SF/ Monterrey/ Sausalito/ Napa recommendations

Sausalito
Copita Tequileria y Comida
Spinnaker (Old school 1960s modern dining room on the water, good seafood) Good place to have just a drink too, the views are really nice.
Sushi Ran
Fish (very casual)
Sartaj India Cafe (off the beaten path, small, casual)
For a bar, No Name Bar, they have some live music and it gets crowded with locals.

If you have a car, driving around the neighborhood in the hills above downtown has some really nice views but the streets are super tight with windy roads and you can easily get lost. There are also hidden stairs that you can walk up to the top of the hill but you have to know where you are going or you'll never find them. This Google Map shows the stair locations, you get to basically walk next to people's houses and yards.

Big Sur is a must see if you're that close ( Monterey).

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Big Sur is a must see if you're that close ( Monterey).

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I was definitely considering this and there is really nothing stopping us as we don’t really have set plans that day besides staying in Sausalito that night.

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If you are flexible, consider staying in Monterey or Carmel that first night instead of driving all the way back. Casanova in Carmel is outstanding restaurant, and aquarium in Monterey is a great 2 hour visit.

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My wheels are turning on that right now actually. Muir Woods and Sausalito the next day are the primary reasons I was considering going back that night. But now I’m hearing Muir Woods is overrated.

The PCH south of Carmel is pretty empty early in the morning.

If you can work that into you schedule, do that. Big Sur is beautiful.

Tickle Pink Inn in Carmel-By-The-Sea is reasonable.

You need to walk about Carmel, one of the best meals I've ever had was at Aubergine (Link)

I loved Muir Woods but it's exactly the wrong direction for you.

I'm a Steinbeck fan so Monterey is a big deal for me; the Aquarium, not so much although the sea grass there is cool to see.

The Giants games are cool, check the weather before going.

I wore a Mel Ott repro jersey there once and got several free beers from old line Giants fans.

Have a great time.

Big Sur restaurant with amazing view:
LINK

Drinks are great. Food is good. View is incredible.

Flying into sfo, driving down to pebble beach and then back up to Sausalito is a very very long day, especially with traffic. I would suggest staying the first night in Monterrey, go to the aquarium, then head to the Marin the next morning. Or skip Monterrey and stay the first night in Marin, but traveling from a couple hours south of San Francisco to saulsalito plus trying to see things is gonna be a lot to take in.