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Major city · United States

Sausalito

Go as a half-day or one night from San Francisco: ferry over, walk Bridgeway to Caledonia, ferry back. Skip the car — parking is scarce and pricey.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Sep–Oct (clearest bay views); May–Jun also good
avoid Dec–Feb (rain, grey); summer weekend afternoons (crowds, fog)
Airports
SFO · OAK · SJC
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Sausalito is a small bayside town of about 7,300 people on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge, 25–35 minutes by ferry from San Francisco. The waterfront strip is walkable in an afternoon; the reason to sleep here is the view back across the bay and easy access to the Marin Headlands and Muir Woods. Most visitors come for a few hours, not a week.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Sausalito, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$4–7
  • Sit-down mealDinner main, mid-range$25–45
  • Street or quick mealBreakfast or brunch main$15–25
  • BeerDraught beer or glass of wine$8–16
  • Museum or sight ticketBay Model Visitor Center entryFree
  • Budget bedHostel or budget motel bed, a night, per personUS$55
  • Mid-range bedInn or hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$300
  • High-end bedInn or hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$550

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$140 · High US$300

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Golden Gate Bridge views from the bayFerry ride from San FranciscoBridgeway waterfront and Caledonia StreetHouseboat docks and the Bay Model
Airports
SFO San Francisco International (About 30–45 min by car via US 101; no direct rail link to Sausalito) · OAK Oakland International (About 40–60 min by car; longer by transit) · SJC San José Mineta International (About 1 h 15 min–1 h 45 min by car; the least convenient of the three)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Sausalito: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

14°C

6°C

11 rd

Feb

16°C

7°C

10 rd

Mar

17°C

8°C

10 rd

Apr

19°C

8°C

6 rd

May

21°C

10°C

4 rd

Jun

23°C

11°C

2 rd

Jul

24°C

12°C

1 rd

Aug

24°C

12°C

1 rd

Sep

25°C

12°C

2 rd

Oct

23°C

11°C

4 rd

Nov

18°C

8°C

8 rd

Dec

14°C

6°C

11 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Walk. The ferry landing, Bridgeway and Caledonia Street are all within about 15 minutes on foot. Golden Gate Transit and Marin Transit buses link to San Rafael, Mill Valley and Bolinas; the Mill Valley–Sausalito Pathway is a bike-and-foot trail. A car is useful only for the Marin Headlands, Muir Woods and points north.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
San Franciscogo

Door to door: 25–35 min on the water

Golden Gate Ferry from the Sausalito terminal to the Ferry Building, or Blue & Gold Fleet to Pier 41

The ferry is the point of the trip; sit on the upper deck for the bridge and skyline.

Mill Valley

go

Door to door: About 20–30 min

Marin Transit route 17, or the Mill Valley–Sausalito Pathway by bike or on foot

Gateway to Mt. Tamalpais trails; a good half-day pairing.

Tiburon

go

Door to door: About 20–30 min by car

Drive or bike around the bay; no direct ferry between the two

Waterfront lunch and a short walk; easy to combine with a Marin loop.

San Rafael

go

Door to door: About 30–40 min

Marin Transit route 17 or Golden Gate Transit route 130

Bigger downtown for a rainy day: shops, food, transit hub.

Muir Woods

caution

Door to door: About 25–35 min by car

Car via CA-1 and Muir Woods Road; shuttle in season

Parking and entry are by reservation — book ahead or take the shuttle.

Bolinas

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

Marin Transit route 61

Check the timetable; service is infrequent and the town is small.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Bridgeway waterfront

Hotels and inns facing Richardson Bay; walk to the ferry in minutes. Priciest.

Caledonia Street

One block back from the water; cafés, shops and quieter streets. Still walkable to the ferry.

Marinship / north end

Near the Bay Model and boat docks; fewer beds, more parking, 15–25 min walk to the ferry.

Fort Baker / Cavallo Point

Below the bridge's north end, about 10 min by car from downtown; parkland setting.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$60–110 excl. bed
Mid
$110–200 excl. bed
High
$200+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Inn or hotel double room1 × 1 night × US$300US$300
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$140US$280
Golden Gate Ferry, Sausalito ↔ San Francisco, both ways2 × US$16US$32
Blue & Gold Fleet, Sausalito ↔ Pier 41, both ways2 × US$22US$44
Bike hire in San Francisco, one day2 × US$40 · checkUS$80
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$77
Trip total≈ US$422 per person per day, bed includedUS$843

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout, tips not included. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$4–7
Breakfast or brunch main$15–25
Casual lunch main$18–30
Dinner main, mid-range$25–45
Draught beer or glass of wine$8–16
Ferry to San Francisco, one way$8–11
Bay Model Visitor Center entryFree

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very safe for a town this size; the real issues are petty car break-ins in waterfront lots, fast traffic on Bridgeway, and cold water — no swimming in the bay. 911 for anything urgent.
  • Ferries fill up late in the day, especially weekends; board early if you need seats or bike space.
  • Parking near the ferry and Bridgeway is limited and metered; check posted limits before leaving the car.
  • Fog can sit over the bay even when inland Marin is sunny — bring a layer.
  • Some waterfront restaurants are aimed at day-trippers: check the menu and prices before sitting.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

SausalitoSausalito

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Sausalito; consulates-general are in San Francisco (most countries).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Golden Gate Ferry, Sausalito → San Francisco Ferry Building: about $8 one way, 25 min
  • Blue & Gold Fleet, Sausalito → Pier 41: about $11 one way, 30–35 min
  • Taxi or rideshare, Sausalito → downtown San Francisco: $45–70, 20–35 min depending on traffic (check)

Say or show

  • Where is the ferry terminal? — Where is the ferry terminal?
  • One ticket to San Francisco, please — One ticket to San Francisco, please
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Is this seat taken? — Is this seat taken?
  • The check, please — The check, please

English is the only language you need here.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Sausalito. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Sep–Oct (clearest bay views); May–Jun also good · avoid Dec–Feb (rain, grey); summer weekend afternoons (crowds, fog) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Ferry timetable fixture: last departures to San Francisco field-checked, with a taxi and bus fallback rung.
  2. Three walking clusters with anchors: ferry landing and Bridgeway, Caledonia Street, Marinship and the Bay Model.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (Bay Model, Bay Area Discovery Museum) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Reservation fixtures for Muir Woods parking and shuttle so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources