Shore Thing to the Golden Gate

Surely one of the most memorable shore walks in San Francisco is along Golden Gate Promenade. Along the four-mile path extending from Aquatic Park to Golden Gate Bridge is a rich diversity of historical, architectural and cultural attractions complemented by a sandy beach, vast waterfront green and inspiring vistas of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin headlands.

Golden Gate Promenade even has its own logo: a blue and white sailboat emblem. Along the promenade you can witness several periods of military history from the early airfield at Crissy Field to the Civil War-era fortress Ft. Point.

The promenade is a popular place to exercise. San Franciscans jog it, cycle it, walk it. Some stop at the exercise stations en route.

You can begin this walk from a couple of different locales, ranging from east to west: Fisherman’s Wharf, Aquatic Park or Ft. Mason. The latter has much to recommend it for the first-time visitor. Golden Gate National Recreation Area headquarters is at Ft. Mason, and the parking is pretty good here too. Obtain a map from the white, three-story structure, one of many historic buildings at Ft. Mason.

Ft. Mason (well worth a walk all by itself) has evolved into the North Shore’s culture capital. The piers and warehouses of Ft. Mason Center host theater performances, live radio shows, environmental education seminars and many kinds of recreational activities.

Sunbathers enjoy snuggling into one of the hollows of grassy Marina Green to get out of the wind, which is considerable--to the delight of kite fliers. The winds stirring the bay across from Crissy Field have made the waters here a premier board-sailing locale.

Don’t miss another national park system attraction off the promenade. San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, once part of the Golden Gate National Recreation area, is now an independent unit that includes a museum and a collection of historic ships.

The maritime museum is housed in a onetime 1930s’ bathhouse, built in the form of a luxury ocean liner. Stainless steel railings and portholes add to the nautical look of the structure. Inside are exhibits interpreting a century and a half of California seafaring--from the ships that carried gold-seeking ‘49ers to whaling boats, yachts and ferries.

Directions to trail head: Park in the large lot at Ft. Mason, located at Marina Boulevard and Beach Street.

The hike: From Ft. Mason you may walk along Marina Boulevard or across Marina Green, but the paved pathway along the bay shore is the best way to go.

At St. Francis Yacht Harbor, notice the sea wall, which offers a great stroll; at its end is a wave organ, which (when the tide is right) serenades walkers with the sounds of San Francisco Bay.

The promenade joins Marina Boulevard for a time, passing some Mediterranean-style haciendas and nearing the Palace of Fine Arts and its superb science exhibit, the Exploratorium.

Resuming a more bay-side route, Golden Gate Promenade leads along Crissy Field. Besides nostalgia for the early days of aviation, Crissy Field also boasts San Francisco’s North Shore’s most pristine stretch of beach. The low dunes bordering the beach are dotted with native grasses.

The promenade zigzags around a parking lot and fishing pier before nearing Ft. Point. With so much to see, your return route will be as fascinating as the first half of your walk.

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San Francisco Golden Gate Promenade

Where: Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Terrain: San Francisco’s northern waterfront.

Highlights: Marina Green, museum and ships of San Francisco

Maritime National Historic Park.

Distance: 4 miles one way.

Degree of difficulty: Easy.

For more information: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, For Mason, Bldg. 201, San Francisco, CA 94123; tel. (415) 556-4484.