Adventure of the Week: It's a San Francisco treat

San Francisco's Coastal Trail is the cure for too much city. A respite from concrete, pavement and high-rises, it winds from the dunes at Fort Funston, past the Cliff House and the ocean bluffs beyond, and over to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Along the way is an abundance of ocean vistas, San Francisco landmarks and historical sites. Cypress and eucalyptus trees, too.

According to Michael Feinstein, public affairs specialist for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the distance from Fort Funston (500 Skyline Blvd., at John Muir Drive) to the Golden Gate Bridge is about 17 miles. The trail is San Francisco's portion of the 1,200-mile California Coastal Trail.

Feinstein has two favorite scenic areas along the California Coastal Trail – one in Marin County and the other near the Cliff House on the San Francisco side.

"The Marin Headlands is the most scenic," he says. "You can look back at the Golden Gate Bridge and see the city of San Francisco. The Cliff House portion of the Coastal Trail is also spectacular."

The trail is broken here and there by roads and sidewalks, but signs point out where it resumes. Parking is ample and free at Fort Funston and the Marin Headlands at Fort Cronkhite, Feinstein says.

Along or near the San Francisco Coastal Trail are many interesting spots to linger, including:

• The Golden Gate Bridge: Symbolic of San Francisco, the suspension bridge was completed and opened in 1937. The two-mile span is a brisk walk of about a half-hour.

• The Presidio: This historic Army post is now a national park. Among the points of interest are a national cemetery, a former airfield, historic architecture and scenic surroundings.

• Fort Point: It's a brick fort finished in 1861 to protect the city from sea invaders. A lighthouse shares the area with the fort. Both are beneath the Golden Gate Bridge on the San Francisco side. Fort Point was declared a national historic site in 1970.

• Palace of the Legion of Honor: The museum (El Camino Del Mar and 34th Avenue) exhibits paintings, decorative arts, tapestries and sculpture.

• Cliff House (1090 Point Lobos St.): It's a San Francisco landmark perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Spectacular views bless the site, which has served as dance hall, restaurants and shops over the years.

• Fort Funston: You can watch surfers, hang-gliders, parasail riders or the best show of all – the ocean – at this weathered, historic site. Artillery batteries are embedded in the ruins. The fort area is also a dog park.

About the writer:

• The Bee's Dan Vierria can be reached at (916) 321-1119 or dvierria@sacbee.com.