When planning National Park outings from the SF Bay Area, of course people think of Yosemite. The majestic home of Half Dome is about a four-hour drive — and worth every minute. A three-day weekend from San Francisco to Yosemite makes perfect sense. But it’s not the only National Park within weekend distance of San Franicsco. If you have a National Parks pass burning a hole in your pocket, there are more National Parks and Monuments you can get to and back in a long weekend.
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National Parks near the SF Bay Area
Of course, practically anywhere on earth is a weekend trip if you travel fast enough — or expand your weekend enough! But let’s start with the closest national parks and monuments to the SF Bay Area and go outward from there!
1. Muir Woods and Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Except for Muir Woods, which is $15 per adult, this patchwork of parks doesn’t charge an entry fee. You’ve probably been in Golden Gate National Recreation Area without realizing it. That’s because huge swaths of the Bay Area are actually part of the National Park system.
In three days, you can splash in the ocean, see the world’s tallest trees, climb on the architectural relics of another area and challenge yourself to hikes rewarded by ocean views. Best of all, if you’re leaving from SF, you can sleep at home every night.
Travel time: If traffic isn’t bad, it should take you an hour or less to drive from the center of San Francisco to Muir Woods. The rest of Golden Gate National Recreation Area is either actually in the city, in the Bay (Alcatraz) or in Marin and San Mateo county. Basically, if you’re in San Francisco, Golden Gate National Recreation Area is all around you.
Weekend itinerary: On Friday morning, drive to Muir Woods and walk full of silent awe among the redwoods before the weekend crowds come streaming in. (Book your parking in advance.) Then drive eight minutes down to Muir Beach to wade in the surf. Hike to the Green Gulch Zen Center and back. Drive back to SF for the night.
In the morning, take the ferry to Alcatraz. (Book in advance!) Don’t skip the included cell block audiotour. Grab a crab salad sandwich at Fisherman’s Wharf. Then drive to Fort Point National Historic Site and climb to the top for epic views of San Francisco Bay. Finish your day exploring the ruins of Sutro Baths. Buy some merch at the Visitor Center there. For dinner, hit up Irving Street, where San Tung is a classic Chinese joint.
Sunday, drive about half an hour down the peninsula to the newest addition to GGNRA, Rancho Corral de Tierra, for a hike. The Ember Ridge & Farmer’s Daughter Loop is 5 miles, a perfect Sunday outing. On the way home, stop at the (newly remodeled) world’s most beautiful Taco Bell in Pacifica for a crunchwrap with an ocean view and a real margarita. Yes — the Pacifica Taco Bell Cantina serves alcohol, including top shelf tequila.
2. Pinnacles National Park
President Obama added this stunning property to the National Parks portfolio. Speeding down 101 toward LA, you might have passed a small brown sign reading “PINNACLES NAT’L PARK.” This time, don’t pass it by! You’ll be rewarded with novel views of jagged peaks, bat caves and wildlife.
Travel time: From San Francisco, Pinnacles is a three-hour drive, making it a potential day trip, but an even better weekend get-away.
Weekend itinerary: Make a camping reservation in advance. Pinnacles has two entrances, one on the East and one on the West. They don’t connect! Start Friday with Pinnacles’ East entrance, since that’s where the campground is. Hike up to the Condor Gulch Trail Overlook and back (about 2 miles), and look the gulch’s namesake black birds. Then check into your campsite. If it’s summer, take a dip in the pool. Cook your own dinner, since there are no restaurants in the park.
Saturday morning, drive around to the West Entrance (just over an hour). Hike the High Peaks to Balconies Cave Loop, which should take 4 to 5 hours. It’s especially fun if there’s some water to wade through in the cave. Before heading back to the east entrance, have a hot meal in Soledad. When we were there, we had dinner at Cocuyo’s Restaurant, which was homey, welcoming and delicious.
3. Yosemite National Park
Travel time: About four hours.
Weekend itinerary: There are nearly infinite ways to spend two days in Yosemite, so these ideas are just a sampler for the beginner. If you can, stay in the park; otherwise you’ll be driving at least two hours a day between your lodging and the park’s sights.
The first thing to do when planning your weekend to check whether you need a reservation to enter Yosemite. Drive up Friday afternoon and enter through the Hetch Hetchy or El Portal entrance. Make a quick stop at the Tunnel View viewpoint for the iconic first look at El Capitain and Half Dome presiding over the valley. Then descend into the valley and check into Yosemite Valley Lodge, arriving just as day trippers depart. Stroll down the road to the Yosemite Falls Trailhead, gazing up at the peaks around you in wonder. (Don’t get hit by a car.) It’s a short jaunt to Lower Yosemite Falls, which at the right time of year will mist you pleasantly.
In the morning, leave your car parked and take the shuttle to the Mirror Lake Trail, a one-mile paved hike away. If it’s spring, walk around the lake and back to the shuttle, a 5-mile loop. In summer, the lake will be dry. In the afternoon, check out the Ansel Adams Gallery and hit the Valley Visitor Center for Yosemite swag.
Sunday, if you’re up for a climb, take the Mist Trail to the top of Nevada Fall, a 5-mile-plus loop. Or, drive the whole valley loop to take in the majesty of life under the peaks. Stop at El Capitain Meadow and use binoculars to admire the courage of the climbers on the rock face. Then look behind you at Cathedral Rock and Cathedral Spires.
4. Lassen Volcanic National Park
Travel time: 4 hours
Weekend itinerary: Lassen is the most underrated park in California and a favorite with my family! Go in summer, late spring or fall so you can be sure all the roads are open. Reserve yourself a camping cabin at gorgeous Manzanita Lake in advance.
Get up early Saturday morning and drive straight to the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center just inside the park entrance. Check out the exhibits, then head to one of my favorite hiking trails in the world, Bumpass Hell. It’s like a mini-Yellowstone thermal experience — complete with a noseful of sulfur. From there it’ll be a 40-minute drive through the park to Manzanita Lake.
In the morning, drive 45 minutes to the Cinder Cone Trailhead. Try your luck hiking up the loose scoria (bubble-filled lava rocks) to the top. You can even climb down into the volcano’s crater. On the way back, stop at the Subway Lava Tube, spending the hot part of the day underground. Back at Manzanita Lake, rent a kayak and paddle around looking at the adorable bufflehead ducks, or stroll the 1.7-mile loop around the lake.
5. Sequoia and King’s Canyon National Parks
Travel time: 5 hours
Weekend itinerary: You’ll want to make this a 3-day weekend to give yourself time to get there and back. Leave early Saturday morning and stay at Hummingbird Hill, a charming Airbnb outside the Kings Canyon Entrance. Drop your stuff and drive the 20 minutes to Kings Canyon National Park. Once you’re in the park, keep driving to Grant Grove. There, you can walk through a tunnel tree and admire the General Grant tree, aka “America’s Christmas Tree.”
As long as it’s not winter, you can spend the next day driving right through Kings Canyon to Sequoia National Park. There you can admire some kick-ass mountain vistas and look down vertiginously at the river. If it’s summer and if you booked a ticket in advance, you can drive 2 hours to Crystal Cave. There you can admire its famous icicle-like stalagtites. No matter what time of year, drive to the General Sherman Tree, the world’s largest by volume.
National Parks to drive to from Las Vegas
After Sequoia and King’s Canyon, the driving times get a little long for a weekend. I love Redwood National Park and its gorgeous fern groves! And I love Channel Islands National Park with its snorkeling and cute foxes! But both are at least six hours away.
However, if you take a quick flight to Vegas (about 1.5 hours from OAK or SFO), you can reach these parks in two to three hours:
- Death Valley National Park (visit Death Valley in winter!): 2 hours
- Zion National Park: 2.5 hours (enter the Angels Landing lottery if you dare)
- Joshua Tree National Park: 3 hours (go at wildflower time!)
Of course, to carry out this plan, you have to get to the airport at least an hour ahead of the flight. Then you’d have to fly 1.5 hours. Then spend at least an hour getting a rental car. Then drive two to three hours. Plus any travel between your lodging and the parks. So if we’re being honest, it will take you most of your first day to get to a National Park via Vegas, and most of the last day to get home. Five-day weekend, anyone?
Which national park is your favorite from San Francisco?
Like many San Francisco Bay Area residents, I can’t get enough National Park days. So I usually buy an America the Beautiful Pass every year or two. But out of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Pinnacles, Yosemite, Lassen, Sequoia or King’s Canyon, could I pick a favorite?
Well, I guess I could. It has to be Yosemite. Standing Yosemite Valley and turning a circle to take in El Cap, Half Dome and the Cathedral Spires; the waterfalls; the wildlife; splashing in the Merced River (when safe); driving up to Tenaya Lake and Tuolumne Meadows — who could ask for more? It’s California’s magnum opus, and I could never visit enough times.
That said, Bumpass Hell at Lassen is awfully fun. Don’t make me choose, ok?