Sausalito is a
San Francisco Bay Area city in
Marin County,
California. Sausalito is south-southeast of
San Rafael, at an elevation of 13 feet (4 m). The population was 7,061 as of the 2010 census. The community is situated near the northern end of the
Golden Gate Bridge, and prior to the building of that bridge served as a terminus for rail, car, and ferry traffic. Developed rapidly as a shipbuilding center in World War II, the city's industrial character gave way in postwar years to a reputation as a wealthy and artistic enclave, a picturesque residential community (incorporating large numbers of
houseboats), and a tourist destination. It is adjacent to, and largely bounded by, the protected spaces of the
Golden Gate National Recreation Area.