What a fabulous day! From the seamless ferry rides (Alameda/SF, SF/Angel Island with two very young children), the friendly staff, the clean bathrooms, easy tram booking, informative tram ride, perfect picnic spot, to the fun Junior Ranger activity book, we all learned something, and returned tired but so happy. There are lunch, snacks, and COFFEE available, too. Treasured part of our Bay Area history. Can't wait to go back. read more

If you are anywhere near the Bay Area, Angel Island State Park is absolutely worth the trip. The scenery alone makes it a great escape, but the Immigration Station is what really makes this place special. The island is peaceful and not overly crowded. You get incredible views of the San Francisco skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the surrounding bay. It is a great spot for hiking, biking, or just relaxing by the water. The highlight for me was the Immigration Station. Walking through the barracks and reading the poems carved into the walls is powerful. It gives you a deeper appreciation for the history and the experiences of those who passed through. It is not something to rush through. Take your time and really take it in. Try to go earlier in the day so you have enough time to explore both the trails and the station. Also check the ferry schedule ahead of time so you are not cutting your visit short. Overall, it is a great mix of nature and history. Beautiful, meaningful, and definitely worth visiting. read more

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A group of 15 of us had an amazing time camping here! Very doable to carry all our gear on our backs and in wagons. There a lot of uphill so it's a group effort getting the wagons up! And the last stretch of hike getting to our campsites was all unpaved dirt, so that was more of a challenge. WEATHER Weather was fantastic in mid-January, though we also got lucky with no rain. Low 50s/60s during the day, sunny all day, 30s/40s at night but we were all ready for the nighttime chills. CAMPSITE We had sunrise sites 7, 8, and 9. These three sites are in all one big open area (see my photo), and it was great for our group of 15, plenty of space for 5 tents. But if you were here with strangers, or as the only lone tent with a big group, there is not much privacy at all. There is basically no shade at these sites as well so I can see it getting really hot in summer. You have wide sweeping views of east bay and the Bay Bridge. You can walk for ~5-10 minutes and get a view of the city and Golden Gate Bridge. Plenty of room for the kids to also roam and explore. A couple hundred feet downhill from us were the cement foundations of an old building and we think water tower. Totally safe for our 7+ year-olds to explore and play. We saw some signs of poison oak but not a ton. Quick lesson for the kids to learn how to ID it and we were fine FACILITIES There is one non-flush bathroom right by 7/8/9. This was perfect for the group. It was pretty clean and not super smelly, all things considered. No sink. There should be running water at each campsite, but it wasn't working when we went, but they had these large gatorade dispensers and someone came by to refill them each day (though we had to refill them ourselves a couple times). No wood fires, but we brought coal for the upright BBQs and cooked s'mores on those. FERRIES You need one form of payment per person, e.g. a clipper card and different contactless credit/debit cards for each person getting on the ferry. If you don't have a youth clipper, you can still get the youth discount by going to the ticket office towards the southern end of the ferry building along the water. I had an extra long wagon and it was totally fine getting it on and off the ferries. We "parked" all our wagons in the bike parking area on the first floor of the ferry and went and got seats upstairs to take in the views. It's about 60-90 minutes to get to the Sunrise Sites 7/8/9 with wagons + gear. We left Angel Island on MLK day expecting the Weekend/Holiday schedule and a ferry at 10:55am, but we got to the terminal and it turns out they'd randomly switched to a weekday schedule. So double check with the rangers you see around that the schedules are running like normal. RECEPTION We had full reception everywhere on Angel Island. read more

Angel Island State Park - Sunrise sites 7/8/9. Fantastic for a group! Very little shade, no privacy. January 2026 - Parks Near Me - Tiburon, California

So much Beaty on this island especially on a sunny day! That's the best- when it's warm and the colors are beautiful because the sun is out Easy to take ferry here, enjoyable short cruise Island has a cafe in case you need food Appreciate the trail maps along the way, to keep you on track Perimeter trail 5.5 miles long and fantastic views, very quiet the whole way, mainly see visitors at scenic spots, otherwise rest of the walk is very remote read more

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Coming to angels island is such a fun experience! You can access from pier 39 or from Tiburon; I did the latter. Ferry tickets are $18 round trip and 100% worth it. The ferry ride is short and then you can hang out on the island until you're ready to go. I ran around the island which is 5.5 miles via the perimeter trail. There isn't much on the island so most people seemed to bring snacks and a picnics, but the little store also has some food and postcards! It's a fun activity to try and the island has great views of the city and lots of cool abandoned buildings and other historic relics. read more

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Interesting place with a lot of history. Glad I saw it, although it was disappointing to see the state of most buildings. I did the one hour tram tour. It no longer goes all the way around the island because of a slide. read more

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Omg! How was I yesterday years old for my first time on Angel Island?! I was excited for the adventure, and it didn't disappoint. One of the most stunning views of the Bay Area. We stayed on the trails as much as we could, we got a bit turned about and finished on the perimeter road, but I don't think you can go wrong here. Truly such a beautiful park with a rich history. We hiked about 5.3 miles staying mostly on the rim trails, there are others, so lots to explore! read more

Mark was our tour guide and did a great job answering our questions. You can tell he enjoyed his job. It was a beautiful day and we were in the back. Personally, I think they need to replace the shocks on the tram (the 2nd tram) because it bottomed out and it was an uncomfortable ride. Note: the was a rock slide and the tram route was affected. The tram ride is worth it if you have never been to angel island. If you bought your tickets online, you have to check in at the café to get your tram tickets. Lastly, we bought sandwiches at the woodlands market before arriving to the island, but the café sells a few things including drinks, chips and some souvenir. Unfortunately, the yellow jackets were pretty aggressively and and made eating a challenge. I look forward to camping at Angel Island soon. read more

Great place for a day trip with options to bike around, hike or take a tour. Just a warning that the walking and hiking can be strenuous and a lot is uphill. Plenty of benches for picnics. There are some beaches that are nice to visit. The fort McDowell is pretty much a ghost town of old rotting buildings and not necessarily worth seeing. The immigration detention center is worth seeing it's $5 per person. You can rent bikes or e-bikes on the island. A lot of people bring their own bikes on the ferry. It's easiest to pay with a clipper card or just get your round trip ticket ahead of time. This is a good option for people visiting San Francisco and not being able to get out to a hiking spot. It can be cold or windy on most days so watch the forecast and I suggest not wearing only shorts and t shirt. There is a small cantina that sells limited food and drinks including beer. I recommend packing your own food I got something from the ferry building. It's a full day to visit so plan ahead! read more

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Despite having grew up and spending the better part of my adult life in SF Bay Area, I have sadly never been to Angel Island until recently. Short of having your own boat or being a very fit (albeit slightly suicidal) swimmer, the only way to reach Angel Island would be via ferry from either SF or Tiburon. We opted for the Tiburon route, which proved to be the wise choice. As we had a lot less people to contend with vs the SF ferry, and parking at/near the pier in Tiburon was plentiful. Tickets cost $17.40 round trip for adults. Although originally utilized as a seasonal hunting and gathering location for indigenous peoples, Angel Island has been repurposed over the years for quite a few uses, many of which were tragically sad and a direct result of our countries past bigotry and racism. Some of its history includes an army fort and battery defense for WWI and WWII, a quarantine station for the bubonic plague, an immigration station, and nowadays, a state park with an active US Coast Guard lighthouse. While for most visitors (including us), Angel Island is just a day trip. But you can also book a reservation for a camp site to stay overnight. For the rest of us, you can opt to either hike, bike, or like us, book one of the tram tours that will take you from the pier to the former immigration center and back. The tram costs $18/adult, and most people will hop off at the immigration center to explore and ultimately walk back to the pier on foot. read more

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Great day trip from San Francisco! We took the ferry to Angel Island. It's 9.50 each way, if you have Clipper Card. From there, we took the shuttle (not the same as the tram) to the Immigration Detention Center. They were offering free tours, which was great. The tour was only meant to be 45 mins but actually ended up being more than an hour. All the information shared was very meaningful and great, but the guide was a very slow speaker. We learned a lot about the history of immigration and racism experienced by the people who had to stay here while immigration officials decided on whether they could enter the U.S or they were denied entry. From that location, we decided to walk and finish the Perimeter Loop. It is paved road and pretty easy to walk. There is benches along the way, so you can rest and take breaks. Very beautiful 360 views of the city, bay bridge, and Golden Gate Bridge. After the hike, we went to the cafe/cantina that's on the island. Their vanilla latte was great. I think I got a BLT sandwich and that was really good too. Would love to come back and bike the Perimeter Loop or try the other trails. read more

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A great day trip from San Francisco. It's only accessible via ferry from which I took from Terminal B - San Francisco Ferry building. The ferry ride gives you great views of both the San Francisco and Oakland City Skyline and both the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge. The ferry ride takes about 30 minutes or so. There is a general map of Angel Islands near the restroom area when you get there but no paper maps available. There are 2 trails, Perimeter and Sunset. I hiked the Sunset trail all the way to the end which is the top of Mount Livermore. There is shade, for the most part, during the hike although there's no shade once you get near the top. The trail has nice views as you're making your way through it and you'll be rewarded with a great 360 degree view of the Bay Area once you get to the top. There are some historical buildings here as this used to be an immigration station and it was nicknamed "Ellis Island of the West". I'll be back for this though since I went on a Tuesday and that part of the island is only staffed from Thursday-Sunday read more

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As a nurse, you tend to have a schedule extremely different from civilians. So, my friend and I (also a nurse) decided to go check out Angel Island on a Thursday morning. We started off meeting at the ferry building, and hopping on... the ferry. It was a very quick ride there, maybe 20 minutes. Once we got there we were greeted by some rangers and the 15-20 of us started to explore. We had our hearts set on the Northridge/Sunset Loop Trail, with a pit stop on Mt. Livermore. We started off headed to the left of the bathrooms (as explained by ALLTRAILS, Love this APP, if you are an avid hiker, you need it), the first 1.5 miles was a straight up climb on mostly stairs. You go from zero to about 750 feet pretty quick. Definitely got a smidge winded, but once you hit the top, it's all coasting from there. The whole Trail is a little over 5 miles and you end up right back where you started, hence: LOOP. Once we were done, we stopped at their little cafe and I had myself an ICE cold Diet Coke. YUM. The clerk at the window started giving me an offer, but I had to call my friend over for mutual approval. She pointed at a trick or treat bag that she diligently worked on and told me, with no uncertain terms... the if we just buy ONE bag for $6.50, we can get John to give us a private tour on the tram around the Island, and get us back in time for the 2:40p ferry back to SF. We did just that! John has been doing these tours for 10+ years and he was a delight. He also took us down to see the fog bell that Juliet Nichols had to ring TWICE every 15 seconds for 20 hours and 45 minutes back on July 2nd, 1906! Apparently the striking machine failed and she had to do it manually. She's a local hero, so we are told. I won't take a star away for this, but maybe they can just trim some of the branches on parts of the trail. They were forcing us to step on precarious places which you could easily slip down and likely hurt yourself. I would bring some shears myself on my next visit and help out if they let me! Overall, great hike, $9 to get here from the Ferry Building, picnic tables all over the place, lots of history, you can camp overnight, and there are no BEARS! read more

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My boyfriend surprised me with a wonderfully planned trip to Angel Island after doing an extensive amount of research on his own. We ended up taking the ferry at noon at the Tiburon location instead of the SF one. We left our car at a $5 all-day public parking lot a couple blocks down. It was approximately $18 round trip for the ferry itself and about $8 for the toll back over the Golden Gate Bridge. The ferry was a fun and gorgeous 10 minute ride. There's plenty of activities you could do on Angel Island and we were tempted to rent a bike or do a tour. My boyfriend planned for us to do the 5 mile hike to Mt. Livermore (roughly 2.5 hours). The forested portions of the hike had a lot of nettles that felt impossible to avoid because of the number and the narrowness of the path. There were also a few scattered poison oak towards the top of the island. I highly recommend avoiding shorts for this hike. Luckily, we soon forgot bout the nettles once we started getting glimpses of the 360 view of the bay. This was definitely one of my favorite hikes and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a mild/moderate challenge! The Tiburon Ferry departs Angel Island every 20 minutes past the hour, with the last being 5:20 pm. Our line was significantly shorter than the SF line, however, since the ferry arrives less frequently, we ended up leaving after everyone in the SF line had boarded and left. read more

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Located a short ferry ride from the city, a trip to Angel Island will have you feeling like you're a world away...that is until you see the sweeping views of the city from the island's many vantage points. From the ferry building it was $18 roundtrip to visit the island. After a nice ride over you're greeted by beautiful views, a small cafe, some other historical buildings. The island offers hiking, bike rentals, and guided tram tours. We went with the intention of riding bikes and arrived just before 10am on the first ferry. The cafe, which it seems also runs the bike rentals was short staffed and let us know they would be open for rentals closer to 11am. We spent the hour walking around and looking in the small museum on the island. Finally around 11 we were able to get our bikes and head out on the bike path around the island. The first part was more of a dirt path, but as soon as you got to the top of the hill it opened up to a paved road. We rode around the island stopping at different viewpoints and historical sites including the old military barracks. Biking was definitely the best way to explore the island if you want to see the whole thing. The ride did have some steep hills, including one you have to walk your bike down, but it was fairly easy riding for two people that hadn't ridden bikes in years. Bathrooms were sparse and we did run out of water, so be prepared with water and go to the restroom before you take off. Food on the island is limited to the cafe, so be sure to check the menu beforehand and see if they'll have something you want. We opted to bring our lunch while was the right move. The ferry schedule to and from is fairly limited on weekdays so be sure to plan ahead and look at the schedule. read more

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They were super friendly and helpful, had a great time. The view at the top is one of kind when compared to the other states. 360 panoramic beauty of the entire Bay Area read more

Angel Island State Park - The view - Parks Near Me - Tiburon, California

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Took a day trip out to Angel Island. You take the ferry from the ferry building. Make sure your clipper card has $18 for round trip fair. All the folks at the dock were very nice and helpful. They made sure we were I'm the right place and had enough fair. We went on a Tuesday so there were not a lot of people. It was nice to be able to sit on the sun deck on the way over. You can see the whole city from out on the water -- from Bay Bridge to Golden Gate Bridge. The only down side is the museum isn't open on Monday or Tuesday so we didn't have access to that. We walked the Perimeter Trail which was a moderate hike. It was not super hard but there is parts with incline that can get you out of breath if you're not used to hiking (AKA me). We did have a hard time finding which trail to start on using the map they have near the ferry but once we figured it out it was easy to follow. Such a great day trip. However note there are only a select number of ferries so plan accordingly. read more

Angel Island State Park - View on the Perimeter Trail - Parks Near Me - Tiburon, California

If you plan on touring Angel Island, I recommend that you take the tram tour, as the terrain is quite hilly. Everyone from Angeleigh, Sales/Event Manager to the tram drivers, Jenni and Janet, are super helpful and customer oriented. The views from the island are breathtaking. read more

We had an amazing tour of Angel island today guided by a fantastic gal named Janet! She made the tour today! Angel island is amazing we will be back! Thank you SF read more

Angel Island is a perfect destination for a day trip. I did camp here once which was a really cool experience. Today though we hopped the ferry in Tiburon with picnic lunches in our backpacks and walked the perimeter of this beautiful island. The views are spectacular! We made some time to visit the historical buildings which are quite alarming when reading the history of the immigration station. During World War II, the U.S. military used the immigration station on Angel Island as a processing center for prisoners of war, as well as a detention center for hundreds of Japanese immigrants from Hawaii and the mainland United States. I'm pleased that much of the history has been preserved so that others may learn what happened here. If you come to Angel Island sans food, there is a cafe on the weekends and otherwise a small snack station. I've brought my bike on the ferry in the past to cycle the island- also quite nice. Bike rentals are available however. read more

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Angel Island is a good place to learn about the history of immigration to San Francisco. Angel Island offers a trams tour around the island which is very informative. The immigration center had lots of history about Asian immigration to California. The person at the pay desk at the immigration center was very helpful in helping me navigate around the island. Angel Island has stunning views of the San Francisco landscape. There are lots of biking and hiking trails. There is also lots of picnic tables available . This place is worth multiple visits. read more

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From time to time I plan weekend outings for our family of 3. We hadn't visited this general area in a long time and I thought it would be a nice treat. We've visited Angel Island in the past for organized events, but this was the first time we went for sightseeing. One can take the ferry to the island either from SF or Tiburon. I prefer Tiburon as it is the quieter option with parking for $5 a day in parking lots A & B. Just be sure to arrive early on weekends tension a parking spot. For an extra $1 per ferry ride one can bring bikes on the island, just be sure to stay on the bike paths. Great place to hike, catch-up on history, enjoy 360 views of the surrounding bay and spend time with family. read more

Angel Island State Park - Immigration Station - Parks Near Me - Tiburon, California

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Way back in my working drone years, I seemed to have a boss who wanted to come here for our corporate outing. It happened twice to me, and the last time I was with a group of tortoise-like colleagues who found ourselves running late for the last ferry. A ranger in a sag jeep picked us up to get to the dock much to our humiliation for several weeks back at the office. Now you know why I had not been back to Angel Island in over twenty years. But the reopening of the Angel Island/Tiburon ferry (review: https://bit.ly/3ErPSaq) in the midst of the endless pandemic made me think I should address my mental block, especially since neither Jamie W. not I had visited the immigration station museum (review: https://bit.ly/3EpAyvd). Going there itself took up a quarter of the 5-1/2-mile perimeter hiking trail. While most of it is scenic and manageable, there are a couple of unexpected hills that will add flights to your FitBit. There's another, more challenging trail up Mt. Livermore, but after all, we had Bloody Mary's waiting for us at Sam's (review: https://bit.ly/32u8bPc)., and no one likes a show-off. RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU read more

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This day trip is a must if you're a Bay Area resident and probably worth it even if you're not. Take the ferry from Fisherman's Wharf or Tiburon (like we did) to Ayala Cove, which is in the northwest part of the island. Plan on at least a couple of hours to explore, or camp overnight if you want to stay longer (the last Tiburon ferry leaves at 3:20 pm). Visitors either bring bicycles and circumnavigate the island's gentle rise clockwise from Ayala Cove, or hike counter-clockwise along a steeper gradient to the best vistas on the southwest corner where the batteries are. You can book a tram which takes you around if you want to do neither. We saw beautiful views everywhere we looked - from Mount Tamalpais, Tiburon and the Richmond Bridge to the north, to the Bay bridge, fog-shrouded San Francisco, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate to the south. We also saw deer and an amazing pair of flowering cacti that took my breath away! We will definitely be back! read more

Angel Island State Park - Ayala Cove. - Parks Near Me - Tiburon, California

I'd been to Angel Island a couple of times prior to yesterday. Both were for corporate events from an earlier chapter in my life. Yesterday was much different. It was a day trip with my bike group. Contrary to popular belief e-bikes are allowed on the island. There are signs posted throughout the island marking the bike route. The perimeter road is asphalt. Our bike leader led us on both the asphalt perimeter route and the fire road which is gravel. I've never been on a mountain bike or off road gravel road so this was a little unnerving for me. But I managed without incident on my trusty ebike. Some folks in our group later defaulted to only the perimeter road as the hill climbing and off road became challenging with their non ebikes. Be prepared for hill climbing. We covered most of the island. I think it's nine miles around the island but not 100% sure. Someone in our group had a flat tire. Fortunately it was replaced as our group of 31 bikers were prepared. I suggest a packed lunch. Lots of picnic tables scattered throughout the island. Many great views from atop of the island. We had enough time to bike the island but not enough time to examine the various buildings or learn more about Ellis Island of the West which is what Angel Island is known as because it served as the immigration station for both Asians and non Asians. I did visit the immigration building previously but that was many years ago. No recollection now. As a native San Franciscan you think you can visit anytime but in reality you don't. Like New Yorkers who have never been to the Statue of Liberty. I'm not going to say I'll return for another visit to Angel Island but never say never. read more

Angel Island State Park - Parks Near Me - Tiburon, California

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My husband and I visited Angel Island over the weekend and it was such a wonderful day! We took the ferry from SF and spent the day hiking and exploring the historical buildings. There is so much to explore on the island and so many breath taking views! They have a food stand for smaller bites and snacks and they also have a cafe for a bigger meal after hiking or biking. They offer guided tours and electric bikes too! I highly recommend the day trip to Angel Island for the views and history. read more

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We love to hike. We started with just a small group with my cousin and her family more than a dozen or so years ago and we'd hike everywhere in the Bay Area. Heck, even when we go on vacation we look for places to hike. She even started a Facebook group and called it, "Oh, A Hiking We Would Go" which have grown in members over the years. I still go on my solo hikes a lot as I love the solitude and I can go on my own pace and go anywhere I want to go. However, hiking with a large group is fun, and there is safety in numbers. But you have to keep an eye for the newbies and "kids" who think they're invincible. That's why I always carry a medical kit in my backpack among other things just in case something happens. It's always better to have 'em and not need it than the other way around. Now hiking here at Angel Island is pretty unique since there's only one way to get here - which is on a boat. Ferry, boat, yacht, speedboat, sailboat, catamaran, dinghy, raft, canoe, kayak, paddleboat, cutter, fishing boat, you name it...it's still a boat. We've been here several times and we usually take the ferry from Tiburon. It's a short but pleasant and relaxing ride. I do recommend getting here early to get an early head start and the earlier the better. Angel Island is a State Park and the entrance fee is $5.00 (18 and over), $3.00 (6-17) and free for anyone 5 and under. Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed unless they are service animals. Once on the island, there are more things to do than just hike and a lot of cyclists come here bringing their mountain bikes along. There are also bike rentals available seasonally. If you're into history, Angel Island is often referred to as the "Ellis Island of the West" as more than one million people from 80 countries passed through here during the early 1900's. Most did not receive a warm welcome, especially Chinese immigrants who were often detained on this island due to the 'Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882' as it restricted the numbers of immigrants based on their race, nationality and class. They were processed and held at the Angel Island Immigration Station, which is now designated as a National Historic Landmark. Well, the whole island is designated as California Historical Landmark administered by the California State Parks. At 1.2 square miles, there's plenty of areas to explore and sometimes one day is not enough to explore the entire area. Now if you want to go further down in history, the original inhabitants were the Coast Miwok Native Americans, who lived, thrived and fished along the Bay Area coasts. I could only imagine how life was back then and they certainly had some of the best views in the bay. And of course there is also military presence here as it was also used as a fort with batteries and garrison built on the island. During WWII some of the facilities were used as detention center for Japanese, German and Italian immigrants, an unfortunate and ugly history of that era. Later on during the war, Japanese and German prisoners of war were transferred here until after the war was over. During the cold war, a Nike Missile Site station was installed on the island until their removal in 1962. In the middle of the island is Mt. Livermore, the tallest peak at 788.86 feet above sea level. Here, you can get a 360 degree view of the Bay, and what a marvelous place to be, especially on a clear day. Just follow Fire Road Trail from the visitor's center and it'll eventually take you to the summit. There are also two different trails that you can explore like Sunset Trail and N. Ridge Road Trail that will take you around the rest of the island. Either trails you take, it's a nice challenge and scenic. Be sure to have enough water with you, and some snacks, too. However, there's a cafe at the boat dock in case you didn't bring any. If you're visiting here or if you live in the Bay, it's a nice excursion where you can easily spend an entire day. #YelpChallenge2020 review No. 89 read more

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COVID-19 Precautions. Admission to Angel Island State Park included with roundtrip ferry purchase. Scenic Bay Area Views. Hiking Paradise. Fun Day Trip For All. See below for more info: COVID-19 Precautions: Staff and visitors of the State Park wear masks. People keep a physical distance when exploring the island as well as when getting ready to board the ferry back to Tiburon. Admission to Angel Island State Park included with roundtrip ferry purchase: Admission to the Angel Island State Park is included with roundtrip purchase of the Angel Island-Tiburon Ferry. Roundtrip tickets are $15 for adults, $14 for seniors ages 65+, $13 for children ages 6-12, $5 for children ages 3-5, and free for passengers under the age of 2. There is a $1 additional fee for each bike. Scenic Bay Area Views: The scenic views of the Bay Area at Angel Island State Park are easily the best we have seen, and we are active hikers! Our favorite spot was about halfway of the perimeter loop as you can see iconic SF; there is a bench and table, ideal for a picnic. We the morning we went, Karl the fog was active, making the ferry ride to the island look straight out of Jurassic Park. Hiking Paradise: There are various hiking trails to choose from to explore. Two of the more popular trails are Mt. Livermore and the perimeter. We went for the latter and are happy we did as the views of the Bay Area were incredible. The perimeter loop is 5.9 miles and the easier of the two as the road is paved making the route popular among hikers, families, and bike riders. Mt. Livermore is a little longer at 6 miles but more of an elevation gain. There is more dirt on this road, but you get the highest views of the island with less people as many opt for the perimeter. Fun Day Trip For All: Angel Island State Park is a fun day trip for all. We saw a lot of duo hikers, like us, bikers, and families with small children to grammies. Activities whicg one can do at Angel Island State Park include walking, hiking, bike riding, photography, picnicking, and sightseeing to name a few. Overall, we had a lot of fun at the Angel Island State Park, and highly recommend y'all visit! :D read more

Angel Island State Park - SF + Alcatraz views - Parks Near Me - Tiburon, California

Walt from Walt's Adventures here. I found myself on Angel Island! We took the tour and our guide was awesome. He stopped our tour now and again to further give us additional information on several locales around the island. We saw the old Civil War fort, the Immigration Processing Center and the old WWII fort. Each locale had its eerie energies from the past. The isle was beautiful and it was a great day. If given the chance... visit the isle. read more

Angel Island State Park - The WWII base where thousands of men left to the Pacific theater never to return - Parks Near Me - Tiburon, California

Re Angel island Company Would take the tram tour again but be prepared for the following: 1. In the past, driver provided informative narrative but this past weekend's tour, for reasons known only to the company, was automated. 2. Audio needs improvement - barely audible even when driver turns up the volume due to loud vehicle mechanical sounds. Secondly and equally important are other riders who continually have personal loud conversations throughout the entire tour in our case seated behind us, we heard even less on top of the already barely audible recording. Perhaps company can post gentle reminders or driver announce keep conversations to a minimal (in respect for those passengers who are sincerely interested in knowing about the island to hear the history, etc.). 3. Be prepared for a slight bumpy ride due to natural terrain. Slightly disappointed in the tour overall for all of the above reasons. Positives: 1. Appreciated sporadic historical perspective provided by the driver. A live-person narrative and equally important, audible! 2. Driver friendly. 3. Service provided by cafe staff exemplary. 4. Cafe prices not unreasonable and specifically the bread with our BLT much to our surprise, was good. The cost of the tour slightly overpriced due to the above reasons but the panoramic view of the City at the top of hill was worth the price and views of the City's waterfront from the bay during the ferry ride equally enjoyable. read more

I love Angel Island, but my big regret is the last time I was here was 25 years ago! I like how COVID conscious the park is. The ferry is by reservation only and upon arriving, they enforce strict social distancing rules. I totally respect that and was very sanitized before I entered the park. The ferry ride is quick, but it's nice to have fresh air on the way to the island. We took a walk around the entire island and it took all day to get around. Let's just say we made it back in time for the last ferry ride to Tiburon. This time around, we took our time going through the buildings and checking out what's out there. I think if I did it again, I would like to take a shorter hike, but set up a picnic spot near the beach area. Definitely bring a picnic, hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen if you go. This is definitely an all day trip. When you get back, you can check out the restaurants in Tiburon before you head home. read more

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First time here and I love it! Angel Island, a National Historic Landmark, is located in Angel Island State Park. The island is almost entirely in the city of Tiburon, in Marin County. You ride the ferry from Tiburon terminal to get there and it's just a 12 mins ride. Amazing views of the city of San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, city of Belvedere,Tiburon, Oakland, Alcatraz and Treasure Island.Overlooking the Marin County and San Francisco bay. Highest Point is Mount Caroline Livermore, 788 ft elevation. We started walking at 1030 am since first ferry ride is at 10. The traffic was still light both ways because we're the first batch and couldn't have asked for a better weather. It's considered an easy route but make sure to wear the right Took us around 13,000 steps for 5.2 miles and almost 3 hrs total. For my weight, pace, and age, my phone says I burned 558 calories. Not bad. However, feet and legs were a little sore after. I was dog-tired that night lol! There are a lot of picnic tables allover by the seashore and by the time we got done hiking, there were already a lot of people having picnic and people that just landed and starting their walk. We got done at around 130 pm and we still have ample time for the 220 ferry ride back to Tiburon. There's a cafe shop there that has a 2-man band playing guitars and next to ut has a small boith giving away free cocktails for promotion. What do you do? Of course taste them! Lol! Their toilet is clean but make sure that you go first before you start your hike. There is no portalet up there lol! I'd like to go back here and try again with biking instead then picnic afterwards. read more

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After trying for over a year, we got a camping spot! So my brother in law and I took a 10, two 8, and two 6 year olds backpacking to spots 7 and 8. This is the worst site areas since it's not covered and views the east bay. But wow so fun! We hiked the 1.5 miles to the site, set everything up then went down to the army base and beach. The next day we hiked over mt. Livermore, then back down to the ferry. The whole experience is so so fun and really age appropriate for our kids. It was the perfect last hooray before school! read more

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I once did some volunteer cleanup at Angel Island many years ago with a bunch of coworkers. We were charged with removing brush and debris from culverts so that water can drain downwards. I never got the chance to hike or enjoy to awesome views here. Fast Forward to Labor Day 2019. Angel Island is an essential visit if you're in Tiburon. Just 10 minutes by ferry and $15/pp for a round-trip ticket and park entrance. They have lots of amenities here: helpful and friendly rangers, food, live music, and even free wifi in some areas. The park is well suited for hiking, biking, or BBQ or picnics. The hikes here are not too difficult, and the trails are wide and paved. You can see all the bridges, Alcatraz, and downtown SF on a clear day. The Park also offers up some history, with old military barracks, houses, a missile station and immigration station. Seeing all this can take 3-4 hours, and hiking around the perimeter of the park can take 3 hours. If you have limited time and prefer not to hike the entire island, you can commit to two stops. Starting from the ferry dock, hike in the counter-clockwise direction and check out Camp Reynolds and then the Batteries, which offer gorgeous view for pictures. This can easily be done in 1-2 hours. read more

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Perfect place for a day trip/hike! It's around a 6 mile loop around the island with beautiful bay views. You can get down to the beach as well which is around 2.7 miles from the starting point. I would recommend visiting the immigration museum as well, very informative, well organized, and eye opening. It costs around $5 per person for the self guided tour. People can bike on the island as well, though there are a few steep parts. Highly recommend for a nice outdoor day! read more

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We went with a group of ladies from the East Bay. What a terrific outing! Great ferry rides, tram tour and tour of immigration center and barracks. Such interesting history! Everyone had a fabulous time. Thank you! read more

Seriously amazing day! From the ferry ride to the tram tour to the hikes, I love this island! We did the tram tour just to get our bearings and hear the history. It was an hour ride (had to wear masks) with stops for pics and USIS. Museum at USIS is open! Sorry great G-ma and G-pa, we will come back to learn more about your struggles at the Chinese detention camp next time. We didn't attend this time as we were there to hike and thought it was "Covid-closed" as listed on their website the day before we went. We asked the tour guide about the hikes and he recommended North ridge trail. This is the one with the steps. I am not a hiker. I strive to workout 2-3x a week. I read a ton of the reviews on alltrails and random blogs and almost psyched myself out that I couldn't do this hike based on the way some people said it was really strenuous. This hike up to the top took about 77minutes and was 2.5ish miles up. It is unpaved, and rough terrain in some spots. Rough meaning a little rocky and uneven with knotty branches poking through areas of the path. It was narrow, single file throughout and we avoided the poison sumac/ivy/oak at times by raising our hands. A couple hairpin turns but nothing scary. Guardrails do exist when the cliff is close and my toes felt like they were coming out of my sneakers on the way down(harder than i thought even though it is downhill.) the view from the top was so worth it! Checkout the picnic tables on the small path beyond the point for the best views. There is one table at the summit but if you walk down the small path beyond, there is a platform with 2-3 tables and the views here were the reward! I was beat and sore afterwards and remember to apply sunscreen often if you sweat a lot. It was only 72degrees but the sun was beating down as it was a very clear day. Bring tons of water if hiking. 64oz per person or more if possible. I felt proud that I finished the hike in time to get the last ferry back at 4:15 but sunbaked and sore the day after. My 21yo niece of course had no problems at all on the hike and patiently waited for me to catch up at times (hi 144 step stairs) She even came home and went for a run afterwards as I hobbled to the bath! That's what a 30year age difference looks like! Great time, fun day, everyone should go at least once. read more

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The park itself is amazing but it does need some trail maintenance. The path to Perles Beach has a section that completely fell off at some part, no trailhead either, and another trail has a giant fallen tree. It would be nice if they trimmed up some of the poison oak and included landmarks like the Red Hospital on their map, along with some symbols for stairs and such. I went camping and the directions we got contradicted and used landmarks not on the map. It was a lovely time though! Definitely come through. read more

Angel Island State Park - Trail to Perles Beach - Parks Near Me - Tiburon, California

Had a great day on the island with family visiting from out of town. I highly recommend the Angel Island Company tram tour for first-time visitors or anyone wanting to see more of the island without having too strenuous of a walk. Hames the driver / tour guide was kind and informative. Great customer service from the rest of the company, answering any questions I had and helping make the day memorable. read more

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Had a lovely day on Angel Island! We took the boat to one of the slips here and went for a job around the island's perimeter. It was about 5 miles around with plenty of interesting landmarks to stop and see on the route. As you make your way around the island, you will see abandoned military buildings, a Nike missile site, batteries, and great views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge when it's not blocked by the fog. There are nature trails through the middle of the island that I am sure are beautiful! Definitely worth a day trip! read more

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