Updated on: October 29, 2026
The best neighborhoods in Sausalito, CA are:
- Old Town and Hurricane Gulch
- The Hill
- Spring Street Valley and New Town
- Wolfback Ridge
- The Marinship and Waldo Point floating-home waterfront
Each part of this coastal enclave sits at a different point between the shoreline and the ridges above the Golden Gate Bridge. That position shapes lot size, access and what a buyer can do with a property.
Key takeaway
Sausalito's neighborhoods trade off along one line:
- Hillside areas like Old Town, The Hill and Wolfback Ridge give views at the cost of stairs and steep access. On the ridge, every errand also needs a car.
- Flat areas near the bay give walkable streets and yards, but buyers must check flood exposure.
- Floating homes are a separate kind of purchase, with a leased berth and specialty financing.
Who this guide is for
Buyers comparing Sausalito neighborhoods before touring homes.
Sausalito neighborhoods at a glance
- The ferry to San Francisco takes about 30 minutes.
- A FEMA flood zone means lender-required flood insurance on a mortgage.
- Selling in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone requires documentation of a compliant defensible space inspection.
- Floating homes: you own the structure; the berth is leased.
How Sausalito's neighborhoods differ
Four things separate one part of town from another:
For the bigger picture, see Ultimate Guide for Sausalito.
- Slope: steep hillside lots versus flat land near the bay.
- Position: the waterfront versus the ridge.
- Distance: how far a home sits from Bridgeway, downtown and the ferry.
- Housing type: historic cottages and Victorians, hillside view homes, condos, or floating homes.
The Sausalito Ferry Terminal sits downtown at Humboldt Street and Anchor Street. It is owned by the City of Sausalito and operated by Golden Gate Ferry.
More than 30 public stairways and paths connect the hillside neighborhoods to Bridgeway and downtown. These include:
- North Street Steps
- 2nd Street Steps
- Oak Lane Steps
- Harrison Street Steps
- Excelsior Steps
- El Monte Steps (Bridgeway to Bulkley Avenue)
- Reade Lane Steps (Bridgeway to Bulkley Street)
A home near a stairway can be a short walk from the ferry even when the drive down is long and winding.
Exploring the best neighborhoods in Sausalito, CA
Old Town and Hurricane Gulch
Old Town, also called Hurricane Gulch, is Sausalito's original 19th-century neighborhood at the south end of town. It is laid out on a grid of numbered streets, notably 2nd Street, around a cove south of downtown. Parts of 2nd Street were too steep for horses or cars and were built as pedestrian stairs.
Homes are mostly historic Victorian and Craftsman single-family houses built into the slope. Lots are smaller and more densely plotted than in the northern neighborhoods, and the roads are narrow and winding.
Homes look out over the cove and the bay. The Hurricane Gulch nickname comes from the cool afternoon winds that blow through, especially in summer.
The ferry terminal is roughly half a mile away along Bridgeway, and the public stairways shorten the walk from the upper streets. Downtown's waterfront restaurants and shops sit along the same stretch of Bridgeway, so errands and the commute share one walk.
What buyers should know:
- Historic review: Sausalito's designated historic district is the Downtown Historic Overlay. It is centered on 558-789 Bridgeway, all of El Portal and Princess Streets, and adjoining parts of Bulkley Avenue. Inside it, the Historic Preservation Commission reviews all new construction and alterations to existing buildings. Old Town parcels generally fall outside the overlay unless a home is individually listed as a historic resource, so confirm a property's status before planning exterior changes.
- Parking: from Old Town through downtown to the hills above Caledonia Street, parking on residential streets for longer than 2 hours may require a city permit. Check the permit area before buying a home without off-street parking.
- Slope: the geotechnical points under The Hill apply here too.
The Hill
The Hill is the hillside residential area directly above downtown, running from New Town and Caledonia Street on the north to Old Town on the south. Its streets include Santa Rosa Avenue, San Carlos Avenue, Spencer Avenue and Bulkley Avenue, its classic view street.
Homes use multi-story hillside construction to gain square footage and sightlines. Lot sizes vary, but the grade means most outdoor space is tiered decks rather than lawns.
East-facing homes look over the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz and Angel Island, and that exposure over the water drives what a home here costs.
To reach the ferry, residents head down to Bridgeway and then walk along it. They can walk or drive down Bulkley Avenue or Princess Street, or take the North Street or El Monte Steps.
Downtown and the Bridgeway Promenade sit at the foot of the hill, along with Gabrielson Park on the water.
What buyers should know:
- Access: expect steep driveways and stairs between the street and the front door.
- Geotechnical review: the City routinely requires geotechnical, hydrological and drainage reports before approving hillside grading or construction. It may also require an independent third-party review paid for by the applicant. Buyers who plan to add on should order a geotechnical inspection during escrow.
- Historic review: homes on the parts of Bulkley Avenue inside the downtown overlay face the review described under Old Town.
- Fire: the fire hazard zone rules under Wolfback Ridge can apply to hillside parcels here as well.
Spring Street Valley and New Town
New Town lies north of The Hill around Caledonia Street. Together with Spring Street Valley, it offers flatter, more accessible ground than the hillside neighborhoods.
The housing mix blends mid-century modern designs with traditional single-family homes. Lots are generally larger, with traditional yard space.
Sweeping water views are less common here than on the slopes above.
Daily errands are a flat walk away. Caledonia Street has a local mix of hardware stores, cafes and neighborhood services, and Dunphy Park offers open green space on the Richardson Bay waterfront.
What buyers should know:
- Flood exposure: low, flat ground near the bay can flood.
- Before making an offer, look up the property's FEMA flood zone. A lender requires flood insurance on a mortgaged home in a Special Flood Hazard Area, a cost to add to the monthly budget.
- Ask the seller about past flooding during king tides and storms.
- Also ask whether the streets between the home and Highway 101 go under water at those times. A dry house can still have a flooded commute.
- Parking: permit Area C, part of the same permit system described under Old Town, covers the hillside streets flanking the Caledonia Street business district. That includes parts of San Carlos Avenue and Glen Drive.
Wolfback Ridge
Wolfback Ridge sits high on the ridge, set apart from downtown Sausalito.
Homes are modern and contemporary designs on large lots, with significant square footage.
Views take in the Golden Gate Bridge and the Pacific Ocean, and the distance from the commercial areas gives a high degree of privacy.
Walkability is low. Groceries, school runs and trips to the ferry all start with a drive, and a ferry commute also means finding parking downtown.
What buyers should know:
- Fire hazard zone: under CAL FIRE's updated draft hazard maps, Sausalito has about 702 acres in fire hazard severity zones, up from none in the 2007-2011 maps. The mapped risk extends nearly to the shoreline.
- Since July 1, 2021, selling property in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone requires documentation of a compliant defensible space inspection.
- Check the map for any ridge or hillside parcel, and talk with an insurance agent about coverage before removing contingencies.
- Slope: the geotechnical points under The Hill apply here too.
Marinship and Waldo Point floating homes
Marinship occupies the site of a former World War II shipyard on the flat waterfront beside the town's marinas. Waldo Point Harbor lies just north, in unincorporated Marin County outside the city limits.
The housing here is floating homes, which sit right on the water with flat access to the docks.
Views are at water level, across the harbor and Richardson Bay.
What buyers should know:
- Ownership: at Waldo Point Harbor the homes are privately owned, and each owner holds a separate berth lease with the harbor. The harbor does not sell homes; owners sell through ordinary real estate channels.
- Buyer approval: when a floating home sells in Sausalito's marinas, the berth lease must be assigned from seller to buyer, and the marina must approve the new tenant. Approval can include a formal application and a financial and background review. It can take weeks if there is a waiting list or income requirements.
- Who regulates: floating home siting and placement approvals at Waldo Point go through Marin County's Community Development Agency.
- Title and financing: a floating home is personal property.
- Ownership transfers through the California Department of Housing and Community Development, much as the DMV titles a vehicle, instead of by a grant deed at the county recorder.
- A lender records a security agreement in place of a deed of trust, so conventional mortgages for land-based homes do not apply the same way.
- Buyers need a lender willing to accept the home and berth lease as collateral.
- Monthly costs: berth fees and association dues vary by marina and should be confirmed before an offer.
- Flood: the flood-zone check under Spring Street Valley and New Town applies here as well.
How to choose the right Sausalito neighborhood
- Home type: condos suit buyers who want less upkeep, and single-family homes give land and control. A floating home adds the berth-lease and approval steps described above.
- Ferry or car: a weekday Golden Gate Ferry crossing from Sausalito to San Francisco takes about 30 minutes under the schedule effective April 13, 2026, so homes within walking distance of the terminal make that commute simple. Driving runs south on Highway 101 over the Golden Gate Bridge and backs up at peak hours.
- Schools: the Sausalito Marin City School District serves kindergarten through 8th grade, and the Tamalpais Union High School District serves high school.
The fastest way to feel these differences is on foot and at different times of day. Tour the neighborhoods with Tracey to compare stairs, parking, wind and views before choosing a home.
Frequently asked questions
What are the primary differences between living in North Sausalito versus downtown?
North Sausalito, including the Marinship, is flat former shipyard waterfront with easy access to the marinas and parking. Downtown and the hillsides above it are steep and dense, with historic architecture and the ferry terminal close by.
What makes Sausalito special?
Sausalito sits on the bay at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge, with Golden Gate views, a walkable Bridgeway waterfront and a floating-home community unlike anything else in the Bay Area. Rodeo Beach, Kirby Cove and Black Sands Beach in the Marin Headlands, inside the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, are a short drive away. Only Rodeo Beach has parking at the sand; the other two are a hike down from parking on Conzelman Road.
Can you walk from Sausalito to San Francisco?
You can. The route heads south out of town and crosses the Golden Gate Bridge on its pedestrian sidewalk, so check the bridge's posted sidewalk hours before setting out. Walkers and cyclists can return on the ferry.
How expensive are homes in Sausalito?
Sausalito is a high-priced market: in 2026, even smaller inland properties start at about $1,290,000, homes with open water views run past $3,300,000, and the Sausalito housing market shifts month to month.
Sources
- Sausalito Ferry Terminal
- City of Sausalito: public stairways
- A fascinating look at old Sausalito
- Our Sausalito: neighborhoods
- Our Sausalito: The Hill
- City of Sausalito citywide historic context statement
- City of Sausalito: street parking
- City of Sausalito: hillside project initial study
- Office of the State Fire Marshal: fire hazard severity zone maps
- Marin County: floating home exception, Sausalito unincorporated
- Waldo Point Harbor
- Floating home escrow in Sausalito and Marin
- Golden Gate Ferry April 2026 schedule updates
- National Park Service: Golden Gate beaches
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Tracey Broadman | CA DRE# 01323049
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