Day trips from the city
The best day trips from San Francisco
Muir Woods and Sausalito, Napa and Sonoma, Monterey and Carmel, Yosemite and Silicon Valley: here is how to pick your day out of the city, with honest advice on long days in a van, where the tour picks you up, and getting your money back if plans change.
See our 8 picks
The best day trip from San Francisco for most first-timers is Muir Woods and Sausalito. It takes half a day. Wine country takes a full day, and Yosemite is a long one of 14 to 15 hours. All our picks below come with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Our 8 picks for day trips from San Francisco
Three Yosemite days, three Muir Woods trips and two wine tours.
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from €179 per person Our top pick 15 hours 4.5 (2,018) reviews on GetYourGuide
Yosemite and giant sequoias by bus
A 15-hour day in a 35-seat bus with Wi-Fi and a live park guide. You get over 5 hours in the park, 2 hours of free time and a giant sequoia hike if the weather allows.
Best for First-timers who want the most time in the park
Check availability: Yosemite and giant sequoias by bus on GetYourGuide -
from €204 per person 14 hours 4.9 (1,736) reviews on GetYourGuide
Small-group Yosemite day with a sequoia hike
A 14-hour day in a van with no more than 14 guests. It stops at more viewpoints, like Bridalveil Fall, and includes a giant sequoia hike if the weather allows.
Best for Couples and friends who like a small group
Check availability: Small-group Yosemite day with a sequoia hike on GetYourGuide -
from €88 per person 5 hours 4.6 (1,808) reviews on GetYourGuide
Muir Woods and Sausalito half day
A 5-hour trip by minibus with a guide. Muir Woods entry is included. The morning tour gets you into the woods early, before the crowds.
Best for First-timers with half a day
Check availability: Muir Woods and Sausalito half day on GetYourGuide -
from €159 per person 10 hours 4.7 (1,353) reviews on GetYourGuide
Muir Woods, Napa and Sonoma in one day
A 10-hour day with one hour in Muir Woods and three wine tastings. Lunch is in Sonoma Plaza. The $15 Muir Woods fee is extra.
Best for Wine lovers who also want the redwoods
Check availability: Muir Woods, Napa and Sonoma in one day on GetYourGuide -
from €195 per person 15 hours 4.5 (978) reviews on GetYourGuide
Classic Yosemite day trip
A 15-hour day in a minibus with a guided ride through Yosemite Valley and 3 hours of free time. The standard park fee is included for everyone.
Best for Visitors who want free time in the valley
Check availability: Classic Yosemite day trip on GetYourGuide -
from €88 per person 5 hours 4.7 (901) reviews on GetYourGuide
Muir Woods and Sausalito in a small van
A 5-hour tour in a 14-seat van, with a Golden Gate Bridge photo stop. You can stay on in Sausalito and take the ferry back on your own.
Best for Visitors who want to linger in Sausalito
Check availability: Muir Woods and Sausalito in a small van on GetYourGuide -
from €140 per person 8–9 hours 4.5 (827) reviews on GetYourGuide
Napa and Sonoma wine day by coach
An 8- to 9-hour day with tastings at three wineries, all fees included. You meet the bus at Union Square or Fisherman’s Wharf.
Best for Wine fans who want tastings included
Check availability: Napa and Sonoma wine day by coach on GetYourGuide -
from €64 per person 4.5 hours–1 day 4.5 (748) reviews on GetYourGuide
Muir Woods and Sausalito by coach
A 4.5-hour coach trip from Fisherman’s Wharf. You get about 1.5 hours on your own in Muir Woods and 45 minutes in Sausalito. Entry is included.
Best for Budget travellers near Fisherman’s Wharf
Check availability: Muir Woods and Sausalito by coach on GetYourGuide
Day trips from San Francisco compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Group size | Pickup | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yosemite and giant sequoias by bus | €179 per person | 15 hours | Up to 35 | Pickup included | First-timers who want the most time in the park | The most-reviewed day trip: 4.5 from over 2,000 reviews, with hotel pickup. |
| Small-group Yosemite day with a sequoia hike | €204 per person | 14 hours | Up to 14 | Pickup included | Couples and friends who like a small group | The best-rated Yosemite day: 4.9 from over 1,700 reviews. |
| Muir Woods and Sausalito half day | €88 per person | 5 hours | Up to 23 | Pickup included | First-timers with half a day | The most-reviewed half day: 4.6 from over 1,800 reviews, with hotel pickup. |
| Muir Woods, Napa and Sonoma in one day | €159 per person | 10 hours | Up to 35 | Pickup included | Wine lovers who also want the redwoods | Two trips in one day: 4.7 from over 1,300 reviews, with hotel pickup. |
| Classic Yosemite day trip | €195 per person | 15 hours | Up to 23 | Pickup included | Visitors who want free time in the valley | The longest free time of the Yosemite days: 3 hours, rated 4.5. |
| Muir Woods and Sausalito in a small van | €88 per person | 5 hours | Up to 14 | Pickup included | Visitors who want to linger in Sausalito | A small group and hotel pickup: 4.7 from over 900 reviews. |
| Napa and Sonoma wine day by coach | €140 per person | 8–9 hours | Up to 45 | Pickup optional | Wine fans who want tastings included | Tasting fees included at three wineries, rated 4.5. |
| Muir Woods and Sausalito by coach | €64 per person | 4.5 hours–1 day | Not stated | Meet on site | Budget travellers near Fisherman’s Wharf | The lowest price of our day trips, rated 4.5. |
Yosemite and giant sequoias by bus
€179 per person15 hours 4.5 (2,018)
More details
- Group size
- Up to 35
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Who it suits
- First-timers who want the most time in the park
- Why we picked it
- The most-reviewed day trip: 4.5 from over 2,000 reviews, with hotel pickup.
Small-group Yosemite day with a sequoia hike
€204 per person14 hours 4.9 (1,736)
More details
- Group size
- Up to 14
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Who it suits
- Couples and friends who like a small group
- Why we picked it
- The best-rated Yosemite day: 4.9 from over 1,700 reviews.
Muir Woods and Sausalito half day
€88 per person5 hours 4.6 (1,808)
More details
- Group size
- Up to 23
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Who it suits
- First-timers with half a day
- Why we picked it
- The most-reviewed half day: 4.6 from over 1,800 reviews, with hotel pickup.
Muir Woods, Napa and Sonoma in one day
€159 per person10 hours 4.7 (1,353)
More details
- Group size
- Up to 35
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Who it suits
- Wine lovers who also want the redwoods
- Why we picked it
- Two trips in one day: 4.7 from over 1,300 reviews, with hotel pickup.
€195 per person15 hours 4.5 (978)
More details
- Group size
- Up to 23
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want free time in the valley
- Why we picked it
- The longest free time of the Yosemite days: 3 hours, rated 4.5.
Muir Woods and Sausalito in a small van
€88 per person5 hours 4.7 (901)
More details
- Group size
- Up to 14
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want to linger in Sausalito
- Why we picked it
- A small group and hotel pickup: 4.7 from over 900 reviews.
Napa and Sonoma wine day by coach
€140 per person8–9 hours 4.5 (827)
More details
- Group size
- Up to 45
- Pickup
- Pickup optional
- Who it suits
- Wine fans who want tastings included
- Why we picked it
- Tasting fees included at three wineries, rated 4.5.
Muir Woods and Sausalito by coach
€64 per person4.5 hours–1 day 4.5 (748)
More details
- Group size
- Not stated
- Pickup
- Meet on site
- Who it suits
- Budget travellers near Fisherman’s Wharf
- Why we picked it
- The lowest price of our day trips, rated 4.5.
All 8 offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 22 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Which day trip fits you?
Pick by how much time you have. Half a day fits Muir Woods and Sausalito. A full day fits wine country or Monterey and Carmel. Yosemite needs 14 to 15 hours, or two days.
- Half a day: Muir Woods and Sausalito, 4.5 to 5 hours.
- A full day: Napa and Sonoma, 8 to 10 hours, or Monterey and Carmel, about 11 hours.
- A very long day: Yosemite, 14 to 15 hours.
- Tech fans: Silicon Valley and Stanford, about 6 hours.
With kids
Muir Woods is the easiest trip with kids. Entry is free for under-16s, and the trip is short. The Muir Woods, Napa and Sonoma tour does not take children under 6. A Yosemite day is very long for small children.
North of the bridge: Muir Woods and Sausalito
Muir Woods and Sausalito sit just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Most tours do both in about 5 hours. Muir Woods is a forest of tall coast redwoods. Sausalito is a small harbour town with shops and cafés.
If you go on your own, you must reserve parking or a shuttle seat for Muir Woods first. Entry is $15 for anyone 16 or older. Stinson Beach and Point Reyes are farther up the same coast.
By ferry: Sausalito across the bay
Sausalito is the easiest ferry day trip. The ferry leaves the Ferry Building, Gates B and C, and takes about 30 minutes. It costs about $9 one way with a Clipper or bank card, or $14 for a paper ticket.
There are 7 trips a day on weekdays and 5 on weekends. Several tours let you stay in Sausalito and take the ferry back on your own.
South and along the coast: Monterey and Carmel
Monterey and Carmel are about two to two and a half hours south by car. Monterey is about 120 miles away. A day tour drives Highway 1 and stops at Carmel, Cannery Row and 17-Mile Drive. For the drive on your own, see our guide to the drive from San Francisco to Monterey.
Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz are on the same coast; we have no tours for them yet.
Wine country: Napa and Sonoma
Napa and Sonoma are about an hour north of the city on a weekday. On weekends the drive can take up to 2 hours. A tour means nobody has to drive after the tastings. To compare every Napa Valley wine tour we list, see our wine country guide.
Big nature trips: Yosemite and Big Sur
Yosemite is 195 miles from San Francisco, about 4 to 5 hours each way by car. That makes a day tour 14 to 15 hours long. Tours start at dawn and get back late at night. For trains, buses and the drive, see our guide to getting from San Francisco to Yosemite.
Park fees matter. Non-US residents aged 16 and older pay an extra $100 fee, and no tour on this page includes it. Big Sur lies south of Carmel. A private tour from San Francisco goes there and to McWay Falls.
Day trips from San Francisco without a car
Sausalito is the best day trip without a car: the ferry takes 30 minutes. Stanford is easy too: Caltrain to Palo Alto takes about 40 to 50 minutes and costs about $9.
- Muir Woods: a shuttle runs from local ferry terminals in season only. It costs $4 for adults and must be booked.
- Napa: take the ferry to Vallejo, then the VINE bus into Napa. The express bus runs on weekdays only.
- Monterey: there is no train into Monterey. Amtrak goes to Salinas, then a bus goes on to Monterey.
- Yosemite: take Amtrak to Merced, then the YARTS bus into the park, about 3 to 3.5 hours.
Guided tour or on your own?
Take a tour for Yosemite, wine country and Monterey. These trips are long drives, and a tour saves you the driving and the parking. Go on your own for Sausalito, where the ferry is easy.
Check the pickup line before you book. Some tours pick you up at your hotel. Others start at a meeting point, often near Fisherman’s Wharf or Union Square.
Planning tips for a day out of the city
Start early and check times the day before. Ferries run only a few times a day, and the Muir Woods shuttle runs in season only. Bring a jacket: the coast is often cool and foggy.
Booking tips for day trips
Book free cancellation
All 8 picks can be cancelled up to 24 hours before for a full refund. Check the exact cut-off on the booking page before you pay.
Know your pickup
Hotel pickup is only at selected hotels. If yours is not on the list, you meet the bus at a set point.
Budget for the park fee
Non-US residents aged 16 and older pay $100 extra at Yosemite. The tours do not include it.
Pack food and a jacket
Most tours do not include meals. Long trips stop for food, but snacks help on a 15-hour day.
Day trips from San Francisco: questions and answers
What are the best day trips from San Francisco?
Which day trips work without a car?
How far is each place from San Francisco?
Do I need a reservation for Muir Woods?
Is Yosemite worth it as a day trip?
More day trips from San Francisco, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
Live prices and availability from GetYourGuide load here.
Sources (17), facts checked on 23 October 2026
- NPS Muir Woods: fees and reservations
- NPS Muir Woods: directions
- GoMuirWoods: parking and shuttle
- Golden Gate Ferry: fares
- Golden Gate Ferry: 2026 schedule
- Visit Napa Valley: getting to Napa Valley
- Sonoma County: day trip from San Francisco
- VINE: Route 11X
- See Monterey: driving here
- Carmel-by-the-Sea: maps and directions
- Amtrak: Monterey station
- NPS Yosemite: driving
- NPS Yosemite: fees
- NPS Yosemite: public transportation
- YARTS: Highway 140
- Caltrain: fares
- Caltrain: weekday schedule
Written by the Things to Do in San Francisco editorial team.