| Just 15 minutes north of San Francisco, you'll find | | | | planner will give you a varied (and full) vacation! |
| the charming bayside town of Sausalito to fill out | | | | Day 1 - Sausalito's Waterfront: Bridgeway is the |
| your Road Trip Planner. Sausalito is picturesque | | | | main thoroughfare but on the next street up the |
| with a great waterfront area. There are | | | | hill, Caledonia, you'll find a movie theatre, an |
| houseboats and flower-lined side streets, quirky | | | | historic hardware store, antique shops, dining |
| stores and plenty of places to dine, most with a | | | | spots, and art galleries. Definitely worth a visit. A |
| view of the bay. It's also very near the | | | | travel tip: You can get free wireless in and around |
| Redwoods (Muir Woods, about 8 miles), a couple | | | | the library. You'll also find free wireless in a few of |
| of beaches within 20 minutes (Muir Beach, Stinson | | | | the coffee shops on Bridgeway. |
| Beach), Angel Island & Tiburon just a tad north, | | | | Day 2 - Muir Woods: There are many hiking |
| and of course, San Francisco about 15 minutes | | | | options available to experience the California |
| south. | | | | Redwoods, from an easy 1/2 hour stroll to a |
| You'll find a broad range of hotels to suit your | | | | strenuous 4.5 uphill Ocean View loop. While there, |
| budget. Consider indulging yourself at the Casa | | | | I spotted a number of bus tours that went to |
| Madrona Hotel & Spa ($200-$405/night) that's | | | | Muir Woods: Tower Tours, |
| right on the waterfront (street side) and where | | | | Day 3 - Alcatraz Island: We lucked out with a |
| every room has a view of Richardson Bay. | | | | docent connection who gave us a private tour so |
| Another good option is The Inn Above Tide, | | | | we got to experience a unique Alcatraz! He took |
| which sits right over the water ($305 to $1025 | | | | the stairs two at a time to show us Al Capone's |
| night). Both hotels are on Bridgeway, the main | | | | cell, the Birdman's cell and also where Clint |
| street in Sausalito. If a less expensive hotel fits | | | | Eastwood stayed during the filming of the movie, |
| your budget better, add one of the following | | | | Escape From Alcatraz. For the public tours, the |
| hotels to your road trip planner: Hotel Sausalito (a | | | | ferry takes up to 300 passengers at a time and |
| bit of French Riviera on the park in Sausalito) | | | | when you arrive, the group is split into three |
| starting at $155 or one of the others in the low | | | | groups of 100, each led by a docent. The ferry is |
| $100s/night range. | | | | located near Pier 39 so you can easily make a |
| Sausalito attracts visitors from all over the world | | | | day of it between the Pier activities and shops |
| as evidenced by the amount of different accents | | | | and Alcatraz. A travel tip: Save $ by parking after |
| you overhear as your stroll along the waterfront. | | | | 4 p.m.; you can even find some free parking on |
| And yet, Sausalito manages to retain that "hidden | | | | Bay Street (which Ts onto the Embarcadero). |
| gem" feeling. Another standout was the number | | | | Day 4 - The Lighthouse Cafe is a small dining |
| of exclamations, "Wow! Look at that skyline!" | | | | establishment with 5 tables and 8 bar chairs. They |
| Pictures were taken in abundance, and deservedly | | | | are open from 6:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. and while we |
| so. | | | | were there, all the tables were kept full. There's a |
| Another favorite activity to add to your road trip | | | | saying, "When in Rome..." so I went for the |
| planner is to rent bicycles in San Francisco, then | | | | Copenhagen Burger with remoulade. Tasty! Then |
| plan a full day where you ride from San Francisco, | | | | it was off to Muir Beach for some primetime kite |
| over the Golden Gate Bridge, coast into Sausalito, | | | | flying. A travel tip: Games People Play on |
| even venture further north into Tiburon if you're | | | | Bridgeway in Sausalito has a large inventory of |
| so inclined, then take the ferry back to San | | | | cool kites (I picked up an 18-foot frog kite but |
| Francisco from either Sausalito and Tiburon. I | | | | there are others that are more than 60-feet |
| snapped a photo of the last ferry leaving Sausalito | | | | long!). |
| showing that the majority of passengers came | | | | You might just need to tack on a few more days |
| with bikes. | | | | to your road trip planner because both Angel |
| Below are some examples of the things you can | | | | Island and Tiburon are also worth exploring while |
| do in this area. Adding these to your road trip | | | | you're in and around Sausalito. |