San Francisco, CALIFORNIA

Millions of tourists drive, bike and walk across the 1.2-mile span of the Golden Gate Bridge every year. Visitors crossing the bridge are always thrilled with the view, but few notice or are aware of the important historic landmark that lies just beneath the north tower.

Welcome to old Fort Baker – recently re-minted as Cavallo Point - the Lodge at the Golden Gate

Except for a small Coast Guard presence, the military is long gone from Fort Baker. What remain are the eye-popping views of San Francisco, and the Golden Gate Bridge. If you want unique photos of both these icons, Fort Baker is the place to take your camera.

Cavallo Point was developed by Equity Community Builders and opened in July 2008. It is operated as an environmentally sustainable property by eco-conscious Passport Resorts under the guidance of the National Park Service. It is the Bay Area’s first national park lodge – that alone would make it special, but there is so much more…

There are the 20+ renovated Army buildings nestled around an immense grass parade ground. Standing in front of the complex – if you did not know better – you might think you were looking at an exclusive resort, or fashionable college campus.

None of the faithfully restored buildings give any indication that they are now part of an extraordinary ecologically sensitive enclave that includes a remarkable lodge, a Michelin-star restaurant with an outstanding wine list, and a cooking school.

There is also a healing arts center and spa, an environmental institute, and a children’s discovery center.

You can take one of the many trails to the historic gun emplacements, and continue your walk along the spectacular overlook ridge that drops down to Horseshoe Cove, where you will find an active Coast Guard Station, and a marina. There is also a boat ramp where you can launch your sailboat or kayak, and a fishing pier that requires no fishing license.

The place is a cornucopia of things to do and see for the entire family – too much to describe in this short article. To learn more, cut and paste the Cavallo Point website at http://www.cavallopoint.com/index.html


The Cavallo Point Lodge

Lodging accommodations at Cavallo Point deserve special mention and acclaim. We know of no other place where overnight guests are offered a choice of military historic or modern easy-luxury guestrooms and suites. Elegant and versatile, the Lodge perfectly suits both romantic retreats and corporate getaways.

The military option

Officer housing that was constructed in the early 1900s has been painstakingly restored to its original, but improved state of comfort. The old houses have been converted into 68 cozy guestrooms and suites featuring wooden stairways, original pressed tin ceilings, gas fireplaces, and superior beds with organic linens. The result is the perfect melding of the past with the present.

These vintage quarters are the right choice for guests who appreciate a quiet room full of period furnishings with a touch of military tradition. The historic houses often include glassed front porches with rockers, and views of San Francisco, the Bay, and the grassy parade grounds.

The new accommodations

For those that prefer contemporary accommodations with every modern amenity at their fingertips, there are 74 new guestrooms and suites designed and constructed to blend effortlessly into an elevated ridge behind the original post buildings. Because they were so well planned and landscaped with thousands of flourishing ornamental native plants, they are a perfect fit with the character of the site.

Floor to ceiling windows bring Cavallo Point’s natural and manmade wonders right into your room. Many of the rooms offer stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay.

Whether you choose the historic or the contemporary lodging, feel free to bring the family pooch along for the ride. Cavallo Point Lodge has a good selection of dog friendly rooms.

Put it on your list

Be sure to put Cavallo Point in Sausalito, California on your itinerary the next time you visit San Francisco. During a fast-paced vacation, Cavallo Point Lodge offers the chance to get away from it all, if only for a short while. It can do wonders to recharge your batteries and re-energize your trip.

The phone number for the Cavallo Point Lodge is 888.651.2003.

Getting there from San Francisco takes 20 minutes on a good day. Drive north on US Highway 101 across the Golden Gate Bridge. Take the second exit after the bridge, which is Alexander Avenue. Merge onto Sausalito Lateral Road. Turn left on Bunker Road and stay to the right. Turn right on Murray Circle and follow road around to the Fort Baker parking lot that is just in front of the Bay Area Children’s Discovery Museum.

Happy travels!

© Travels with Wayne and Judy (syndicated)
Photos © Wayne and Judy Bayliff

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