For our 19th wedding anniversary, Inna initially booked two nights at the Timber Cove Resort (a bit North of Bodega Bay). However, a few days before our arrival, when she inquired about the weather and activities, she learned that ping-pong and a few others were discontinued due to COVID-19.
Since the drive to Timber Cove would require 3+ hours, we explored other alternatives. After reviewing the availability of hotels in Carmel, Monterey, Pismo Beach, and Sausalito, we settled on a night (Saturday) stay at the Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito, CA. We have been to Carmel this year but have not visited Sausalito for many years. Revisiting the area would be fun and offer us a chance to hike the Dipsea Trail.
Saturday, October 17, 2020
After a breakfast of blueberries, strawberries, and yogurt, Inna and I packed our car with a few essentials (some clothes, hiking shoes, cameras) and started our drive to Sausalito. The traffic was light, and we arrived at Cavallo Point Lodge around 12:30.
Inside the main building, we checked in and were assigned room #2503 in building 1561. We were told that free E-bikes and Lexus 3-hour test drives were available. Since the main restaurant was booked for dinner, we made lunch reservations instead. We asked the receptionist to reserve Poggio Trattoria at 21:15. We parked near our building and unloaded our car. It was a walk to our building on a partial gravel path.
After resting in our room, we walked toward the Cavallo Point Restaurant for lunch. Putting on our masks, we were seated on the second-floor veranda. Since the kitchen switched to the dinner menu at 14:00, we rushed to order brunch entrées. I selected the Mozzarella Scramble, while Inna selected the Crab Salad.
It was scorching outside, about 85F (unusually hot for Sausalito), and I was trying to find shade to avoid being in direct sun. However, the entrées were delicious.
After finishing lunch, we decided to try renting E-bikes for a ride to Sausalito. However, all the E-bikes were rented out (what a disappointment), so we drove to Sausalito instead. We parked in the main parking lot and paid for two hours of parking.
Our first stop was Lappert's Ice Cream, one of our favorite Hawaiian-based ice cream chains. It's been a long since we tasted Lappert's and were looking to cool off in the sizzling weather. I ordered a cup with Mint Chocolate Chip & Kona Coffee, while Inna selected Kauai Pie. Lappert's ice cream tasted delicious but was of higher quality in Kauai.
We walked around downtown and were surprised to see so many tourists. Most restaurants and shops were open, although a few were notably closed. Strolling through the waterfront, we found a few properties for sale. Out of curiosity, we examine one listing closely. A 3-bedroom waterfront home was listed for $2 million. We were surprised that prices have dropped so much.
After exploring a few downtown shops, Inn and I decided to visit the Heath Ceramic Factory, which is about 1.5 miles away. We found a long line of people waiting to enter when we arrived. Due to Covid019, only a few customers were allowed inside. Unfortunately, we were too late and were not allowed inside.
Despite the disappointment, we visited the Golden Gate overlook before sunset. The drive was not too long - perhaps 15 minutes at most. When we arrived, we were treated to spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the surrounding area. There were multiple viewpoints, and we stopped by each one.
As we observed the Golden Gate Bridge, I spotted a lone windsurfer sailing the length of the bridge. There wasn't enough wind on this hot October day, but plenty of wind for him.
At around 18:00, while we waited for sunset, we decided to eat an earlier dinner, as we did not like eating so late (our concierge made dinner reservations for 21:15 at Poggio Trattoria). Inna searched Google and found Piatti Restaurant near Mill Valley, which had openings at 18:30. It was well-rated, so we decided to eat there instead. (It was a mistake - Poggio is a far superior restaurant despite its lower ratings).
We arrived at Piatti at about 18:30, located next to the Ferrari Dealership. When we walked in, we were offered an indoor table near the window - all the outdoor tables were taken. Although we asked to be seated outside, Piatti staff could not find us another table. Besides, this particular table was over a cold air vent and was very unpleasant. We asked to be moved again but had no luck.
For an appetizer, we ordered a Butter Lettuce salad, which we shared. It was alright. For the entrées, we both ordered Pappardelle Bolognese (Piatti is supposed to make its own fresh pasta). The pasta was of average quality for Northern California.
We also ordered a Tiramisu dessert, but it was also just average. Overall, we were not thrilled by the slow service, the inability to change our table, or the pasta quality. We will be unlikely to return again.
Sunday, October 18, 2020
We had a reservation for breakfast at 07:00, but Inna was so tired that we only woke up around 07:15. At around 07:40, we walked to the Cavallo Point Restaurant and ordered our breakfast.
Inna selected the Croque Madame, and I ordered the Cavallo Point Breakfast (two eggs, toast, and chicken sausage). The breakfast was delicious, and we were prepared for the long Dipsea Hike from Stinson Beach to Muir Woods.
After breakfast, we checked out of our hotel (picking up a few croissants to eat during the upcoming Dipsea Trail hike) and packed our Toyota Sienna.
I will review the Dipsea Hike in a separate blog post.
After the hike, we returned to Sausalito for dinner, stopping at Poggio Trattoria. We were quickly seated outside and offered free sparkling water. As we were pretty thirsty from the Dipsea Hike, we were delighted with free sparkling water.
Reviewing the Poggio Trattoria menu, we shared the Verdura Mushroom Pizza and the Tagliatelle pasta. Unexpectedly, both the pizza and pasta were quickly served. We found the pizza, especially the cheese and mushrooms, fantastic, and the pasta with shrimp was also quite delicious.
We also really loved the Affogato for dessert. It was so delicious with vanilla gelato and chunks of orange, covered with a freshly made cappuccino.
Overall, it was a fantastic dinner for our 19th Wedding Anniversary to make up for the sad affair at Piatti yesterday. We're sure to eat there again when we revisit Sausalito.
After dinner, we decided to return home. However, on the way home, we noticed a lot of fog hanging by the Golden Gate Bridge and decided to revisit the Golden Gate overlook. In about 15 minutes, we were there, along with so many other tourists and photographers, trying to find a parking spot and then rushing to take photos of the fog rolling over the Golden Gate Bridge as the sun was ready to set.
The fog was so cold and wet. Although I had my jacket on, I was still miserably cold!
Sausalito Trip Report
Highlights- Hiking Dipsea Trail
- Beautiful room at Cavallo Point Lodge (but a bit overpriced)
- Breakfast at Cavallo Point Restaurant
- Dinner at Poggio Trattoria in Sausalito
- Viewing Golden Gate Bridge from the Golden Gate Viewpoint
- Dinner at Piatti in Mill Valley (avoid!)
- Early closure of Heath Ceramic Factory
- E-bikes not available at Cavallo Point Lodge (limited availability)
- Sweltering weather on Saturday
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