Sausalito on a Muir Woods Tour
The town
Sausalito sits on the bay just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, with Mediterranean-style houses on the hillside above the water. Bridgeway runs along the waterfront, and the town has a community of floating homes, the houseboats. Ferries run from Sausalito across the bay to San Francisco. On the tours it comes after the forest, as the second half of the day.
Time in Sausalito, tour by tour
| Tour | Time in Sausalito | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Half-day trip | 45 min free time | Optional narrated minibus ride through the town |
| Small-group tour | 1 hour | A ferry or ride-share for staying on is not included |
| Ferry-option tour | 60 min | Houseboat colony seen; option to return by ferry |
| Roundtrip tour | 45 min | 45 min back to Fisherman’s Wharf |
| Private Jeep tour | Waterfront stop | Optional 1-hour upgrade; ferry not included |
| Redwoods-and-wine day | No stop | Lunch at Sonoma Plaza instead |
The half-day tours page gives the four Sausalito itineraries minute by minute, and the private and wine tours page covers the other two.
Lunch or explore
None of the tours includes food, and 45 to 60 minutes is short. Meera, on the small-group tour, put it plainly: an hour in Sausalito is lunch or exploring, not both. Claudia, on the ferry-option tour, would have liked longer there, while Rebecca, on the half-day trip, named Sausalito as the part she enjoyed most. Eating on the waterfront and walking Bridgeway toward the houseboats pull in different directions, so the choice is easier made before the stop. The food and snacks page covers the no-picnic rule in the forest, which is why lunch lands here.
The ferry back
The ferry-option tour lets guests stay in Sausalito and return to San Francisco by ferry instead of by coach, about 20 minutes to Pier 41 with views of Alcatraz and the city skyline; the ferry ticket is included on that option. Raimondo, on that tour, mentioned enjoying the boat back. Guests on other tours can stay on too, but the ferry is then their own arrangement: the small-group tour and the private Jeep tour both list it as not included. Isabel, on the half-day trip, stayed on in Sausalito and took the ferry back. The ferry-option tour close-up sets out its options, including a 2 to 3 hour guided bike ride.
Forest first, town second
On every tour with a Sausalito stop, Muir Woods comes first, with 80 to 90 minutes in the forest, and the town follows. The half-day trip drives 30 minutes from the forest to Sausalito, and so does the roundtrip tour; the small-group tour takes 25. The drive back into San Francisco takes 30 to 45 minutes depending on the tour, and the half-day trip drops off at Hotel Riu Plaza. The roundtrip tour returns to 99 Jefferson Street at Fisherman’s Wharf, and the ferry-option coach returns to its start points at Union Square or Leavenworth Street. The redwoods-and-wine day skips Sausalito and drives north to Sonoma Plaza for lunch, then on to three wineries in the Napa and Sonoma valleys.
Staying on for the ferry turns a half-day tour into a longer afternoon with no rush in the town; on the ferry-option tour the ticket is already part of that option.
Frequently asked questions
How long do the tours stop in Sausalito?
45 minutes on the half-day and roundtrip tours, 1 hour on the small-group tour, 60 minutes on the ferry-option tour. The half-day tours page has the itineraries.
Can a tour guest stay in Sausalito and take the ferry back?
Yes. The ferry-option tour includes the ferry on that option; on other tours the ferry is paid separately.
How long is the ferry from Sausalito to San Francisco?
About 20 minutes to Pier 41 on the ferry-option tour, with views of Alcatraz and the skyline.
Is there time for lunch in Sausalito on a tour?
Yes, but 45 to 60 minutes is lunch or a walk, rarely both. The food and snacks page covers eating at Muir Woods.