3 Days: San Francisco Plus NorCal
Three days buys two Northern California trips instead of one: Muir Woods and Sausalito on day two, wine country on day three. This assumes San Francisco itself already has its own two days somewhere in your trip; our city guide covers Alcatraz, the cable cars and the bridge properly, and this itinerary won’t repeat any of it. Want just the redwoods? See the 2-day version instead.
Book these before you go
- Muir Woods parking or shuttle reservation, book the moment your dates are fixed: gomuirwoods.com
- No car for the redwoods? A small-group tour with a ferry option: Muir Woods and Sausalito on GetYourGuide
- Wine country without driving yourself: Napa and Sonoma day tour
- Rental car for both days out: Discover Cars, San Francisco
- Hotel for your three nights: check rates on Booking.com
Day 1: Land, settle in
BART into downtown from SFO runs about 25-30 minutes for $10-11, plus a roughly $5.51 airport surcharge. Get a Clipper card, drop your bags, and keep tonight simple, dinner in North Beach or the Mission. Save the driving for tomorrow.
Day 2: Muir Woods and Sausalito
Cross the Golden Gate Bridge, about 17 miles and 30-35 minutes. Muir Woods needs the parking or shuttle reservation booked in advance (around $10 a car, or about $4 round trip by shuttle), plus a separate $15-per-person entrance fee that catches people who only budgeted for the reservation itself. Walk the main loop, 1-2 hours among old-growth redwoods, then drop into Sausalito for lunch on the water before crossing back ahead of evening traffic.
Day 3: Napa or Sonoma wine country
No train, no BART; this one needs a car, a tour, or a car service, 60 to 90 minutes each way with Napa generally the closer of the two. Tasting fees at name-brand wineries run $40-75 a person and add up across three or four stops. Pick a tour if nobody wants to be the designated driver; pick self-drive if you’d rather set your own pace between two or three wineries.
Can you do Muir Woods and wine country on the same day?
Don’t try. Muir Woods sits north across the bridge and Sausalito pulls you toward the coast; wine country is another hour beyond that in a different direction. Combining them turns two unhurried half-days into one exhausting one, and you’ll shortchange the woods to make a tasting appointment on time.
Is Napa or Sonoma the better pick for a single day?
Napa is slightly closer and carries the bigger name wineries; Sonoma is quieter, generally cheaper per tasting, and better if you’d rather wander small towns than tick off famous labels. Pick based on whether the marquee names or the calmer version of the same hills matters more to your one day.
The distances, side by side
| Day | Focus | Distance / drive time from SF | What it costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival, settle in | 0 miles, in the city | BART from SFO $10-11 plus $5.51 airport surcharge |
| 2 | Muir Woods and Sausalito | ~17 miles / 30-35 min | $15/person entrance, $10 parking or $4 shuttle |
| 3 | Napa or Sonoma | 60-90 min | Tasting fees $40-75/winery; tour or car service recommended |
Book the wine country tour or reserve Muir Woods first; both fill up on the exact weekends you’re most likely to be travelling.