Angel Island: The Ellis Island of the West 🏝️🗽

🌉 Guardian of the Golden Gate Rising from the bay like a misty sentinel, this 740-acre island served as: 1910-1940 Immigration Station where 1 million+ immigrants were processed (mostly Chinese under the Chinese Exclusion Act) Civil War fort with hidden gun batteries 1960s missile base (abandoned silos still stand) 🏛️ Must-See History 1️⃣ Immigration Barracks Poetry carved in walls by detained Chinese immigrants (translated tours available) "Paper Sons" exhibit reveals fake identity documents used to bypass racist laws 2️⃣ Perles Beach Secret WWII POW graffiti scratched by Italian prisoners 3️⃣ Mt. Livermore Summit 360° views of all 5 Bay bridges (hike or take the tram!) 🚣 Island Adventures Kayak to ghostly shipwrecks at sunset 🌅 Bike the perimeter road (rentals at Ayala Cove) 🚴♂️ Camp under the stars (book 6 months ahead!) ⛺ Heartbreaking Artifact: "The ‘immigration interrogation chair’ where officials grilled arrivals for 72+ hours" #Angel Island #SF