Sausalito

Leave the teeming streets of San Francisco behind and head for the laid-back Mediterranean vibe of Sausalito. This picture-perfect former artists’ colony on the north shore of the bay provides a charming contrast to the big city.Catch your first glimpse from the water by taking a scenic ferry ride past Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito harbour. Dotted along the clifftop are historic houses surrounded by tumbling bougainvillea, set against the rural backdrop of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The picturesque harbour is packed with pleasure craft and lined with stylish restaurants and beautifully restored piers. Stretch your legs along the waterfront esplanade before setting off to explore the town.Sausalito still retains something of the atmosphere of the former artists’ colony which put it on the cultural map in the 1950s and 1960s. Most of the artists themselves have been priced out of this fashionable upmarket community, but the bohemian atmosphere still lives on in the art and craft galleries and open-air bistros in the town centre.The town is also famous for its houseboats, which inspired Otis Redding to pen his hit song “Sitting on the dock of the bay” while staying here in the freewheeling 1960s. The houseboat community still thrives along a stretch of shoreline at the north end of the town. The boats range from striking architecturally designed floating palaces to picturesque but dilapidated wrecks, many decorated with quirky personal touches.Catch the ferry to Sausalito from Pier 41 at Fisherman’s Wharf or the Ferry Building at the southern end of the Embarcadero. The journey takes around 30 minutes and can be breezy, so bring an extra layer of clothing along for the ride, even on warm days.