Such a unique experience just seeing these beautiful houseboats with beautiful views of the blue…read morewaters of the bay and the skyline of the city of San Francisco, and in the other direction - the lovely hillsides of Marin County. I can only imagine how much more unique it must be to live in one! A community of writers and artists who became commercially successful, live here. Shel Silverstein used to live in a houseboat here. Rumor has it that Michael Lewis, the guy who wrote Money Ball, The Blind Side, and The Big Short, all of which were made into movies, also owns a houseboat in Sausalito. His house on terra firma is just across the bridge in Berkeley. Just a million dollars for a tiny home on the water in Marin paradise. Location, location, location!

*** This is a review of the grounds and houseboats, not the tour. ***…read more Whenever I have a guest from out of town and I want to give them a real slice of North Bay life (something you don't usually find on a guided tour), I take them to the Sausalito houseboats. It's so full of funky architecture, spectacular Bay views, a few hidden beaches, and plenty of colorful residents. This place is a total trip! Where else in the world can you find such a unique, seaside community with so many photo opps. Although this makes for a fun tourist destination, you have to remember that people actually live here. Translation: be respectful of the communal decks and property. Otherwise, you may endure the wrath of some salty, seaside locals. Like I said, there are quite a few characters (old hippies, young yippies, artists, etc.) who live around here. Consider yourself warned. Even when I'm not playing tour guide to guests, I like strolling here with my dog (yes, it's dog-friendly... as long as they're on leash). It's just a really relaxing spot, and it reminds me of how lucky we are to live in such an amazing area. When visiting, I'd recommend parking near the Mike's Bikes shop and Davey Jone's Deli. But be sure to lock your doors. The area can sometimes attract car burglars.

I thoroughly loved this tour. It was so fascinating to learn of this world on the wooden boats and…read morethe culture of their existence as narrated by our tour guide Victoria. She was knowledgeable, insightful and entertaining. It is 3 1/2hrs and my recommendation is to wear closed toes tennis shoes/sneakers. There are areas with gravel like surface so your going to want to protect your feet. My other advice is to use the restroom close to the meeting point because there is only another public restrooms at the end of the tour. The added treat at the end of the tour was Victoria having Tea & cookies awaiting us on a beautiful setting. I have told everyone about this tour and share my pictures of the inside of the homes we were allowed into. She has a book about the history of this area and I highly recommend it. Take an afternoon calmly sauntering this world of the wooden boats and take it all in in delightful amazement.

This tour is great! Not rushed or "canned" like some tours I went on. The tour guide, Victoria,…read moreis exceptionally knowledgable and passionate about the community and its preservation. Time flew by, as Victoria regaled us with the stories of the different wooden boats. The tour is accessible and would be great for all ages and all abilities. I can't recommend it enough!

I have sailed on the bay often and of course taken the ferry many many times. The Matthew Turner is…read moreby far the best, way more interesting. It is amazing to see the work that goes into making sail. It's very impressive how the crew goes aloft to unfurl and furl the sails. The boat is very stable but there is some boat motion and it does heel a little but this adds just a bit of excitement. The crew is super helpful and as glad as everyone else to be on the water sailing. The views of the city, the islands and Alcatraz were great. No matter what the weather is on land it will be cool and windy on the water so bring a windbreaker and a thermal layer.

I've done two sails with them: an afternoon one in the spring and overnight in the fall. Both were…read morea joy. The ship is amazing, the crew completely friendly and upbeat, the view of SF, and the perspective on the Bay and the Bridge was different from anything on land. The overnight was spectacular: instant friends with the other folks, restaurant-quality food, and just a great adventure in less than 24 hours. Highly recommend it.

Make sure to bring a small bag to strap to the bike or a backpack for water. Very friendly…read moregentleman running the store and he offers cool vintage photography prints for sale too. E bikes ran great we did about 30 miles total for the day. Be careful putting the throttle level passed 1 there's 4 options but the battery will drain quick if you crank it up. I did mostly pedal assist when it was flat. Overall awesome experience we saw a lot of San Francisco.

Perfect location, parking, restrooms and awesome mechanics!…read more Got my chain length adjusted for my Cannondale Synapses' maiden voyage. Mechanic took care of me right away and did a fantastic job! Thanks for making my first day back in the saddle possible!

We had an amazing experience booking the Schooner Freda B Jazz Night last week. The weather was…read moreperfect, and the crew was friendly, even wishing my sister and me happy birthday since we booked it for our special day. I highly recommend it. It was my first time on a sailboat, and the views were absolutely gorgeous. It was worth the price. Thanks to the great crew for a memorable night--our birthday celebration was truly special.

We enjoyed our second sail on The Schooner Freda B out of Sausalito tonight. It was a perfectly…read morewonderful sunset sail on SF Bay. Previously, we took the Freda B on the Wildlife Morning Sail in 2024, which was also fantastic. What makes the Freda B special is the crew. The vessel itself is gorgeous--even the "head" is great! From the moment you board and are greeted by the crew, you know you're in good hands. The safety instructions are thorough, and the crew immediately puts you at ease before setting off. Whether you have a clear night or a little fog (like tonight), the skies are beautiful, the Golden Gate Bridge is magical, and San Francisco twinkles in the distance. The crew meets your every need with kindness, excellent service, and genuine interest in you as a passenger. They're also an interesting bunch--just ask them about themselves! Hot (chocolate!) and cold beverages are available for purchase, including adult beverages. For out of towners...Wear and bring layers. Jacket + sweater/fleece, long pants, beanie hat, gloves if you have them. Blankets available onboard. This is SF Bay 12 months a year - always chilly and the sail is worth every layer of clothing. We celebrated my birthday tonight, and it was perfect. Thank you!

We had a delightful experience on the bay celebrating a friend's birthday on one of Sea Trek's…read moreelectric Duffy boats! The communication with Galen ahead of the trip and Arturo's assistance that day were stellar! We can't wait to get back out there for another cruise around the bay! Thank you, Sea Trek!

We had a fantastic time renting an electric Duffy boat for a two-hour cruise around Sausalito and…read morethe bay. The staff were so friendly and accommodating. Learning to drive the boat was simple, and you don't need a license to do it. We fit eight on a boat made for 12 and felt it was the perfect size. There was even a refrigerator on board to stow your drinks. It was the perfect venue for a sunny day!

Amazing experience with amazing staff!…read more I originally booked a helicopter ride, but was notified 24hrs beforehand that their helicopter was down. I was offered their seaplane tour as a replacement, which I took since I had plans that lined up for that day. When you first walk in, the staff warmly greets you and you go through a quick 2 min debrief with some jokes before heading on the plane. They give you plenty of opportunities to take pics before, during and after the flight. Although the seaplane tour we went in says 60min, it was a little over an hour and I enjoyed every bit of it. The pilot was pretty knowledgeable on certain landmarks and locations. The views were amazing, and being in such an intimate plane was truly a different experience - I was finally in the plane instead of being a pedestrian looking up at one. Weather really matters - so plan accordingly. Our day was so clear the pilot claimed you were able to see Lake Tahoe and Truckee's snow capped mountains! My one complaint was that the headphone instructions weren't super clear, so I couldn't talk to my partner verbally. Clean facilities, friendly and welcoming staff, and a nice long ride in the air to gaze at the Bay Area and surrounding nature - this is the place to book.

WHY WE WENT HERE: - helicopter ride…read more THE LOOK (FROM THE OUTSIDE): - located right off 101 and by the Richardson Bay - small warehouse look and can't miss the yellow helicopter on the helipad by the water THE LOOK (FROM THE INSIDE): - makes me think of the retail/office spaces where you go kayaking - restrooms and offices off the main lobby, which is like a living room HELICOPTER RIDE: - we booked the 40-minute ride but I think honestly you'd be able to see everything in the 20-minute ride - views are immaculate, especially on a nice sunny day like ours CUSTOMER SERVICE: - warm and welcoming - casual - your weight is verified prior to your excursion - safety video is shown - waivers signed - then-boyfriend, now-fiancée planned for this to be our engagement so he got the guys to help facilitate it prior to our helicopter ride - the ride itself was great but I do have vertigo and got very dizzy/nauseous 3/4 of the reservation in - after we landed we were given a mini bottle of champagne to celebrate our engagement but didn't enjoy it until days later

Lol I seriously thought this was a tourist walk in the park but I took the wrong stairs and ended…read moreup on the hiking trail! The hike isn't hard but it's a long trail. Bring snacks if you're hungry like me... And water! It is soooo beautiful here in the woods. Nothing like I'm used to. It's so refreshing being in nature so I definitely recommend everyone to take a brake and walk/hike through Muir Woods! WARNING: I went on a weekend and there was mad traffic. You have to come early before the place opens to avoid this. A 15-20 minute drive across the Golden Gate Bridge and down the mountain turned into a 2.5 hour drive!!!!! So beware of peak hours

This was a good tour, and the woods were so incredibly peaceful and really helped me remember how…read moresmall I am in this great big world. Those trees are massive! The women's restroom at the entrance of the trail is disgusting. There was literal fuzzy mold on the wall under the sink, used toilet paper all over the floor...it didn't appear to have been cleaned in weeks, at least. For the first time, I felt like I needed a hazmat shower after leaving there, and I say that after traveling across country and using countless public restrooms! The toilet paper is like wiping with a snowflake so you have to use a ton just to dry off the undercarriage.

We had such an amazing time at Sonoma Zipline Adventures! We were there for my husband's birthday…read more The whole experience was so much fun, exciting, and definitely an adventure to remember. Our tour guides were hilarious, entertaining, and did an amazing job making us feel safe and comfortable throughout the entire experience. They even sang Happy Birthday to him at the end of our zipline tour as he repelled from the tree. They really made the tour memorable. We also reserved one of a Treehouse for an overnight stay, and it was absolutely beautiful! It had such a fun glamping feel and was fully furnished with everything we needed. I was worried I might be cold overnight, but there was a heater that kept the treehouse nice and cozy. The staff was incredibly kind, welcoming, and accommodating from start to finish. We truly had a wonderful experience and would definitely recommend Sonoma Zipline Adventures and the treehouse stay to our friends and family. So much fun, beautiful scenery in the middle of the forest. Great accommodations, wonderful staff, and definitely worth it! We can't wait to come back!

Went for the Treehouse Adventures (Fern) Treehouse hosts…read morewere friendly and accommodating. Room and toilet were very clean. (Note: limited in-treehouse sink water) Showers are only a short walk away. (Toiletries provided) Snacks and bottled water all included. Zipline guides were very fun and helpful. Amazing views over a small creek.

When we decided to visit San Francisco, I knew I wanted to do some kind of tour. I researched a…read morebunch of options and even considered one of the hop-on, hop-off buses, but then I came across the Painted Ladies Tour. I watched several videos, read reviews, and quickly realized this was a completely different kind of tour. The tour takes place in a vintage VW van that looks like something straight out of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine. Honestly, even the vehicle itself makes the experience fun! It's also a much more intimate experience than a large bus tour, which was exactly what I was looking for. It ended up being one of our absolute favorite things we did in San Francisco. Our guide, Clay, met us just a couple of blocks from our hotel, which was another huge bonus. We didn't have to take any additional public transportation to get to the tour. It was my daughter and me, another mother and daughter, and their aunt, so we had a really small group. Clay made sure we rotated seats throughout the tour so everyone got a different perspective and everyone had a chance to sit up front for the best views. One of the first things Clay did was explain what actually makes a "Painted Lady" a Painted Lady. We got to see so many examples throughout the city, and one of our favorites was the Four Seasons. It was really interesting learning the history behind the homes rather than just driving past them and taking pictures. We drove through the Haight-Ashbury area, where Clay explained how housing costs and the population have changed over the years. We even saw the iconic home with the legs sticking out of one of the windows, which is a pretty funny representation of just how packed some of the homes became. We also got to see the former homes of Jerry Garcia, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix. Being able to see those places in person and hear the history behind them was really cool. Our first stop where we actually got out of the van was Alamo Square Park, where the iconic Full House opening scene was filmed. This was probably the number one thing my daughter wanted to see, so she was thrilled! We got out, took pictures, and Clay was kind enough to take pictures of both of us together so neither of us had to be the person left out of the photos. Next, we drove by the house from Mrs. Doubtfire. Clay actually happened to see them filming part of the movie when he was younger, which made the stop even more interesting. Then came another major highlight for my daughter--we got to see the school from The Princess Diaries! From there, we headed to the Palace of Fine Arts, where we learned about its connection to the World's Fair. We stopped to take pictures, and I have to mention one of my favorite random moments of the entire tour: seeing a Golden Retriever riding in a convertible, absolutely living his best life. It was one of those completely unexpected San Francisco moments that made the day even better. Since we were already in the area, we also stopped to take pictures with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. But the absolute highlight of the tour came next. Clay took us to Lombard Street, turned the music way up, blasted "Born to Be Wild," and let us cruise down the famous winding street with the windows down. We were all singing along, laughing, and taking in the experience. It was honestly one of the most iconic and memorable moments of our entire San Francisco trip. The tour was also perfectly timed. We spent the morning seeing so much of the city, but we were finished early enough to walk back to our hotel, have some downtime, and regroup before lunch. We never felt rushed, but we also didn't lose an entire day to the tour. I would absolutely recommend the Painted Ladies Tour to anyone visiting San Francisco. It's such a fun and personal way to see the city and learn about its history. Instead of sitting on a huge bus with dozens of other people, you're in a small group, getting to interact with your guide and really experience the city. And Clay was fantastic. He was knowledgeable, personable, and made the history fun for both the adults and the kids in our group. He took pictures for us, made sure everyone got a chance to experience the best seats, and really made the entire morning feel special. If you're looking for something more personal than a traditional sightseeing bus, I can't recommend this tour enough. Between the Mystery Machine-style van, the history, the movie locations, the Golden Gate Bridge, and singing "Born to Be Wild" down Lombard Street, this was easily one of our favorite memories from San Francisco.

Fantastic San Francisco tour with Josh. His playlist, trivia and restaurant recommendations made…read morethe tour wonderful! We stopped for photos and even got to drive on Lombard St. thoroughly enjoyed our tour!