Visiting Golden Gate National Recreation Area with Kids

Whether you’re traveling across town or across the country, planning a trip to a national park site with kids can be tricky. The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) and our partner Travelodge® by Wyndham want to help you plan your family’s best national park trip yet by sharing information about parks from someone who knows them well. NPCA consultant and leader of NPCA’s Veteran’s Council Chris Marvin has extensively explored national parks with his kids over the past two years, spending countless hours researching spectacular destinations and developing itineraries for educational and enjoyable trips. Through his travels, Chris has learned – by plenty of trial and error – some best practices to ensure his kids’ national park visits are memories they’ll cherish. And in doing so, he lays the foundation for a future love of and appreciation for parks, so they too understand the importance of preserving them.

Protecting public lands is at the heart of NPCA’s mission, as well as our partnership with Travelodge – and we hope that by helping you plan a national park visit with your kids, they’ll be inspired to protect our parks, too.

Meet Chris & His Daughters

Hi, I’m Chris. I am an Army veteran who is sharing my legacy with my 10- and 12-year-old daughters through national parks. In 2021, our family began an epic three-year plan to spend a month visiting national parks each summer – and to visit others during the rest of the year. We’ve visited national parks across the country, exploring new trails, observing wildlife and educating the girls about the importance of park protection. In this guide, I’ll share details about our visit to Golden Gate National Recreation Area, a semi-urban national park in San Francisco and Marin County, California. Our family has visited Golden Gate National Recreation Area many times, most recently in November 2021 and April 2022, and we still haven’t seen everything there is to see.

Meet the Park

Located in and around San Francisco, California, Golden Gate National Recreation Area features more than two dozen natural, historic and cultural sites, including world-famous Alcatraz, the towering trees of Muir Woods and beaches with beautiful views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Established in 1972, the park has miles of trails to explore, as well as unrivaled ocean views along more than 28 miles of coastline – including particularly scenic vistas from the 150-year-old Point Bonita Lighthouse.

Must-Visit Locations

Our family has been to various parts of Golden Gate National Recreation Area on numerous occasions. Each time we visit the Bay Area, we find an excuse to visit a part of the park that we haven’t seen before or revisit some of our favorite spots. Everyone knows about Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge, but dive a little deeper and you won’t be disappointed. With historic sights and meandering viewpoints, the park provides simple ways to connect with nature near a big city. It’s the perfect place to explore with the whole family.

The Presidio

The Presidio is the original settlement that grew into the city that we now know as San Francisco, serving as a U.S. Army base until the 1980s. It now features a hotel, museums, restaurants, plenty of green space, hiking trails and some of the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge. For us – and most anyone who has been to the Presidio – perhaps the most memorable thing is the smell of the eucalyptus trees. As soon as that scent hits us, we know we’re in that very special national park inside a city!

Family Tips

• Find your way to Battery Godfrey in the northwest section of the Presidio. The battery on the edge of the Pacific Ocean offers epic views of the Golden Gate and endless hours of entertainment for the kids, plus a history lesson for all.
• Let the kids run around the old cement bases where the military once kept weapons and imagine what it was like to be a soldier stationed there many decades ago.
• If you’re adventurous, follow the Battery-to-Bluffs Trail down to Marshall’s Beach and dip your toes in the frigid Pacific Ocean. The trail is less than a mile each way, and the beach provides a great incentive to keep the kids moving!

Fort Point

Travel under the bridge and check out Fort Point National Historic Site – a separate park site nested inside the national recreation area. It’s truly a hidden gem tucked down under one of the most famous American icons. And when you’re out for lunch or dinner, check to see if they have Fort Point beer on the list – a brewery named for the famous landmark.

Family Tips

• Fort Point looks like it was built under the Golden Gate Bridge, but the Fort actually predates the bridge. The fort offers unique views of the monolithic span of the bridge from straight below. In addition to the unique view, take some time exploring the exhibits as a family. The kids will enjoy imagining what it was like when the fort was in use, as well as learning interesting stories about the people that lived and worked there.
• Another fun way to learn about the Fort’s history is to let the kids complete a Junior Ranger guidebook. They’ll even earn a Junior Ranger badge! You can either pick up a Junior Ranger booklet at a visitor center or you can download and print a copy prior to your visit by visiting the park’s website.
• Fort Point is a photographer’s dream setting. Hand the kids the camera and let them take shots down empty halls, out windows and from the tops of spiral staircases.

Marin Headlands

Didn’t get enough views of the Golden Gate from the San Francisco side? Then cross to the Marin County side of the park and explore the Marin Headlands. The views looking back at the city are iconic and have been featured in many Hollywood films. Plus, there are ample activities to keep the kids busy all day. We found ourselves alone on a hiking trail facing the Pacific Ocean when a flock of 20 pelicans flew just over our heads, and then circled back to do it again and again. It was a magical experience, and if you go to the Marin Headlands, you’ll feel the magic too!

Family Tips

• Take a picnic lunch and enjoy a peaceful afternoon at Rodeo Beach, followed by a kid-friendly stroll down the sand or on one of the many hiking trails. Kids will enjoy beachcombing for colorful pebbles of jasper, carnelian, black agate and jade among the beach sands. Encourage the kids to marvel at their colorful handfuls, but always leave their finds at the beach where they belong.
• Keep an eye out for wildlife as you explore the Marin Coast. Look down for harbor seals; look up for pelicans, cormorants, Cooper’s hawks and many more bird species; and see if you can spot a fox or a coyote, which are both quite common. Bring binoculars to encourage your young naturalists to make observations as you walk!
  
• If you can, don’t miss the short one-mile hike to Point Bonita Lighthouse. You’ll walk along the coast, go through a tunnel and cross a footbridge – every kid’s dream trail! Be sure to check the lighthouse hours before you visit – the full trail is only open Sundays and Mondays.

We love Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It’s a haven for city dwellers and a hidden gem for tourists. Many visitors drive past or through it without realizing that they are in a national park. By putting together a brief plan and taking the time to explore a bit beyond the standard tourist sights, you’ll begin to really appreciate why these places have been set aside as part of a national park. It provides a great opportunity to have a conversation with the kids about the importance of protecting wild spaces like this so close to a big city. Reflect together on everything you saw and explored as you made family memories in this unique park site.

NPCA and Travelodge® by Wyndham hope this guide helps you plan your family’s next park site visit. Review our 10 Ways to Adventure Responsibly so your family adventure is not only an opportunity to make memories together, but also a chance to show your children how to be a responsible visitor. By learning and acting together, you’ll help ensure that these places are protected for families to enjoy for generations to come.

Follow Chris and his daughters on their park-to-park tour at www.parktoparktour.com and @parktoparktour on Instagram.