How to Take a Day Trip to Angel Island from San Francisco
Today I want to share my guide to taking a day trip to Angel Island from San Francisco with you. This famous isle in the San Francisco Bay is an easy ferry ride from SF. Once on shore, you can spend a day discovering everything from hiking trails to historic buildings, beaches, and stunning views. I'm here now and I can't wait to show you around Angel Island. I've included a map as well.
Day Trip to Angel Island
Angel Island is one of the closest and easiest day trips from San Francisco. I used to come here every summer during my childhood, but it's been a while since my last trip.
Today I'm off to Angel Island with a friend. We're going to explore the hiking routes, the beaches, and the historic sites. Our plan is to do a big loop around the island, taking in as much as we can before returning to the city.
From disused military buildings to stunning views and local wildlife, we're going to see and do a lot. I hope my blog post inspires you to do the same.
How to Get to Angel Island
One of my favorite things about taking a day trip to Angel Island is how fun and easy it is to get here. Ferries depart from the Ferry Building in San Francisco, and the ride takes around 30 minutes. It offers scenic views of the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate Bridge along the way.
The ferry offers indoor and outdoor seating, restrooms, and a snack bar with food and drinks. You can bring bikes on board if you want to cycle around the island, too.
It's easy to pay for the ferry as well. Credit and debit cards are the most common way to do it, so you don't even need to buy a ticket. You can just tap your card or phone on the reader as you board.
Angel Island
Our day trip to Angel Island starts as we hop on the ferry in San Francisco. Even 20 minutes before departure there's a long line, but it moves quickly and we manage to snag two of the last outdoor seats for the ride.
Soon we're cruising along the bay, taking in container ships, rowers, and views. It's a sunny day, and we love seeing everything from Coit Tower to Tiburon as the ferry makes its way to the northern shore of Angel Island.
When we arrive, we disembark at the ferry terminal in Ayala Cove. It's a beautiful morning, and we can't help stopping to take pictures of the sailboats and historic ranger station building before going hiking.
Angel Island Perimeter Loop
Photos taken, we head off to hike the Angel Island Perimeter Loop. This 6.1-mile paved trail circles Angel Island State Park. Along the way it offers everything from historic landmarks to spectacular views and famous beaches. It takes around 2.5 hours to complete (with no stops), and it's a great way to get a broad overview of what the island has to offer.
We hike the loop clockwise, taking in views from Campbell Point and passing the somber Angel Island Immigration Museum as we make our way along the eastern side of the island and down to Quarry Beach.
Before we get to the shore, we check out the abandoned buildings that were once part of the east garrison of Fort McDowell. It's fun to walk around them and imagine what life was like for the troops who were stationed here back in the day.
When we reach Quarry Beach, we find a good picnic spot and settle in for lunch. As we eat the food we brought with us on the ferry, we enjoy views of San Francisco and the Bay Bridge in the distance.
After lunch we make a quick stop at the restrooms by the beach, then head back out on the Angel Island Perimeter Loop. The hike takes us along the south side of the island, where we enjoy more views of SF.
When we reach the east side of Angel Island, we find ourselves at Camp Reynolds. We make a detour off the loop trail and head down towards the historic houses to see (and hear!) a cannon demonstration.
From there we continue our detour out to Point Stuart, where there are great views of the town of Tiburon and the southern tip of Belvedere Island.
Back on the Angel Island Perimeter Loop, it's a short distance to the ferry terminal. We arrive with an hour before the next departure, so we settle in at one of the many picnic tables and watch the sailboats bob in the water.
Around 20 minutes before the scheduled ferry departure, we line up by the dock. Soon the boat is pulling in, and before we know it, we're on board and heading to San Francisco.
Angel Island Day Trip
Back at the Ferry Building, we say good-bye to one another and head home. We're sad our day trip has come to an end, but we're glad we've gotten to visit such a unique island in San Francisco Bay.
Our trip has made us want to return soon and discover more. From the famous Sunset Trail to the museums and military history, we could spend a lot of time here. We're already excited for our next visit.
Map
As promised, you can find an interactive Google map of all the places on my Angel Island day trip itinerary here. I hope it helps you plan your visit to this jewel in the San Francisco Bay.
More Bay Area Itineraries
If you're interested in watching a video about this trip, you can take a look at my Instagram reel. If you're looking for other day trips from San Francisco, I have you covered. If you want to see more popular day trips by ferry, check out my guide to how to take a day trip to Alameda.
If you'd like to see more places you can go near San Francisco, take a read through my Bay Area itineraries. If you found this blog post helpful, buy me a coffee!
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