Locals consider China Beach a civic secret, tucked between Lands End and Baker Beach in the Sea Cliff neighborhood west of the Golden Gate.

Explore this remarkable environmental makeover near the Marin Headlands coastline. Formerly an army installation, Fort Cronkhite at the end of the Rodeo Valley is now a magnet for science and the arts.

Hold on to your hat. Fort Funston features 200 foot high sandy bluffs on San Francisco's southwest coast where the winds blow reliably wildly. No surprise it is one of the premier hang-gliding spots in the country. Dog owners will be happy to know they can take leashes off here.

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.