Sausalito and Muir Woods Day Trips from San Francisco

San Francisco is a charming city, but the surrounding area is also home to some amazing places worth visiting. Such is the case of Sausalito, a beautiful Mediterranean-style town just 13 kilometres away that is often visited in combination with a visit to Muir Woods, home of the giant sequoias. Would you like to go? I'll tell you about the best excursions!

Just across the bay from San Francisco is Sausalito, a picturesque town well known for its typical houseboats on the water that was a refuge for bohemian artists during World War II. In fact, the streets of this little town are lined with quaint cafes, boutiques and art galleries that are a delight to stroll through and its fishing port is also a marvel.

Visiting Sausalito is one of the most enjoyable getaways you can make during your stay in San Francisco. A highly recommended plan!

A half day tour to Sausalito will give you the opportunity to explore other West Coast landscapes and enjoy the beautiful views of San Francisco from a different perspective. It will also take you to discover Muir Woods, a forest famous for its giant sequoias - the largest trees in the world!

In my opinion, visiting Muir Woods as part of a Sausalito tour is a great option if you don't have enough time to visit Yosemite National Park, where there is also a spectacular world famous sequoia forest but it's 300 kilometres away.

If this is the first time you travel to this great Californian city and you would like to take a tour that gives you the most complete and global vision of the area, my advice is to join a tour of San Francisco that shows you not only the most emblematic places of the Golden Gate City but also other tourist attractions of its surroundings such as its famous bay by taking a cruise, the nearby town of Sausalito or the Muir Woods forest.

Sausalito is considered the most beautiful town in California. Built on a hill on the shores of the bay, it's a tranquil place with a bohemian soul, famous for its landscape of colourful little houses floating on the water. With these credentials, there's no doubt that this is one of the places you should make a getaway to during your stay in San Francisco.

It's not a large town but its charm lies precisely in its small size and quaint aesthetics. You'll spend a pleasant day strolling the streets lined with art galleries, boutiques and cafes, as well as strolling around the fishing harbour, where you can take some lovely pictures of the seascape.

Another place to see on the tour is Muir Woods, a forest famous for growing the tallest trees on the planet, the giant sequoias - did you know that they can grow up to 150 metres tall and live for 4,000 years? A place like this is a must-see!

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A trip to San Francisco is not complete without a trip to Sausalito and Muir Woods. These two iconic California landmarks are very close to the city, so you can't miss them on your holiday. You'll get a change of scenery and see other beautiful sights!

My recommendation is to visit Sausalito and Muir Woods with an organised tour. There are many tours and prices vary depending on factors such as duration, group size, the locations visited on the route, the activities done during the excursion or if you have the services of a guide, among others. You can find options from 63 euros.

Absolutely. Both Sausalito and Muir Woods are two fascinating enclaves on the West Coast of the United States that you have to see. Here's why and what you'll see there.

Sausalito

Sausalito is considered the prettiest town in California and given its proximity to San Francisco, it's a must-see during your trip.

It's a charming little town with a bohemian feel, built on the edge of the bay on a hillside. It's known for its laid-back atmosphere and beautiful scenery, so it's not surprising that many artists have chosen it as a haven for inspiration.

In fact, strolling around downtown Sausalito you'll quickly realise that it's a place of culture, with art galleries and cafes abounding. It's a great place to spend some time browsing the streets and shops and enjoying the views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate or Alcatraz from a different perspective.

Get your camera ready because this is the place to take some of the coolest pictures of your trip to the west coast of the United States!

Muir Woods

While Yosemite National Park may get all the fame, just a few kilometres from San Francisco lies Mauir Woods, another beautiful National Park where you can also see giant sequoias if you don't have much time in your schedule to embark on a long trip to Yosemite.

If you're into ecotourism, you'll be blown away by this beautiful emerald landscape. During your visit, not only will you be able to take a beautiful nature photo, but you can also hike some of the trails that exist in the park (the most popular are the Ocean View Trail and the Dispea Trail).

Visiting Muir Woods is a great plan to do during a stay in San Francisco as it will allow you to change of scenery, leave the bustling urban environment and disconnect for a while walking through the forest and enjoying a fun day in nature.

Don't forget to buy your little redwood at the exit of the park! They sell them in the Muir Woods gift shop as souvenirs.

The great thing about a trip to Sausalito and Muir Woods is that you'll see breathtaking scenery without spending a lot of time on the road, as it only takes about 20 minutes to get there due to its proximity to San Francisco.

So don't hesitate, this getaway will be one of the most beautiful memories you'll take home from your trip to the United States.

That's right, you can visit on your own. To get to Sausalito you can take public transport but if you also want to visit Muir Woods, then it is best to hire a car for both visits because there is no public transport there. It is also necessary to reserve a parking space at the National Park to visit it.

However, in my opinion it is more convenient and enjoyable to join one of the organised Sausalito and Muir Woods tours that depart from San Francisco as you don't have to worry about finding transport or making transfers along the route, so you will save time on the way by going directly to the tourist attractions.

Plus, you won't have to queue at the Muir Woods National Park ticket office to get your tickets as they are included in the tour, so that's one less thing to do!

On the other hand, this type of activity doesn't just involve visiting these two locations, but if you choose this option you can complete the experience with other activities such as a cruise on the San Francisco Bay, a ferry ride back to the city from Sausalito or bike hire. So with just one booking you can do a variety of activities, making the most of your trip to San Francisco.