Part of what makes San Francisco so fantastic is that is is wonderfully situated near so many amazing California destinations. Within hours of San Francisco, you can see amazing ocean edges (I don’t know why I didn’t just type beaches), charming farming regions, beautiful mountains and sleepy seaside communities. And with so many places so close by, it would be such a shame for you not to go on at least one of these San Francisco day trips.
But which one is right for you? And how do you fit it in to your San Francisco itinerary? Or how do you ensure you won’t miss any of the amazing things to do in San Francisco? Well, we will help you decide which San Francisco day trip is best for you. We’ll tell you what there is to do on your day trip, how long you’ll need to drive to get there, and what kind of budget you need to make the San Francisco day trip a reality.
PS: There are tons of San Francisco day trips to choose from. We’ve included only the most popular and our favorites to help you narrow down the choices.
The Details: Transportation, Accommodation, and Budget
You will need a car to get to all of these San Francisco day trips, except a visit to Angel Island and Sausalito. However, several of these day trips are available as paid tours. If those tours are available, we’ll include links so you can see if that is the best option for you. However, we’re assuming you’re driving yourself in our time and budget recommendations. There are rental car locations in downtown San Fransisco as well as at the San Fransisco airport.
If you’d prefer to take guided tours, we’ve included a few highly rated ones below.
Below, we’ve listed the price range for each day trip. Here is how we define each range based on the amount of money you’ll need for your daytime activities and meals:
- Budget: Under $50/person
- Mid-Range: $50-100/person
- Luxury: $100+/person
All of the San Fransisco day trips below are true day trips. So if you want to explore San Francisco or complete a few of them, the best place to stay is in or near San Francisco.
Muir Woods
Time: 4+ hours | Driving Distance: 16 miles | Cost: Budget
Muir Woods is the closest natural area to San Francisco which is why it is one of the most popular San Francisco day trips. Just a short drive from San Francisco, you’ll find the tranquil forests of the coastal redwoods. While this grove is not as large as those you’ll find at Redwood National Park, it is a beautiful sight. Especially, since it is located less than an hour from San Francisco.
However, you need to buy a timed ticket for entry ahead of time. Due to parking problems – mainly not having enough spots – timed tickets are now a required thing for all dates and times. Once in the park, there are serval short to medium length hiking trails that will allow you will ample opportunities to be impressed by these giant trees.
Point Reyes National Seashore
Time: 8+ hours | Driving Distance: 42 miles | Cost: Budget
Point Reyes National Seashore has more than 80 miles of shoreline for you to explore. From craggy cliffs to sandy beaches, Point Reyes is beautiful (and our favorite San Francisco day trip). You’ll need a full day to explore all of the hiking that is available to you here. Additionally, there are very few food options nearby. So make sure to pack yourself a picnic lunch or plan on visiting an oyster bar nearby.
One of the most popular things to do at Point Reyes National Seashore is visiting the Point Reyes Lighthouse. You can climb down too many stairs to explore the lighthouse and then climb back up those too many stairs. Another reason to visit Point Reyes National Seashore is to do a bit of hiking along coastal cliffs. If you visit in the spring, you’ll likely see rainbows of wildflowers. And don’t forget to try your luck at spotting the Tule Elk (small elk), some seals or sea lions. We spotted them all during our visit!
Bonus for the bird nerds: Point Reyes is a popular bird watching spot since it juts out into the Pacific so far you’ll frequently see migrating birds here that you see no where else in the continental U.S.
Sausalito
Time: 4+ hours | Driving Distance: 6 miles | Cost: Mid-Range
Sausalito is a town across the Bay from San Francisco and it makes the perfect San Francisco day trip. The temperature here is also much warmer. It’s like a mini Mediterranean getaway just across the bridge from San Francisco. In fact it is so close that many people bike there and take the ferry back to the city (or you can take the ferry both ways).
The town itself is very charming but touristy. The town streets are lined with small seafood restaurants and boutique shops. Most people visit just to wander, shop and, most importantly, eat. The downtown has expensive boutiques, but don’t think it’s just a place for city folks. Outdoor lovers will also enjoy a visit as kayak and paddle board rentals are prevalent and the Bay here is quiet enough to enjoy these calm water sports.
Angel Island
Time: 3+ hours | Driving Distance: a ferry ride | Cost: Budget
This is a great half-day trip from San Francisco as you travel to Angel Island via a quick ferry ride. Once on the island, soak in nature and views as you enjoy bike rides or walks around the island. This is a lovely natural spot just a boat ride away from the big city.
Once on the island, most people spend their day hiking or biking. However, there are also two historical sites that are open as museums commemorating a few of the many ways the island has been used over the years.
Mount Tamalpais
Time: 4+ hours | Driving Distance: 14 miles | Cost: Budget
Want to really get your blood pumping? A hike up Mount Tam (Tamalpais) is just the thing for you. Mount Tamalpais State Park has one big thing going for it. That’s hiking trails – lots of them, including the most popular one that takes you to the top of the mountain and gives you beautiful 360 views of Marin County (if the fog isn’t there).
If you are interested in more than hiking on a mountain, you can also choose to hike on a beach. Stinson Beach is a popular beach for sunbathing and enjoying the sights and sounds of the ocean.
Napa Valley
Time: 10+ hours | Driving Distance: 49 miles | Cost: Extra Luxury
Napa Valley is the best promoted wine region in California and it is just a short drive from San Francisco making this a popular day trip for tourists. Napa is a region of rolling hills, mouth watering food, and flowing wine. Despite the high price tag, it makes a great excursion for adults on vacation.
Once in Napa, the most popular thing to do is go wine tasting. Which is why we do recommend a paid tour with a driver if you plan on visiting as a San Francisco Day trip. Most tours visit 2-3 wineries in a day and provide time for lunch. However, if you want to drive yourself to Napa, you can partake in the non-alcohol doused activities such as biking, horseback riding or doing farm and vineyard tours.
Sonoma Valley
Time: 10+ hours | Driving Distance: 57 miles | Cost: Luxury
Sonoma is Napa’s little sister. It’s more rugged, less developed yet somehow just the same. Like Napa, Sonoma is also famous for their acres of vineyards which are turned into some tasty red wines – and white ones too.
Again, since the most popular thing to do in Sonoma is wine tasting, this is another San Francisco day trip that we recommend taking a guided tour of. This way you will get to sit back and let someone else do the driving while you do the drinking. Tours of Sonoma are similar to Napa tours but generally less expensive. Not into drink-y things? Sonoma has more options than Napa, in our opinion. With botanical gardens, state parks and charming downtown streets with more food-y type tasting rooms, Sonoma has a lot to do for the teetotaler.
Santa Cruz
Time: 6+ hours | Driving Distance: 75 miles | Cost: Luxury
I feel like Santa Cruz is the barrier between Southern and Northern California. It’s the nice mix of sandy beaches, sunny boardwalks, moody forests and sleepy shoreline drives.
Some of the most popular things to do in Santa Cruz include spending time at one of the many state park beaches. These beaches are mostly for surfing and sunsets, not swimming. After a morning on the beach, ring in the evening with an afternoon on the oldest boardwalk amusement park on the west coast. It’s like a permanent fairground. And while this can get expensive (hence the luxury rating above), you can always just explore the area without actually riding rides or eating food. However, we love some good carnival food so we aren’t going to skimp in that area. Additionally, drive just a bit inland and you’ll come to a grove of coastal redwoods. You can explore this forest via the two state parks that protect them.
Monterey and Carmel-By-the-Sea
Time: 8+ hours | Driving Distance: 116 miles | Cost: Mid-Range
Enjoy these charming maritime cities that are steeped in both man-made charm and natural beauty. From wharfs jutting out into deep blue waters to beautiful drives along the nearby coast, they are both a popular stop along a Highway 101 road trip.
Popular things to do in Monterey include a visit to their aquarium, which is one of the best aquariums I’ve visited (OTTERS people!!). Additionally, with a large bay known for lots of sea life, kayaking or stand up paddling is a popular activity in this awesome town. Carmel-by-the-Sea is also a great, if a bit touristy, place to enjoy music and art in many of the shops along the historic downtown area. Plus the seafood restaurants in both towns are numerous and delicious!
Not A Day Trips From San Francisco
Yosemite
Time: 16+ hours | Driving Distance: 167 miles | Cost: Cheap
Can you take a Yosemite day trip? Yes. Should you take a Yosemite day trip? No. If you want to go to Yosemite – and we think you should – plan on doing it in two or more days. There is just too much to see and do in Yosemite to cram it all into a day with 8 hours of road trip driving packed in.
So those are the day trips from San Francisco that we think are worth a peep. We hope these have helped you to extend your own San Francisco itinerary and explore more of California. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below and we’ll get back to you.
