"Ask Annie" Archives: Side Trips
"Ask Annie" is our page where readers ask questions about Sausalito. We archive the questions here by category so that they form an FAQ for all things Sausalito.
Q: First off, I love your website. My husband and I are coming to Sausalito in October for an anniversary trip. I can get to SF and back on the ferry, but that's the extent of my knowledge. We would like to get to Napa County but have no idea if there is a way by public transportation. We are dining at The French Laundry, so we wanted to make a day trip out to Yountville but have no idea how to get there and back from Sausalito. Any tips you can share? Thanks! — Roxann
A: Roxann, thank you so much for your note, and Happy Anniversary! The French Laundry has a fabulous reputation for fine dining… and long lead times for reservations! The Wine Country is an hour or more north of Sausalito, so I'm afraid all of the options I can offer are either complex, expensive or involve renting a car. We've included a map of the route below. Here are some ideas:
Renting a Car: The least expensive way to go is to rent a car for pick-up at the airport through one of the competitive websites such as Expedia or Priceline. You can also rent a car in downtown Sausalito, although such small local sites often have to charge higher prices than the airport locations. It's about 52 miles to Yountville from Sausalito, and I'd allow 1 hour and 15 minutes for a direct drive, longer during the afternoon commute. Better yet, allow a lot longer and give yourself the treat of stopping to visit at some of the wineries that line the roads along the way!
Public Transit: We did the research on this and you'd have to connect through five different buses in an intricate and arcane route. That was the best option we found, and one online choice involved a trip of over 100 miles that doubled back on itself. The bus system isn't going to work for this trip.
Limo or Towncar: It's not cheap, but this is a standard itinerary for the local livery companies and they compete aggressively with each other. We have some links for them here. The upside: no need to have a Designated Driver, which is otherwise important when touring the local tasting rooms.
Roxann, if you have any follow-up questions please write back — we enjoy helping people make their Anniversary trips special.
Google Map Instructions: Use the "+" and "-" buttons to zoom in and out, the arrow keys to scroll the map, and the SAT button to see the satellite view.
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