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Angel Island State Park, Tiburon, CA

Photo: Taras Bobrovytsky, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureHistory Buff

Angel Island State Park

Ayala Cove, reached by ferry from Tiburon or San Francisco · Tiburon, CA

Why you should go…

Angel Island is the largest natural island in San Francisco Bay, and with no roads or bridges you get there only by public ferry or private boat. Once ashore at Ayala Cove you can hike or bike the island, climb Mount Caroline Livermore at 788 feet, and see the bay skyline and Mount Tamalpais. The U.S. Immigration Station, which operated from 1910 to 1940 and processed immigrants mainly from Asia, is preserved on the island. Dogs are not allowed, apart from service animals.

  • #state park
  • #island
  • #immigration station
  • #hiking
  • #ferry ride

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Angel Island State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Sausalito

    Free

    A hillside bayfront town across the Golden Gate from San Francisco, known for houseboats and waterfront views.

    2.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Alcatraz Island

    $25–$50

    Ride a ferry across San Francisco Bay to walk the cellhouse corridors of the former federal penitentiary.

    3.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Golden Gate Bridge

    Free

    San Francisco's iconic suspension bridge, open to pedestrians and cyclists with sweeping bay views.

    4.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Blazing Saddles Bike Rentals and Tours

    $25–$50

    Fisherman's Wharf bike rental shop known for sending riders across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito.

    4.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Muir Woods National Monument

    Under $25

    Old-growth coast redwood forest just north of San Francisco, reachable only with an advance parking or shuttle reservation.

    6.5 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Point Reyes National Seashore

    Free

    Hike coastal trails, walk long beaches, watch tule elk and elephant seals, and climb down 313 steps to a historic lighthouse.

    23 mi awayMore like this