this is a super test park.

Yes, it's even more awesome than you imagined. Since it opened in 1937, this 1.7-mile suspension span between San Francisco and Marin counties has become one of the most beloved bridges in the world. A work of art, an engineering marvel, and an American icon, the Bridge is flanked on both ends by the natural beauty of the Golden Gate National Parks. Enjoy an exhilarating, but often chilly, walk across it.

Windswept, exhilarating, and covered with unique red and green pebbles, this beach is just three miles northwest of the Golden Gate Bridge.

People do not just visit Muir Woods. They come from around the globe to pay homage to nature in this cathedral of redwoods. The trees' ages range from 400 to 800 years, their height up to 250 feet. Flat easy trails loop through the groves and across creeks. Parking can be an issue.

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.

No beach in the world has a view like this. From its sandy shore just west of the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge, look east to a stunning panorama of the city. Limited parking. Camping reservations required.

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.

The long blue finger of Tomales Bay points seaward, straight along the San Andreas Fault from the north end of the Olema Valley out to the Pacific. Explore it by kayak and keep your eye for the abundant shore birds, such as herons, egrets, ospreys, and much more.