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Halfway between San Francisco and the East Bay sits one of the city’s most surprising destinations: Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island. One island is completely man-made, the other naturally rocky and historic—and together they deliver some of the best skyline views, strangest history, and most underrated photo stops in San Francisco.
On a San Francisco Jeep Tour, this stop feels like a behind-the-scenes bonus level. You’re suddenly floating in the middle of the Bay, staring straight at downtown, the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, and the East Bay hills—all without the crowds you’ll find on either shoreline.
Treasure Island didn’t exist at all before the late 1930s. What sat here instead were the Yerba Buena Shoals—dangerous rocky outcrops that made life hard for ships entering the Bay.
Between 1936 and 1937, the Army Corps of Engineers transformed those shoals into a 400-acre artificial island using dredged bay mud, reinforced with nearly 300,000 tons of rock. On top of that, they planted thousands of trees and hundreds of thousands of flowering plants. The result was an engineering flex decades ahead of its time.
The island was created to host the 1939–1940 Golden Gate International Exposition, a dazzling Art Deco World’s Fair nicknamed “The Magic City.” It celebrated San Francisco’s arrival as a Pacific-facing world city—and showed off the brand-new Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge.
After the fair closed, Treasure Island was supposed to become a major airport for Pan Am’s flying boats. World War II changed that plan fast.
In 1942, the U.S. Navy took control and turned the island into Naval Station Treasure Island, a massive processing and training center known as the “Gateway to the Pacific.” Thousands of sailors passed through daily on their way to and from the war.
The naval station operated for decades, training sailors in everything from electronics to radiation detection. It finally closed in 1997, and the island reopened to the public—ushering in its strangest, most fascinating chapter yet.
Today, Treasure Island is part residential neighborhood, part event venue, part open-air museum. More than 2,000 people live here, alongside wineries, artists, schools, and community organizations.
Connected by a short causeway, Yerba Buena Island is the natural counterpart to Treasure Island—and it has been part of Bay history far longer.
Once nicknamed Goat Island during the Gold Rush (yes, there were goats everywhere), Yerba Buena became a military post in the 1870s and remains partially controlled by the Coast Guard today.
Built in 1874, the Yerba Buena Lighthouse is still an active aid to navigation and remarkably still uses its original fourth-order Fresnel lens. It survived earthquakes, bridge construction, and modern automation—and it’s one of the oldest operating lighthouses on the West Coast.
If parts of Treasure Island feel cinematic, that’s because they are. Former aircraft hangars became soundstages for major productions, including:
Photo tip: Late afternoon into blue hour is pure magic—the skyline lights up while the Bay Bridge glows behind it.
Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island are perfect Jeep Tour stops because they’re quick to access and wildly rewarding. You’re minutes off the Bay Bridge and suddenly in one of the most photogenic spots in the city.
Your guide will point out hidden history, old Navy structures turned wineries, movie filming locations, and the exact spots for skyline-framing photos—without the stress of parking or navigating bridge ramps.
As the island’s waterfront distillery and tasting room, Gold Bar operates out of a restored 1930s terminal just steps from the ferry. It focuses on small-batch whiskey and gin, creative cocktails, coffee, and a comfort-leaning food menu designed to fit naturally into an afternoon or early evening on Treasure Island. Guests stop in for everything from hands-on cocktail classes to a single sunset drink or a relaxed break between walks.
Joe Montana at Gold Bar Tasting Room
Gold Bar is known for its Bay Area energy — and yes, Joe Montana is part of the story here too.
One of the most memorable hands-on experiences on Treasure Island is the cocktail classes at Gold Bar. This is not a demonstration. Guests step behind the bar to make three full-size cocktails, work with three to four premium spirits, and learn real techniques they can recreate at home. The class also weaves in the distillation process and stories from Treasure Island’s past, all inside a restored 1930s Art Deco terminal with skyline views.
Gold Bar currently offers whiskey cocktail classes and gin cocktail classes, making this an ideal afternoon or early-evening activity for visitors, date nights, or hosting friends without leaving the island.
Set on the Great Lawn with direct Bay Bridge views, Mersea is the island’s most relaxed sit-down option. The container-built space serves approachable comfort food and a full bar, with outdoor bocce and lawn games that encourage lingering over a long lunch or early dinner, especially on sunny afternoons and weekends.
Aracely Cafe offers an all-day café menu in a bright indoor-outdoor setting with a garden patio. It’s a natural stop for brunch, coffee, or a low-key meetup before heading out to viewpoints, tastings, or evening plans.
A working urban winery housed in former Navy buildings, Treasure Island Wines pours small-production wines made on site and sells bottles to go. It’s an easy add-on for wine lovers or a simple way to bring something home after an afternoon on the island.
https://www.islandcovemarket.com
Island Cove Market functions as the island’s go-to deli and provisions stop, with sandwiches, snacks, and picnic supplies.
Nearby, Mateo’s Hot Dogs offers a fast, unfussy bite when you want something quick without committing to a full sit-down meal.
Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island combine jaw-dropping views, wild history, and total surprise. It’s the kind of place most visitors miss—and exactly the kind of place locals love showing off.
If you want iconic San Francisco photos without iconic San Francisco crowds, this is your spot.
Want to see it the easy way? Add Treasure Island to your private San Francisco Jeep Daytime Tour or Evening -Sunset Tour and experience the city from its best seat in the Bay.
See San Francisco Up Close – Private Jeep Tours!Explore San Francisco’s top attractions with a private guide, enjoy a thrilling Golden Gate Bridge drive, and stop at the best scenic spots.
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