Join MAX for a day trip to Angel Island, that “other” island in the middle of the Bay (not Alcatraz Island)! Angel Island is the largest island in the San Francisco Bay. A grass and woodland covered mountain island, Angel Island State Park offers spectacular views of Marin County, San Francisco, and the Golden Gate.
Angel Island has a great deal of history packed within its scenic shores. Two museums on the island are located at the Angel Island Immigration Station. Called the Ellis Island of the West, Angel Island was the gateway for immigrants from the Pacific. More than a million immigrants from more than 80 countries were processed between 1910 and 1940, including 175,000 Chinese. Due to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, most Chinese immigrants were detained for up to 90 days - and a few for almost two years. Due to an appeals process, most immigrants were eventually granted entry to America.
Other facilities, now in ruins, include Fort McDowell used by the US Army from 1898 to 1946 for processing soldiers shipping to the Pacific theater or being discharged after service in the Pacific, and Camp Reynolds, a US Army garrison first established in 1863 to secure the San Francisco Bay.
For a map of Angel Island, see the last page of the PDF available here. Arrive at the San Francisco Ferry Terminal by 9am, so that we can meet-up before boarding the ferry together.
We'll catch the first ferry from San Francisco, departing at 9:25am from Gate C at the San Francisco Ferry Terminal, arriving Angel Island 9:55am. We'll have a guided tour of approximately one hour at the Immigration Station Detention Barracks at 11am. Hear the captivating stories of the immigrants waiting for entry to America, the processes they endured, their appeals, and the sometimes beautiful and sometimes despairing poetry they created while waiting. Attendees will have the choice of covering the 1.5 miles to and from the Immigration Station by foot or tram.
The event champions for this event are Bruce Cecil and Paul Munro. One will go with the group traveling by tram to the Immigration Station and the other with the group that walks there.
Bring a lunch to eat with the group at picnic tables near the arrival dock. We'll have lunch about 1:15pm. Beverages and lights snacks are available for purchase at the snack bar near the arrival dock. However, due to damage during the winter storms, the restaurant on the island is closed.
For the Angel Island Tram Tour option, a tram tour of the entire island will leave at about 2:15pm (possibly a bit earlier), starting near the arrival dock. The tram covers the 5.5-mile Perimeter Road and will take about an hour and 15 minutes. If you sign-up for the tram tour of the island, plan to catch the 4:45pm ferry back to San Francisco.
Ferries depart the island for San Francisco at 3:00pm and 4:45pm, arriving at the Ferry Terminal approximately 30 minutes later. Bruce will be leaving on the 3:00pm ferry. Paul will be on the tram tour of the island and will leave on the 4:45pm ferry.
Whichever departure time you choose, arrive in plenty of time to make sure you don't miss your ferry of choice. Relax with a beverage (beer and wine available) at the snack bar while waiting for the ferry. If you separate from the MAX group and miss the 4:45pm ferry, your last chance to get off the island that night will be a 5:20pm ferry to Tiburon, from which you would need to take an Uber, Lyft, or taxi to return to San Francisco.
Four ticket options are available. The primary two options are with and without island tram, and the remaining two just represent their discounted price options for seniors over 65 years.
All ticket options include the round-trip ferry ride between the San Francisco Ferry Terminal and Angel Island, the guided tour of the Immigration Station, and the option to take a tram between the arrival dock and the Immigration Station (one way or both ways).
The "General plus Angel Island Tram Tour" ticket options also include the 2:15pm tram tour of the entire island perimeter.
Spaces are limited to 18 people, so sign up today! A waitlist will be made available for cancellations. NO REFUNDS for cancellations after Tuesday, September 12. Register at: https://maxsf.org/event-5383893
For additional information, contact Paul at paul.munro@members.maxsf.org or Bruce at bruce.cecil@maxsf.org
Spaces are limited. Sign-up today!