Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [200]
E. Fort Baker, 557 McReynolds Rd. 415/339-3900. www.baykidsmuseum.org. Admission $10 adults, $8 children, free for children under 1 and members. Discounts available to AAA members and members of reciprocal museum organizations (see website). Tues–Fri 9am–4pm; Sat–Sun 10am–5pm. Closed Mon and all major holidays. By car: Cross the Golden Gate Bridge and take the Alexander Ave. exit. Follow signs to E. Fort Baker and the Bay Area Discovery Museum.
The Golden Gate Bridge gets its own Mini Me at the Bay Model Visitors Center.
Bay Model Visitors Center The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers once used this high-tech, 11⁄2-acre model of San Francisco’s bay and delta to resolve problems and observe the impact of changes in water flow. Today the model is strictly for educational purposes and reproduces (in scale) the rise and fall of tides and the flows and currents of water. There’s a 10-minute film, self-guided and audio tours ($3 donation requested), and a 1-hour tour (free; book a reservation), but the most interesting time to visit is when the model is in operation, so call ahead.
2100 Bridgeway. 415/332-3871. www.spn.usace.army.mil/bmvc. Free admission. Tues–Sat 9am–4pm.
Where to Stay
Sausalito is such a desirable enclave that it offers little in the way of affordable lodging. On the bright side, it’s so close to San Francisco that it takes only about 15 minutes to get here, traffic permitting. Although the hotels listed below are great destinations in themselves, Sausalito itself is more day trip than destination.
VERY EXPENSIVE
The Inn Above Tide ★★ Perched directly over the bay atop well-grounded pilings, this former luxury-apartment complex underwent a $4-million transformation in 2004 into one of Sausalito’s—if not the Bay Area’s—finest accommodations. The view clinches it: Every room affords an unparalleled panorama of the San Francisco Bay, including a postcard-quality vista of the city glimmering in the distance. Should you manage to tear yourself away from your private deck, you’ll find that 23 of the sumptuously appointed rooms sport romantic little fireplaces. Soothing warm earth tones highlight the decor, which blends in well with the bayscape outside. Be sure to request that your breakfast and newspaper be delivered to your deck and then cancel your early appointments—on sunny mornings, nobody checks out early.
30 El Portal St. (next to the Sausalito Ferry Landing), Sausalito, CA 94965. www.innabovetide.com. 800/893-8433 or 415/332-9535. Fax 415/332-6714. 29 units. $305–$1,025 double. Rates include continental breakfast and evening wine and cheese. AE, DC, MC, V. Valet parking $18. Amenities: Concierge. In room: A/C, TV/DVD, CD player, fridge, hair dryer, minibar, free Wi-Fi.
EXPENSIVE
Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa ★★ Sooner or later, most visitors to Sausalito look up and wonder at the ornate mansion on the hill. It’s part of Casa Madrona, a hideaway by the bay built in 1885 by a wealthy lumber baron. The epitome of luxury in its day, the mansion had slipped into decay when John Gallagher purchased it in 1910 and converted it into a hotel. By 1976 it was damaged and facing the threat of demolition when John Mays acquired the property and revitalized the hotel. Successive renovations and extensions added a rambling, New England–style building to the hillside below the main house. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the hotel offers whimsically decorated rooms, suites, and cottages, which are accessed by steep, gorgeously landscaped pathways. The 16 free-standing units, the seven cottages, and the rooms in the mansion have individual themes such as Lilac and Lace, Renoir, and the Artist’s Loft. Some have claw-foot tubs and others have fireplaces. Rooms in the newer adjoining building have a chic contemporary decor, four-poster beds, marble bathrooms, and great marina views from some rooms. The classy Italian Poggio restaurant (see below) has been a Sausalito favorite since opening, and the hotel’s full-service spa offers a wide assortment of treatments and getaway packages.
801 Bridgeway, Sausalito,