The Oyster Locals Guide to Accessible Angel Island

[Flickr/Jill Clardy]


Visitors to Angel Island, one of the land masses poking out of the San Francisco Bay tend to split between hiking geeks and history geeks. The good news for travelers with disabilities is that hiking is not required to enjoy the history and the beauty of Angel Island State Park.


Getting There: Ferries to and from Angel Island leave daily from Pier 41 on Fisherman's Wharf and the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero. The Blue & Gold Fleet ferries are sort of, mostly wheelchair accessible, but it's best to call ahead to make arrangements for assistance. The Angel Island ferries do have both indoor and outdoor deck seating and restrooms. Only service animals are permitted on board and on Angel Island. (This regulation helps protect indigenous species on the island.)


Travelers with seasickness or motion sickness, please take your Dramamine, wear your patch, etc. The Bay can get choppy, especially in winter. The good news: it's a short trip. Hotels close to Pier 41 include the Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf Hotel and the Radisson Hotel.


Getting Around: It's surprisingly easy to get around Angel Island even if you can't walk far, or at all. Trams take visitors on a one-hour tour around the island on the five-mile Perimeter Road. Trams have limited wheelchair accessibility, so it's a good idea to call ahead if you'll need a lift. Folks with minimal mobility can get assistance boarding, and the ride is all-sitting, all the time.


Bicycle riders can rent two-wheeled transportation at the ferry dock, or bring their own bikes (both full sized and fold-able) on the ferries.


If you can stand and wiggle around some, you can shell out some serious cash for a Segway tour of the island, which circles the Perimeter Road and includes a few detours that aren't accessible to the trams.


Seeing the Sights: Opened only a few months ago, the current sight-to-see on Angel Island is the United States Immigration Station (USIS). The third-hand military barracks became an unhappy home for thousands of Chinese immigrants hoping to make better lives for themselves in the United States.


Docent-led tours are the best way to see the USIS, but if you miss the tour time, a self-guided interpretive display along the grounds tells the basic story of the Station and its inhabitants. You can catch a shuttle (not the same as the trams!) to the USIS to avoid a more-than-two-mile hike across the island from the ferry dock.


Food, Rest, and Practicalities: Food doesn't fall thick on the ground on Angel Island. If you want healthy and tasty options, or you have dietary restrictions of any kind, BYO lunch and snacks. For those who are stuck, or just want a bottle of water, the Cove Cafe by the ferry dock sells drinks and junk food.


Restrooms and seating also cluster by the ferry dock at Ayala Cove--the current hub of civilization on Angel Island. Trams and shuttles do not have on-board restroom facilities, but the two Garrison Visitors Centers do. Check out the Angel Island State Park Accessibility Details web site for more information.


--Liz Hamill Scott of eatswritesandleaves.com and travelswithpain.com