sausalito sits across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, reached in 20-30 minutes by car, by bike over the bridge deck, or by a roughly 30-minute ferry from the Embarcadero that skips bridge traffic and parking entirely.

The town is best known for its houseboat community moored along Richardson Bay, a working waterfront neighbourhood rather than a photo backdrop, and for the bike ride that brings most day visitors across the bridge before a flat, easy roll into the harbourfront.

Tiburon, a short hop further along the bay, has the same ferry access but a quieter, more residential pace than Sausalito's tourist-facing shops and cafes. Muir Woods, inland from both, now requires a timed-entry shuttle or parking reservation booked in advance.