San Francisco

Angel Island & Marin Ridgeline: Bay Views from the Water's Edge

Angel Island is the largest natural island in San Francisco Bay — a former immigration station, military base, and now a state park ringed by 13 miles of trails, with 360-degree views of the bay and all four bridges. The ferry crossing from Tiburon takes 10 minutes and removes you from the city entirely. Combine it with the Mount Tamalpais Dipsea Trail descent for a day that covers the full spectrum of Bay Area trail terrain.

Stinson Beach & Bolinas Lagoon: Marin's Secret Coast

Stinson Beach is Marin County's only Pacific beach — a 3.5-mile arc of sand at the base of Mount Tamalpais, reached by one of California's most dramatic coastal drives. Bolinas around the corner is the Bay Area's most deliberately hidden community, regularly removing its highway signs to discourage visitors. The Bolinas Lagoon is one of the most productive bird habitats on the Pacific Flyway.

Sausalito Houseboats & Tiburon Waterfront

Sausalito is the Bay Area's most idiosyncratic community — a hillside town of art galleries, boutiques, and a houseboat colony of 400 floating homes that have housed artists, musicians, and eccentrics since the 1950s. Tiburon across the Richardson Bay adds a quieter, Victorian waterfront character and the best views of the San Francisco skyline from the north bay.