Hey,
For our upcoming SF trip, we plan on
visiting Muir Woods, but won't be renting
a car.

Is there a way to get there via public
transit that would take us directly to
the entrance of the park?

Otherwise, we're planning to take a tour,
like greyline's.

Now, I hear that the roads leading to it
are very hilly. Is this too hard on the
stomach? Just want to know since I've
a family member with vertigo.

What about the roads leading to Carmel?
Was planning a grayline for this, but
wanted some input on whether the drive
would be too bouncy.

Thanks for any advice!

Anne-
I can't help you with the public transit; we rented a car.

But, if I remember correctly, the roads are twisty and very hilly. I think I have a stomach of steel but I even got a little queasy in our small Chevy rental. It may be harder to "stomach" in a large bus.

That's just my 2 cents. Have a great trip!

I just got back fom San Fran a few weeks ago. I did not have a car, so I took a tour. The tour company was called Super Sightseeing Tours. They pick you up and drop you off at your hotel. I had a very pleasant tour guide/driver. The road to Muir Woods has a lot of twists and turns. It is somewhat scary, but it is beautiful. After Muir Woods, the tour takes you to Sausalito, which is a lovely little town, and then onto a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Since I had a good experience the first time, I used Super Sightseeing Tours again to go to Napa Valley. Once again, I had a great time and even got a discount for being a return customer. Have a great time, SF is amazing!

The road to Muir Woods is steep and then gets hilly. Might effect someone with veritgo. Once you get to the park it's pretty flat ground, unless you hike up one of the trails. We did the 3 mile Oceanview trail, I think. The altitude change did make me sick & looney but no veritgo.
I don't know of any public transportation to Muir, but plenty of tours. We drove to Muir Woods and then drove along the coast to Stienson (sp?) beach for lunch.

Anne,
I did the tour mentioned above (Muir Woods, Sausalito, Golden Gate Bridge) a number of years ago, and was very happy with it. There is no public transportation to Muir Woods that I recall, so either you go by tour or by private car.

I did want to state that I have mild to severe vertigo that comes and gos in episodes. Not sure if this is the type of veritigo your family member has. I have medication for mine, however, I wasn't at all bothered by the ride up there or even walking around while there.

I would suggest if the family member uses medication to control their vertigo that they take some with them, or take some before they leave. But they should do fine, unless they have severe vertigo all the time.

Anne,
I did the tour mentioned above (Muir Woods, Sausalito, Golden Gate Bridge) a number of years ago, and was very happy with it. There is no public transportation to Muir Woods that I recall, so either you go by tour or by private car.

I did want to state that I have mild to severe vertigo that comes and gos in episodes. Not sure if this is the type of veritigo your family member has. I have medication for mine, however, I wasn't at all bothered by the ride up there or even walking around while there.

I would suggest if the family member uses medication to control their vertigo that they take some with them, or take some before they leave. But they should do fine, unless they have severe vertigo all the time.

We have taken the Muir Woods bus tour a couple of times (taking different grandchildren). As another responder pointed out, the tour also stops in Sausalito after visiting Muir Woods.
We tell the bus driver we are leaving the tour in Sausalito. We then have more time there and enjoy the ferry ride back to S.F. We like to have lunch in Sausalito on the terrace of the Alta Mira Hotel. It's up a hill and has a fabulous view of the bay.

I think there is public transportation to Muir Woods. The bus service for Marin county is the golden gate transit. You catch the bus in sf and it takes you to marin. I think you catch a bus from sf to marin city and transfer at marin city to another bus. i noticed some people doing this once when i was on the bus.

To carmel, the drive is fine. To Muir woods it's a little tough on the tummy for sensitive stomachs. Don't know about vertigo.

Good to see the responses.
Now, I read that all vehicles
driving the narrow Muir Woods route,
must be less than 30' long or something.

Are you sure there are public buses
that go straight to the visitor's
center? I read somewhere that the bus
requires a mile hike over a steep hill
before someone gets there.

Someone, please advice me on this
before I waste $30 X 4 on buying
tour tickets.

Also, I heard that there is an option
to take a ferry to Tiburon from the wharf and then a bus to the woods.

Does anyone know if this a less twisty
and bumpy ride?

BTW, to those who took the tours,
WAS IT VERY BUMPY????

thanks

The ferry will not bypass any bumps, twists or turns. It wasn't all that bumpy in a car but a stretch bus will be different.

I was at Muir Woods last Saturday. I did notice several tour buses parked in special spaces right at the visitor's center, by the public restrooms.