Everywhere you turn in this 1,200-acre greenbelt on the City's northern waterfront, you'll find endless options for relaxation and stimulation. This former military installation, with its jaw- dropping view of the Golden Gate, is headquarters for the National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.

You are likely to award this National Historic Site as having the most astonishing view of the Golden Gate Bridge. A Civil War-era brick fort, it lies directly below the southern end of the span. Check for tours, especially candlelight evening ones, and annual Civil War reenactments. Interestingly, no military action ever occurred here.

Attention, hikers. This wide-open valley through the rolling Marin Headlands is ALL views. Its five-mile loop connects to a network of other trails that rise and fall gently through grassland and coastal chaparral. Hikers, cyclists, and equestrians share Gerbode Valley.

While visiting the biodiverse shorelines of the Presidio, you can’t get much closer to the Golden Gate Bridge than at Marshall’s Beach. This rugged stretch of sand and rocks is a favorite destination for photographers. Even clothing-optional sunbathers are known to frequent on warm days.

See what a community can do when they are inspired to transform a site that was once an abandoned airfield. Today its restored tidal marsh is a vibrant environmental showcase, bordered by a popular promenade, expansive meadows, and a renowned education center.

Watch hawks trace circles in the sky from rolling hills in the Marin Headlands. Besides its wide-screen vistas of the Pacific and the Golden Gate, Hawk Hill offers fascinating wildlife experiences. It is the best place to witness the fall raptor migration and also provides habitat for the Mission blue butterfly.