SAUSALITO         For many tourist who visit the Bay Area, Sausalito is the only part of Marin County they see or know.  In some respects, that isn't so bad because the harbor village has always been a place that is beautiful and bodacious.
Sausalito's beauty is easy to catalog.  The tree covered hillsides cascade down to a bayside town that reminds strollers of the French or Italian Riviera.  The views from Sausalito are nothing but breathtaking - from the Bay Bridge, the San Francisco skyline, to the Golden Gate Bridge.
Don't forget Sausalito's saucy history.  Bootleggers, bordellos, gambling dens, and eccentric houseboats.  All combined to give Sausalito a unique personality.
As most Marin residents know, there are two Sausalitos.  There is the tourists' Sausalito of ferry rides, small bayside shops, and flashy eateries.
Then there's the locals' Sausalito.  A foggy Sunday morning that starts with getting the newspapers at a newsstand that once was a gas station.  Then it's down to Northpoint Coffee ( where Zacks use to be... remember the Wednesday Night Turtle Races?) for a Latte' alongside the Bay (Dogs welcomed on the rear patio alongside the water).
Sausalito is also home to the Sausalito Art Festival  (Labor Day Weekend) which features incredible artist from around the world and local home grown talent.
Back in the 80s, I had the fortune to cross paths one afternoon with Sterling Hayden on St. Patricks day, and we closed Smitty's Bar on Caldonia Street later that evening.  Smitty's looks just the same today as it did in the 70s.  In the late sixties and seventies an unusual restaurant existed where Horizon's Restaurant is today called the Trident. If you'd like to revisit this unique experience click onto www.TridentRestaurant.com   
Sausalito is a not only a great town to visit, but a wonderful community to live in.

Sausalito Web Site:  (www.ci.sausalito.ca.us)


Sausalito, California


TIBURON            Tiburon epitomizes the good life around San Franciso Bay.  On the sunny docks, day-trippers, locals, and yachtsmen sip their coffee, while across the bay the city slips beneath the fog.  Outside of town, a wealth of bayside beauty awaits hikers and bikers exploring at leisure.  On a circle tour, you can get a sampling of what the 4 mile long Tiburon peninsula has to offer.
Every March ,Tiburon is proud to present the Tiburon International Film Festival (www.TiburonFilmFestival.com), that has become a huge success attracting Filmmakers from around the globe! 
Incorporated in 1964, Tiburon is now a beautiful enclave of historical landmarks, world-class resturants, and shopping areas.  Some of the residential architecture is reflected in small cottages, many of them beautifully remodeled, contemporary showplaces located in the hills, and sensational examples of engineering marvels that jut out over the water.  The San Francisco and Corinthian Yacht Clubs provide berths for hundreds of sailboats for local yachtsmen: public and private tennis and swimming facilities are also available to residents.
Visitors from around the world come here to enjoy the natural beauty and many activities that this delightful harbor community provides.
Belvedere and Tiburon Recreation: www.btrecreation.org
Tiburon Chamber of Comerce:  www.tiburonchamber.org

Tiburon Web Site:   (http://www.ci.tiburon.ca.us/)

Tiburon Bike Path

BELVEDERE         Belvedere is an island a mile long and less that one half mile wide, connected to Tiburon by a causeway.  Although the two towns have become very much alike, with their premier real estate prices motivated by spectacular views, they grew up differently. There were distict differences between the towns: while Belvedere was home to the rich: Tiburon, in its days as home base for a railroad, was considered the other side of the tracks.
Belvedere celebrated its 100th year as a city in 1996.  Marin's smallest incorporated community is also one of the most exclusive..  There is just enough room for some of the most expensive homes in Marin and the historic San Francisco Yacht Club.
Belvedere is a treasure trove of different architectural styles: from the tremendous Queen Anne and Mission Revival homes of the late 1800's to more modern styles and Mediterranean villas.  The two elementary schools and one middle school are in the Reed School District are rated in the top one percent among schools.
Belvedere, which translates in Italian to "beautiful views", was well and aptly named! 
Belvedere and Tiburon Recreation: www.btrecreation.org

Belvedere Web Site:  (www.cityofbelvedere.org/)    




Belvedere Island


MILL VALLEY     Nestled at the foot of Mt. Tamalpais, only ten miles from San Francisco, Mill Valley became a favorite vacation spot for wealthy city dwellers.  In 1896 a mountain railway, nicknamed "The Crookedest Railroad in the World", carried passengers to the mountain's summit and to Muir Woods.  Although the tracks were removed in 1930, the old Railroad Grade is currently very popular with hikers and mountain bikers!
Shortly after the town was incorporated in 1900 two town traditions began.  The Outdoor Art Club was founded in 1902, a group whose purpose was, and still is, to preserve the beauties of Mill Valley.  The Dipsea Race was first run in 1905 and has been held almost every year since.  It is the oldest race in the Country, behind the Boston Marathon.  The race is 7.1 miles long, from Lytton Square in Mill Valley over Mt.Tamalpais to Stinson Beach.
Bordered on three sides by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument, Mount Tamalpais State Park and watershed, Mill Valley offers spectacular recreation opportunities.  But this is only part of its attractions.  The people who have chosen to live here, from Rock Stars, Artist, Movie Stars, Nationally known authors, to Business Executives and Political Radicals: all are part of the eclectic mixture of talented folks who came for the pleasures of normalcy and anonymity to live in this incredibly beautiful and charming town.
Mountain Home Inn on Mt.Tamalpais: 415-381-9000   www.mtnhomeinn.com 

Mill Valley web site:       (www.cityofmillvalley.org)



Giant Redwoods in Mill Valley