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

Our camp site was just an 8 minutes drive away. We came on a Saturday just before 2pm and intended…read moreto just check out the beach. We did not know we also stumbled onto this little fishing village and museum too. Apparently you can also rent the space out for wedding receptions too as we had seen one being set up. The beach was also nice as we spent a few hours here. It's a pebble beach so bring something soft to sit or lay on. There are also a few picnic tables. Even if we don't camp we could see ourselves visiting here as it's very peaceful and not busy at all.

We had reservations at the campground at China Camp State Park in early August, 2024, which was…read moreintended just as an overnight stop while on-route between Santa Cruz, CA and the Oregon coast. Without having done any research with respect to what to expect at the state park, we were very pleasantly surprised to stumble upon the China Camp Village. The Village commemorates an historical (1880s) Chinese American shrimp fishing village on the shore of San Pablo Bay. The small (unmanned) museum is in one of the original restored buildings, and has exhibits that depict the work and lives of the fishermen from that era. We also walked along the pier, and took photographs of the old boats on the shore and the "Grace Quan", which is moored to the pier. The Grace Quan is a reconstruction of a San Francisco Bay shrimp junk that was a workhorse of the dried shrimp industry from 1860-1910. We ended the evening watching sunset over the bay from one of the plentiful picnic tables. Clean restrooms are available. The state park charges $5 for day use parking.

This place is easy to miss. From the street, it's hard to spot, so keep an eye out for The…read moreInverness Store (grocery store). Enter the parking lot next to the store and walk toward Tomales Bay. I actually missed it during my trip to Point Reyes Lighthouse back in 2021. A short walk, we came to a hidden photo spot worth stopping for, especially on a sunny day with a bright blue sky. It creates a unique and picturesque scene. Be careful of the muddy ground on the way to the shipwreck, even in summer. It's going to be very messy with muddy shoes. This place continues to deteriorate over time, so I'd recommend seeing it while you can. It may not be around much longer.

This is my great grandfathers boat and it's over 60 years old! Fully made out of wood, and my…read moregrandmother was almost born on it!

Cute mini museum/exhibit on the side of the Mt Tamalpais East Peak Visitor Center…read more The barn doors only open on the weekends, but the signs are informative enough that, even on a weekday, you can pretty much get the gist of it. This is the site of what used to be the Crookedest Railroad in the world, with something like 237 turns. The tracks were ripped out decades ago, after the rides declined in popularity. The gravity cars seem like they were such a fun, wholesome, unique attraction. It's hard to believe there's not enough demand for them to be running anymore. I wouldn't go out of my way to see this, but it could be a fun place to visit with little kids, especially if you come on the weekend between 12-4, when it's open. For those of us children who are a little too old for this, there are plenty of cool hiking trails originating from the same parking lot at the visitor center. Parking is $5 unless you have a pass from camping.

If you go to the trouble to make it to the top of Mount Tam, you should definitely check out this…read moreMuseum. This was actually quite a famous location a few generations ago. Movie stars and other famous people came to this location to ride the famous gravity car, and stay at some of the famous hotels around this area. Mount Tam has some of the most well-known, fun trails in the entire San Francisco Bay Area. Did you know that Marin County is the birthplace of mountain biking? That's absolutely true. Some of the most famous mountain bikers and race winners live right here. I highly recommend biking or hiking the old gravity car road. Don't miss the West Point Inn, another famous stopping point for travelers. It's fun to imagine what it must have been like going down on one of those gravity cars. They have a gravity car that you can visit here, but don't try taking it down the mountain, since the tracks are all gone now. It would be a wild ride. I always wonder what would happen if the brake man fell asleep or went unconscious for some reason. Would the gravity car just keep on going?

5 Stars as one of the Bay Area's hidden geological wonders. This is an hot spring on the Marin…read morecoast at the end of the Dipsea Trail. There are cool cabins to be rented from Mt Tam State Park up on the plateau above the springs. Parking is possible, but kinda scary. There's a fairly comprehensive description by the Bay Guardian at: http://www.sfbg.com/nudebeaches/marin.php Important to note is the information that this hot spring is only available at low tide and, therefore, you've gotta think about the tide changing if yer "chilin'" in the spring! If you consider yourself an adventurer, don't be off-put by the Guardian's "D" rating, this hot spring is an adventure!

It isnt hidden by any means... describing this spring as a…read morewonder is a gross exaggeration. recently it has become overcrowded and disgusting. the locals have become extremely and hostile towards outsiders. dont even consider going unless you know someone who is a local. parking is sketchy and you risk getting cited. the trail down is treacherous and is covered with posion oak. even at low tide the springs are barely accesible due to the rising tides. the water isnt even warm and its smells like rotten eggs. this place isnt worth your time or effort to get to...

Do you long for world class walks along the Bay? Are picnics by the SF Bay romantic enough for you?…read moreWhat about a very long walk down an endless pier? Sadly the pier itself is closed, but the shoreline is timeless and gorgeous. And let's not forget fishing on a perfect day. Along the Bay Trail, you will find happy visitors and families. There is history here with free knowledge Mon-Sun, bring your own container.

The Berkeley Pier has been closed for several years now!! No doubt they either need to retrofit it…read moreor tear it down altogether and build another one. The 4 stars is for when it was open, and you could walk all the way out to what felt like the middle of the Bay. A great way to walk off the dinner and/or drinks that you had at Skates which is right next to it. People would be out here all day and night fishing, or just hanging out. I really miss walking on this Pier, I really hope they repair or replace it, if not, I'll always be glad I got to experience it when it was open!!

Built in 1912 and also previously known as Ferry Point Tunnel, Dornan Drive Tunnel now leads you to…read moreMiller Knox Regional Shoreline, which also includes the remnants of the old Richmond Ferry Terminal located in this area. It's 741.2 feet long and 34.1feet wide. Not the longest tunnel, but certainly a pretty cool tunnel. If I'm not mistaken, it's painted the same color as the Golden Gate Bridge, which is International Orange. Located in Point Richmond, across the Chevron Refinery by the Richmond and San Rafael Bridge. Quite a contrast from the industrial area in the northern side of this neighborhood that leads you to an oasis of historical sites, great bay views and quiet, secluded neighborhood on the south side. There's a walking pathway inside the tunnel that leads you to Keller Beach, which is the first thing you see as you exit on the south side of the tunnel. It's a little rough around the edges, but there's beauty and charm, nonetheless. It's a great place to walk around with your four-legged family members, with plenty of free parking and lots of local businesses to frequent from bars to restaurants. A tunnel that leads you to plenty of surprises on both ends.

these people are doing one of the most important and stressful jobs in the United States. The Coast…read moreGuard people that work at this station patrol and do rescues in some of the most treacherous Waters in the world. This station covers the waters around the Golden gate Bridge..when you're visiting Fort Baker, you can't really stop in here for a visit, because it is a secure facility. But be sure to take a picture of it and remember what the women and men that work here do everyday. They risk their lives. Make it a point to get a picture in front of every Coast Guard Station in the San Francisco Bay Area.