For a Half Day

Sausalito: A Mediterranean-style community, Sausalito (or ‘Little Willow') is the first Marin County town over the Golden Gate Bridge and has been long favoured by artists and bohemians. Writer Jack London had connections here and the British Zen Buddhist Alan Watts, who was instrumental in bringing Zen to the west, set up home here. It is easy to take the Golden Gate ferry or Blue and Gold Fleet ferry (see Getting Around) from The Embarcadero Ferry Terminal or Pier 41 on Fisherman's Wharf to this quaint waterfront town (journey time is about 30 minutes).

Sausalito offers shops (some of them tacky), boutiques and galleries aplenty along Bridgeway (the main thoroughfare) and outdoor restaurants along the waterfront. Attractions include the Bay Model, 2100 Bridgeway, at Marinship Way (tel: (415) 332 3871), a scale model of the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento Delta, as well as the Bay Area Discovery Museum, 557 McReynolds Road, East Fort Baker (tel: (415) 339 3900; website: www.badm.org), which provides hands-on interactive exhibits for children.

A flotilla of 400-plus residential houseboats are still visible in Richardson Bay, although the renowned creativity once associated with them seems to have toned down since commuters moved in. The Sausalito Arts Festival (tel: (415) 331 3757; website: www.sausalitoartfestival.org), held over Labor Day weekend (late August/early September), continues to bring thousands to the waterside town.

The Sausalito Visitor Information Centre, 780 Bridgeway (tel: (415) 332 0505; website: www.ci.sausalito.ca.us), closed Monday, provides further information.


For a Whole Day

Sonoma Valley Wine Country: San Francisco is delightfully positioned within less than an hour's drive of northern California's famous wine region. The Sonoma and Napa Valleys are the most travelled by wine lovers, and hold a blend of elegant lodging, superb food, choice wines and dazzling scenery. A little less crowded than the Napa Valley, the Sonoma has over 180 wineries to visit in this county of 4,144 sq km (1,600 sq miles) of rolling hills and fragrant vineyards that stretch westwards to the Pacific Ocean.

Wine tours are a great way to taste wines and enjoy a relaxing lunch or dinner without worrying about driving. One of the best choices is Beau Wine Tours (tel: 1 800 387 2328 or (707) 938 8001; website: www.beauwinetours.com), which offers pickups from hotels in the San Francisco Bay area in chauffeur-driven limousines. Choose from six- to eight-hour tours, and allow your personal guide and wine connoisseur to select an itinerary, or request your favourite wineries. Champagne on ice and a picnic lunch stop add to a perfect day.

Sonoma Valley is filled with many small vineyards that welcome guests to their wine tastings with local stories and personal attention. The county's wineries dot the fertile Alexander Valley, east of Healdsburg; Dry Creek Valley (tel: (707) 433 3031; website: www.wdcv.com) noted for its Zinfandel; and the Russian River Valley, home to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Visit special gems like Pedroncelli (tel: (707) 857 3531; website: www.pedroncelli.com), the oldest continuing wine-making family in the Dry Creek Valley, famous for its award-winning Ports; or Dry Creek Vineyard (tel: (707) 433 1000; website: www.drycreekvineyard.com), the first successful producer of Fumé Blanc in the region and notable for its labels featuring sailing craft painted by commissioned artists for the nautical-loving owner Dave Stare.

Companies like Beau Wine Tours (see above) can even arrange next-day return to San Francisco should you choose to stay overnight in the wine region (highly recommended). Many spa resorts offer luxury accommodations and spa treatments to enhance your wine-touring experience (see MacArthur Place under Hotels).

A wine country getaway is not complete without a balloon flight over the vineyards with Napa Valley Balloons (tel: 1 800 253 2224; website: www.napavalleyballoons.com) or a drive through redwood country. Watersports, hiking, horse riding, and the many festivals provide delightful diversions, or you can enjoy a relaxing gourmet dinner on the Napa Valley Wine Train in the neighbouring valley (tel: (707) 253 2111 or 1 800 427 4124; website: www.winetrain.com).

The Sonoma Valley Visitor's Bureau, 453 First Street East, Sonoma (tel: 1 866 996 1090 or (707) 996 1090; website: www.sonomavalley.com) or Napa Valley Conference and Visitor's Bureau (tel: (707) 226 7459; website: www.napavalley.org), provide further information.