"Nice variety of things to do. Kids (and adults) love seeing the restored Nike Missle site at Ft. Crokett"
Visited on Jul 15, 2011

The serene, majestic beauty of this Grove is a living reminder of the magnificent primeval redwood forest that covered much of this area before logging operations began during the 19th century. Armstrong Redwoods preserves stately and magnificent Sequoia sempervirens, commonly known as the coast redwood. These trees stand together as a testament to the wonders of the natural world.

Long sandy beaches below rugged headlands, a craggy coastline with natural arches, and secluded coves are features that make Sonoma Coast State Park one of California's most scenic attractions. A series of beaches separated by rocky bluffs, Sonoma Coast has 16 miles of some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. Beachcombers, fishermen, sunbathers and picnickers can access the beach from more than a dozen points along coast Highway 1.

Point Reyes is a few miles north of San Francisco and offers a number of great hiking options. There are short hikes to the beach from several entrances, as well as longer backpacking options. There are many campsites near the beaches with water and facilities. The lighthouse on the point is also a major tourist attraction, as are the wildflowers in the spring.

North of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Mount Tamalpais State Park rises majestically from the heart of Marin County. Mount Tamalpais captures our attention with its sweeping hillsides cloaked with chaparral-covered ridges, grasslands and oak woodlands. Deep canyons filled with solemn redwood groves intersect these ridges and slopes to create a diverse environment for a wide array of plant and animal species.

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) is a U.S. National Recreation Area administered by the National Park Service that surrounds the San Francisco Bay area. It is one of the most visited units of the National Park system in the United States, with over 13 million visitors a year. It is also one of the largest urban parks in the world, with a size two-and-a-half times that of the consolidated city and county of San Francisco.

San Francisco is a popular international tourist destination, renowned for its chilly summer fog, steep rolling hills, eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture and its famous landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, the cable cars, and Chinatown. The city is also a principal banking and finance center, and the home of over 30 international financial institutions, helping to make San Francisco fifteenth in the world's list of cities by GDP and eighth in the United States.