Start at the charming 17th-century-style Pelican Inn at Muir Beach in Marin and head up the chaparral-covered Dias Ridge. The five-mile trail loops across former dairy ranches and rises 700 feet. At every turn there is another dazzling panorama of the Pacific and the Marin Headlands.

Tucked almost directly beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, this former army post is on the threshold of the dramatic coastline of the Marin Headlands. Fort Baker now houses Cavallo Point (the first national park lodge of the 21st century).

Drink in a sweeping view of Tomales Bay from this 259-acre park overlooking grasslands, creeks, and tidelands, out to Point Reyes and the Pacific. A short 0.5-mile hike leads you to a dramatic promontory above the water.

On the windswept coast south of the City, Milagra Ridge boasts views to the edge of the Pacific horizon. This scrub-covered ridgeline is critical habitat, home to Red-tailed Hawks and the endangered mission blue butterfly. It is the site of intensive restoration by Park Stewardship staff and volunteers.

See what wonders restoration work creates at this rugged coastal promontory in San Mateo County. Thanks to community volunteers the 32-acre wetland park now has trails, red-legged frog ponds, and a revived habitat for the San Francisco garter snake, once North America's most endangered reptile.

Yes, this lighthouse at the southwest tip of the Marin Headlands is still active and maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. Getting there is a challenge. Parking is limited and the 0.5-mile walk is steep and precarious. This spot, at the "world's end," is ruggedly beautiful. Nearby, old army buildings are used for environmental education programs.

Endlessly explore the vast wilds here, one of the most stunning oceanfront parks in the world. This 70,000-acre peninsula north of San Francisco stretches from the wild and wind-chilled great beaches on the northwest side (where Sir Francis Drake landed in 1567) across forested ridges to the south.

Visitors keep discovering new pleasures in this jewel of a national park. From eucalyptus-lined ridges overlooking the City to its restored wetlands and beaches, it is both a place of tranquil seclusion and unique activities. Transferred from the Army to the National Park Service in 1994, the Presidio offers forests and museums, rambling trails and restaurants, cliffside surf and historic architecture.

The fine ruins here excite visitors' imaginations. Adolf Sutro, a visionary 19th-century San Francisco mayor, built a home and gardens on a bluff overlooking the Pacific. Today all that is left are dreamily romantic gardens. Below it, on a rocky shore, are the vast remains of Sutro Baths.

Ridges and ravines mark this hiking area 25 minutes south of San Francisco. Wildlife, including hawks, deer, and wildflowers, abound on the slopes which drop to the Bay on one side and Thornton Beach on the other. The park's highest point is 1,200 feet and has a plaque honoring Portola's discovery of the Bay in 1769.