Mare Island

Get in

By car

You can enter and leave via either State Route 37 or the causeway, both near the north end of the island. The entrance to the causeway on the Vallejo mainland side is near Mare Island Way and Tennessee Street.

On foot or by bike

There is a causeway over a drawbridge near the north end of the island, with a walking and biking path between Mare Island and the Vallejo mainland. There are uneven surfaces and steel plates, and the path is relatively narrow, permitting two people to pass one another. As of January 2026 there is construction on the causeway which partially blocks a couple spots on the path.

Much of Mare Island has missing, uneven, or discontinuous sidewalks - in one case interrupted by rail tracks without paving. This presents a challenge to those with mobility issues. Even where accessible infrastructure has been installed, there are glitches, such as a few steps in the sidewalk next to a curb cut.

By public transit

There are a few ferries a day by San Francisco Bay Ferry. As of January 2026, the only trip combination which allows for a day trip arrives at 12:15 p.m., weekdays only, and returns at 2:10PM, allowing for less than two hours on the island, so plan ahead for what you are going to see or do. If the 2:10PM ferry run is canceled - be sure to sign up for alerts on their website - or you want to spend more time on the island, there are no other trips from the island and you will need to walk, bike, or ride hail to the Vallejo Ferry Terminal (2.6 miles) or the Vallejo Transit Center (2.8 miles) or wherever else you might want to go in Vallejo. If you are using a Clipper card make sure you have enough on your Clipper card or in your smartphone Clipper wallet for a round trip as there is no fare machine on the island, only a Clipper reader; however, adult (non-discount) fares also can be paid for with a chip credit card.

If you are going from Mare Island to Vallejo by ferry instead of San Francisco, be sure to tag off so you are only charged the short hop fare.

If you enter the island without taking the ferry but want to leave by ferry, be aware that the ferry terminal is poorly marked. There is no sign on the street saying it is a ferry terminal. It is opposite an industrial building signed 1025 Nimitz Ave, and has a sign in front reading "WETA North Bay Maintenance Facility." If you look into the parking lot, there is an open air shelter with seating. This is the waiting area.