Redwoods and Sausalito
The best Muir Woods tours
Half-day Muir Woods and Sausalito tours, small-group vans, the bike-and-ferry option and the Golden Gate ferry back: here is how to see the redwoods, with honest advice on the parking reservation, how much time you really get in the woods, and where the tour picks you up.
See our 6 picks
The best Muir Woods tour for most people is a half-day trip with Sausalito and hotel pickup. It saves you the parking reservation. These tours take about 5 hours and include the $15 entry fee. All six picks have free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Our 6 picks for Muir Woods and Sausalito
Two half days with hotel pickup, two coach trips, a bike ride to Sausalito and a combo with a bay cruise.
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from €88 per person Our top pick 5 hours 4.6 (1,808) reviews on GetYourGuide
Muir Woods and Sausalito half day
A 5-hour trip by minibus with a guide and hotel pickup. Entry is included. Book the morning tour to reach the woods early, before the crowds.
Best for First-timers who want an early, quiet forest
Check availability: Muir Woods and Sausalito half day 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 in Sausalito and take the ferry back on your own; the ferry is extra.
Best for Visitors who want to linger in Sausalito
Check availability: Muir Woods and Sausalito in a small van 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 99 Jefferson Street. You get about 1.5 hours on your own in the woods and 45 minutes in Sausalito. There is no hotel pickup.
Best for Budget travellers near Fisherman’s Wharf
Check availability: Muir Woods and Sausalito by coach on GetYourGuide -
from €68 per person 5–8 hours 4.5 (616) reviews on GetYourGuide
Muir Woods and Sausalito with a ferry back
A coach tour with 90 minutes in Muir Woods and 60 minutes in Sausalito. Options add the ferry back or a guided bike ride to Sausalito.
Best for Visitors who want the ferry ride home
Check availability: Muir Woods and Sausalito with a ferry back on GetYourGuide -
from €64 per person 3 hours 4.7 (567) reviews on GetYourGuide
Bike over the Golden Gate to Sausalito
A 3-hour guided ride across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, on a regular or electric bike. It does not go to Muir Woods. The ferry back is extra.
Best for Active visitors who skip the forest
Check availability: Bike over the Golden Gate to Sausalito on GetYourGuide -
from €118 per person 6 hours 4.5 (146) reviews on GetYourGuide
Muir Woods, Sausalito and a bay cruise
A 6-hour day: a coach to Muir Woods and Sausalito, then a one-hour cruise from Pier 39. The coach has a toilet on board.
Best for Visitors who want the bay on the same day
Check availability: Muir Woods, Sausalito and a bay cruise on GetYourGuide
Muir Woods tours compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Group size | Pickup | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muir Woods and Sausalito half day | €88 per person | 5 hours | Up to 23 | Pickup included | First-timers who want an early, quiet forest | The most-reviewed pick: 4.6 from over 1,800 reviews. |
| 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 | The best-rated half day: 4.7 from over 900 reviews, with hotel pickup. |
| 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, from €64, rated 4.5. |
| Muir Woods and Sausalito with a ferry back | €68 per person | 5–8 hours | Up to 45 | Meet on site | Visitors who want the ferry ride home | The most choices in one tour, rated 4.5. |
| Bike over the Golden Gate to Sausalito | €64 per person | 3 hours | Up to 18 | Meet on site | Active visitors who skip the forest | The best way to cross the bridge yourself: 4.7 from over 550 reviews. |
| Muir Woods, Sausalito and a bay cruise | €118 per person | 6 hours | Not stated | Pickup included | Visitors who want the bay on the same day | Woods, town and a cruise in one booking, rated 4.5. |
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 who want an early, quiet forest
- Why we picked it
- The most-reviewed pick: 4.6 from over 1,800 reviews.
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
- The best-rated half day: 4.7 from over 900 reviews, with hotel pickup.
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, from €64, rated 4.5.
Muir Woods and Sausalito with a ferry back
€68 per person5–8 hours 4.5 (616)
More details
- Group size
- Up to 45
- Pickup
- Meet on site
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want the ferry ride home
- Why we picked it
- The most choices in one tour, rated 4.5.
Bike over the Golden Gate to Sausalito
€64 per person3 hours 4.7 (567)
More details
- Group size
- Up to 18
- Pickup
- Meet on site
- Who it suits
- Active visitors who skip the forest
- Why we picked it
- The best way to cross the bridge yourself: 4.7 from over 550 reviews.
Muir Woods, Sausalito and a bay cruise
€118 per person6 hours 4.5 (146)
More details
- Group size
- Not stated
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want the bay on the same day
- Why we picked it
- Woods, town and a cruise in one booking, rated 4.5.
All 6 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.
Muir Woods National Monument: what to know
Muir Woods National Monument is a forest of coast redwoods just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Entry is $15 for anyone 16 or older. Under-16s go in free.
You cannot just turn up by car. Every car and every shuttle rider needs a reservation first. Parking costs $10 for a standard car, and the shuttle costs $4 for adults. Our guide to Muir Woods parking explains how to book.
The shuttle runs from local ferry terminals in season only. The closest bus is Marin Transit 61, with a 1.3-mile walk at the end.
How much time you get in the woods
Most tours give you 1 to 1.5 hours in the forest. The coach tour with a ferry option guarantees 90 minutes.
Driving works if you reserve parking first:
The Sausalito ferry: times, fares and where to board
The Sausalito ferry takes about 30 minutes from the San Francisco Ferry Building. It leaves from Gates B and C. It costs $8.50 one way with a Clipper or bank card, $14 with a paper ticket, and $7 for youth.
There are 7 trips a day on weekdays and 5 on weekends and holidays. Times change, so check before you go. See our ferry terminal guide for the gates.
Things to do in Sausalito
Sausalito is best for a slow walk along the water. You can visit art galleries, shops and cafés, and look back at the city across the bay. Some tours show you the colony of floating homes.
Tours give you 45 to 60 minutes there. To stay longer, pick a tour that lets you take the ferry back on your own.
Muir Woods with wine or the bay
Many day tours add wine country to Muir Woods. One full-day tour visits Muir Woods, Napa and Sonoma in 10 hours. Our wine guide compares it with half-day tastings and the Napa Valley Wine Train.
Alcatraz, Muir Woods and Sausalito in one day
Alcatraz Island is closed from 26 October to 18 November 2026 for dock repairs, and the dates may shift with the weather. Ticket holders can get a refund, change the date, or take the 90-minute Bay Discovery Cruise on select dates. That cruise does not dock on the island.
From 19 November on, you can pair a morning Alcatraz ferry from Pier 33 with an afternoon Muir Woods tour. None of our picks includes Alcatraz, so book it on its own, and pick a date you can cancel for free.
Visiting on your own
You can see Muir Woods without a tour, as with most day trips from San Francisco. It takes three steps.
- Book first: reserve parking ($10 for a standard car) or a shuttle seat ($4 for adults) on gomuirwoods.com.
- Arrive: drive in, or take the shuttle from a local ferry terminal in season.
- Pay entry: $15 for anyone 16 or older. Under-16s go in free.
Tips for Muir Woods and Sausalito
Take the morning tour
One pick gets you into the woods early, before the crowds. The forest is quieter then.
Check pickup
The two half-day vans pick you up at your hotel. Most coach tours start near Fisherman’s Wharf.
Book free cancellation
All six picks can be cancelled up to 24 hours before for a full refund.
Bring a layer
The redwood forest is shady and cool, even on a sunny day.
Muir Woods and Sausalito: questions and answers
How do you visit Muir Woods from San Francisco?
How do you get from San Francisco to Sausalito?
Is there a ferry from San Francisco to Sausalito, and what does it cost?
How long is the ferry from San Francisco to Sausalito?
What is there to do in Sausalito?
More Muir Woods tours, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
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More day trips
Facts checked on 23 October 2026 against: NPS Muir Woods: fees and reservations · NPS Muir Woods: directions · GoMuirWoods: parking and shuttle · Golden Gate Ferry: fares · Golden Gate Ferry: 2026 schedule · NPS Alcatraz: closure alert · NPS: Alcatraz dock repairs · Alcatraz City Cruises: tickets.
Written by the Things to Do in San Francisco editorial team.