Stunning Islands in San Francisco for a Refreshing Experience

Islands in San Francisco

Surrounded by glacial beaches and branched out from the hustling city life, islands in San Francisco have quaint, close-knit communities with great cultural diversity. You can explore the bayfront te (Read More)rrains while biking and hiking through beach and forest trails amidst tropical mountains. Most islands in San Francisco are rich in wildlife, music festivals, wineries, flea markets and unique Californian plants.

Here is the list of 13 Stunning Islands in San Francisco for a Refreshing Experience

1. Red Rock Island

Red Rock Island
4.5 /5

Standing amid the San Francisco Bay, the Red Rock Island is a 5.8-acres unpopulated island. It is situated in the South of Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. It is the only island in San Francisco Bay that has private ownership. The borders of three counties - San Francisco, Contra Costa, and Marin coincide on the island.

2. Año Nuevo Island

Año Nuevo Island
4.5 /5

Año Neuvo Island is a small island on the coast of Northern California, offshore the Año Neuvo Point. It sits between San Francisco and Santa Cruz. This 9 acres island is conserved as a segment of Año Nuevo State Reserve. The Año Neuvo Island has an ecological significance. It is identified as a major breeding place for endangered Steller's Sea Lions and Northern elephant seals.

3. Marin Islands

Marin Islands
4.5 /5

Marin Islands are two small islands, namely East Marin and West Marin in San Rafael Bay (an embayment of San Pablo Bay), Marin County, California. The islands are located at the shoreside of the City of San Rafael, in the north of the San Francisco Bay Area. Marin Island pair embodies Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge (1992).

4. Belvedere Island

Belvedere Island
4.5 /5

Belvedere Island is a stony island amid the San Francisco Bay in Marin County, California. A portion of the Belvedere town is situated on this island. It was previously segregated from the mainland by a swamp, anyway since it has been connected by two forelands. This island is made up of Franciscan Sandstone and Franciscan Greenstone, as examined by the US Geological Survey.

5. San Pedro Rock

San Pedro Rock
4.5 /5

San Pedro is a rocky formation and a small island as a starting point of San Pedro in Pacifica in the San Mateo County at the San Francisco Bay Area. It is one of the beautiful islands in Californian, rendering picturesque views of the sea, Pedro point headlands, and Daly city. It can be regarded as a rocky beach. San Pedro features astonishing geographical formations and a wonderful coastal cave.

Features : Hiking spot, Photography & Bird-watching, Beach exploration
Parking : Free-parking
Pet Friendly : No dogs allowed

6. Brooks Island

Brooks Island
4.5 /5

Brooks Island is largely a flat piece of land in San Francisco Bay, situated in the South of Richmond Inner Harbor in Richmond, California. It is stretched out from a 160 ft. lofty round hill, called the Jefferds Hill. In 1853, this island got its name Brooks Island in maps of California. Originally, it was named as Isla de Càrmen, by a Spanish explorer. Over the past, it has also been called the Rocky Island, Sheep Island, and Bird Island.

Features : Bird Sanctuary, Rare flora habitat
Accessibility : Access by Reservations, Wheelchair not accessible

7. Yerba Buena Island

Yerba Buena Island
5.0 /5

Yerba Buena Island stands in the Bay of San Francisco, amid the Californian cities San Francisco and Oakland. The name of this Island is said to be inspired from the pueblo of Yerba Buena, whose name is taken from the plant 'Yerba Buena' (a local species of the mint family) which is plentiful in that region. The word Yerba Buena corresponds to a Spanish word meaning Good herb. Over the passing decades, the island was called with different names that are Sea-Bird Island, Goat Island, and the Wood Island.

Features : Hiking Spot, Photogenic Destination

8. Bay Farm Island

Bay Farm Island
5.0 /5

Bay Farm Island is a district of the Californian city of Alameda. Regardless, the Island is isolated from the rest of the Alameda city region by a delta of San Leandro Bay. As the name denotes, this island was an isle farm earlier from the 20th century, which was primarily cultivated for producing asparagus. Due to this fact, the Island was also known as Asparagus Island. Further, huge oyster beds also flourished, that were dispensed to the restaurants of San Francisco. Bay Farm Island was transformed into a peninsula by a landfill project in the 1950s decade. It is now linked to Oakland city and its International Airport.

Facilities : Recreational facilities, Easy Parking
Pet-friendly : Yes

9. Greco Island

Greco Island
4.5 /5

Greco Island is a marshland in California's Redwood City. The San Francisco Bay edges the eastern and northern extremities of the island. While the Redwood Creek edges the western and the Westpoint Slough edge the southern side of the island. It is a segment of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has the ownership of this island.

10. Mussel Rock

Mussel Rock
4.5 /5

Mussel Rock is a rocky formation seaward the Daly City, on the coastline of San Mateo County, California. Mussel Rock encompasses a large rock and several smaller rocks of a specific kind as a pile pattern, in which the Rocky headland is roughly eroded, leaving small islands. The region above Mussel rock contains precipitous ridges. This area experiences recurring landslides, menacing the residents in a subsection above this area. Mussel Rock is majorly known for being the spot that is nearest to the epicenter of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, the place where the San Andreas Fault penetrates the San Francisco Peninsula from the northwest.

Features : Hiking Spot, Paraglider launch pads
Parking : Free Parking
Pet Friendly : Dogs allowed on leash

11. Bair Island

Bair Island
5.0 /5

Bair Island is a swampland spread over 3,000 acres in Redwood City, California. It is adjacent to the Steinberger slough in the northwest and the Redwood Creek in the southeast. This is the largest island in the South Bay. It encompasses three islands - Inner, Middle, and Outer Islands. This Island is a part of Don Edward San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge manages the whole Island group.

features : Hiking Spot, Rare species habitat
Timings : Open 7 A.M. to 8 P.M

12. The Brothers Island

The Brothers Island
4.0 /5

The Brothers is a pair of two small Islands, namely East Brother and West Brother, in the San Rafael Bay (an embayment of San Pablo Bay) in Contra Costa County, California. The Brothers are around 1000 ft. away from the Point San Pablo. East Brother Island has a three-story lighthouse. The top region of East Brother Island was ruined to construct a room for a light station.

13. Seal Rock

Seal Rock
4.5 /5

Seal Rock is a small group of rocky islands in the Lands End region of the Outer Richmond District in Western San Francisco, California. The name 'Seal Rock' is inspired from the populous Steller's Sea Lions and Californian Sea Lions, hauling out here. This island sits at the Northern edge of the Ocean beach, near the Sutro Bath Ruins and the Cliff house, just at the Pacific Ocean shoreside.

This post was published by Kanika Sharma

Share this post on social media

Top Hotels In San Francisco

Related Collections

Experiences

Experiences

8 Places to View the Unforgettable Sunsets in San Francisco

Experiences

Experiences

17 Fascinating Facts About San Francisco That Will Draw You There!

Adventure

Adventure

Bay to Breakers – Be a Part of a Historic Footrace!

Experiences

Experiences

Best Zoos in San Francisco for a Fun & Education Time!

Experiences

Experiences

Best Day Trips From San Francisco for Perfect Road Trips

Experiences

Experiences

Best Casinos in San Francisco to Try Your Luck At!

Experiences

Experiences

Best Golf Courses in San Francisco | Golfing in San Francisco

Transport

Transport

List of Airports in San Francisco - International Airports in the Bay Area

Food & Drink

Food & Drink

Cuisines and Eateries in San Francisco – Experience the finest Food of San Francisco!

Nightlife

Nightlife

Best Nightclubs in San Francisco – 16 Nightclubs in the Bay Area You Must Visit!

Shopping

Shopping

5 Best Malls in San Francisco for All Your Shopping Needs

Adventure

Adventure

Surfing in San Francisco - Best Places to Go to Surf in the Bay Area

Backpacking

Backpacking

The Ultimate Guide to Backpacking in San Francisco - Best Tips and Tricks

Travel Tips

Travel Tips

All You Need to Know About Visiting San Francisco in February

Food & Drink

Food & Drink

San Francisco Street Food- 7 Must Haves in The Golden Gate City

Nightlife

Nightlife

Nightlife in San Francisco: 13 Best Experiences in SF After Dark

Travel Tips

Travel Tips

The Complete Guide on Car Rentals in San Francisco

Travel Tips

Travel Tips

December in San Francisco: Top Festivals, Weather & Things to Do

Nightlife

Nightlife

27 Best Bars in San Francisco - Top Watering Holes in the Bay Area

Travel Tips

Travel Tips

Bike Rentals in San Francisco – Explore the City the Best Way! On 2 Wheels!

Food & Drink

Food & Drink

Beer In San Francisco - 7 Best Brews You MUST Try When in SF

Travel Tips

Travel Tips

San Francisco in November: Welcome Winters With a SF Trip!

Travel Tips

Travel Tips

San Francisco in October: Spend an Exciting Fall in SF

Fairs & Festivals

Fairs & Festivals

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass - Dates, Line-ups, Venue, Tips and All You Need to Know

Fairs & Festivals

Fairs & Festivals

San Francisco Pride Parade - Celebrating the LGBT Community of San Francisco

Art & Culture

Art & Culture

San Francisco International Film Festival: A Place for All the Cinema Lovers

Art & Culture

Art & Culture

San Francisco Carnaval: Dates, Venues and 3 spectacular highlights of the festival

Art & Culture

Art & Culture

SF Outside Lands Music And Arts Festival - All you need to know

Art & Culture

Art & Culture

Cherry Blossom Festival San Francisco - Everything You Need to Know

Art & Culture

Art & Culture

Chinese New Year in San Francisco 2025 - Everything You Need to Know

Comments on this post

View Hotels