Activities

The Golden Gate Bridge as viewed from Crissy Field. The bay waters can be seen with sailboats about, as well as Crissy Marsh and the Marin Headlands.

Yes, the national parks are pretty great. But they could always be better! That's why our award-winning Projects team continues to improve on the parklands and visitor experiences.

Best Tam hikes: Expert picks for exploring Mt. Tamalpais

Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County is a visible icon known for stunning views, world-class recreational opportunities, and incredible diversity of life. Whether you're visiting for the first time, or you've experienced the mountain many times, here are picks for new ways to see the mountain.

A night view of the Golden Gate Bridge from Kirby Cove. The lights from the bridge glow on the water and there are stars twinkling overhead.

Expert picks: Best Bay Area stargazing spots

When the sun sets, the skies above our parks illuminate with an ever-changing tapestry of planets, stars, constellations, and galaxies – many visible to the naked eye. If you know where to look, the GGNRA offers stargazers an endless well of magic to observe year-round.

5 light-wood junior ranger badges are seen sitting on a log.

Junior ranger badges: How to catch 'em all in the GGNRA

The junior ranger program is meant to spark curiosity in the natural world for kids. And once that curiosity gets sparked, just get ready for a torrent of questions an adult would never ask.

'10 best trails in the Bay Area': Here are the GGNRA picks

The San Francisco Chronicle released a list of the "10 best hiking trails in the Bay Area, according to 600,000 reviews." We're lucky enough to have several of the trail options right here in the GGNRA and within the One Tam footprint.

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.

Thousands of miles through the parks with YiOu Wang

Meet professional ultrarunner and high school teacher YiOu Wang, who enjoys our parks for mega-runs and hikes with students. With every step, she sees the effects of climate change and the chance to inspire young people toward action.

The new Alcatraz experience: Now is the time to escape to Alcatraz Island!

In this article, we’ll get you set up with some tips to explore Alcatraz like a seasoned park ranger. Visit for those views, for the lush gardens, and the history that ties into present-day social justice movements. Here are some of our insider tips.

Summer Stride 2023 artwork by K-Fai Steele.

Summer Stride: Connect with your parks this summer

It’s time for an adventure—in the pages of a book or on a path through our parks! Learn about free and fun Summer Stride activities including mindful experiences in nature, author talks and book giveaways, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) learning and more.

The Hike by Alison Farrell (Chronicle Books)

Summer Stride 2020: Connect with your parks

It’s time for an adventure—in the pages of a book or on a path through our parks! Learn about free and fun at-home activities from the San Francisco Public Library, National Park Service, and Parks Conservancy—including kids' parks crafts, at home activities, Nature Boost Fridays, and more.

Golden Gate Historic Landscaping and Maintenance

Your gift helps preserve over 84,000 acres of parkland

Activities