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The section of Jefferson Street that will take you out of the Fisherman's
Wharf Area is the first point where you will not be able to ride
your bike on the sidewalk. It's a short stretch, but make
sure not to put a tire in the train tracks that are running parallel to your
path. Take Jefferson street about 2 blocks to Aquatic Park
and back up onto the
sidewalk. Here, if you are lucky, you
will find swimmers who are members of the Polar Bear Club
swimming in the protected harbor. Kids who have particular interest in
boats might find historic ships at Hyde Street Pier
interesting, particularly the Balclutha, seen in the
background in the picture on the right. Take a moment and pretend
you're a pirate. The San Francisco Maritime Museum, however is worth
a (free) visit, if only to see the radio room on the top floor, where kids
can watch real time radar sweeps of the ships coming in under the Golden
Gate.
For a schedule of activities at the Maritime Museum (including guided tours of ships) click here.
The hill that will take you up into Fort Mason is a doozy. Feel free to walk your bike; most people do. At the top of Fort Mason there is an old canon battery worth examining and, if you look carefully, up near the Youth Hostel, there's a surprisingly clean porta-potty hidden up behind the battery.
Ride down the hill. If you have small children, make sure they're behind you, as the hill is fairly steep and ends at a busy street, so if they fail to brake, they're going to run into the back of you and not the front of a bus. On your left hand side will be a Safeway Grocery store that is known to San Francisco singles as quite the pickup joint. It's also a nice place to pick up a cheap soft drink. There's also a deli inside where you can get sandwiches made and take them back across the street and have a picnic on the ocean wall.
Continuing on, you'll pass through Marina Green. You'll start to feel some headwinds here as you ride into the breeze coming off the ocean. If you didn't stop for snacks at the Safeway, there's a little snack hut at the far west end of the Green near yacht club. Just behind the yacht club you will find the wave organ, a peculiar project created by the nearby Exploratorium science museum. Take a listen and enjoy the view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city. Continue on through Crissy Field, an old Army Air Force airbase that is now natural wetlands. Head towards the large brick structure under the bridge.
As you approach, you will pass by several small buildings near a pier.
One of the buildings is the park district's little coffee shop
which also has interesting books and sophisticated souvenirs. These
are the sorts of things you would take home as gifts, not the tacky stuff
you will find at Fisherman's Wharf. There are also restrooms
in a nearby outbuilding. The pier itself will likely be full of
fishermen - walk out and see what they're catching. Many of the
fishermen are first generation Americans and are doing what they did in
their home country - they're catching their dinner.
You too can go
crab fishing, right from this very dock. To find out
how, check out our other section, Bay Adventure.
The large brick structure is Fort Point. It was constructed in 1853 and protected the port of San Francisco from Confederate attack. Ironically at the same time military canon became rifled, or grooved, which gave cannonballs much more accuracy. This meant both that a fort did not have to be right on the water - artillery could hit ships from a much greater distance - and the canon on the ships could tear a brick fort apart. It was abandoned in in 1886 and was not used again until World War Two, when troops armed with searchlights kept watch for Japanese submarines. You can visit for free and it is worth a stop.
Follow the signs - or even easier, follow the other bikers - through the Presidio, also a former Army base. Hidden in here is LucasFilms, the company that made Star Wars. The hill up to the Golden Gate Bridge is a bit of a challenge - it may make sense to get off and walk your bike. Follow the signs onto the bridge. Note you will be taking the western sidewalk - bikes are not permitted on the eastern side.
The bridge was the world's largest suspension bridge when it was completed in 1937, and is one of the world's most recognizable landmarks. 100,000 vehicles cross this bridge every day. If you feel winded as you cross, realize that until the halfway point, you are going uphill. Also note that the steel plates on the sidewalk, particularly near the suspension towers can be very slick if they're wet. Lastly, this is two way bike traffic, so watch for oncoming cyclists as you go around the towers.
As you cross the center, you will have left the city of San Francisco and now will be in Marin County. It will feel like you have come a long way since your start this morning - in fact you've only gone about 5 miles. At the north end of the bridge, you will have to walk down stairs carrying your bicycles in order to pass underneath the bridge to the eastern side.
On the eastern side, you will find a lookout point and an excellent spot for photographs. Note too the sidewalk merchants selling jackets to the tourists who didn't realize just how cold San Francisco gets, even in the summer. You, of course, read our Top Five Biggest San Francisco Tourist Mistakes. After enjoying the view, head through the parking lot and downhill towards Sausalito.
This hill, Sausalito Lateral Road, is the only spot we consider to be somewhat dangerous if you're not careful. There are two problems. First, it's a big hill, so you want to make sure your youngest rider is very good at braking. Putting one adult in the front of the pack would make sense for this reason. Secondly, it's only one of two times you will be on the street and not the sidewalk. For this reason, the second adult - if there is one - should ride behind to watch for children who are not adequately staying to the far right.
On your right hand side will be yet another old Army base, Fort Baker. The Bay Area Discovery Museum will also be visible. While not as good as the Exploratorium back in the city, this is a fun hands on museum where children can build boats and examine animal skulls. Stop for a visit, or continue on into town.
Once you're in town, stop and take a well deserved rest. There are interesting art shops and studios in Sausalito, and all expect grimy bicyclers to visit. Don't hesitate to go inside.
Note you can continue on to Tiburon, but other than some very nice scenery, you're not going to miss much by quitting at Sausalito.
The ferries that will take you back to the city depart from a small park. Everyone knows where it is, and this is such a small town (population about 7,000) you can probably see it from just about anywhere. Hint: ferries travel on water.
Queue up with the other bikers - there will be a lot of them. The ferry accepts around 25 bikes on the weekdays and about 100 on the weekends, first come first served, so you need to plan ahead.
Tickets are $8.50 for adults, $4.50 for children ages 5-11. Below is the current Blue and Gold Ferry schedule, though of course you should also check the ferry's website for updates.
Leaving Sausalito for San Francisco's Pier 41
Weekdays: 11:50am 1:05pm 2:20pm 3:40pm 8:00pm
Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays: 11:55am 1:25pm 2:50pm 4:30pm
Note there is no ferry service on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day
Enjoy your trip across the Bay. It will last about 30 minutes. Usually there is a small bar on board where you can buy a drink or a snack, and there are restrooms. Congratulations on completing one of the most memorable bike trips ever!
Tom and Barbara from Kansas City say: This is a lot easier than it sounds at first! We were so glad we tried this. All of our favorite memories of the city are from this day! Thank you for the encouragement!
Laurie from Fremont California says: Even locals have fun with this. If you haven't been in the city for awhile, take this trip and then bring your friends.Found a clean restroom? Good eating spot? A tip for future adventurers?
You're never going to be far from a rest stop, but a bottle of water in your backpack is always a good idea. Take along a camera of course. A cell phone for safety. An energy bar or candy bar couldn't hurt. Some hand sanitizer if you plan to go crab fishing. And absolutely, positively bring along a light windbreaker no matter what the temperature is. The crown of the Golden Gate Bridge is going to be cold and windy and you will wish
you had it.
Leave everything else at the hotel.
The last daytime ferry leaves Sausalito at 3:40pm on weekdays, 4:30pm on weekends.
Note there is a limit to the number of bikes accepted. It is possible you can be on time and still miss the ferry.
The obvious solution is to backtrack and ride back the opposite direction. While you will be tired, it is not an impossible task. It's less than 8 miles. Of course, the downhill rides you enjoyed into Sausalito are now UPHILL rides. Then again, the uphill ride in the Presidio is now downhill.
Taxis are few and far between in San Francisco and Sausalito. However, a few enterprising minivan cabs have been known to wait around the ferry building for people who missed the ferry.
Bottom line, don't miss the ferry. If you do miss it, bike back before sunset.