Just a hop, skip, and jump over the Golden Gate Bridge sits a waterfront hamlet that feels worlds away from the major metropolitan city of San Francisco: Sausalito.
Perfect for a romantic weekend, Sausalito is a place famous for its floating home neighborhoods, harbors filled with boats, waterfront restaurants and shops, and hills peppered with magnificent homes—and recently had a starring role in AppleTV’s The Last Thing He Told Me as the story’s backdrop.
Your Guide to a Romantic Weekend in Sausalito
Getting to Sausalito can feel romantic in itself. From San Francisco, it’s a short, 1.7-mile drive over the glorious Golden Gate Bridge or a 30-minute ferry ride. Once there, a world of scenic views of the San Francisco Bay, expansive bridges, city skylines, and the occasional harbor seal awaits you.
A Stay at Inn Above Tide
The best way to immerse oneself in Sausalito is to stay right in the center of it, and that’s what my husband and I did at Inn Above Tide, a boutique property situated on the water’s edge just steps from Sausalito’s ferry terminal. Our home for the evening was one of the hotel’s expansive panoramic suites offering an end-to-end view of the San Francisco Bay accessible from a private balcony, including such iconic sights as Angel Island (once known as “the Ellis Island of the West Coast,”), the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, and San Francisco’s skyline.
The suite’s atmosphere of refined coastal elegance created a sophisticated visual echo of the waterfront just beyond its windows. The room’s noticeable touches included a king-size bed dressed in luxurious linens, dual walk-in closets, and an expansive bathroom centered around a generous soaking tub equipped with therapeutic jets and stocked with Bvlgari bath amenities. The sitting area was anchored by a wood-burning fireplace and complemented by a small wet bar for crafting evening cocktails. One extra appreciated touch was the separate powder room, which would come in handy for visiting guests.
We enjoyed the suite’s pièce de résistance—its large balcony—equally in daytime and at night. As the sun warmed our faces and the water below in the morning hours, we spied harbor seals and outrigger boats out for their early paddles. A pair of binoculars in the room allowed us to get up close and personal with both. The inn’s delivered breakfast basket, filled with homemade quiche, pastries, coffee, and freshly squeezed orange juice, tasted even better consumed on the room’s balcony against the picturesque backdrop.
In the evening, the sounds of the softly lapping water, accompanied by moonlight streaming across the water and the soft inklings of ambient music from the nearby Sausalito Yacht Club created the perfect backdrop for some post-dinner, pre-bedtime relaxation and reconnection time together—the essence of a romantic weekend in Sausalito. We toasted the perfect evening with a glass of red wine and some cheese selections graciously delivered to our suite, as we had missed the complimentary wine and cheese reception earlier that evening.
Melt-in-Your-Mouth Sushi with Timeless Appeal
Photos courtesy of Sushi Ran
On the evening of our arrival, as our romantic weekend in Sausalito got underway, it felt fitting to head to Sushi Ran, the award-winning Japanese institution that has earned a fiercely loyal following over its 36-year history. With teakwood accents, expansive windows, and a series of thoughtfully designed dining rooms plus a sushi bar, the restaurant’s elegant interior evokes the sense that you’ve been momentarily transported to Japan; when weather permits, ample outdoor seating extends the experience alfresco.
After sampling the sake tasting menu, we ordered salmon rolls and yellowtail nigiri so pristine and delicately textured they could convert even the most committed sushi skeptic. For those less inclined toward raw fish, Sushi Ran’s menu offers an impressive range of alternatives, from grilled chicken and salmon to noodle bowls, tempura, plentiful vegetarian options, and its much-lauded miso black cod.
Following dinner, we made a quick stop for a nightcap at Poggio Trattoria, opting to sit knee-to-knee at the classic wood bar and savor an Italian-style aperitif for which the restaurant is known.
A Floating Sauna on the Bay
Opened in mid-2025, Fjord is a unique floating sauna perched right on the edge of the San Francisco Bay in Sausalito that quickly attracted a diehard following. It’s modeled after the famous Nordic spas found in the Scandinavian regions of Europe, offering a combination of hot sauna and cold plunge that lends itself to rejuvenation and wellness.
Experiencing Fjord felt like a return to something elemental. We first reveled in the deep heat of the sauna as well as its glass windows facing towards the water, followed by dipping ourselves in the cold waters of the Bay. The alternating hot-and-cold trade-off experience during our hour-and-a-half session offered both relaxation and reset, while also creating a shared ritual that felt intimate and didn’t necessitate much conversation—a memorable moment of a romantic weekend in Sausalito.
Due to its popularity, reservations for both shared and private 90-minute sessions sell out very quickly, so make sure to check Fjord’s website on the first day of each month at precisely 9:00 a.m. PST (West Coast time) to secure a booking in advance.
Wander a Little, or a Lot
Photos by Donna Berry Glass
You don’t need a car to explore walkable, hikeable Sausalito. A journey down the main drag of Bridgeway lets you explore a variety of smaller, locally owned shops, ranging from tony boutiques and art galleries to homegrown ice cream parlors and designer coffee shops. A newer addition to the town, the Sausalito Center for the Arts, serves as both an arts hub and cultural venue, where you can find the works of local artists.
There’s no shortage of scenery in Sausalito, which you can easily see from the walkable waterfront areas or by trekking up the town’s hills to get more expansive views.
Sausalito’s Storied and Romantic History
Sausalito is an enclave with a rich and interesting history.
First occupied by Coast Miwok tribes dating back 3,000 years ago, Sausalito (its name based on the Miwok word “saucito,” meaning “little willow” in reference to the small willow trees that lined its banks) was home to these peaceful hunter-gatherers who lived on its shorelines and hills.
As San Francisco began to establish itself, Sausalito initially grew as a summer home destination and later as a base of operation for Prohibition bootleggers. It then experienced explosive growth during World War II, becoming a major hub for building wartime ships and vessels. You can learn more about Sausalito’s enchanting past at the Sausalito Historical Society and Museum, or spend an afternoon exploring its waters and houseboats via kayak or standup paddleboard, rentable at Sea Trek, located right on Sausalito’s waterfront.
