After a few days of exploring all of the fun things happening in San Francisco, you can consider one of several day trips from San Francisco. Starting with the North Bay is an obvious choice because it’s right there on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge—you can walk to it! It’s just as easy to go south to see what’s happening on the San Francisco Peninsula or to check out Silicon Valley.
Getting to a day trip destination can be as fun as the location itself. We’ve listed a few San Francisco Bay Area day trip favorites that can be accessed by ferry, boat, train, or group tour. Driving is always an option, except for getting to our island recommendation.
5 Best San Francisco Day Trips
Angel Island State Park
Angel Island towers just beyond Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay. This trek-worthy island is a state park and home to a national historic landmark—Angel Island Immigration Museum. Visitors looking for fun recreational opportunities and unique historical significance will love roaming around Angel Island.
Board a Golden Gate Ferry to the island from the San Francisco Ferry Terminal (SFFT). Ferry tickets are not sold on the island, so purchase a round-trip ferry ticket at the SFFT, which includes park entry fee. Pack a picnic lunch to enjoy when you arrive on the island or pick up something to eat at the Angel Island Café on weekends, with limited availability during the off-peak season. Check the café’s hours before your trip.
There are several ways to explore the island’s windswept wooded grassland setting. If you enjoy hiking, summiting the island’s peak, Mt. Livermore, at 788 feet in elevation, will reward you with 360-degree views of the Bay Area. Or hop on an open-air tram for a leisurely island tour. There are lots of spectacular views to be seen that way, too.
Angel Island Immigration Museum National Historic Landmark is the island’s main attraction. Between 1910 and 1940, the recently restored Immigration Station processed thousands of immigrants coming to the U.S., primarily from China. Discover the island conditions that greeted immigrants once they reached Angel Island and hear their stories.
Muir Woods National Monument
One of our favorite day trips from San Francisco is Muir Woods National Monument. Swap the city’s frenzied action for a Zen-like experience amongst old-growth coastal redwoods. The redwoods thrive under a blanket of coastal fog intermixed with California sunshine—bring a jacket. Muir Woods’ tallest tree towers around 260 feet overhead. The awe-inspiring average age of the oldest trees spans 600 to 800 years.
Muir Woods is eleven miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge and can be accessed by car or alternate transportation. If driving, an advance parking reservation is required. You can also take the Golden Gate Ferry from the San Francisco Ferry Terminal to Larkspur. At Larkspur Landing, board a Muir Woods Shuttle, which operates only on weekends.
Stop by the visitor’s center for trail information and guidance on what to view in Muir Woods. There are six miles of trails through the monument, and the asphalt or boardwalk trails through the woods are easily accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. More challenging narrow dirt trail hikes start in Muir Woods, then into Mount Tamalpais State Park.
Be immersed in what Northern California’s coast was like before human development on a quiet, contemplative walk under the ancient canopy. Stroll through lush fern undergrowth and listen for the winter wren’s birdsong and woodpeckers’ tree drilling. Find colorful and fanciful-looking mushrooms and fungi growing at the base of trees, and maybe spot a black-tailed deer or Sonoma chipmunk flitting through the trees on a sunny day.
Napa Valley Wine Country
Napa Valley wine country is a little to the north and a smidge to the east of San Francisco. This perfect trek could turn into one of many day trips from San Francisco. Explore how the world-famous wine-producing region transforms grapes into wine. Choose your adventure when deciding which of the over four hundred wineries to visit, each with a unique setting, story, and winemaking style.
Driving the fifty miles to Napa Valley from San Francisco allows for a quick and flexible road trip. There is also a one-hour cruise aboard the San Francisco Bay Ferry to Vallejo that puts riders at the cusp of the Napa Valley. Get to a specific destination riding The Vine public transportation system or booking a ride-share service. There are also fun group wine tours that pick up in San Francisco and Napa Valley locations.
Plan to explore Napa Valley’s gorgeous countryside. Try watching the rolling hillside grapevines unfold on the drive or trekking the beautiful land on a bike or horseback ride. Stop at cute downtowns to try California cuisine with glasses of local wine and pick up a souvenir or two.
Half Moon Bay on the San Francisco Peninsula
The San Francisco Peninsula winding Highway 1 drive south is a scenic getaway to Half Moon Bay. Stunning views of the Pacific Ocean out to the horizon play out from the vantage point of coastal hillsides during the ride. Small towns, sandy beaches, and stunning overlooks along the forty-mile stretch make frequent stops necessary.
Pillar Point Harbor on the northern fringe of Half Moon Bay has many points of interest to explore. Grab a basket of fish and chips or a bowl of clam chowder from Barbara’s Fishtrap walk-up window. Enjoy the seafood meal alfresco, complete with seagulls squawking overhead. Walk the dock to discover the day’s catch sold from fishing boats. Continue to the popular Surfer’s Beach to watch surfers catch a wave.
Next, stroll down Main Street to check out its unique mix of shops from coast-inspired clothing—hello hoodies—home décor to a bookshop and wine bars. If you’re looking for more coastal scenery, walk or bike the Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail or head up into the hills to Burleigh H. Murray Ranch park for a wooded hike.
Stanford University in Silicon Valley
Walk the hallowed halls where Silicon Valley’s founders and the next generation of inventors and tech entrepreneurs find creative inspiration at Stanford University. One of many urban day trips from San Francisco, Stanford is a must-see while you’re in the area. Since its opening in 1891, Stanford has been producing leaders and higher education opportunities for students from around the world. Stanford’s beautiful campus is open for the public to visit and enjoy its architectural features and highlights.
The Stanford Memorial Church welcomes all religious denominations. Its colorful mosaics, stained glass windows, and murals depicting scenes from the Old Testament are stunning. Visitors can access the observation deck of the Hoover Tower overlooking the campus and Silicon Valley. The Cantor Arts Center is free to the public and represents four thousand years of art.
Hang with college students on University Avenue at one of its many eateries before or after checking out the campus.
Take Caltrain from the San Francisco station to the Palo Alto Transit Center station at University Avenue. Although it is possible to walk from Caltrain to the Stanford campus, points of interest may be a distance away. The university’s free Marguerite Shuttle system has stops throughout the campus. Driving to Stanford from San Francisco is another great transportation option.