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Fort Mason, Building 201, San Francisco, CA 94123
Phone: 415-561-4700
Fax: 415-561-4750
Open All Year
Overview. Spectacular ocean views, precipitous headlands, sandy beaches, the isolation of the rugged Pacific coastline, and the urban buzz of San Francisco are all a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The most extensive urban park in the world, Golden Gate NRA covers over 75,000 acres of land and water, and protects over 28 miles of coastline spanning three counties: Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo. The towering coastal redwoods of Muir Woods National Monument lie within its jurisdiction, as does Fort Point National Historic Site, in the very shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge. Likewise, infamous Alcatraz Island and the Presidio of San Francisco, established in 1776, are also a part of this vast recreation area. Here, you can get away from it all or enjoy being right in the midst of a bustling city. What to see and do. Visitor centers are located at Muir Woods, Marin Headlands, Alcatraz Island, Fort Point, the Presidio, and Fort Mason, which is also park headquarters. In addition, the visitor center at Fort Funston serves the GGNRA locations of Sweeney Ridge, Phleger Estate, and Milagra Ridge in San Mateo County. All are open daily year-round. All visitor centers close for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Contact the park for specific hours of operation. All visitor centers offer interpretive exhibits and park information. Recreational activities vary from location to location. Hardy swimmers may choose to brave the waters off Aquatic Park, Phelan Beach, or China Beach, but keep in mind that currents are swift and tricky, the water is cold year-round, and there are no lifeguards; swimming is not encouraged. The waters of San Francisco Bay off the Presidio's Crissy Field attract boardsailers from all parts of the world. Hiking park trails and strolling through the park's urban portions is a popular pastime, and bicycles are allowed on fire roads in Marin County and on Presidio roadways. Hike-in campsites are available in the Marin Headlands; reservations are a must as these sites are very popular. One of the most-visited sites in the GGNRA is Alcatraz Island, once a maximum-security prison known by inmates as "The Rock." Originally constructed as a military facility, Alcatraz was first used as a prison during the Civil War. Its reputation as a federal prison rested on its boast that no one ever escaped successfully, although some say the three men who made it off the island in 1962 beat the odds. No one has seen or heard from them since. Some of the bay's most beautiful views of San Francisco are to be savored from Alcatraz, but that was said to be part of the punishment. In 1963, the prison was closed. Native Americans claimed it and lived there in protest from 1969 to 1971 before it became part of the national park system. In 1973 Alcatraz was opened to the public. Today, tour boats ferry thousands of visitors to and from "The Rock" daily, but if you want to see it you should make reservations well in advance; phone 415-705-5555. Other facilities that operate in conjunction with the GGNRA are Fort Mason Center, with its theaters, museums, art and environmental classes, and renowned Greens vegetarian restaurant; Marin County's Headlands Center for the Arts; the Bay Area Discovery Museum, offering scientific exploration and fun for children two years and older, and the Marine Mammal Center, which attempts to save sick, injured, or abandoned marine mammals. Park headquarters can offer more information on scheduled programs and activities.
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Please call ahead to confirm details. We do our best to give you current information, but facts can change. Please let us know if you find something's changed.
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