Parks

Kids at play having fun on the slide at the Presidio Tunnel Tops Outpost
Outpost at Presidio Tunnel Tops
Visitor Center

Balance, swing, and climb on huge structures inspired by Presidio nature and history.

An aerial view of the Presidio Tunnel Tops, looking out to the San Francisco city skyline.
Map of Presidio Tunnel Tops

The Presidio Tunnel Tops Discovery Guide, designed with illustrator Jean Wei, offers fun ideas for exploring on your own. Download a copy or pick one up at Presidio Visitor Center or the Field Station.

People picnic at Battery Wallace in Marin with Golden Gate Bridge views
Picnic picks: Best spots to picnic in the GGNRA

Here are our picks for top picnic spots, including great out-of-the way destinations for those crowded holiday weekends.

Kids stretch and play, running around the Presidio Tunnel Tops lawn.
It's almost here: Get excited for Presidio Tunnel Tops

This new 14-acre national park experience includes trails, meadows, play spaces, and overlooks to soak in the 360-degree views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay. Special cultural events and food offerings are being planned, and Presidio Tunnel Tops will be a welcoming destination for people to gather and learn about the natural world.

A group of NPS rangers rally together during the Junior Ranger Jamboree in 2016.
How to Celebrate National Park Week at Golden Gate

Here at the Golden Gate National Parks, there are so many opportunities to celebrate National Park Week 2025! See all the different ways you can experience the national parks in our backyard from April 19-27.

East Peak of Mount Tamalpais
Best of both worlds: Mountain peaks with nearby beaches

In our parks, there are two mountain peaks within five aerial miles of the closest GGNRA beach. In just a few hours, you can take in 360-degree mountain-top views of the Bay Area and walk barefoot through the sand at sea level.  

Sunset at Mori Point
How to take your time in the parks

The right time to get to the parks is whenever you can make it! Here are a few ideas on how to spend time in the parks whether you've got 5, 15, 30, or 60 minutes. 

Coffee at the Warming Hut
Best ways to do coffee in the GGNRA

You can basically smell the coffee being brewed at nearby cafes from many Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) park sites, which neighbor some of the best coffee shops in the Bay Area. You can take their coffee anywhere, but we think it tastes best while roaming through the parks. 

San Francisco: Walk along the Golden Gate Bridge with an Equator Latte 

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Visitors examine information about incarceration on red and black panels around the new 'Big Lockup' exhibit.
'The Big Lockup' and more: New experiences at Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz Island is full of doors that lead to the past, and right now there are several unique and new experiences on the island to check out.

Olema Valley and Phleger Estate
Head to the outer reaches of the GGNRA

Unimpeded views of Tomales Bay fill your view beyond the ridgeline of Olema Valley. Forty-five miles southeast, Phleger Estate is engulfed by towering redwoods. More than 30 other park sites, with varied landscapes and ecosystems, are sandwiched between these two locations.

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