Sausalito
Togoboat Guide to water adventures along with reviews and helpful tips from nature lovers just like you.
route duration (3 - 5 hours)
What to expect
This seaside community in San Francisco’s backyard has plenty of space for water trips towards charming houseboat enclaves and unique scenic views.
Our launch point is located on the pier and we recommend using it instead of the ramp.
This route takes you past harbors with pricey yachts and sailboats to Dunphy Park with a beautiful white gazebo, a popular photo spot.
It’s so much fun to swim among the other boats in marinas.
 |
 |
The next point worth taking your attention is Richardson Bay. Named for William A. Richardson, early 19th century sea captain and builder in San Francisco, sea captain and builder in San Francisco, it is recognised as an important migratory bird corridor. During the winter months it supports hundreds of thousands of waterbirds, including shorebirds and waterfowl. The bay contains about one hundred people who live on boats one-quarter mile from the shore.
Insiders Tip: Members of the local community strongly prefer the term “Floating Homes” to “Houseboats.” Refer to them this way and you’re more likely to make friends with folks. When you visit the docks, it’s the same as when someone strolls beneath the windows of your apartment. Just keep in mind that you’re really close to residents’ living space.
Some of these homes were once boats of different kinds, and the architectural visions that translated them into floating houses can be fascinating. As has been the tradition, many of the houseboat community members are professional artists. Jean Varda - friendly with Picasso and Matisse in Paris during the 1920s - lived on a former ferryboat, co-owned with British surrealist painter Gordon Onslow Ford, for 20 years. He entertained guests like Henry Miller, Allen Ginsberg, Maya Angelou (who, long before she became a writer and Pulitzer nominee, was a singer in the Bay Area).
If you decide to stay longer you can book this unique spot on Airbnb and sleep like a local in a houseboat.
Your route passes near Strawberry, an unincorporated waterfront community in Marin County. The original inhabitants were Native Americans leaving behind small artifacts and shell mounds. From the peninsula you can view landings and takeoffs of the only commercial seaplane operation on the bay.
Insiders Tip: Capture seals swimming in the bay but don’t approach too close, remember they are wild and can react aggressively with domestic pets on the boat.
We marked food spots on our route:
You’ll find https://www.salitoscrabhouse.com famous for Dungeness crab that weighs at least two plus pounds (for those meaty legs) and is harvested from the nearby Pacific Ocean. It’s called the symbol of the Golden Gate fishing industry.
Signature dishes include:
- House-made fresh crispy kettle bread
- Whole roasted Dungeness crab
- Sizzling iron-skillets of mussels, shrimp and crab
- USDA Prime, prime rib
- Seafood specialties
If you're deciding on a picnic, grab a deli sandwich at Venice Gourmet.
Locals' favorite spots include Acme Bread Company, which sells organic artisan bread. No visit to Sausalito would be complete without a cone from the area’s famous Lappert’s Ice Cream. Since Lapperts is a true Hawaiian staple, you’ll find unique hawaiian-inspired island flavors on rotation, including ube, caramel coconut macadamia nut, horchata, and kona mocha chip.
Insiders Tip: Do call ahead for restaurant reservations. The top view restaurants can have long waits for walk-ins.
Make sure you stay for sunset – it’s absolutely amazing and like no other (but bring a sweater – it gets chilly at night)!
If you have any tips to add, leave a comment below so everyone can see.