Golden Gate National Recreation Area

California Hwy 1, San Francisco, CA 94123, USA

Address:	California Hwy 1, San Francisco, CA 94123, USA
Phone:	+1 415-561-4700
Site:	nps.gov
Rating:	4.7
Working:	Open 24 hours Open 24 hours Open 24 hours Open 24 hours Open 24 hours Open 24 hours Open 24 hours

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 7

Greg Pickering

Hands down one of the most amazing parks in America. The options of what to see her are countless. Nah just kidding. Its like 7 main things. Golden Gate Bridge, Point Reyes, Muir Woods, Cliff House, Angel Island, and the Ocean. Oh yeah... and Alcatraz, believe it or not, its part of the park too. In reality there is a huge variety of things to look at because its a massive park. Lets start with the basic minimum that must be done when you head into this large park. Hawk Hill. One of the best overlooks you can ask for to look back onto Golden Gate and SF itself. The drive itself is nice and offers a lot of viewpoints. It tends to be crowded and difficult to find parking throughout the day, so keep that in mind. Muir Woods. Another place where parking can become a nightmare and quickly. But still worth it. Pay the small cover fee to get in and take a hike. You can go for an easy stroll through the main pathways and simply enjoy the gigantic Redwoods and some fresh air, or take one of the more serious paths that heads away from the crowds. There can be some pretty decent elevation gains on these paths, but a regular hiker shouldnt be overly worried with them. Point Bonita. It offers a few a things in itself actually. The most popular being the lighthouse. It was built back in 1855 and was the first Fog Signal lighthouse on the west coast. I would always recommend it. It is not your typical lighthouse in the area as it is sort of off of the main body of land, and actually accessible by a bridge. You walk through a tunnel to get to it, and the surrounding areas are beautiful views of the bay and very commonly you can see an abundance of wildlife. While up this way make to seek out the Point Reyes shiprwreck if you have time. In a way it is iconic as to its simplicity and photogenic traits. Angel Island is also always worth a trip in of itself. I recommend coming in from Tiburon though, not Sausalito and especially not SF. Plan to spend most of the day on the island to enjoy it. Angel Island has a huge significance in not only California history, but American history. Think of Angel Island as the West Coasts version of Ellis Island. Only a little darker and sadder. While it started out simply as a military base and battery defense system, the immigration station took place and somewhere around 1 million Asian immigrants were "processed". However, now it is a wonderful place to embrace some history and get the hands down best views of the Bay Bridge, Oakland and especially SF. From here you have the Cliff House. Another lace with great historical significance. While a cool place to visit on the SF side, it is highly advised to read up on what it was prior to arrival. Without knowing what you are supposed to be looking at, it can get lost on you. Regardless, there are some great views and especially great sunsets to be taken in from this area. You can stroll over for a walk through Lands Ends which offers many magnificent views of the Golden gate bridge from the other side. The restaurant is worth stopping at as well, especially for a quick brunch. I wont go into Alcatraz because I feel that, like most things here deserves its own attention. Just know you should go see it. Now I have mentioned quite a few things here, but of course I havent mentioned it all. There is still the Presidio as well as Fort Mason, Fort Baker, Fort Funston and Fort Point. Cant forget about the significance of all the beaches and the variety of coast line each one offers.

K Lee

Golden Gate National Recreation Area is a huge collection of properties all around the San Francisco Bay Area, all managed by the US National Park Service. Most of the land was former US Army and US Air Force bases that are being converted into park land. Most of the properties are easily accessible from residential areas, often by bus or bicycle or even on foot. There are many spectacular viewpoints as well as historic area and ecologically fascinating areas. I suggest that you visit their website and then try to visit different parts of the GGNRA since each property has its unique charm. The area immediately north and south of the Golden Gate Bridge is the most popular, but GGNRA has much more to offer.

Carl Payne

I absolutely love running and hiking in the Marin Headlands which includes the Golden Gate National Recreation area. Although in the summer (yes, summer) it can be foggy and cold here, on a clear day it is tough to beat the views of San Francisco, the Pacific Ocean and the North Bay. There are several options for parking but I prefer to park over at Pirates Cove and begin my wanderings there. Beware on a nice day parking can be limited and the trails busy so show up early and catch the nature preserve at its most pristine. There are limited facilities near parking and none on the trail so be sure to bring your own water and food.

Ludovic Enault

Exceptional Audio Tour and Park! Going in and out of the park is part of the adventure. Ferry takes you from pier 33, 15 minutes later you land in the rock. After a first introduction you go uphill to catch a personal Audio-tour and you visit Alcatraz following narratives from former officers or residants. Its very enterttaining. You can pause whenever you want to take a picture of a cell or admire the vue of San Fransisco. You take the ferry back to SF and realize how hard it must have been to escape from the island! The only drawback is the necessity to plan the tour since its almost mandatory to buy tickets in advance

Joshua Norton

Dont walk this bridge. Dont drive across this bridge. The only way you should ever see this bridge is on a bike. I may be a little biased here because I like riding bikes but there is to me no better way to see this bridge. In fact, theres no better way to see the amazing city of San Francisco. You can also bike to the north side of the bridge and up to the city of Sausalito. This was the coolest part of my entire travels in the Bay Area! Go far enough away from the tourist spots where its not too busy and you will feel like your in a countryside village in Italy! Bike the bridge! Do it!

Update

Beaches, cliffs, hills, forts, and towering redwood trees make up the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, easily accessible from San Francisco. Many visitors come to embrace the outdoors, whether hiking, biking, swimming, birding, riding horses, or whale-watching. But this scenic area is also rich in history and includes landmarks like Alcatraz prison and the Presidio, an 18th-century military post. You can even base yourself within the recreation area; Cavallo Point’s rooms and suites occupy restored turn-of-the-20th-century Colonial Revival buildings that overlook San Francisco Bay.

Sidharth Anantha

Absolutely spectacular view. From this point, the city of San Fransisco and surrounding mountains are clearly visible. The centerpiece of the view is the golden gate bridge, where the scene is unprecedented. Although the overlook does often get incredibly crowded. There is a large line just to climb the mountain around sunset. Although this is expected as the sunset is clearly visible from the mountain, and reflects off of the bridge and the city. If you were to see sunset from this point, I suggest going early and waiting up there at least an hour in advance, or going on a weekday