Angel Island State Park
Angel Island State Park
4.5
Open now8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
About
The largest island in San Francisco Bay features magnificent views of Marin County and San Francisco, while offering a wide variety of recreation for outdoor enthusiasts.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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The area
Neighbourhood: Fisherman’s Wharf
Packed with family-friendly entertainment, quality hotels, and good food, there’s something for everyone at Fisherman’s Wharf. From street performers and historic cable cars to art galleries and museums, a postcard-worthy photo is available on every corner. Bring your appetite: seafood lovers will be rewarded with Dungeness crab and sourdough bread bowls, while Ghirardelli Square will satiate anyone’s sweet tooth after a day at Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. Don't forget to say hello to the adorable sea lions that make this neighbourhood a true San Francisco treat.
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4.5
992 reviews
Excellent
637
Very good
255
Average
73
Poor
20
Terrible
7
Curt M
New York121 contributions
Jul 2024 • Couples
A Truly Lousy experience- the Immigration museum was closed, all the trams and tours were "out of order" and the cafe was closed for renovations. That left us at the ferry terminal for 2.5 hours, watching some seals sleep.
Many other people complained because the website and ferry services said nothing about these closures, so we were all sandbagged.
A wasted afternoon.
Many other people complained because the website and ferry services said nothing about these closures, so we were all sandbagged.
A wasted afternoon.
Written 27 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dmbdaze
Brooklyn, CT44 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
I did the combo tour of Alcatraz and Ellis Island and had a known the tram tour was going to take up all my time on the island, I would have done things differently. The only thing I wanted to visit while I was there was the immigration station and when the tram pulled in there, we literally got to stay for five minutes. The museum at the immigration station is a separate entrance fee and they run shuttles from the dock that goes straight there. If I had to do it over again, I would’ve taken a shuttle, enjoyed the museum, and gone back in time for my ferry and skip the tram ride all together. If you want to know more about the history of the entire island and some of its military past, then the tram ride would be the best choice for you. If you want to go to the island and explore on your own, there are bicycle rentals available on the island as well, but it is very hilly so you would need to be physically fit to do that.
Written 15 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kate
Boston, MA70 contributions
Jun 2024 • Solo
I did the combo Alcatraz and Angel Island tours.
Angel island was a little disappointing as the tram tour was literally just a recorded audio talking at you. Not a person.
I wish they would have one stopped more often and two went more in depth via the audio.
Also not shoving 45 people on to the tram. They should have split us up and gave us a more in depth tour.
Also, relatively cold and chilly in the cove. Wear long pants and plenty of layers.
The only plus was the seals on the dock!
Angel island was a little disappointing as the tram tour was literally just a recorded audio talking at you. Not a person.
I wish they would have one stopped more often and two went more in depth via the audio.
Also not shoving 45 people on to the tram. They should have split us up and gave us a more in depth tour.
Also, relatively cold and chilly in the cove. Wear long pants and plenty of layers.
The only plus was the seals on the dock!
Written 27 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CRLF
Weymouth, MA27 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
This is a beautiful place with amazing views. It's also a sobering place in our country's immigration history. I appreciated the chance to experience both sides of Angel Island. The ferry trip from Tiburon was only 15 minutes and provided a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge in the fog. It is about a 30 minute walk / climb (1.3 miles one way) from the dock to the area with the Barracks Museum and the Immigration Station Museum. Immigrants were held in the barracks for weeks or months in crowded rooms, where they carved emotional poems in Chinese into the walls. The exhibits provide a lot of information about discrimination against Asian immigrants. The building has only been preserved versus restored, so it felt authentic and you can really imagine the conditions faced by the immigrants. If coming from Tiburon, note that you'll have to park in one of the public lots in town for at least $5 and allow extra time to walk to the dock. We took the 11:00 ferry there and the 1:20 ferry back, which wasn't enough time to see both museums. I'd recommend taking the 10:00 instead.
Written 23 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mamabear1972
Stockton, CA25 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
I have been here a few times in the past and it is very different now. First, the cantina is closed so make sure you bring food or eat before you go. Second, you have to buy tickets outside the Ferry building and the prices are different than the website. It’s a short 30 minutes to get to the island. The tours and trams are not set up to coincide with the ferry times. We got there at 1145 and the first tram tory was 1:45. My kids and myself could walk to immigration station but my mom couldn’t do the steep hills and 1.3 mile walk. I bought her a single tram ticket but it wasn’t until 1 pm and they only run the single ticket tram a few times a day. She got stuck at the immigration station as we were able to walk down. I had to ask a park ranger to get her as she could never walk back. I do not recommend this hike to people with physical disabilities or the elderly unless they are in good, physical shape or pay for the tram tour around the entire park, which had a few set times.
Written 19 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
luv4phood
Marietta, GA850 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
A great spot to spend the day in the San Francisco area. Just a quick ferry ride from the busy bay area is a lovely refuge with hiking and biking trails. There are also historic sites to take in along the trails. Make sure you pack a picnic and enjoy your lunch with a fantastic view of San Francisco, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. It is a good idea to make a ferry reservation a few days in advance.
Written 24 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
5cindy
Fort Myers Beach, FL50 contributions
May 2023
Loved the five mile paved trail around the island. Lots of interesting history throughout. Lots of picnic areas.
Written 18 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Colleen H.
Vallejo, CA151 contributions
Jul 2022
What a great way to spend the day! Just a 12 minute ferry ride from Tiberon. We hiked Perimeter Road around the island, about 5 miles. It's paved and mostly flat with panoramic views of the entire San Francisco Bay. We brought our binoculars and took our time. We saw some deer, hawks, harbor seals, lots of birds, and a cayote. There are many benches and picnic tables, water taps, and some restrooms along this road. Pack a lunch, there are no concessions. At one point, my boyfriend hiked a trail up to the peak and we met back up at the Immigration Station. The island has a lot of history we didn't know about. We would like to go back and explore some of the places we didn't get to explore today.
Written 20 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robin
Folsom, CA1 contribution
Jul 2022
We had a wonderful experience at this State Park last weekend. We had people with us who couldn't do the whole perimeter hike, so we did went to the right on the Perimeter route for about 1 1/2 miles to the viewpoint with the binoculars. The views were stunning everywhere you looked, and there are plenty of spots around with picnic tables and benches if you want to have lunch or a snack. Then we did the tram ride so we could see the rest of the island. I had no idea about the history of the island prior to this, I thought it was a good overview but now I want to go back and spend more time at some of the different spots!
I wanted to give a shout out to Casey the ranger who was particularly friendly and helpful in giving us guidance. She also offered to let us pre-board the ferry back with our autistic son which made it much easier. I didn't catch the name of the older gentleman who did the tram tour, but he was wonderful too. It was crowded since it was a gorgeous sunny weekend, but everyone we encountered was polite and respectful of others.
I wanted to give a shout out to Casey the ranger who was particularly friendly and helpful in giving us guidance. She also offered to let us pre-board the ferry back with our autistic son which made it much easier. I didn't catch the name of the older gentleman who did the tram tour, but he was wonderful too. It was crowded since it was a gorgeous sunny weekend, but everyone we encountered was polite and respectful of others.
Written 14 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nancy K
13 contributions
Jul 2022
Park & take a 5 minute ferry to Angel Island Bring food for a picnic because the are no stores. The best part are the many hikes you can choose from with views all over San Francisco Bay
Written 10 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, has anyone here been to Angel Island during COVID pandemic? Is the ferry super packed/crowded or do you think social distancing is reasonable? Also, the only ticket options we see is 11am or 1:30pm to go to the island (from SF), and 4:15pm to return (to SF) from the island. Which times, 11am or 1:30pm, do you recommend if we have to return trip at 4:15pm? I worry whether 1:30pm returning at 4:15pm may not be enough time on the island, is that the case?
Written 18 March 2021
Io ho acquistato il pacchetto Alcatraz + Angel Island, perché era rimasto solo quello, qualcuno sa dirmi se la mia visita ad alcatraz sarà anche all’interno della prigione o no?
Written 26 March 2019
I’m confused about how to get to the island from Oakland. From what I can tell, you go from Oakland to SF to the island...but what pier in SF? Ferry building or Pier 41? Is it a single ticket from Oakland, or do I need to purchase another ticket in SF?
Written 2 October 2018
Pier 41. I am not sure about Oakland but I think you need to purchase a ticket to Angel island at Pier 41.
Written 2 October 2018
Bonjour, Faustine. Que voudriez-vous savoir sur cette attraction ?
Bonjour, je souhaiterais savoir combien de temps il faut prévoir pour faire Alcatrza + angels island ? Merci !
Written 22 August 2017
Hola, tarda aproximadamente 4 horas con 30 minutos a 5 horas el recorrido completo.
Written 22 August 2017
Is there a possibility to over-night?
Written 13 January 2017
Yes. Nice place to camp in or near San Francisco.
Check Reserve America punto com, or use search engine to find site.
I tried to include URL, but site would not allow it.
Hope this helps
Written 14 February 2017
If I were lucky enough to get a cabin reservation, how does one get one's camping stuff from ferry to cabin? Tram? Walking distance?
Thanks in advance!
Written 29 August 2016
The Tram we rode was designated for the people that were part of the Alcatraz tour only. Granted that tour is seasonal for the summer months and maybe the Trams are used for other reasons outside of that time. But all the other people we saw were walking or riding bicycles. But if your cabin is not close to the marina, there has to be something offered due to the size of the island.
Written 30 August 2016
As others have said, Yes you are welcome to bring your bike. There are many great paths and roads to bile on. Stop by the information station and pick-up a free maps of the island. Also you can rent bikes but they are in short supply and often all out.
Written 22 August 2016
Yes!! That's what makes it so much fun!! Take your own or rent them there, the choice is yours. Check with the specific ferry service on the cost but it's only $1 - $2 more to bring a bike. I took the ferry in Tiburon, the parking is only $5 for the whole day and there's plenty of it available.
Written 22 August 2016
Hi is there plenty to see on Angel Island, can someone advise on what there is, thank you
Written 23 July 2016
Hi, there is camping, hiking, a tram tour of the island, there is a boat dock as well.
Written 29 July 2016
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