Marin Headlands: Our most recommended tours and activities

From San Francisco: Muir Woods Guided Bus Tour

1. From San Francisco: Muir Woods Guided Bus Tour

Hop on board a bus tour of Muir Woods. Experience the awe and wonder of one of California’s oldest redwood groves as you stroll through dedicated paths of 1000-year-old redwood trees. Your tour will begin with a 45-minute, fully-narrated scenic drive that heads across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and into coastal mountains on the Marin Headlands. Arrive at Muir Woods National Forest where you will be provided park entry tickets and have 1.5 hours to explore the park at your own pace - maps detailing walking trails will be available at the Muir Woods Visitor Center. After exploring the park, enjoy a scenic drive to the coastal town of Sausalito. This beautiful seaside Mediterranean-style town offers a wide selection of distinctive boutiques, restaurants, parks, cafés, and unique art galleries. Guests may choose to stay in Sausalito and return on their own to San Francisco via ferry, or remain on the bus and return to a designated drop-off point within San Francisco.

San Francisco: 1-Day Bike Rental

2. San Francisco: 1-Day Bike Rental

Decide where you want to ride and then head out from Fisherman’s Wharf to discover the sights of San Francisco. You’ll be outfitted with a current-model bike, helmet, front handlebar bag and rear gear rack, map, and route instructions. Just tell the local staff how many miles you wish to ride, and they’ll show you a great route that includes all the best sightseeing stops the Bay Area has to offer. Your tour will take you on bike paths and over mostly flat terrain. You’ll receive a guide that provides recommendations on favorite local rides. You can keep the rental bike for the whole day.

San Francisco, Sausalito and Muir Woods Small Group Tour

3. San Francisco, Sausalito and Muir Woods Small Group Tour

Take a small-group day trip by bus around San Francisco. See the Golden Gate Bridge, spend time at the Muir Woods National Monument, and enjoy lunch in picturesque Sausalito. Meet outside Fisherman’s Wharf at your chosen tour time. After a brief roll call, you’ll board the bus and travel to your first stop. Over the next 6 hours, you’ll be treated to stories about the neighborhoods, diversity, and geography of the area.  You will exit the bus at several stops for photo opportunities and exploration, enjoy lunch in Sausalito, and then spend over an hour in the beautiful Muir Woods National Monument. At the end of your amazing adventure, you’ll be dropped off at the same location where you boarded the bus.  Here are the places you will explore (photo stops noted by *): • Fisherman's Wharf - One of San Francisco's most popular destinations. From beautiful old shipyards to Boudin's Bakery and the smell of fresh clam chowder, Fisherman's Wharf has it all • Chinatown - Boasting the largest Chinatown in the United States, this 24-block mecca is bustling with energy, amazing food, and unique shops that give this area its charm • North Beach - Voted as one of the USA's ten great neighborhoods, North Beach is best known as the home of Little Italy. From delicious restaurants to authentic sidewalk cafes and bakeries, you will feel the charm of San Francisco as soon as you arrive • Pacific Heights* - Offering one of the most scenic outlooks in all of Northern California, Pacific Heights is home to Billionaire's Row, featuring the estates of politicians, tech titans, and other San Francisco celebrities  • Presidio - Former military base, now a beautiful park that includes Crissy Field, Fort Point, Lucasfilm's headquarters, and the Walt Disney Museum • Golden Gate Bridge - Declared "one of the 10 wonders of the modern world," the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most recognized symbols of San Francisco • Muir Woods* - Muir Woods National Monument is home to some of the oldest and most beautiful trees in the world. Many consider this stop to be the highlight of their trip. The National Monument entry fee is an additional expense to the paid on the day. • Fort Point* - Located just beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, Fort Point gives you a front-row seat to the Bay and is a great photo stop. This former military fortification was used during WWII • Sausalito* - Located just across the Golden Gate Bridge, this artistic enclave has the setting and beauty of a European Mediterranean town. Enjoy your lunch on the San Francisco Bay

San Francisco: Private City Highlights Tour in a Jeep

4. San Francisco: Private City Highlights Tour in a Jeep

Embark on a fun and unique tour experience as you explore San Francisco in an open-air convertible Jeep. See more of the city in less time, visit famous locations, and enjoy entertaining commentary from your local guide along the way. Tick off all the sights on your bucket list, choosing between the most iconic landmarks in San Francisco, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Littly Italy, Chinatown, Ferry Building, and the Painted Ladies at Alamo Square. Enjoy an intimate private tour experience in a comfortable open-air vehicle as you explore the diverse terrain and sights of the Bay Area. 2 Hour tour highlights include: Fisherman's Wharf, Dungeness crab stands, and picturesque fishing harbors, The Palace of Fine Arts, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge to the Marin Headlands, The Presidio, Marina District, Union Square, North Beach Little Italy, Dragon’s Gate in Chinatown, and Lombard Street - the most crooked street (traffic permitting) 3 Hour route covers more amazing sites: Ocean Beach, Golden Gate Park (De Young, Academy of Sciences, Conservatory of Flowers), Haight Ashbury, The Castro, and the Castro Theatre (optional stop), Mission Dolores Park, and street murals (optional stop), Alamo Square and the Painted Ladies, City Hall, Davies Symphony Hall, War Memorial Opera House, Asian Art Museum and more.

San Francisco: Private Muir Woods and Sausalito Tour

5. San Francisco: Private Muir Woods and Sausalito Tour

Escape the busy city life and head to Muir Woods National Monument to spend a half-day on a privately guided tour of one of the only groves of historic coastal redwoods in the area. Stop in the seaside village of Sausalito where you’ll see stunning views of San Francisco. Choose from a morning or afternoon tour and begin your coastal journey by getting picked up at your hotel, accommodation, or any other location of your choice in San Francisco. Head north across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge for the 30-minute drive to Muir Woods. Along the way, learn about the historic old-growth coastal redwood trees (Sequoia Sempervirens).  Once you reach the park, you and your group will have about an hour and a half to wander, hike, and witness the magnificence of some of the tallest and oldest trees in the world on your own. Afterward, drive to the quaint, seaside town of Sausalito for a one hour stop to explore and take in some of the best views of San Francisco. From Sausalito, your tour guide will drop you off back to your hotel, accommodation, or elsewhere in San Francisco.

Sausalito: Norcal Coastal Tour

6. Sausalito: Norcal Coastal Tour

This deluxe 60 minute flight will begin with a take off from the sea base in the lovely bayside village of Sausalito just across the Golden Gate Bridge. Traverse the lovely Marin county on your way out over Tomales Bay where Sir Francis Drake himself likely landed over a century ago.  Then, it's on to Point Reyes National Seashore, looking for frolicking porpoise and whales along the way until you round the breathtakingly scenic Point Reyes Lighthouse. Continue along the incredible Northern Californian coastline above Highway 1 and finally back over the legendary Golden Gate Bridge itself. Fly above Crissy Field, downtown San Francisco, AT&T Park - home of the Major League Baseball World Champion San Francisco Giants and then over the infamous island prison of Alcatraz. Finally, your flight will be completed with a pass by the historic Angel Island - the immigrant gateway to the west and a smooth landing back in Sausalito’s Richardson Bay. At checkout, you may choose to meet your tour at the Seaplane Base in Mill Valley or you may choose to book a roundtrip shuttle service from Fisherman's Wharf.

From San Francisco: Muir Woods and Sausalito Group Tour

7. From San Francisco: Muir Woods and Sausalito Group Tour

Cross one of San Francisco's most famous landmarks, the Golden Gate Bridge, on your way to the beautiful redwood forests in Muir woods on this guided tour. Begin your tour by taking in the skyline of San Francisco, the Bay, and Alcatraz Island from the Golden Gate. Stop for photos and admire the Art Deco style and bright orange-colored steel. Then, head to the Muir Woods National Monument. Pass by the majestic Mount Tamalpais and down a hilly coastal route along the Marin Headlands. Reach the Muir Woods and enjoy a free walk of 1 hour and 15 minutes to stroll among the old-growth redwoods and soak up the atmosphere. Follow winding trails and admire the diversity of flora and fauna. Stop for a break and buy food or a little redwood tree souvenir in the visitor center. Next, visit the beautiful Mediterranean-style seaside city of Sausalito. Walk around the picturesque town with your guide and pass by sea-view houses, shops, and cafes lining the waterfront. Visit the colorful Sausalito houseboat community, and discover architectural gems with your guide. See repurposed working boats and vessels dating back to World War II. From here, you can decide to explore more of Sausalito or take the ferry back across the bay. You can also be dropped back off in San Francisco. Note that if your tour starts at 8:30am, your drop-off location will be at Pier 33. If your tour starts at 1pm, you may be dropped off at Pier 33 or at 545 Post St.

San Francisco: Muir Woods and Marin by Land, Air and Sea

8. San Francisco: Muir Woods and Marin by Land, Air and Sea

Discover the scenery of Muir Woods, the Marin Headlands, and San Francisco Bay by land, air, and sea. Savor an included lunch with sparkling wine, then wander around Sausalito at your own pace before taking the ferry back to San Francisco. After pickup at your hotel, drive over the Golden Gate Bridge to the nearby wilderness of Marin County. Arrive early at Muir Woods National Monument, before most visitors, to experience the serenity of the grove. Spend at least an hour under the canopy of redwoods in Muir Woods, and marvel at trees over 250 feet (76 meters) tall and more than 1,000 years old. By going early, enjoy a better chance of seeing black-tailed deer, chipmunks, coyotes, or even wild turkeys. Next, drive back out through the rolling green hills of the Tamalpais valley into the Marin Headlands, where roads cling to the cliffs and red-tailed hawks soar in the sky. Explore abandoned military bunkers with beautiful views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline in the background. Then, head to the seaplane base in Sausalito for a 30-minute seaplane flight along the coast. Soar over the Golden Gate National Recreation, retracing your morning adventure over the Marin Headlands, then turn left over the legendary Golden Gate Bridge. Continue on above Crissy Field, Downtown San Francisco, Oracle Park, and the infamous island prison of Alcatraz. Finally, end your flight passing by the historic Angel Island – the Immigrant Gateway to the West – before landing back in Sausalito’s Richardson Bay. On your return to solid ground, pop the cork on a sparkling wine toast and enjoy a locally sourced, organic lunch in the Marin sunshine. After lunch, get dropped off in Sausalito to discover the village’s arty shops, funky houseboats, and charming cafes on your own before boarding a ferry back to San Francisco’s Pier 39.

San Francisco: Electric GoCar Tour over Golden Gate Bridge

9. San Francisco: Electric GoCar Tour over Golden Gate Bridge

Depart early to take advantage of up to an hour extra of touring! Your destination is this quaint bayside town, Sausalito, just beyond San Francisco and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. A one-of-a-kind roadtrip experience as you explore beyond the city in our new GoCar Sports – an Arcimoto “FUV” electric vehicle that is a freeway legal, three-wheeled motorcycle with a top speed of 75 mph. This vehicle is designed to offer you an exhilarating, open-air driving experience for two people sitting in a tandem configuration. This tour is for the adventurous explorers who crave speed, adventure — and of course savings! The GPS guided GoCar will take you across the Golden Gate Bridge north into Sausalito. You’ll explore the waterfront town, cruising through quaint streets and past waterfront view. You’l get spectacular views of the Bay with the city in backdrop and the majestic Fort Baker (one of the components of California’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area). Plus you’re able to cross the Golden Gate Bridge with the GoCar Sports — so you can go farther and explore more then just the city sites on this special tour!

San Francisco: Private Muir Woods, Sausalito Half-Day Trip

10. San Francisco: Private Muir Woods, Sausalito Half-Day Trip

Explore some of the most iconic landmarks just outside of San Francisco on a private car tour. Head out of the city to visit Muir Woods National Monument, Sausalito, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Marin Headlands with your guide. Leave crowded tour groups behind and go at your own pace. Travel in style and comfort as you make your way north of San Francisco on your private adventure. Sit back and relax as you watch the bay area pass by through the car's windows, taking in the region's delightful landscape. Benefit from a private guide and driver who can bring you to wherever you wish to visit. Some iconic locations include the Muir Woods, where you can breathe in fresh, forest air to your heart's content. There, walk through a trail along Redwood Creek and see the natural beauty of this magnificent location, with trees over 350-feet high. Make your way to Marin Headlands just north of San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge. Marvel at one of the best views of San Francisco and the Pacific Ocean coast. Stop by Point Bonita Lighthouse, Ridge Battery, Hawk Hill/Battery 129, and Fort Baker for pictures. Head to the charming coastal city of Sausalito with its pastel houses. Meander through the main street where there are many art galleries, shops, restaurants, coffee shops, and a stunning panoramic view of San Francisco, Alcatraz, and the Bay area. Return back to San Francisco with your camera and your mind full of marvellous memories.

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What people are saying about Marin Headlands

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 2,661 reviews

Book all of your tours with Big Bus. Do the Deluxe package - two days on the hop-on/hop-off, Alcatraz, Muir Woods.... the tour guides are amazing. You'll get to see the entire city!!

The guide (Patrick) was very entertaining and showed us a lot of great things. I found the tour really worthwhile!

The trip was great our bus driver was excellent!! No problems or issues at all . Highly recommend this trip !

Amazing tour! The guide was very helpful and informative. Muir Woods National Monument is precious.

We did a ride on our own, easy to get around, bike map included!!