Top 8 Day Trips from San Francisco (Places to Visit)

If you're planning a visit to the Bay Area and want to explore beyond the vibrant city of San Francisco, you're in luck. There are a plethora of scenic day trips from San Francisco that offer breathtaking landscapes, rich history, and unique experiences.

Whether you're seeking coastal beauty, lush vineyards, or charming small towns, you’ll find the perfect destination just a short drive away. From the world-famous Muir Woods National Monument, home to towering redwoods, to the historic town of Sausalito, which offers stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge, these San Francisco day trips are designed to satisfy every type of traveler.

As a seasoned travel writer with deep knowledge of the Bay Area, I’ve explored many of these remarkable destinations, uncovering the best things to do and see. Whether you're hiking, wine-tasting, or soaking in the local culture, these trips will leave you with lasting memories.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through some of the best day trips you can take from San Francisco, complete with insider tips to make the most of your time. So pack your bags, grab your camera, and let’s dive into the most exciting nearby escapes from the heart of one of the country’s most iconic cities.

1. Alcatraz Prison

You don't even have to leave the city to take the first of the excursions from San Francisco. Just go to Pier 33 and hop on a ferry to Alcatraz Island. On this small island in the middle of San Francisco Bay lies one of the most legendary prisons of all time: Alcatraz Prison .

It was only operational from 1934 to 1963, but it gained a reputation for being an unbreakable place, from which escape was a pipe dream. However, it was the scene of one of the strangest and most impossible escapes in the history of the United States. In this post we tell you about our visit to Alcatraz and here are a few interesting facts about this place (you're going to be amazed by more than one).

Tip : Book your ticket in advance, it is one of the most visited attractions in San Francisco and there may not be availability when you want to visit it. The cheapest place to do so is the official website . You can also join a tour in Spanish , which includes a visit to Alcatraz and the main tourist sites in San Francisco.

2. Yosemite National Park

For many, Yosemite is one of the most beautiful National Parks in the United States . And we totally agree: it is full of waterfalls, corners that seem taken from a postcard, incredible viewpoints and dozens of hiking trails to be in full contact with nature. Here we tell you about our visit to Yosemite National Park .

How to visit : It's about a 3-hour drive from San Francisco and we think the ideal way to visit is to rent a car and spend one or two nights in the park. You can also visit the nearby Sequoia National Park, famous for its huge trees. But if you don't drive or don't have much time, there are day tours to Yosemite that leave from San Francisco.

3. Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park

We present to you the largest trees on the planet: the sequoias! California is famous, among other things, for having several forests of these giants, where you will feel like a dwarf creature of nature next to them.

In these two parks, one next to the other, there are several mythical trees, such as the General Grant (1700 years old!) or the General Sherman (the tree with the most wood in the world), as well as a breathtaking viewpoint: the Moro Rock . Here we tell you about our visit to the parks of Kings Canyon and Sequoia .

How to visit : Considering that to get to Kings Canyon and Sequoia you will have to drive more than 4 hours there (and the same amount of time back, of course), we don't think it's worth taking a day trip from San Francisco. So in this case, our advice, if you're traveling on your own, is to spend a couple of days to visit Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia, before continuing on to Death Valley and Las Vegas.

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4. Muir Woods

If you can't make it to Sequoia National Park, there's a much closer alternative: just 10 km from San Francisco's Golden Gate, there's Muir Forest , where a few giant sequoias await you. It's not as impressive as the previous ones or Red Wood National Park , but it's a nearby and very easy getaway, perfect for those who don't have much time and want to see these living beings, the tallest on the planet.

How to visit : The easiest and most flexible way to go is by car, but keep in mind that it is not very cheap: you will have to pay the toll to cross the Golden Gate and the parking at Muir Woodd. So, if you want to go on your own, there is the option of going by public transport . The bad thing is that there is NO direct bus from San Francisco and you will have to travel to Sausalito and take a shuttle bus from there. This tour in Spanish through Muir Woods and Sausalito seems to us the most interesting.

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5. Sausalito

This is one of the easiest and almost obligatory excursions from San Francisco.

Sausalito is a pleasant little town on the other side of the Golden Gate, where you can enjoy a nice morning. In its beginnings, it was a small village where fishermen lived … but today it is a rather posh place, with houseboats and bars and restaurants specializing in fish and seafood.

How to visit : our advice is NOT to go by car, as the traffic and the price of the bridge toll make it not worth it. The ideal would be to rent a bike , cross the Golden Gate on two wheels (super exciting) and enjoy a few quiet hours there. And to top off the plan, return to San Francisco by ferry. There are some pretty interesting online offers, some of which also include the ferry ticket, take a look at Groupon. But if you prefer to go by ferry round trip, it's not a bad option either.

6. Big Sur

More than just a day trip, we recommend taking this famous stretch of coastal road to anyone traveling by car between Los Angeles and San Francisco (or vice versa). Along approximately 100 km you will pass cliffs, bridges, beaches, landscapes and charming towns, such as Monterrey .

How to visit : In this case, we believe that renting a car and driving along this stretch of coast is the best option: only then will you be able to stop and take all the photos you want and enjoy the corners you like the most. There is also this tour in Spanish to Carmel and Monterrey that goes along this mythical road, with very interesting stops.

7. Silicon Valley

Do you have a geeky soul? We all do. And being so close to Silicon Valley, are you going to miss out on a trip to where all the great ideas come from? NO WAY.

Plus, you can go on your own or on organized tours, and who knows? Maybe walking around there and breathing the same air as these brains will give you a boost of inspiration to create your own start-up. The headquarters of the big tech companies , such as Google, Facebook, Apple, etc., await you there.

How to visit : You can organize your own self-tour , or sign up for one of the many tours to Silicon Valley from San Francisco , which are becoming increasingly popular.

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8. Napa Valley and Sonoma

This excursion from San Francisco is for those who enjoy rural tourism, especially if the plan includes toasting with a glass or several wines. If this is your case, you have to visit the Napa Valley, just under an hour away by road, and see yourself surrounded by fields, wineries and vineyards . A tasting is a must , but only for those who do not drive! Remember to bring a document with you, as in the USA it is required to buy and consume alcohol (over 21 years old).

How to visit : This is one of the visits we recommend doing with tours, this way everyone in the group can drink a little wine without thinking about the consequences. There are also many organized tours, this is one of the best (although it is only in English). The alternative is this excursion to the Napa and Sonoma valleys in Spanish (although it is somewhat more expensive).

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These are, for us, the best day trips from San Francisco . We can't wait to go back and do the ones we still have left! After New York, San Francisco is our second favorite city in the United States, and we hope that you also enjoy your trip to this Californian enclave.

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