Parks

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.

Rich with wildlife habitats, Rodeo Valley winds through the heart of the Marin Headlands and is edged by grassy, wind-swept hillsides. Where it descends to the Pacific, there is a lagoon and shallow wetlands home to shorebirds including egrets and ducks, as well as butterflies and occasional bobcats.

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

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.

Amble along the alabaster sands here, one of the most perfect beaches on the California coast. Find it 35 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge via Highway 1, which unwinds atop heart-stopping cliffs. 

Perched over the Pacific above rocks populated by lounging seals, this San Francisco landmark has had many lives since it first opened in 1863. It burned down and was even damaged by a dynamite laden schooner. Promenade nearby to the glorious ruins of Sutro Baths, then head out to the world-famous panoramas of Lands End.

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.

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.

See what a community can do when they are inspired to transform a site that was once an abandoned airfield. Today its restored tidal marsh is a vibrant environmental showcase, bordered by a popular promenade, expansive meadows, and a renowned education center.

It is awesome atop this 2,500-foot high mountain in Marin with its 360-degree view from San Francisco Bay to the Pacific. But anywhere on "Tam" you can find nature at its most glorious. Miles and miles of trails ribbon the mountain, crossing redwood valleys, creeks, waterfalls, and wide-open grasslands. It has been treasured turf for hikers, cyclists, and equestrians since the 1880s.