Don't get me wrong: I love San Francisco. But there's so much more to explore in the Bay Area than SF – and that includes the picturesque waterfront town of Sausalito, located just north across the Golden Gate Bridge. I called Sausalito home and loved having extended time to explore the community and surrounding area; you might be shorter on time and want to pack in as much as possible on a Sausalito day trip from San Francisco...

If you've ever visited – or even just looked at pictures – you've probably noticed: there's a lot of water around Sausalito. A waterfront community, Sausalito is home to floating homes, houseboats, sailboats, motor boats, and even unmotorized options kayaks and stand up paddleboards. Almost everyone has a boat, lives on a boat, or knows someone who does one of the two...

Planning a day trip to Sausalito or looking for a beautiful vista to enjoy a special moment? I feel lucky to live in Sausalito since we have some amazing views from both the waterfront and hillsides. Most people will discover them by exploring, but sometimes you want to know where the Sausalito views are before you set out...