Booking choice: The Golden Gate, Muir Woods and Sausalito day, from $119 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
The forest stop barely varies, from about 70 minutes on the express van to 90 minutes on the Gray Line tour. A half day adds Sausalito. A full day adds the bridge, a cruise, Alcatraz or wine country.
The real question is how much of the rest you want, and whether the $15 park entry is already inside the price.
The quick answer
Half days run 4.5 to 5 hours: the guided half day at $84, the small group tour at $99. A 6-hour city day like the Golden Gate city day at $119 adds Fort Point and the bridge. Wine country takes 11 hours.
How long are Muir Woods tours?
From 3 hours for the private jeep to 11 hours for the wine country day, with most half days at 4.5 to 5 hours.
The table lists every tour on this site by length, with what is in the entry price and the time in the woods where a listing states it.
| Tour | From | Length | Time in the woods | $15 entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The private open-top jeep | $203 | 3 hours | Not listed | Not included |
| The guided Muir Woods and Sausalito tour | $84 | 4.5 hours | Not listed | Included |
| The small group tour | $99 | 5 hours | 1 h 15 min | Included |
| The half day tour with hotel pickup | $99 | 5 hours | Not listed | Included |
| The Muir Woods Express | $85 | 5 hours | 70+ min | Not included |
| The Gray Line bus or ferry tour | $80 | Half day | 90 min | Included |
| The Golden Gate, Muir Woods and Sausalito day | $119 | 6 hours | 1 h 15 min | Not included |
| The Muir Woods and bay cruise combo | $133 | 6 hours | Not listed | Included |
| The Alcatraz and Muir Woods combo | $159 | 8 hours | Not listed | Included |
| The Battery Spencer tour | $79 | 9 hours | Not listed | Bought on site |
| The Muir Woods and wine country day | $199 | 11 hours | 1 hour | Not included |
The lowest-priced tour with entry included and a stated 90 minutes in the woods.
Check dates for the Gray Line bus or ferry tourWhat does a half day tour get you?
Muir Woods and Sausalito, in about 4.5 to 5 hours, with a hotel or city pickup and a drop back in the city.
The small group tour goes through a bridge vista stop, 1 hour 15 minutes at the park and an hour on the Sausalito boardwalk, ending at Pier 33. The Gray Line tour gives 90 minutes in the woods and 60 in Sausalito, with a ferry back as an option. The hotel pickup tour runs about five hours.
Which tour gives you the most time in the woods?
The Gray Line tour, with 90 minutes guaranteed, which is the most the park allows operators.
The small group tour and the city day give 1 hour 15 minutes, the wine country day one hour, and the express van 70 minutes or more. A few extra minutes matter, since the Bridge 2 loop alone takes about 30 minutes according to the NPS hiking page.
Is the $15 park entry in the price?
Yes, the entry is in the price of the small group tour, the Gray Line tour, the guided half day, the hotel pickup tour, the bay cruise combo, the Alcatraz combo.
It is not included on the city day, the jeep, the express van, the wine day. Also, the Battery Spencer tour has you buy it on site. Add $15 per person to those headline prices for a fair comparison.
What do the longer days add?
Fort Point and the bridge on the 6-hour city day, a bay cruise on the 6-hour combo, Battery Spencer on a 9-hour day, Alcatraz on 8, wine tastings on 11.
The Golden Gate city day is rated 4.9 by 1,482 guests. The bay cruise combo adds a Pier 39 cruise under the bridge. The Battery Spencer tour gives Sausalito for 60 minutes and the bridge view for 25 and costs $79. The wine country day gives one hour in the forest and three tastings in Napa and Sonoma.
A 4.9-rated city day with Fort Point, the bridge, Sausalito and the woods.
Explore the Golden Gate, Muir Woods and Sausalito daySmall group, minibus or private jeep?
The small group tour caps at 14 guests, the private jeep takes up to six and the price is per group.
The Battery Spencer tour uses a 12-seat van. The Gray Line tour and the city day use minibuses with a guide. A smaller vehicle means shorter loading and a quieter bridge stop, and a private jeep means your own pace and an open-air bridge crossing, at $203 for the group.
Which one should you pick?
Pick a half day if the woods and Sausalito are the plan. Pick a full day if you want the bridge, a cruise, Alcatraz or wine as well.
- The shortest and cheapest with entry in: the Gray Line tour.
- The best-rated small group: the small group tour at 4.7 from 1,109 guests.
- The most sightseeing: the Golden Gate city day.
- Alcatraz in the same day: the Alcatraz combo, covered in the Alcatraz guide.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a Muir Woods tour?
From 3 hours for the private jeep to 11 hours for the wine country day. Most half days run 4.5 to 5 hours.
How much time do you get inside Muir Woods on a tour?
About 70 to 90 minutes. The Gray Line tour guarantees 90, and the small group tour gives 1 hour 15 minutes.
Is park entry included in the tour price?
On six tours, yes. The city day, jeep, express van and wine day do not include it, and the Battery Spencer tour has you buy it on site.
Which tour is best for a first visit?
For most first-timers, the small group tour or the Gray Line tour, since the entry is included and Sausalito is in the day.
Ready to book
Choose your Muir Woods tour
Every option here can be cancelled for a full refund; the deadline is on each listing. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Golden Gate, Muir Woods and Sausalito
- About 6 hours in a white minibus with a local guide, from the Hyde Street cable car turnaround
- Stops at Pacific Heights, Fort Point, the Golden Gate Bridge and Sausalito
- 1 hour 15 minutes at Muir Woods; the $15 entry per person is paid on the day
Muir Woods and Sausalito Small Group Tour
- About 5 hours in an air-conditioned Mercedes Sprinter van, 14 guests at most
- A 10-minute vista stop at the Golden Gate Bridge
- 1 hour 15 minutes at Muir Woods and 1 hour on the Sausalito boardwalk
Private Open-Top Jeep to Muir Woods
Up to 6 guests, per group, open-air over the bridge
