Partner Article
Whether you’ve lived here all your life or you’re visiting from out of town, you’ll treasure the stunning panorama of the Bay visible from the decks of our Golden Gate Ferries. These comfortable and convenient vessels travel to and from the historic San Francisco Ferry Building to sunny Sausalito, Tiburon, Angel Island, and/or Larkspur in Marin County. While underway, they offer dramatic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Angel Island, and the San Francisco skyline.
Take advantage of well-scheduled departures, reasonable fares, and group discounts. Vessels feature indoor and outdoor seating, full-service refreshment bars, wheelchair accessible restrooms and plenty of room for bikes.
Situated in the middle of San Francisco Bay, Angel Island has a storied military history dating back more than a century. Also known as the “Ellis Island of the West,” the island’s Immigration Station, which has recently been restored, was the first stop for millions of Asian immigrants entering the United States. With miles of superb hiking trails, camping sites, beaches, and breathtaking views of the entire Bay Area, visitors are guaranteed to have a rich outdoor experience. Below are some of the things you can enjoy on the island.
Hiking
The Perimeter Trail offers views of the entire San Francisco Bay along the 5.5 mile loop around the island. This is the most popular trail on the island and is open to hikers and bikes. On a clear day from the San Francisco side of the island visitors can see the Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, and Alcatraz. The road around the island is paved and contains a few major hills totaling up to about 350 feet in total elevation gain.
The peak of Mt. Livermore is 788 feet tall and has views that span all of the island and Bay Area from its top. This is a strenuous hike starting at sea level then climbing to the peak. There are two routes visitors can take to the summit; the Sunset Trail from the cove to the peak is a little over 3 miles and 800 feet of elevation gain. The other route is the North Ridge Trail to the peak and this hike is about 3.5 miles and the same elevation gain. This is a difficult hike but rewards hikers with panoramic views of the Bay.
This hike is slightly strenuous and includes 144 trail stairs beginning and ending in Ayala Cove. The hike is approximately 2 miles roundtrip. Once at the site of the United States Immigration Station (USIS), hikers can tour the grounds and outdoor interpretive displays, as well as visit the USIS museum to see the restored detention areas and Chinese poetry engraved on the walls.
- Download the Angel Island brochure that includes a PDF map of the island.
Tram Tours
- Sit back, relax, and enjoy the amazing views offered by the open-air tram tour.
- While you ride around the island, a history-rich audio recording offers fascinating historical and current-day information about various sites on Angel Island.
- Book your tram tour here >>
Biking
- Exploring Angel Island on a bike allows you to reach parts of the island normally too difficult to reach by foot. Riding out of Ayala Cove, you will cycle along a border of tall trees with views of Tiburon, San Francisco, and the East Bay.
- Be sure to stop by Camp Reynolds to look at the oldest standing group of Civil War Buildings in the world.
- On the east side of the island, ride your bike to Quarry Beach — a beautiful expanse of sunny and calm white sand.
- The paved perimeter road is a 5 mile bike trail circling the island.
- You have your choice of renting from Angel Island’s fleet of bikes or bringing your own bike to the island. Visitors can rent bikes by the hour or for a full day. The bikes are offered on a first-come first-served basis at the bike shed.
US Immigration Station Museum
- The United States Immigration Station Museum on Angel Island is a beautifully restored structure offering a window into a very important time in the history of Pacific Coast immigrants. The Station, operating from 1910–1940, served as the main immigration processing center for hundreds of thousands of immigrants from all over the world looking to start a new life in America.
- Today, the United States Immigration Station serves as a museum dedicated to making connections between the experiences of those who made the journey to America over 100 years ago and the continuing story of immigration in America today.
- There is a shuttle that serves the museum. Shuttles depart from Ayala Cove and tickets are $12 roundtrip.
Dining
No trip to Angel Island would be complete without a stop at The Angel Island Café. Outdoor seating offers beautiful views of Ayala Cove and the Tiburon coastline. There’s no better place to relax in the warm sunshine with a glass of wine and something delicious from the café menu. Box lunches are also available and can be ordered ahead of time. Find out more here>>.
Tips for Riding the Ferry
- Visit angelisland.com for more information on services available on the island.
- For information about Angel Island State Park’s services and operations, please visit the California State Parks website.
- Golden Gate Ferry operates service 7 days a week to and from San Francisco Ferry Terminal (SFFT) and Angel Island State Park. Ticketing, fare, and schedule information can be found here>>
- There are no ticket vending machines on Angel Island so make sure you purchase a roundtrip ticket in San Francisco or load enough money on your Clipper card for your return fare.
- In San Francisco, Golden Gate Ferry boats depart from the Golden Gate Ferry Terminal located behind the historic Ferry Building along the Embarcadero at the foot of Market Street.
- Hop on board and enjoy the ride!