Guide to San Francisco: Outdoor Living

San Francisco is an Outdoor Enthusiast's Dream

If you're stymied into a catatonic state by too many options for leisure activities, scratch Bay Area schools from your list. The ocean, mountains, and multiple nearby preserves provide an overabundance of choices for outdoor adventuring. Hiking, biking, climbing, swimming, paddling, fishing, camping and more compete for your precious free time. Luckily, close access allows you to squeeze more of these activities into your schedule.

Escape the City Buzz with Bay Area Parks

Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the country's largest urban national park, offers an incredible 76,500 acres of recreational land, including 28 miles of untamed Pacific coastline. The park encompasses Fort Point National Historic Site, Muir Woods National Monument, Alcatraz Island and the Presidio.

Forget about a gym membership — San Francisco's hilly streets will have you in shape in no time. Feel the burn as you brave Filbert Street's 31.5° slope. Skip the treadmill for a jog through the 1,500 acre Presidio National Park, past the legendary military post that served three nations from 1776 to 1994.

Strap on your helmet and enjoy one of the most bike-friendly environments in the U.S., thanks to well-maintained trails and an accommodating public transportation system. The hilly terrain challenges your body and your mind, compelling you to strategize ways to navigate the most torturous of inclines. Nobody will think less of you if you walk your bike up (or down) the most extreme hills.

Chill Out: Sloth-Approved Entertainment

The Bay Area also offers mellower activities for more sedentary-inclined outdoorsmen. Whale-watching is a popular winter pursuit. Just south of the city, you can camp among the redwoods in Butano State Park — a short distance from Ano Nuevo State Reserve, which provides a good vantage point for spotting whales and mammoth elephant seals. You can also camp at Angel Island State Park, smack in the center of San Francisco Bay.

Sources:
SF Parks & Recreation
GORP: SF Outdoors
A View on Cities: San Francisco