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.

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.

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.

At every turn of the trail on this wild and rocky northwestern corner of San Francisco, there is another stunning vista. Along the way you'll see hillsides of cypress and wildflowers, views of old shipwrecks, access to the epic ruins of Sutro Baths, pocket beaches, and a new Lookout Visitor Center. You can thank community volunteers who have helped revitalize and restore the native habitat here.

It's hard to believe such a vast, beautiful, and diverse wilderness is so close to a major metropolitan area. The Marin Headlands is a crown jewel of the Golden Gate National Parks, abounding with places of natural wonder and beauty (Rodeo Valley/Lagoon, Gerbode Valley, Hawk Hill, Tennessee Valley) and remarkable historic sites (Point Bonita Lighthouse, Fort Cronkhite, Nike Missile Site, Battery Townsley).