SS Jeremiah O'Brien

The biggest island in San Francisco Bay, Angel Island State Park is overlooked by visitors more eager to visit Alcatraz. But Angel Island's history is at least equally as important. Known as "the Ellis Island of the west" because millions of immigrants -- Chinese, Australian, and many more -- passed through its buildings. In addition, nearly every U.S. serviceman spent time on the island during World War Two going or coming back from the Pacific Theatre. It's now a wonderful place to get away from the hustle and bustle.Parking and public transportation at Angel IslandParking is extremely difficult on Angel Island because, well, it's an island. It's not connected by bridge to the rest of the Bay Area. The only way to get there is by boat. If you have your own vessel there is a small first-come first-serve day-use harbor, but the majority of people get to Angel Island by ferry. The Tiburon-based ferry is the most popular, but boats also serve the island from Pier 39 in San Francisco. For an extra fee there are motorized tram tours of the island. Much of the main areas are wheelchair accessible.Best and worst time go to Angel IslandThe Island is more popular during the summer, but even when it is crowded in the main area a short walk will get some peace and quiet exploring the old military installations or natural settings. The ferries only run on weekends during the winter months, and many exhibits have limited hours or are closed, but on the right day with the sun shining it can feel like you've got the whole place to yourself.Admission to Angel IslandFerry tickets (or harbor fees) are the only day admission costs to the island. California State Park Annual Day-Use Passes cannot be used as ferry tickets but can be used for dock fees. Camping on the island is permitted but must be reserved in advance.Must see/do At Angel IslandThe expanded Immigration Station exhibit tells visitors about the immigrant experience, often unduly harsh and an overlooked but essential part of American history. Visitors can now see examples of the cramped holding rooms and some of the remaining graffiti carved by Chinese and other immigrants. Try to take a walk or tram ride to visit all sides of the island and buildings dating back to the Civil War era if you can.Other places to visit near Angel IslandWherever you took the ferry from there are fantastic nearby places to go. Tiburon has other parks and popular restaurants, as does Pier 39 in San Francisco. It depends on if you want to spend the remainder of your day near the water, and if you're in the Bay Area there's no reason not to.Insider tip for visitors to Angel IslandWhen the island was under U.S. Military control during the Cold War, the top of Mount Caroline Livermore was bulldozed and paved flat as part of the Nike Missile installation. When I was a kid at Angel Island Day Camp we were able to ride our bikes to the top of the island and it felt very anticlimactic. Since then the top of the mountain has been restored (and bikes are no longer allowed on the trail up).Because much of the outer edges of the island have buildings, take some of the inland single-track trails away from the tram tours to get the feel of the island when it was a popular hunting and fishing spot for the local Native Americans before the Spanish arrived in San Francisco Bay during the 1770s.Author's bio: Alex Drude is a Bay Area native. He has been a fan of the place since attending Angel Island Day Camp. Follow his sports and travel musings on Twitter @Alex_Drude and on Facebook.