Top San Francisco Day Trips

Travel by minibus from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park on a small-group day trip to one of the most visually stunning places on earth. This full-day itinerary takes you through the orchards of the Central Valley to Yosemite Valley, stopping first for a stroll through a grove of giant sequoias. Find plenty of photo ops of Half Dome, El Capitan, and Yosemite Fall, and more. Numbers are limited to 15 passengers to ensure a personalized experience.

Escape to California’s famous wine country on this full-day tour from San Francisco. Taste regional varietals at multiple wineries in Napa and Sonoma, including both big-name and family-run estates. Learn about the winemaking process during guided tours of vineyards and barrel rooms, and savor the area’s gourmet culture with a stop for lunch in charming Sonoma Square Plaza.

Discover the rugged beauty of the Sierra Nevada and Yosemite National Park on this full-day tour from San Francisco. Travel aboard a comfortable van through historic Gold Rush towns to reach the park, where you’ll be amazed by supersized natural wonders like the granite cliffs of Half Dome and El Capitan, and the giant sequoias of Tuolumne Grove. Enjoy several hours to explore the park’s wonders on your own, hiking wherever interests you most.

You get to see everything in one day! All the main sites in San Francisco, a lunch break in Sausalito, and a walk around Muir Woods. If you have selected the Alcatraz option, you will take a ferry ride to Alcatraz Island in the afternoon for the Official Alcatraz Tour. 8am – Depart Fisherman’s Wharf 8-9:30am – Explore San Francisco’s BEST neighborhoods! You will be treated to entertaining stories about the neighborhoods and several photo stops. 9:30-11am – Explore Muir Woods You will have 75 minutes among some of the last remaining coastal redwoods in the world! 11am-12pm – Lunch in Sausalito Enjoy lunch in the quaint town of Sausalito where you can shop and explore! 1:30pm - If you have selected the Alcatraz option, you will be dropped off at Pier 33 for the Official Alcatraz Tour! For those not going to Alcatraz, you will be dropped off at the same location as your meeting point.

Drive down one of the most scenic roads in California on this full-day tour from San Francisco. Cruise along the coast-hugging Highway 1, passing Pebble Beach on the iconic 17-Mile Drive. Enjoy free time to explore Monterey, where you can stroll down Steinbeck’s Cannery Row or visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Browse the ritzy boutiques of Carmel-by-the-Sea and get a glimpse of Silicon Valley’s tech campuses on the return drive to San Francisco.

Spend the day exploring San Francisco’s vibrant neighborhoods on a small-group tour. Walk the bustling streets of Chinatown and North Beach and feel the groove on Haight Street. Leave the urban grid behind and relax under the towering redwood trees in Muir Woods National Monument, then stop in Sausalito for free time to admire waterfront views, peruse upscale boutiques, and have lunch (own expense).

This small-group tour takes you from downtown San Francisco to Muir Woods and Sausalito—two of Marin's top attractions—in a single day. Riding across the Golden Gate Bridge in a tour van leaves you free to take in the epic views instead of focusing on the driving. You'll have free time to explore both sites, making this organized option a great choice for independent travelers.

Ride a double-decker sightseeing bus to San Francisco's most famous landmarks with a choice of 2 different passes. Explore the city's 49 square miles, including stops at big-name attractions like Pier 39, the Palace of Fine Arts and Union Square. Go at your own pace, hopping off at any of 16 stops, exploring at your leisure, and then hopping back on when you're done. Choose the Premium pass to include a night tour or a Deluxe pass for an additional 24 hours of hop-on-hop-off and a night tour.

Known for its steep granite cliffs, waterfalls, towering sequoia groves, and diversity of wildlife, Yosemite National Park is something you don’t want to miss. On this small group day trip, you can leave the logistics to a tour guide so all you have to do is enjoy the great outdoors. You have both guided sightseeing and free time, ensuring you see the UNESCO World Heritage Site’s major attractions, like Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Yosemite Valley, with the chance to explore more of the park however you wish.

Explore Sonoma Valley wine on a small-group tasting tour from San Francisco to boutique wineries, making sightseeing stops along the way. Cross the Golden Gate Bridge, enter Sonoma's rolling landscape of golden hills and vineyards, and enjoy a series of guided tastings, learning about Sonoma wine varietals and terroir as you sip. After your time in Sonoma, pause in the artists' colony of Sausalito, with the option to return to San Francisco by ferry for great views across the San Francisco Bay.

Explore the Northern California redwoods on this tour of Muir Woods. Departing from Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, your guide drives you over the Golden Gate Bridge and into the moist air of Muir Woods National Monument. Crane your neck to admire these 1,000-year-old trees standing 260 feet (80 meters) tall. Afterward, enjoy a drive through the charming town of Sausalito before heading back to the city, or upgrade to take the ferry back.

Take in two of the San Francisco Bay Area’s top destinations, Muir Woods and Sausalito, on a 4-hour morning tour from downtown San Francisco. Drive through the Presidio and across the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Woods National Monument where you have some time to walk among towering old-growth redwood trees. Next, head to Sausalito for a stroll along the picturesque waterfront, which is full of great boutiques, cafes and restaurants. You can opt to remain on your own in Sausalito or return on the coach.

Bypass the line and head directly to the gate with your prebooked tickets. This sunset cruise takes you across San Francisco Bay with outstanding views of the city skyline, Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Bay Bridge, and Alcatraz Island. Relax while background music sets the tone. Watch the sunset or select a twilight cruise during winter months.

Visit Northern California wine country and Muir Woods for a truly fabulous day out. This Super Saver provides two popular tours at one discounted price: Begin with a walk through Muir Woods National Monument, then tour three wineries in Napa and Sonoma Valleys, with tastings included. You’ll also cross the Golden Gate Bridge, with a stop for a photo opportunity. Guests can buy lunch if you haven't upgraded to the gourmet lunch option.

Explore one of California's most iconic settings from the beauty of San Francisco Bay. This narrated Golden Gate Bay cruise journeys alongside Alcatraz and Angel Island State Park, past the shores of Sausalito and beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. You can choose to view the sights from inside your boat or out on deck.

Spend your day exploring the ‘City by the Bay’ before a scenic drive across the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Woods National Monument and the nearby waterfront of charming Sausalito. This narrated small-group tour takes in all of the San Francisco highlights, from Golden Gate Park and Haight-Ashbury to the Palace of Fine Arts and Presidio. Then wander on foot under California’s giant coastal redwoods before exploring the gift shops and galleries of Sausalito.

Hop on a ‘70s-era VW bus and get to know the hippie past and hipster vibe that make up San Francisco today. Starting and ending at Fisherman’s Wharf, this 2-hour sightseeing tour takes you around the city, including Chinatown, North Beach, the Castro, the Mission, downtown and more. See the homes of The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, while listening to ‘60s classics. So settle into a neon-blue seat and dig your shoes into groovy shag carpet. Each bus accommodates up to just six people.

Visit Yosemite National Park on this day trip from San Francisco. Upon arrival in the state's most famous national park, embark on a bus tour of highlights from Half-Dome and Bridalveil Falls to El Capitan, with plenty of photo opportunities. In the afternoon, have free time to hike or explore the Yosemite Valley before returning to San Francisco on your comfortable coach.

Visit multiple Bay Area hotspots in just half a day on this seamless tour. After an insider overview of San Francisco neighborhoods like Chinatown, Little Italy, and more, travel across the Golden Gate Bridge to the Muir Woods National Monument. Then, finish with a stop at the beautiful waterfront town of Sausalito for lunch (own expense) before returning to San Francisco proper.

Even if you only have a few hours to spare you can still enjoy California's famous wine country on this half-day adventure from San Francisco. Cruise over the Golden Gate Bridge to start your outing, and visit two Sonoma Valley wineries for included tastings. Sip local wines, enjoy an estate tour, and learn about the wine production, aging, and bottling process from an expert host.

Explore Monterey, Carmel, and the Pacific Coast Highway without the hassle of renting a car during this full-day tour from San Francisco. Wind down the coast through Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove, 17-Mile Drive, and Carmel-by-the-Sea. Pickup and drop-off at downtown San Francisco hotels included.

Take a journey around San Francisco's top sights in a retro way with this small-group tour by vintage Volkswagen bus, decorated with long eyelashes so you can't miss your tour vehicle. You'll pass by neighborhoods like Chinatown, Union Square, Pacific Heights, North Beach, Haight-Ashbury, the Marina, and Hayes Valley, plus see the Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Civic Center, and more.

Guarantee your visit to Alcatraz when you book in advance. Relax aboard your ferry transportation and return at a time of your choosing. Afterward, use your food voucher at a preselected restaurant in Fisherman’s Wharf.