Shelagh Fritz, Program Manager for Alcatraz Historic Gardens, has worked to install an innovative rainwater catchment system on the Rock. We sat down with Shelagh to learn more.

During Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May), the parks celebrate the community’s contributions—and remember its darkest hours. “Exclusion”—a new exhibition at the Presidio Officers’ Club—looks at the Presidio’s role in the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II…75 years since FDR’s infamous Executive Order 9066.

Stirring. Stunning. Surprising. Beguiling. These words describe our Golden Gate National Parks—and 13 unforgettable photographs that capture the essence of these parklands and the people who steward them. See the best images from 2013, handpicked by your E-ventures editors.

With “boo”-tiful sites aplenty, the Golden Gate National Parks are full of places to take your date on Halloween (or some other dread and dreary night by the Bay)—especially if you want him or her seeking safety and comfort in your arms.

Fort Mason is a popular destination for history buffs, weekend revelers, and everyone in between. It’s a refuge on San Francisco’s northern waterfront, providing exceptional views of the larger San Francisco Bay.

For Martine Glaros, it’s “like hiking and going on a treasure hunt at the same time.” Desmond Murray called it “needle in a haystack stuff.” 

Imagine finding a bloom in the park and going back weeks later when it’s no longer flowering, grasses and shrubs growing up around it, and…

Up to 99 percussionists, arrayed across Lands End, pound out rhythms that mix with crashing surf and the songs of birds. This is John Luther Adams’ Inuksuit, performed in a partnership of SFJAZZ and the Parks Conservancy. 

Don’t rely on the Bridge’s photogenic qualities to make your photo pop. We compiled tips to help you improve your next photo of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Park Ranger Mia Monroe is the Marin Community Liaison for the NPS, and one of the longest serving employees in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Where can you enjoy the array of seasonal flora in the Golden Gate National Parks while minimizing your impact? Follow these tips.