Muir Woods is one of the most-visited day trips from San Francisco for travelers flying into SFO. The basics are simple, but a few things catch international visitors off guard: the $15 entry is charged per person, the car-parking reservation is a separate $9.50 charge, US national parks do not currently apply a nonresident surcharge at Muir Woods, and driving yourself requires a small-road-comfortable car — not a full-size SUV.
Cost at a glance
| Item | Cost (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adult entry (16+) | $15 | Same price for US and non-US visitors |
| Kids 15 and under | Free | No ID required |
| Parking reservation (car) | $9.50 | Per vehicle, required year-round |
| Shuttle reservation | $3.75 | Round trip from Sausalito or Larkspur, seasonal |
| America the Beautiful Pass | $80 | Covers entry at 2,000+ US federal sites for 12 months |
| Tour from San Francisco | $75–$150 | Typical range, includes transport + entry |
Do I need the national parks pass?
Only if you’re visiting more than five US parks in a year. The America the Beautiful Pass costs $80 and covers entry for the pass holder plus everyone in their car at every federal recreation site. Worth it if your trip includes Yosemite, Sequoia, or Grand Canyon; not worth it for Muir Woods alone.
You can buy the pass online at store.usgs.gov or at the Muir Woods visitor center gift shop in person.
Getting there: three realistic options
Option 1: Rental car
Total cost from SF for two people: ~$100 for the day (rental + fuel + parking + entry).
Drive time from central SF is 30–45 minutes. The last 3 miles are narrow, winding mountain road with blind corners. If you’re comfortable with European B-roads or UK country lanes, this is trivial. If you’re used to American interstates or wide Australian highways, it takes concentration.
Don’t rent a full-size SUV or minivan for this drive. The parking lot spaces and the road shoulders are tight. A mid-size sedan or compact SUV is ideal.
You must reserve a parking slot in advance at gomuirwoods.com. Parking reservations sell out 2–4 weeks ahead for weekends; weekdays usually open a week out.
Option 2: Shuttle from Sausalito
Total cost: ~$20 per person (ferry from SF + shuttle + entry), plus 30 extra minutes of travel.
The cleanest public-transit option. Take the Golden Gate Ferry from the Ferry Building in SF to Sausalito (~30 min, $14 round trip), then the Muir Woods Shuttle from Sausalito to the park. Shuttle runs weekends plus holidays year-round, daily in summer. Reserve the shuttle at gomuirwoods.com.
See our shuttle and tour guide for the current schedule.
Option 3: Guided tour
Total cost: $75–$150 per person.
The lowest-friction option. The tour includes hotel pickup or central SF pickup, park entry, a guide, and usually a stop in Sausalito on the way back. Most tours run 4–5 hours. Recommended if you’re jetlagged, traveling solo, or uncomfortable driving on the right side of the road.
See our Muir Woods tours page for current operators and prices.
Driving: right side of the road reminder
The US drives on the right. Muir Woods Road is 2-lane, often with steep drop-offs on one side. If you’re arriving directly from SFO and jetlagged, the guided tour or shuttle is safer than your first US drive being on a mountain road.
Currency, tipping, and cash
Everything at Muir Woods takes major credit cards: the entry gate, the parking reservation, the gift shop, and the cafe. No ATM on site. US cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) work everywhere; contactless is widely accepted.
Tipping is expected at the cafe if you order at a counter and eat there — 15–18% for a sit-down meal, $1–2 per coffee. Tour guides expect a tip at the end of the day, typically 10–15% of the tour price.
Cell service and navigation
There is no cell service at Muir Woods. Download the Google Maps offline map for Marin County before you leave SF, and screenshot the trail map. The park has free WiFi at the visitor center only.
Language
Visitor center staff speak English primarily. Printed trail guides are available in English; some seasonal rangers offer tours in Spanish. Tour operators commonly offer German, French, Spanish, Japanese, and Mandarin — see Tours for language-specific options.
How long to stay
Most international visitors plan 1 hour and wish they’d stayed 3. Allow 2.5–3 hours on site to walk the main loop without rushing, add Hillside Trail for a different angle, eat at the cafe, and hit the gift shop. A 4-hour tour gives you roughly 90 minutes on the ground, which is the minimum that doesn’t feel rushed.
Weather surprise
Bring a warm layer even in August. Muir Woods is 10–15°F cooler than San Francisco due to coastal fog. The forest feels cold to most visitors coming from hot summer climates. Convert: if San Francisco is 20°C (68°F), Muir Woods will feel like 12–14°C (54–57°F).