Muir Woods and Sausalito Half-Day Tour

On this half-day tour, you’ll wander through ancient groves of coastal redwoods at the Muir Woods National Monument and take a leisurely walk along the historic flower-lined sidewalks of Sausalito.

If you’ve never seen an old-growth redwood forest, prepare for a full sensory experience. Just a quick 30 minutes from downtown San Francisco, Muir Woods contains trees between 800 and 1,200 years old. You’ll take a full hour and a half to roam through this ‘living museum’ where you can walk among the towering trees that used to dominate the west coast from Santa Barbara to Washington.

After exploring Muir Woods you’ll get a quick narrated tour through the beautiful seaside Mediterranean-style town of Sausalito, after which you’ll get a chance to explore the 2.5 mile waterfront (approx 45 minutes total) before returning to the city across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Have a full day to fill? You can also choose to skip the ride back in the mini-shuttle and opt for a picturesque ferry ride back to San Francisco!

Take the ferry back to San Francisco!

Explore Sausalito for a longer time and take the ferry across the Bay! For only $13 extra, explore Sausalito at your leisure and take the scenic ride to Fisherman’s Wharf or the San Francisco Ferry Building. From there, enjoy some more sightseeing and easily reach your hotel via cable car or public transportation.

The ferry from Sausalito departs approximately every hour and a half, from 11:30am to 9:00pm daily.

Muir Woods National Monument

7:15am & 1:30pm Make your way to the pre-arranged pick-up spot at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square (333 O’Farrell St).  Make sure to be on the Mason Street side of the hotel to meet your Incredible Adventures guide and vehicle.

Cross the Bridge: From the cozy vantage of the mini-coach, take in panoramic scenes that span the city skyline, Alcatraz Island and the boat-speckled bay. We’ll next take the winding coastal mountain path through the Marin Headlands where you’ll see the base of Mt. Tamalpais (the highest point in the North Bay region) before we arrive in the cool shaded canyon home to these special coastal redwoods.

See the Trees: Are you ready to feel small next to a redwood? You’ll step off the mini-couch into a wonderland of greenery, where you’ll have an hour to an hour and a half to wander along the wooden boardwalks through the tallest species of tree in the world. These unique trees only thrive in Northern California and Oregon, due to the thick fog that blankets the west coast in the summer months. In 1908, Senator William Kent and his wife donated their land to the state and President Theodore Roosevelt designated it as a federally protected area. Muir Woods is the only surviving stand of old-growth forest in the Bay Area. Wandering amongst these towering giants is sure to reconnect you with a natural world that was almost lost forever.

Free Time in Sausalito: From Muir Woods it’s a short drive to Sausalito, a picturesque town that starts with hilltop mansions and spills down to boutique shops and cafes along the waterfront. The pier offers a panoramic view of the San Francisco skyline, the Bay Bridge, and Angel Island. Take it all in with a in-coach narrated tour and about 30+ minutes to explore. Then, loop around for the return trip to San Francisco.

*You can also choose to hop off the coach and linger at one of the sidewalk cafes, shop for one-of-a-kind souvenirs, or sample freshly caught seafood before taking the ferry back to the city (choose the PLUS FERRY option at check-out).

Home Again: We’ll drop you back off at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square just in time for lunch or dinner, depending on the tour you’ve chosen. 

**Sample Itineraries: Please note that due to conditions outside of our control (special events, traffic), it is sometimes necessary to alter your itinerary to best suit the needs of the group. While we guarantee that we’ll do our best to provide you with all of the highlights within this itinerary (conditions permitting), we do not guarantee them in this specific order. Depending on our passenger numbers and guest needs, your tour may be moved to a larger vehicle, or operated by a preferred partner company. In this case, there may be slight differences to the itinerary and times listed above. We will communicate exact details to you in your confirmation.

Take the Ferry Back To San Francisco* and Spend More Time Exploring Sausalito At Your Own Pace!

Sausalito is located to the north of the Golden Gate Bridge and began as a hub for car, ferry and rail traffic to reach the city. After World War II, its focus on industry shifted and it is now a wealthy and artistic residential and tourist area. Here you will see houseboats, multi-million dollar homes along the cliffs, and many small boutique shops.

You can add the ferry tickets to your tour, and the driver will drop you off before heading back to the city. Simply choose the PLUS FERRY tour option during the check-out process, and the tickets will be provided to you on the tour.

Taking the ferry back from Sausalito will afford you amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, Alcatraz Island, and the San Francisco city skyline from the north. Don’t forget your jacket, though – it can get chilly out on the bay! You’ll disembark the ferry in the Fisherman’s Wharf/Embarcadero area where you can easily hail a cab or take the cablecar back to your SF hotel.

*Tickets are an additional $13 for all ages and are not included in the base tour price. Ferry return is subject to availability.