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Note: This year’s tour is virtual due to the pandemic. Scroll down for the full story.
Each year the Sausalito Floating Homes Association puts on a tour of 12-15 architectural masterpieces in the floating homes community. This is the only way to get to see the inside of the boats instead of merely looking at them from the dock or across the water. The homes in the area range from repurposed World War II era working boats to custom-built concept designs, with every variation imaginable in between.
The tour is sponsored by the Floating Homes Association, a non-profit volunteer organization that promotes the “dock life” and closely watches out for the interests of its owners and residents. Your ticket purchase partially benefits the Friends of the Marin City Library, Sausalito Village, and other local non-profits.
Insider Tip: Many of the homes on the Sausalito Houseboats Tour change each year, so if you’ve gone before you’ll still see new floating homes each year.
The 2021 Sausalito Houseboats Tour (Floating Homes Tour)
Date: Wednesday, June 9, 2021 VIRTUAL EVENT, HELD ONLINE
Time: 6:30-8:00 PM U.S. Pacific Time (GMT -7)
This year the Sausalito Houseboats Tour (officially the Sausalito Floating Homes Tour), like everything else, is being revamped as a virtual event as a result of the pandemic. It’s being billed as a Virtual Gala and Tour, and you can buy tickets here.
Although you’ll miss getting to actually walk through these fabulous floating homes, the upside is that you’ll also miss the excitement of finding a parking place and waiting in long lines on the docks getting sunburned on a September day that decides to be excessively sunny.
The online gala will include:
- A video tour of historic floating homes
- Interviews with some of the owners
- Musical interludes from local bands
- A lice auction with exciting trips and other items
- A silent auction of art, crafts and other items from the floating homes community
Proceeds from the Sausalito Houseboats Tour will be shared among local nonprofit organizations.
Tips for the years when there’s an in-person Sausalito Houseboats Tour and you can walk around:
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Homes will open at 11:00am and close at 4:00pm. Colorful flags will indicate exactly which homes are included in the tour.
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Your wristband, which you’ll receive when you check in, is your ticket; so keep it somewhere safe.
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No smoking is allowed on any of the docks.
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Please do not bring food or drinks into the houseboats.
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No pets/animals are allowed on the tour. This includes any sized dogs.
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Use caution when walking along the docks and especially when moving on and off each home.
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A few homeowners ask visitors to put on shoe coverings or to remove one’s shoes before entering their floating home, so we recommend wearing comfortable, slip-on shoes.
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We do not encourage the inclusion of children on the tour, but if you bring children along, remember that they are your responsibility. Keep a close eye on them at all times.
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Locations of all port-a-potties are shown on the map in the self-guided tour booklet, which you will receive when you arrive. Please don’t ask docents or homeowners to use their facilities.
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If you have any questions, concerns, or need any type of assistance, simply ask any of the 200 volunteers on the tour.
