August 13, 2004, Newsletter Issue #14: Ships and Sunny Sausalito

Tip of the Week

If you like boats, Sausalito is about as good as it gets. In fact, Sausalito is practically all about boats! Mariners stop here from ports all over the world, and everything from tall ships, freighters and ferries to spunky racing schooners, cabin cruisers and kayaks dot the ocean from Richardson’s Bay to the horizon.

If you choose not to take the short drive across the Golden Gate, there are ferries heading back and forth from San Francisco from early morning to night. Plus there are dinner cruises that stop in Sausalito as they take in nearby Angel Island, Treasure Island, Alcatraz, and all the sights of the Bay.

It’s a full moon tonight, and sweethearts are paddling under the stars in kayaks (lessons and kayaks are available for rental all year). There are regularly scheduled events (dinners, cocktails and/or desserts are often served) on romantic tall ships, and there are wooden boat tours along the many marinas, pointing out some of the more interesting boats and sailors that have called Sausalito home.

When you’re not sailing or checking out the local watercraft, you might like to stroll along the waterfront on Bridgeway (the main drag) to visit some of the many art galleries. Sausalito’s galleries feature everything from whimsical sculptures and “wiener dog art” to very serious and splendid watercolors and oil paintings.

There are also plenty of boutiques and novelty shops along the way, and an assortment of restaurants. Try The Lighthouse for a hearty breakfast. For lunch or dinner, walk a block up to Caledonia and visit one of the eateries the local folks favor. A new restaurant called Fish is a laid-back (if rather expensive) find for those who enjoy, well, fresh fish (if they don‘t mind standing in line to get it). Caledonia is also dotted with shops, plus it features the town’s only movie theater.

If you’re nature lovers, be sure to visit nearby Muir Woods National Monument. This 550-acre park is home to stunningly large coastal redwood trees, many, many hundreds of years old. Mt. Tamalpais is also on Hwy. 1, not far from Sausalito, and offers fine picnic areas and 50 miles of bike trails winding through the redwood forest.

Of course, heading north, Sausalito is the portal to California wine country, not to mention all of the lovely towns of Marin County. Heading south, it’s the last stop before the bridge and the great city of San Francisco. For more information on Sausalito, San Francisco, Marin or anyplace else, just drop me a line at Lifetips.com.

Yours for TheBigDay,

Jill

About LifeTips

Now one of the top on-line publishers in the world, LifeTips offers tips to millions of monthly visitors. Our mission mission is to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Expert writers earn dough for what they know. And exclusive sponsors in each niche topic help us make-it-all happen.