Treasure Island & Yerba Buena Island – San Francisco’s Most Unexpected Views

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.

How Treasure Island Came to Exist (Yes, Humans Built It)

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.

From World’s Fair to Naval Base

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.

Treasure Island Today: Views, Wine, Art & Events

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.

• Bay Bridge Vista Point: One of the best panoramic viewpoints in San Francisco—full stop.
• Urban Wineries: Former Navy buildings now pour some seriously good local wine.
• Festivals: Home to the Treasure Island Music Festival and Dragon Boat Festival.
• Public Art: Sculptures and murals scattered across former military structures.

Yerba Buena Island: The Older, Wilder Neighbor

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.

The Yerba Buena Lighthouse

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.

Hollywood Loves These Islands

If parts of Treasure Island feel cinematic, that’s because they are. Former aircraft hangars became soundstages for major productions, including:

• The Matrix (yes, the famous “bullet time” scenes)
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
• The Parent Trap
• The Pursuit of Happyness
• MythBusters, Nash Bridges, and BattleBots

Best Views & Photo Spots

• Bay Bridge Vista Point: Perfect sunrise and sunset skyline shots.
• Clippers Cove: Calm water reflections with the city in the background.
• Yerba Buena Overlooks: Elevated angles looking straight down the bridge.
• Art Deco Buildings: Leftover World’s Fair structures with cinematic vibes.

Photo tip: Late afternoon into blue hour is pure magic—the skyline lights up while the Bay Bridge glows behind it.

How to Visit on a San Francisco Jeep Tour

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.

Fun Facts & Did You Know?

• Treasure Island is entirely man-made from dredged bay mud.
• The island’s name comes from the novel Treasure Island, not buried gold.
• It was once planned as San Francisco’s main airport.
• Thousands of sailors passed through daily during WWII.
• The lighthouse still uses its original Fresnel lens.
• The Bay Bridge construction helped justify keeping the lighthouse active.
• Some former hangars now house wineries.
• Clippers Cove is one of the calmest sailing spots in the Bay.
• Major development plans include hundreds of acres of future parks.
• It’s one of the least crowded skyline viewpoints in San Francisco.

Why Treasure Island Belongs on Your SF Itinerary

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 Tour and experience the city from its best seat in the Bay.

10 Fun Facts & Did You Know? — Treasure Island & Yerba Buena Island

• Treasure Island is completely man-made. It was built in 1936–1937 using dredged bay mud and massive rock walls.
• It was created for a World’s Fair. Treasure Island hosted the 1939–1940 Golden Gate International Exposition—an Art Deco “Magic City” celebrating the Bay Area’s bridge-building era.
• The “treasure” is literary, not buried. The island’s name comes from the novel Treasure Island, not pirate gold.
• Before the island existed, the spot was a shipping hazard. The Yerba Buena Shoals were rocky and dangerous for boats entering the Bay.
• It became a WWII pipeline to the Pacific. As Naval Station Treasure Island, it processed and trained huge numbers of sailors—earning the nickname “Gateway to the Pacific.”
• Hollywood turned the hangars into soundstages. Treasure Island has hosted filming for major movies and shows, including The Matrix and more.
• Yerba Buena Island used to be nicknamed “Goat Island.” During the Gold Rush, goats were pastured here and the name stuck for a while.
• The Yerba Buena Lighthouse is still active. Built in 1874, it remains an aid to navigation and still has its original Fresnel lens.
• The islands are an underrated skyline photo jackpot. The Bay Bridge Vista Point gives you sweeping views of downtown SF, the Bay Bridge, and the East Bay—without the usual crowds.
• There’s a huge parks-and-open-space vision in the works. Plans for Treasure Island & Yerba Buena Island include hundreds of acres of new parks and waterfront public space.