The Perfect Day Trip from San Francisco to Muir Woods
Use this travel guide to plan a day trip from San Francisco to Muir Woods National Monument.
One of the best parts about visiting or living in San Francisco is how close you are to nature. Some of the state’s most beautiful outdoors destinations—from redwood forests to coastal drives—are just a short drive or bike ride from the city limits. One of the most iconic is Muir Woods National Monument, which is less than an hour north of San Francisco and makes for an easy day or half-day excursion. I’ve done the trip many times over my 10+ years living here, and here are my tips and recommendations to make your trip to Muir Woods perfect.
Short on time? Here’s the itinerary.
9:00 am - Breakfast + stock up on snacks. Drive to Tam Junction where you can get bagels at Pizza Hacker, coffee at Equator, and stock up on hiking provisions and to-go lunch at Good Earth Natural Foods (I like their burritos).
10:00am - Arrive at Muir woods and begin your hike. If you’re following my favorite hike, you’ll be taking the Redwood Creek Trail to Muir Woods Beach and back.
12:00pm - Mid-hike lunch stop at Muir Woods Beach. Bring a beach blanket (I like this super packable one by Matador) and eat your lunch on the beach. Optional pit stop at Pelican Inn for a cold beverage while sitting on their lawn. Also a good place to refill on water.
2:00pm - End your hike back at Muir Woods and start making your way back to the city.
2:30pm - Grab a drink at The Lumber Yard, whether you’re in the mood for a beer, wine, or iced coffee, you’ve got a few different options in this former lumber yard turned boutique shopping center in the forest.
Getting there
There are a few options for getting to Muir Woods. Most people drive to the park, but you can also make an adventure out of it by hiking or biking to the park from nearby.
By car
Most people will drive to Muir Woods. For this, you need an advance parking reservation. I’d recommend taking a screenshot of your reservation or saving it offline on your phone, since the reception out there is spotty. Reservations are $9.50 for a standard vehicle and can be made online.
By ferry + shuttle
Alternatively, you can take a shuttle from Sausalito (which you also have to book in advance). Tickets are roundtrip and cost $3.75 per adult (16+). You can pick up the shuttle near the Sausalito Ferry terminal, making it a good option for anyone who wants to visit but doesn’t have a car.
By bike
If you’re an experienced cyclist, I honestly love the bike ride out to Muir Woods and back. Roundtrip from the city, it’s a 38-mile ride with 3,000+ feet of climbing (see route on Strava) so I wouldn’t recommend it for beginners. If you start/end in Sausalito, you’ll cut some of the miles but not much of the climbing. But for those who ride often, it’s a great ride. Since it’s a very popular one among Bay Area cyclists, you’ll see a lot of other folks out on the road and get to pass through a lot of beautiful scenery.
By foot
Technically, you can hike into the park. Two popular options are the Dipsea Trail, which starts in Mill Valley, passing through Muir Woods, and ending at Stinson Beach. I’ve hiked Muir Woods from Mill Valley and back (it was 6 miles round trip) but most people will hike Mill Valley to Stinson (8 miles, one way) and get a ride or catch a bus back.
Admission and costs
As a national monument, you can get in using your annual National Park Pass. Otherwise, it’s $15 for adults 16 and over, and free for anyone 15 or younger.
Best hikes in Muir Woods
Like all national parks and monuments, the main trail in Muir Woods is easy, flat, and accessible, passing through many of the park’s most beautiful trees. This is a great option to stick to if you’re with small children or anyone with mobility challenges. It’s even wheelchair accessible. You can choose to do a 0.5-mile, 1-mile, or 2-mile loop on this mostly paved trail. However, popular also means more people. If you’re fit and up for the activity, I’d suggest also hopping on one of the other nearby trails to mix things up.
Fern Creek to Camp Alice Eastwood Loop | Beginner+ | 3 miles | 2 hours
This lovely, fern-and-redwood-lined trail starts about 0.75 miles past Cathedral Grove on the main trail. You’ll pass over a bridge and climb uphill towards Camp Alice Eastwood (expect ~340 ft of climbing, not bad) where you can find water and restrooms. After a short break, loop back to the main trail via The Pelvin Cut trail or Camp Alice Eastwood Trail.
Redwood Creek Trail | Moderate | 6 miles | 4 hours
My favorite is the hike from Muir Woods to Muir Beach and back via Redwood Creek Trail. It’s 6 miles and takes about 4 hours, with a midway stop on the coast. You can also grab a drink and refill on water at Pelican Inn (they have food too, but it’s just so-so. Fine in a pinch, but I’d rather pack a lunch.) Other good options include:
East Peak of Mount Tamalpais | Advanced | 8 miles | 5-6 hours
If you really want a challenge, start in Muir Woods and hike ~2,600 ft up to the top of Mount Tamalpais (Mount Tam for short). It’s an all-day hike that will take you through the Muir Woods forest, past the Mountain Home Inn (a fully functional restaurant and hotel), and up to the peak of Mount Tam. Especially on clear days, you can see some amazing 360-degree views of the Pacific Ocean and Bay Area along the way.
For more details on how to do each of these hikes, read the national park’s official guidance on hikes in Muir Woods.
Where to get breakfast + groceries before your hike
Before your hike, I recommend going to Tam Junction to get coffee, breakfast, or stock up on snacks and lunch supplies:
Equator: Best place for a coffee.
Pizza Hacker/Bagel Machine: This popular pizza shop is a bagel joint in the morning.
Good Earth: A natural foods grocery store with some really great to-go lunch options. I like their sandwiches, burritos, and smoothies a lot. You can also get breakfast and coffee here, if you prefer to make one pitstop.
Best places to go after visiting Muir Woods
After you’ve finished your hike in Muir Woods, you can either keep going west to explore parts of the coast, or start making your way back to the city. If it’s a very foggy day, note that it’ll just keep getting foggier the closer to the coast you go.
Towards the coast…
Pelican Inn + Muir Woods Beach: If you didn’t hike here already, take the short drive to Muir Woods beach where you can catch a glimpse of the ocean or lounge in the sand. There’s a historic inn and restaurant, Pelican Inn, just outside the entrance as well. The food is just okay, but it’s a lovely spot for a nice cold beer. Grab one inside then find a space on their sunny lawn to enjoy it.
Stinson Beach: Stinson Beach is more built up than Muir Woods and has more in the way of food and drink options. It’s also a lot more popular so parking (especially on nice days or weekends) can be a challenge. But it’s one of the best places in the Bay for a swim-in-the-ocean kind of beach day, and easy to pair with a trip to Muir Woods. If you’re hungry, Parkside Cafe is the main spot for lunch, beers, and ice cream.
Mountain Home Inn: This is a hotel and restaurant about halfway up Mount Tam. Food is solid, but it’s the views people come here for. Mountain Home Inn a good lunch spot (particularly if it’s foggy out by Pelican) if you’re not ready to leave the mountain quiet yet.
Towards the city…
If you’re just hankering for a post-hike lunch or beer, you’ll find better food back towards Mill Valley. My favorites include:
Pizza Hacker in Tam Junction, a popular beer and pizza with an expansive outdoor garden.
The Lumber Yard in Mill Valley is a center with a few different options, including a creperie, a casual American restaurant with salads, sandwiches, and pizzas, and a casual cafe with cookies, salads, and good coffee.
Hook Fish Co is right next to Pizza Hacker in Tam Junction, and has a seafood-focused menu. Great fish tacos, don’t sleep on the chips either.
Joinery back in Sausalito has a good beer selection and a really tasty fattoush salad with chicken. Nice views of the water too.
Bar Bocce is a classic Sausalito spot for afternoon drinks, snacks, and games of Boccee.
