2 Days: San Francisco and NorCal
Two days from a San Francisco base covers the two closest Northern California trips without ever needing an overnight bag: Muir Woods and Sausalito, 30 minutes across the bridge, then Point Reyes, 1 to 1.5 hours further north. Give the city itself its own time first, our 2-day San Francisco itinerary handles Alcatraz and the cable cars, then rent a car for these two. Going longer? See the 3-day version, which adds Napa.
Book these before you go
- Muir Woods parking or shuttle reservation (required year-round, no walk-up option): reserve at gomuirwoods.com
- A rental car for both days: compare cars in San Francisco , booked before you land, not at the counter
- Prefer someone else drives Day 1? Book a Muir Woods and Sausalito tour instead
| Day | Trip | Distance / Drive Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muir Woods + Sausalito | 30 min north; ferry back 30 min |
| 2 | Point Reyes | 1-1.5 hr north (37-63 mi) |
Day 1: Muir Woods and Sausalito
Morning
Pick up the rental car and cross the Golden Gate Bridge into Marin. Pull off at a vista point like Battery Spencer for the postcard shot, then keep moving, this stretch of overlook parking is a known target for car break-ins, so leave nothing visible inside. Drive on to Muir Woods, about 30 minutes total from downtown. You cannot show up without a reservation: it’s parking OR a shuttle seat, never both, booked year-round at gomuirwoods.com for about $10 (parking) or $4 round trip (shuttle). There’s no cell signal once you’re on site, so screenshot your confirmation before you leave the hotel.
Afternoon
Drop down into Sausalito for lunch on the water, a genuinely charming harbor town with houseboats and bay views and none of the Wharf’s chaos.
Evening
Take the Golden Gate Ferry from Sausalito back to the Ferry Building, about $14 one-way and arguably the better way to end the day than fighting bridge traffic. Return the car or keep it for tomorrow, and grab dinner near the Ferry Building’s food stalls.
Do You Need a Reservation for Muir Woods?
Yes, every day of the year, and it’s one or the other, not both. Drivers reserve a parking space, shuttle riders reserve a seat instead, and showing up with neither means turning around at the road. Book the moment your travel dates are locked, since there’s no cell signal on site to sort it out once you’ve arrived.
Day 2: Point Reyes
Morning
Head further north into Point Reyes National Seashore, 1 to 1.5 hours out (37-63 miles depending which part of the seashore you’re headed for). This is a full day, not a quick stop. Cell service turns spotty to nonexistent past Point Reyes Station, so download directions before you leave the city, and note that the old winter shuttle to the Lighthouse and Chimney Rock has been suspended indefinitely, verify current road access on the official park site before you commit the drive.
Afternoon
Stop in Point Reyes Station for lunch, then swing by Tomales Bay for oysters straight from the source, genuinely some of the best you’ll eat in California. Watch the headlands for tule elk, and elephant seals if you’re visiting in winter. Parking areas close by 4pm regardless of season, so plan your last stop accordingly.
Evening
Drive back into the city for a low-key dinner, you’ve earned the quiet night after two solid driving days.
Is One Day Enough for Both Muir Woods and Point Reyes?
Not on the same day. Muir Woods and Sausalito already fill a half-day-plus-half-day, and Point Reyes alone runs a genuine full day once you count the drive both ways. Splitting them across two days, as this itinerary does, gets you real time at both instead of a rushed drive-by at either.
Where to Stay
Union Square or the Financial District work as a single base for both nights, central enough that parking the car in a garage overnight costs you nothing in convenience once you’re back from the day trip.
Getting Around
Both days depend entirely on the rental car; neither Muir Woods nor Point Reyes sits anywhere near Muni or BART. Return the car once you’re back for good, downtown garages run $50-75 a day and you won’t need it again inside the city.
Fill the tank before Day 2. Point Reyes has genuinely limited gas stations once you’re past the gateway town, and running low twenty minutes into the seashore is a worse start to the day than it sounds.