Yesterday we did a nice day trip to the Golden Gate national recreation area, where we visited the…read morehistoric site for the Nike missile silo number 88L. as of April 2026, the site is only opened on the last Saturday of the month between 12 and 3 PM. There is a free parking, but the lot is small so if it is full, you can park at one of the other parking lot that are located either below the side or past the site. However, you would have to walk either uphill or downhill from the other parking lot and that is roughly about 1/3 of a mile. This was a very interesting visit and we were able to see several radars, equipment, and missiles from the Cold War in a guided tour by several elderly military volunteers who maintain and run the tours. Some of them who worked at that same site between 1950s and 1970s. Due to the current political administration, they have lost most funding and it was very shocking to hear that the site opens once a month and that it is staffed completely by all volunteers. They told us that one ranger visits for two hours every month due to budget cuts to the park system. Volunteers are in their 80s and 90s, and after talking to them, they feel sad that their history and experiences will be lost due to lack a funding since it is very likely that the site will close completely as the volunteers become unable to keep these going due to their age and lack of parks personnel and national parks funding. The site has multiple things to see, they have a very small area where they show a movie and have some artifacts to see, then you move over to another area where you can see some missiles and lastly you walk over to the site where they store some of the missiles and you get a chance to observe how they bring one up and down (and also go underneath where you can see where they have them stored and their communications area.

This was the first place our 11 year old truly made a comment about how cool something like was…read more We were the first tour of the day, so when they opened the doors to lift the missile; the water from the rain dumped down making a huge dramatic effect to add. This was one of the most interesting and cool places we've gone too. Having been at White Sands too, it was cool to see it all "put together". I can't recommend this stop enough. Junior Ranger program was short too, which my son loved.

It was really frustrating making the trip out here to find the site closed due to the government…read moreshutdown a few months ago. Seeing such a beautiful scenic area lead to an old locked door standing between myself and the lighthouse was a sad way to end the visit. There were still nice things to see but to go with the review: Could've been better

A part of our Marin Headlands 31 mile hike adventure. It was a quick stop to see this old…read morelighthouse. We can only view it from a distance. If the lighthouse can speak, I'm sure it will have a million stories to tell. It was a nice stop for us to witness something from the past. The Park Rangers were extremely nice and cheerful. Please come and create your own adventure.

This exhibit is located in Sausalito, near the Marine Mammal Center, surrounded by trees, a few…read morepicnic tables, and a very narrow road. For actual parking, I'd say the Marine Mammal Center lower lot is probably the closest and most reliable, but it would be a bit of a walk. I just parked on the narrow road (Kirkpatrick Street) after visiting the MMC, as there didn't seem to be anyone using the road to Fort Cronkhite. The display is set up nicely to get a sense of the size and shape of the creature, even without all the bones. It's worth making a stop to check it out if already visiting the marine mammal hospital, but I wouldn't recommend going out of your way for this.

near to the marine mammal center. this giant blue whale…read moreskeleton is a must to visit or just to take photos.

Hiking leads you to discover so many interesting areas that are natural and man-made. Mother Nature…read moreprovides so many places with wonderful views and man makes structures that are significant and have historical importance; Battery Townsley has both. There are so many batteries built along the California coast that I've explored during my hikes and this is one of my favorites. It's located on a side of the hill in Marin Headlands heading towards Hill 88. The one huge difference between this battery compared to the rest is the size of its guns...and they were big. Even the barrel of the gun is on display outside the battery for everyone to admire. Most of the batteries that were constructed along the coast were WWI era, this one was constructed during WWII. Construction started in January 1938, completed in July 1, 1940 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use on July 24, 1940. It is a reinforced concrete, casemated battery with two gun emplacements mounted with 16" guns that was part of Fort Cronkhite. It's named after WWI veteran and superintendent of the United States Military Academy, Major General Clarence P. Townsley. The two massive 16" guns were mounted on steel carriage on heavy-duty rollers that enabled the guns to pivot 140 degrees. The whole assembly weighed over a million pounds, which required lots of practice to ensure it operated smoothly, which the crew drilled repetitively. Each gun was capable of shooting a 2,100 pound, armor-piercing projectile with a range of 25 miles. That's as far as the Farallon Islands with that range. One of the guns eventually made it to the U.S.S. Missouri, which is now permanently docked at Pearl Harbor. This is the battleship where Japan officially surrendered to end WWII. The size of this battery was also massive that included bunk room for 150 soldiers, 2 powder rooms, 2 shell rooms, 2 powder service rooms, 4 storerooms, power room, radiator room, latrines, a shop and storeroom. A large reserve magazine room was also built in about 2500 feet southeast of the gun emplacement # 1 on the reverse slope that is not visible as it was surely heavily fortified. There's also a long tunnel from the entrance leading to the gun emplacement # 1 that is very cool to walk through. It reminded me of 'Walking Dead' every time I walk through this cool tunnel. On a nice clear day, the views from this battery provides a gorgeous backdrop of Rodeo Beach and Marin Headlands nearby, as well as the Golden Gate Bridge, the city and the Peninsula Coast in the distance. But Karl visits this area a lot, especially in the early mornings. He tends to dissipate in the afternoon and you're rewarded with clear skies. Next time you're hiking towards Hill 88, stop by this battery and check out the big gun. #YelpChallenge2020 review No. 84

This is an excellent spot to take photos of the city and GG bridge. There were so many people here,…read moreincluding at least one wedding party for photos. Everyone was so patient and nice about parking and taking turns. There was even a tailgate vendor selling hit dogs, tamales and drinks. My daughter was able to get the shot she wanted for a school project.

This overlook felt absolutely magical. The moment you arrive, you're greeted with breathtaking…read morepanoramic views of San Francisco and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge stretching across the water. Seeing the city skyline in the distance with the bridge framed against the bay is something you truly have to experience in person. The way the light hits -- especially around sunset -- makes everything glow. It's peaceful, awe-inspiring, and the perfect place to just pause and take it all in. Whether you're visiting for the first time or you've lived nearby for years, this spot reminds you just how beautiful the Bay Area really is. It's one of those views that stays with you long after you leave.

Pulled up to what most people just think is "the tunnel after the Golden Gate Bridge"... but this…read moreone actually has a story. The Robin Williams Tunnel (formerly the Waldo Tunnel) is basically the doorway into Marin County and Sausalito. After Robin Williams passed, they renamed it in 2015 because he lived right nearby in Tiburon -- and honestly it feels fitting. The Bay Area has a personality, and somehow this entrance matches it. Northbound is the real experience. You're in traffic, rock walls around you, then suddenly you come out the other side and the whole Marin coastline opens up in front of you. It's one of those moments where everybody in the car goes quiet for a second. Southbound is the opposite -- you exit the tunnel and boom... the Golden Gate Bridge appears like a movie reveal. It's weird reviewing a tunnel, but this one isn't just infrastructure. It's a gateway and kind of a tribute at the same time. Some places you pass through. This one actually feels like you arrived.

Cool remembrance of an amazing man. Brilliantly funny and a talented actor. I enjoy a reflection…read moreevery time I pass through his namesake tunnel. I appreciate you.

Living in the Bay Area is unique since there are so many places to get away from the concrete…read morejungle we call cities by simply getting in our cars and driving to these places. You can be downtown one minute, cross the bridge and go through a tunnel and voila...you're out in open space, but you can still see the city from a distance. I love going to the Marin Headlands as it looks so far, but it's actually a lot closer than you think. There are so many trails and points of interests that you can explore, or you can head down to Rodeo Beach. Head up to Point Bonita to check the lighthouse if you're feeling adventurous. In this same area, there's an old military battery on top of this hill that has a vantage view of everything I just mentioned. Battery Wallace was named after Colonel Elmer J. Wallace, a Coast Artillery Officer who died in battle in Somlly, France in 1918. It's a WWI-era reinforced concrete with two 12 inch guns on each side. Construction started in 1917 and completed in 1921 which was then transferred to the Coast Artillery for use as part of the coastal defense. Initially, the design of the gun placements did not include overhead protection from potential bombers. These were added later on both sides that included 5' of earth for extra protection and it would blend in and act as a camouflage from aerial spotters. The Battery was casemated during WWII and decommissioned in 1948, three years after the war. From below, the two gun emplacements looks ominous as you are looking up at them, and the first thing that comes to mind is fortified bunker. It must have been quite a sight the see both guns on each end just like an old gunslinger waiting to fire his guns at a moment's notice. This is one, cool looking battery as it just looks buff, beefy and manly. *Insert Tim Allen grunting sound here.* There are two separate tunnels leading to each gun emplacement, and you just feel secure walking through them. But the best feature of this battery is the gorgeous views that it provides from the front, topside and backend of the battery. You can see Battery Mendell down below as well the the beach and the ocean from the front and top and a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city from the rear. There's even a picnic area in the back, but that is another story to be told at a later time. The next time you're in Point Bonita, just look up the hill from the parking lot and you'll see this gorgeous-looking battery and it'll be waiting for you to be explored. #YelpChallenge2020 review No. 83

Lots of details about this interesting corner of the Bay Area provided by our guide Dan G. He was a…read morewealth of information, pretty funny and as a local was able to share a lot of perspective on the islands changes. Great day trip and I wish we had more time to poke around.

Wonderful tour led by Jim. History + nature! A great morning spent on the island…read more For people who are looking to visit the Naval Museum on the island, it is no longer open, but this tour is operative and you get to see the naval chapel and walk around the area. I was originally looking for information about the museum and arrived at this page: https://www.mihpf.org/tours. I hope this will help you find their tour options and dates! All digitalized, no fuss. And it turns out I was the only who signed up for today's tour, and they did not cancel on me because of that. I really really appreciated it. One last thing, the money you spend on the tour goes into helping this foundation : ) Yay!

Really fun to explore abandoned war relics in San Francisco. Battery Kirby was built and used…read morearound World War II when Pearl Harbor was invaded. The battery is just a relic but adds wonder. Kirby was a Civil War lieutenant. Walk up the stairs and go to the top and wander. Take in the views.

Battery Kirby, obviously in Kirby Cove, was part of the Harbor Defense of San Francisco. It's a…read morereinforced concrete Endicot Period 12" battery guns that was part of Fort Baker. An interesting fact is that it shares a history with the Philippines during WWII. I'll get to that later. The battery was constructed in 1899 and completed in 1900. It had its own power plant with two 25 KW gasoline motor-generator sets. Named after 1st Lieutenant Edmund Kirby, who served as a Brigadier General of Volunteers during the Civil War, who died in battle. It was mounted with two 12" guns on disappearing carriages and was in service from 1900 and decommissioned in 1941. Its first gun was dismounted September 21, 1933 and was subsequently shipped to the Philippines and mounted on Battery Cheney, Fort Mills, Corregidor. That's the same island where General Douglas MacArthur escaped on March 11, 1942 and made his famous quote, "I shall return." The second gun was dismounted on August 28, 1941 and was also shipped to the same fort and battery in Corregidor, Philippines. No wonder when I first saw this battery I was immediately drawn to it. Unlike most of the batteries constructed along the coast, this one is laid flat behind the beach. From the front, it's hardly visible and camouflaged by the land with only the observation deck visible. It was probably designed this way to blend in with the natural surroundings. Now, it's a cool place to explore and part of the rich military history of San Francisco. At least it has a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge. #YelpChallenge2020 review No. 72