Concrete

Restored in 2001, Crissy Field wasted no time in becoming a San Francisco icon and a gem of the Parks Conservancy. The former military airfield now sports a clean, smooth promenade with views of the Golden Gate, Alcatraz, and the North and East Bays.

During the Civil War, the U.S. Army hastily built two batteries, armed with 10-inch Rodman guns, at a site that locals called Black Point. These armaments at Point San Jose Military Reservation (later called Fort Mason) served as backup to the fortifications on Alcatraz and at Fort Point.

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At the rear of the newer Cavallo Point buildings at Fort Baker, you'll discover a set of stairs that connect you with the Drown Road Trail. Highlights include sensational views of the Golden Gate, and, of course, the historic post chapel itself (now a picturesque event and wedding venue).

Access to the beach is via a paved drive or stairway down from the parking lot to water level.

One of the signature trail improvement projects of the Parks Conservancy, the multi-use Battery East Trail features eye-popping views of the soaring towers of the Golden Gate Bridge, as well as an overlook/seating area to admire the span and San Francisco Bay.

The steep, mile-long trail to the cove begins at the parking area above Battery Spencer on Conzelman Road—eye-level with the Golden Gate Bridge's towers—and descends through a grove of cypress, eucalyptus, and pine.

Rodeo Lagoon offers habitat for birds, butterflies, and bobcats—as well as miles of backcountry and coastal trails.

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. A network of trails make it ideal for hiking and horseback riding.

A short drive south of San Francisco, Sweeney Ridge Trail offers great views of the coast. The trail is a combination of paved and dirt fire roads, with about 600 feet of elevation gain for a high point of 1,213 feet.