April with the addition of Le Garage , a French bistro steps from the sand and , hands down , the best new restaurant in town in ages . Grab a seat next to the roll-up glass garage door and definitely try the mussels Provençale . Sunset.com : 20 perfect summer trips Undiscovered hike You ca n't spend time in Sausalito and not make it to the Marin Headlands , just a mile outside town -- it 'd be like going to Yosemite and missing Half Dome . So join the parade of cars winding up twisty Conzelman Road to Hawk Hill , but do n't stop there . Drive a bit farther to the beach parking area on your left , and you 'll see signs for the trail to Black Sands Beach . The 0.75-mile hike down -LRB- slightly rickety -RRB- steps is sure to put the rosy in your cheeks , and the narrow strip of beach is windy , wild and stunning . My secret ? Instead of starting from the beach parking area , I like to drive past the Marin Headlands Visitor Center , turn right on Bunker Road , and start at the
-LRB- Sunset -RRB- -- An insider shares five top experiences in Sausalito , California , you wo n't read about in guidebooks . Waldo Point Harbor is one of several scenic houseboat communities in Sausalito . Off-the-path pier You 'll want a bike or a car to get to the Fort Baker fishing pier , which sits in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge and has unbeatable views across the bay to San Francisco . In summer , foghorns bellow loudly from here , but in December , fishermen and pelicans are more the order of the day . A short walk north is eco-luxe Cavallo Point : The Lodge at the Golden Gate , which was big news in town when it debuted last summer . Even if you do n't stay there , stop for a glass of wine in the clubby Farley Bar . Locals ' beach Schoonmaker Beach is a bit farther from downtown , but still doable on foot and well worth finding . My son and I have whiled away many sunny mornings here , wading in the bay and watching sailboats . The beach bumped up to our number one favorite in