Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [198]
Guided sea-kayak tours ★ are also available. The 21⁄2-hour trips combine the thrill of paddling stable, two- or three-person kayaks with an informative, naturalist-led tour around the island (conditions permitting). All equipment is provided (including a much-needed wet suit), kids are welcome, and no experience is necessary. Rates run $65 to $75 per person. For more information, contact the Sausalito-based Sea Trek at 415/488-1000 or www.seatrekkayak.com. Note: Tours depart from Sausalito, not Angel Island.
For more information about activities on Angel Island, call 415/897-0715 or log onto www.angelisland.com.
What to See & Do in Tiburon
The main thing to do in tiny Tiburon is stroll along the waterfront, pop into the stores, and spend an easy $50 on drinks and appetizers before heading back to the city. For a taste of the Wine Country, stop at Windsor Vineyards, 72 Main St. ( 800/289-9463; www.windsorvineyards.com)—its Victorian tasting room dates from 1888. Twenty or more choices are available for a free tasting. Wine accessories and gifts—glasses, cork pullers, carry packs (which hold six bottles), gourmet sauces, posters, and maps—are also available. Ask about personalized labels for your selections. The shop is open Sunday through Thursday from 10am to 6pm, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 7pm.
The Windsor tasting room.
Where to Eat in Tiburon
Guaymas MEXICAN Guaymas offers authentic Mexican regional cuisine and a spectacular panoramic view of San Francisco and the bay. In good weather, the two heated outdoor patios are almost always packed with diners soaking in the sun and scene. Inside the large dining room, colorful Mexican artwork and tons of colored paper cutouts strewn overhead on string brighten the beige walls. Should you feel chilled, to the rear of the dining room is a beehive-shaped adobe fireplace.
Guaymas is named after a fishing village on Mexico’s Sea of Cortez, and both the town and the restaurant are famous for their camarones (giant shrimp). The restaurant also features ceviche, handmade tamales, and charcoal-grilled beef, seafood, and fowl. It’s not fancy, nor is it gourmet, but it is a good place to come with large parties or family. In addition to a small selection of California and Central American wines, the restaurant offers an exceptional variety of tequilas and Mexican beers.
5 Main St. 415/435-6300. www.guaymasrestaurant.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $13–$23. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Thurs 11am–10pm; Fri–Sat 11am–11pm; Sun 10am–10pm. Ferry: Walk about 10 paces from the landing. From U.S. 101, exit at Tiburon/Hwy. 131; follow Tiburon Blvd. 5 miles and turn right onto Main St. Restaurant is behind the bakery.
Sam’s Anchor Café ★ SEAFOOD Summer Sundays are liveliest in Tiburon, when weekend boaters tie up at the docks of waterside restaurants like this one, and good-time cyclists pedal from the city to kick back here. Sam’s is the kind of place where you and your cronies can take off your shoes and have a fun, relaxing time eating burgers and drinking margaritas outside on the pier. The fare is typical—sandwiches, salads, and such—but the quality and selection are inconsequential: Beer, burgers, and a designated driver are all you really need.
27 Main St. 415/435-4527. www.samscafe.com. Main courses $12–$18 brunch, $13–$25 lunch, $21–$27 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Thurs 11am–9:30pm; Fri 11am–10pm; Sat 9:30am–10pm; Sun 9:30am–9:30pm. Ferry: Walk from the landing. From U.S. 101, exit at Tiburon/Hwy. 131; follow Tiburon Blvd. 4 miles and turn right onto Main St.
SAUSALITO
5 miles N of San Francisco
Just off the northeastern end of the Golden Gate Bridge is the picturesque little town of Sausalito, a slightly bohemian adjunct to San Francisco. With fewer than 8,000 residents, Sausalito feels rather like St. Tropez on the French Riviera (minus the beach). Next to the