Written by Freya Waring, J-1 Exchange Student
There are a lot of things I love about San Francisco, but I’d say my favorite is its seamless ability to blend both city life and nature into one landscape. To me, cities are often overwhelming, and without a car I worried I would have no chance to escape the constant whirr of noise and energy. But that wasn’t the case. Over the couple of months that I’ve been here, I’ve collated a list of my favorite places to walk, hike or picnic in the Bay Area, ranked from most to least accessible from San Francisco.
- Golden Gate Park: My criterion for a good park is the ability to find a place where you can’t hear the sounds of traffic. Ever since Golden Gate Park shut off JFK Drive to cars, I’ve found the place quieter, fuller and more welcome. My first day in San Francisco I walked the length of the park – from Haight Ashbury to Ocean Beach – just to see what I might find. Three hours later and I feel I’ve only scratched the surface of sights to see in this six-mile-long strip. I recommend Golden Gate Park for: picnics, sunbathing, the De Young Museum, biking, rollerblading and walking.
- Land’s End: Take the 28 bus to the Golden Gate Bridge visitor’s center, and from there is one of the best hikes in the Bay Area. Cutting along the coast from the Presidio to Land’s End, you’ll be greeted with sweeping coastal views, old military bases, and sometimes fog so thick you can’t see the path in front of you. When I did this hike, I stopped off at Baker Beach for a rest, then cut off the hike on the edge of Richmond for Mexican food. I recommend Land’s End for: hiking, reading, swimming, meditation, yoga and sunbathing. But be warned! Part of the hike leads you across the nudist section of Baker Beach.
- Golden Gate Bridge: There are two paths on either side of the Golden Gate Bridge: one for pedestrians, and one for cyclists. Thus, you have two options. Cycle around the Presidio, across the bridge and back, potentially continuing up to Sausalito and Marin. On the other hand, you can take a leisurely stroll across the bridge, before taking the 130 either into the city or back to the visitor’s centre. I recommend coffee and sandwiches at the Round House Café, or lunch from the food trucks that line the park near the Presidio transit center.
- Pacifica: An easy bus ride from Daly City takes you to my favorite beach in the greater Bay Area. It’s quieter than Ocean Beach, full of families and surfers; a perfect place for a dip and a coastal hike. If you’d like to make a day out of it, I recommend walking around the Pedro Point Headlands in the morning, enjoying the sun at Pacifica State Beach all afternoon, then catching the sunset over the ocean at Pacifica Pier.
- Oakland Redwoods: If you are a visitor to California (or even a resident), you must see the redwoods at some point in your stay. While the best of them are restricted in Muir Woods or further into NorCal, there are a number of hikes just a short drive away in the Oakland area that will give you spectacular climbs shaded by massive redwoods. While I don’t believe it is accessible by public transit, renting a car with a group of friends is an easy way to experience one of the best natural sights California has to offer.
- Stinson Beach: This is my personal favorite hike in the Bay, a beautiful combination of shaded forest, rolling hills, ocean views and a place for a dip after you’re all hot and sweaty. About a ninety-minute drive from San Francisco is a small town nestled in the hills around Muir Woods, which draws all of the views but none of the crowds. If you want a harder hike, try scaling Mount Tam, but I love to begin at the Matt Davis Trail Head and explore the many snaking paths through the hills. If you go on a sunny day, there’s a beautiful beach to decompress, and an excellent beachside takeout spot that does excellent cheeseburgers. Nothing tastes better than after a long hike.
- Lake Tahoe: This trip will take a lot more planning, but if you ever get the chance for a weekend in Tahoe, take it. In summer the air is chilly and clear, and the water is cold but swimmable if you’re brave. The sheer magnitude of this lake is incredible: stretching across two states, if you stand on one side of the lake, you’re unable to see the other. Tahoe can be busy, but pretty much any lake in the greater Tahoe area will bring you a beautiful weekend trip. Many have campgrounds, or hotels nearby wonderful lakeside hiking. And if you have the right car gear and snowshoes, exploring the meadows after fresh snow feels like a whole new world.
- Yosemite: I don’t have much to say that hasn’t already been said about Yosemite, but I feel obliged to recommend it. It’s relatively inaccessible without a car, and it’s expensive, and it’s very, very hard to find camping on the valley floor (I believe they use a lottery system), but the valley is quite possibly the most spectacular place I have ever been. Hiking to the top of Yosemite Falls, pitching a hammock between two trees and gazing down at the valley for hours is one of my most cherished memories. I hope you get to experience it.
Happy hiking!