Angel Island (California) Island

Address: Angel Island State Park, San Francisco Bay, CA 94129, United States

Website: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=468

Hours: Angel Island State Park trails and grounds generally open sunrise-sunset; ferry schedules vary seasonally

Admission: National Park ferry and landing fees vary: Angel Island State Park day ferry from Tiburon or San Francisco typically round-trip fares $10-$18; park day-use fee $3 (subject to change)

Angel Island State Park covers most of Angel Island in San Francisco Bay and includes the historic Angel Island Immigration Station, a major processing centre for immigrants in the early 20th century.

The island offers preserved military sites, a restored immigration station museum and several marked trails with bay and skyline views. There are picnic areas, seasonal interpretive programs and opportunities for walking, cycling and limited backcountry camping.

The island was developed with coastal fortifications by the U.S. Army in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and later became the site of the Angel Island Immigration Station, which operated for much of the first half of the 20th century. Much of the island is managed now as a state park with restored buildings and interpretive exhibits.

Sited in San Francisco Bay, the island is reachable by public ferry services from Tiburon and San Francisco and lies between the city of San Francisco and the Marin County shore.

• Immigration history: Guided tours and a museum focus on the Immigration Station that processed arrivals from about 1910 through the mid 20th century.
• Access: Regular passenger ferries run from Tiburon and San Francisco, providing the main public access to the island.

What to See#

• Angel Island Immigration Station: Occupies most of an island in San Francisco Bay and contains an immigration station and military fortifications that are open to the public as part of a state park.
• Fortifications and military sites: A network of former army batteries, barracks and gun emplacements dating to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, preserved along perimeter roads and trails.

Ferries depart from Tiburon (shorter crossing, frequent service) and San Francisco’s Pier 41 or Pier 39 (longer crossing). The ride from Tiburon is about 10-15 minutes; from San Francisco about 30-40 minutes depending on service. Bring a jacket-the Bay is windier than it looks.

• Take the Angel Island Immigration Station tour to learn its unexpected history as an entry point and detention site for immigrants.
• Walk or bike the Perimeter Road for varied views of the Bay, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate-allow 2-3 hours on foot.
• Ferries depart from Tiburon and San Francisco's Pier 41/39; Tiburon is quicker and less crowded.