Parks

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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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.

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.

Mt. Tam is recognized by many as the birthplace of modern mountain biking and has become a cycling epicenter.  

The California Coastal Trail, a 1,230-mile public route following the Pacific coastline from Mexico to Oregon, is one of our unique connecting points in the parks. 

Facing the sunrise on a terraced hillside behind the General’s Residence at Fort Mason, Black Point Historic Gardens looks out on San Francisco’s Aquatic Park and the San Francisco Bay. This historic piece of land is just under one acre but manages to connect and open up the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) to the city. 

From expansive beaches that seem to stretch on forever to tiny pocket beaches nestled into coastal bluffs, the sandy shores of the GGNRA have something for every beach lover. With summer days around the corner, we wanted to share highlights from some of the most unique park beaches.