Just North of San Francisco in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area is the Muir Woods National Monument. Admission to Muir Woods is $15 for people 16 years or older, but there are additional charges for parking ($8.50 per vehicle) or a shuttle ($3.25 per person). In order to enter Muir Woods, you must make a reservation for the day you wish to attend. We decided to take the shuttle because I had heard that parking tends to fill up quickly, but I wish that we had just paid to park. I get very motion sick, so I was not doing well on the shuttle (especially on the way back where every seat was taken and my daughter had to sit on my lap). I wouldn't recommend the shuttle if you also suffer from motion sickness, because the road is very windy. Also, be aware that there is no cell phone service at Muir Woods.
I decided to bring along my daughter's camera on this trip so that I could see her view of the trip. I got mostly photos of her feet, but it was a really fun activity for her to do, and she filled up her memory card within about an hour of being there.
There is a quick-service restaurant in the park called Muir Woods Trading Company which has meals and snacks. We didn't end up using this because we brought our own snacks into the park. Next door there is a gift shop (if you are wanting to save money do not go in here- trust me on this).
There are many trails in Muir Woods, and you can plan your route ahead of time. We stayed fairly close to the main area, but we could have ventured out if we wanted to. Some trails are meant to be quiet and peaceful places, so they ask for no loud noises. They are clearly marked, and we avoided them because four-year-olds don't understand what peace and quiet means :)
Our favorite part of Muir Woods was the Junior Ranger program. You can go into the main office next to the entrance of Muir Woods and ask for a Junior Ranger booklet, which has activities for multiple age groups to do in the park. You can also download the Junior Ranger booklet and bring it yourself. We did a leaf rubbing, drew our surroundings, counted the rings on a cross-section of a tree, and more to earn our badge. When you have completed the right number of pages, you go to a ranger and they conduct a swearing-in ceremony for your child to become an official Junior Ranger. Kids get a badge that they can keep as well.
Make sure to tag us in any adventures you go on with Troop Bay Area! #troopbayarea #muirwoods #nationalparks
Muir Woods National Monument Address:
1 Muir Woods Rd
Mill Valley, CA 94941
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