The Most Beautiful Cities and Towns in Northern California Sausalito. Sausalito is a picturesque waterfront town with some of the best views looking back into San Francisco. Gualala. Situated in Mendocino County, Gualala lies three hours north of San Francisco. ... Bodega Bay. ... Monterey. ... Tahoe City. ... Calistoga. ... Santa Cruz. ... Half Moon Bay. ... Fort Bragg. ... Pacifica. ...