Marin Headlands: Golden Gate

Posted on | March 24, 2010 | No Comments

On our last day in San Francisco, broke as a joke, but still wanting to take in more of the sites of San Francisco we decided to take a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. the Parc 55 Concierge suggested to us to take the San Francisco MTA #76 bus which only runs every hour on Sunday and Holidays. This would take us right to the Golden Gate Bridge Toll Plaza for $2.

Catching the bus at Sutter & Powell the MTA driver asked us where we were going. After hearing we were going to the Golden Gate he suggested we stay on at the toll plaza, cross the bridge with him and he’d show us something beautiful on the other side. A little creaped out and confused at first we saw him tell passenger after passenger the same thing. So we went with it. The Golden Gate Toll Plaza came and went.

After crossing the bridge we tool a left up a steep hill into the Marin Headlands, a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. We immediately recognized the view point where most tourists captured views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Still climbing up we entered a passs and were exposed to some of the greenest hills I’ve encountered in California. With some random stops, that I don’t believe were bus stops along the way we then passed a Nike Missile Site at Fort Barry. Now decommissioned the Nike Missile sites across the country were antiaircraft sites built in the 50′s for the cold war. We eventually caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a hidden beach and lagoon. The bus worked its way down the mountain sides to Rodeo Beach, where about a hundred surfers and dog owner took advantage of the beach and the water. To the south there was a rock formation that looked a lot like the closing scene from Goonies. There appeared to be countless hiking trails branching off from this stop to take advantage of

The Marin Headlands were definitely a treat. The next time we are in the bay area, we plan on taking advantage of this park, the trails and the beach front. We’re hoping we can take Cooper next time.