This is the 2nd year we've joined friends for a great way to end the year and thought I'd share it. We meet at the Ferry Building and walk to Sausalito, have lunch there and take the ferry right back to the Ferry Building. We don't stop a lot along the way, but if you are visiting SF and want to see a number of places you could make a longer day of it and have a great time.

You follow the water and go through Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, then up and over Fort Mason along Marina Green and Chrissy Field. There were surprisingly clean restrooms there (at least that day), and a little further on, a shop with coffee and hot chocolate for the cold weather. We then went up the stairs to the Golden Gate Bridge, but you could also walk straight ahead and take in Fort Point before hiking across the bridge.

After the bridge you walk down the hill into Sausalito (walk facing traffic!) which is the only narrow walkway of the day. You could go through Fort Baker which now goes into Sausalito I'm told.

Without stops and shops, we did it in 3 1/2 easy hours of regular paced walking. It's flat for most of the walk and there are lots of places to eat at the end and no need to find parking in Sausalito, a big bonus. If you really don't want to walk that far, you could take the same ride on a rented pedal or electric bike. Pick a pretty day and have a great time.

We did a similar walk 2 years ago - we started at the Golden Gate Bridge, walked across and back, then down the same route you list [stopped at the "Warming Hut" in the Presidio for lunch - decent and reasonably priced] and continued to FW and then through North Beach back to Market.

It is a lovely city to walk in - we are heading back in 2 weeks and hope the weather will be kind to us. We are prepared for the worst, but wouldn't mind it being better

As a nearly-native who has never crossed the GG Bridge on foot, I am going to bookmark this for next year!!

I have a walked across the GG Bridge many times but I have never walked to Sausalito. That is an interesting idea, susncrg.

Don't feel bad, sf7307, I had many relatives born and raised in SF who never walked across the GG Bridge either. The first time I did I was a tween and my fun uncle took me on the walk. Several of our older relatives were horrified for some reason. But I have to say they were not the most fun people, lol. When the weather gets nice do take the walk (on a nonfoggy day) as I imagine you will really enjoy yourself.

BTW, another alternative if you don't want to walk down to Sausalito, is to continue just under the Golden Gate Bridge and it becomes the Coastal Trail leading to Baker Beach approx. 1 1/2 miles from the bridge. I may try that one next.

Oops. Forgot to say that this trail is on the SF side of the bridge. There's signage pointing it out.