I paid $8 to take a ferry to a small coastal town near San Francisco. The cute shops and Mediterranean vibes make it the perfect day trip.

I took a streetcar to the San Francisco Ferry Building, which is accessible via public transit.

This building is along the Embarcadero, a roadway next to the waterfront. However, it's not just a ferry terminal — it's also the city's famous food hall and marketplace, complete with Cambodian, Arab, Chinese, French, and seafood restaurants.

I paid for my ride with Clipper, a card that can be used for bus and train transportation in the multi-county Bay Area.

To board the ferry, passengers can add money to their Clipper account, buy a brand-new Clipper card, or purchase a paper ticket through machines on the ferry dock.

However, I think it's best to avoid the latter. A one-way ride on the ferry costs $8 with Clipper and $14 with a regular paper ticket.

I arrived at the gate 10 minutes early, since it closes one minute before departure.

Once the ferry arrived, I tapped my Clipper card at the fare gate and boarded the vessel.

The upper deck on the 715-passenger ferry was very windy. Tourists are often stunned by the cool San Francisco weather and usually regret not wearing a jacket or long pants.

The ferry I took had lower, middle, and top decks with different indoor and outdoor seating arrangements.

As always, I opted for a seat on the open deck, away from the edge of the boat. I know from experience that sitting too close to the edge means I'll probably get wet.

The ferry also had a snack bar on board. When I walked over, I saw items like wine, beer, soda, chips, pretzels, and peanuts for sale.

However, I didn't buy any food, as the ride was just a mere half-hour long.

The ferry offers great views of several landmarks, including the San Francisco skyline and Angel Island, a processing center historically used for Asian immigrants seeking US citizenship.

Seeing San Francisco's Bay Bridge was easy, as it's fairly close to the Ferry Building. The ferry also passed Alcatraz Island, which once housed a fort, military prison, and federal jail.

However, the orange Golden Gate Bridge was more difficult to spot because of fog in the area. But as the view of homes climbing Sausalito's wooded hills approached, I saw the bridge peeking out.

The ferry arrived at a dock near the heart of Sausalito, at Humboldt Avenue and Anchor Street.

As I disembarked, I passed dozens of people with bikes waiting to board — the ferry can accommodate bikes on a first-come, first-served basis. Biking over the Golden Gate Bridge and then taking the ferry back to San Francisco is a popular activity.

As I walked through town, I saw a Portuguese-style mosaic sidewalk, palm trees, and elephant sculptures.

I also came across two plaques about Cascais and Viña del Mar, seaside resort towns in Portugal and Chile, respectively. Turns out, they're sister cities to Sausalito, which means the California town maintains relationships with these cities to foster cross-cultural relationships and education.

These small landmarks gave Sausalito a coastal vibe and, having been to Chile and Portugal, conjured up fond memories for me.

As I walked, I also saw mailboxes painted with maritime themes, as well as Bridgeway — a street of shops, galleries, and restaurants across from the docks.

Some restaurants have outdoor seating with waterfront views, and others, like Scoma's (a seafood place), are built on docks in the bay.

Though I've been to Sausalito dozens of times, it never gets old. Taking the ferry to the seaside town is simple, and I always enjoy exploring the area.

I plan to keep taking day trips to Sausalito, as the ferry ride is inexpensive and fairly short. But next time, maybe I'll bring a cap to tuck my hair under.