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Fort Point National Historic Site (San Francisco)

Address: Long Ave & Marine Dr, 201 Marine Dr, San Francisco, CA 94129

Opens: Fri-Sun 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. (Admission is free)

Golden Gate was declared by the Military officials as the “key to the whole Pacific coast.” Fort Point served as the main example of the U.S. Army’s most sophisticated coastal fortifications. Fort Point is the only fort built on the West Coast between 1817 and 1867. During that time the nation’s coastal defense system built some 30 forts along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The design and construction of Fort Point is an example of a system adopted after the war of 1812 to protect major U.S. harbors. The fort has three tiers of casemates (vaulted rooms) housing cannons, a lighthouse, artillery, and hotshots. The seawall is made up of granite stones fitted together and the spaces between them were sealed with strips of lead.

We accidentally looked into Fort Point as we were taking pictures underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. We saw a few people going in and there was a Park Ranger in front of the entrance. Out of our curiosity, we asked the Ranger what is this place called. We then proceeded inside since it’s free to get in and we were surprised by how big the Fort. We explored all 3 floors of the Fort and learned some historical facts. There were a lot of Civil War-era artifacts, uniforms, furniture displayed and preserved inside. My daughter’s favorite was the different shapes and sizes of old canons that you can touch up close and personal. They even have a powder keg room in the basement which is now empty barrels. We explored all the historical corridors, hallways, stairwells which some were dark, cold, and creepy.

The best part of our exploration is when we reached the top floor of the Fort. It was open-air with great views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city of San Francisco. We even saw a decommissioned lighthouse but the entrance was closed and have no access. We took a lot of great pictures both as a group and selfies with either the Golden Gate Bridge or the City of San Francisco as our background. It was a nice sunny day but a little bit cold and windy weather.

Overall, it’s a unique and cool place to explore, spend a couple of hours with family and loved ones, take great memorable pictures and learn about the history of Fort Point. And there was a scene in the 1958 movie by Alfred Hitchcock called “Vertigo” where Kim Novak jumped into the bay which also showed Fort Point.

Tips: Bring a jacket for the unpredictable weather and bottled water to keep hydrated as there is a lot of walking up the stairs. There are plenty of Park Rangers available to answer all your questions. You can also watch & take pictures of the surfers catch the breaks (waves) created by the bridge. There are lots of parking available but can be busy during the weekends. Try to visit Fort Point early in the morning to beat the local/tourist crowds.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the Fort Point National Historic Site after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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Andy Goldsworthy’s Wood Line in Presidio Park

Address: Presidio Blvd, San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Begun in 2010 completed in 2011 and located in the Presidio Park Lovers Lane in San Francisco. It is an Iconic work of the world’s famous renowned artist Andy Goldsworthy. The Army planted a combination of eucalyptus with rows of Monterrey cypress trees. It has a snaky wood line that is made up of eucalyptus trunks and branches stretching through the woods of a small man-made forest.

It’s is free to the public and parking is hard to find but there are available spaces in the Presidio residential area. But please take note of the time limit restrictions posted. It’s a dog-friendly park but there is no nearby public restroom available. Bring a jacket just in case it gets cold in the man-made forest. They also have safety warning signs about Cayote sightings in the area.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about Andy Goldsworthy’s Wood Line after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site to your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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Lloyd Lake/ Spreckles Lake and Rainbow Falls

Address: Rainbow Falls, San Francisco, California 94118

Lloyd lake is a clay-lined lake in Golden Gate Park and is also known as Mirror Lake. The lake is located in between John F. Kennedy Drive/Crossover Drive and near the East Meadow picnic area. There is also a small and green-colored waterfall that cascades down into the lake. You will also see other small wildlife such as turtles, ducks, geese, etc. There is also a small food vendor in front of the falls that sells hotdogs, water, churros, ice cream, etc.

Spreckles Lake is one of the larger bodies of water in Golden Gate Park. The area or pathways are well paved and a good place to jog, walk run, or even roller skates. There was a lot of boat enthusiasts that are playing with their motored model boats in the water. There are a lot of benches around the lake for you to relax and enjoy the view.

Rainbow Falls- Back in 1930, the waterfalls were originally illuminated with colored lights and that is why it got its name. It is the second man-made falls in SF Golden Gate Park. The John F. Kennedy Drive towards the Rainbow Falls is currently closed or blocked off due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But a lot of people are exercising, jogging, walking, and bicycling on the closed roadway. You can easily hear and see the Rainbow Falls from the main road. We even saw a family of raccoons climbing over the waterfalls.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about the falls and the lakes mentioned after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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Bison Paddock at S.F. Golden Gate Park.

Address: 1237 John F. Kennedy Drive, San Francisco, Ca. 94121

I was surprised to hear that there is an American Bison herd at S.F. Golden Gate Park. On February 13, 1891, is when the first Bison was brought to S.F. Golden Gate Park due to the species was close to extinction. The S.F. Zoo monitor and maintain the American Bison herds by feeding them oat hay, pellet feed, grain, and natural graze. It is located in S.F. Golden Gate Park near the Angler Lodge and west of Sprekles Lake on John F. Kennedy Drive. Parking is easily accessible by parking on the main street but I suggest that you visit the area early in the morning. The park hours are from 5 am until midnight.

The American Bison roams or moves a lot throughout the day in their enclosed field to eat and play. The bison herds are enclosed or surrounded on the field by a dual fence for safety. And you will see a lot of warning signs stating that do not feed the bison. We went earlier and hang around near their caging or containment area. We were fortunate enough to get closer and took a better picture since they go in and out from their caging area. We only stayed in the Bison Paddock for about 10-15 minutes. Enjoy and have fun!

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about the Bison Paddock after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Thank you and have a nice day!

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Strawberry Hill/Huntington Falls

Address: Strawberry Hill, San Francisco California 94118

Strawberry Hill is near the center of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. It is located in the middle of the famous Stow Lake. You can also see the views of Mount Tamalpais and the Golden Gate Bridge from the top of the hill. To get to the top you will need to climb a very steep hill by walking through a series of steps. While ascending, you will also find a great opportunity for a photoshoot of the different views of the waterfalls.

There are 2 bridges which are the Rustic and Roman bridges that connect to Strawberry Hill to provide access to the hiking trails. There is also an artificial man-made waterfall called Huntington Falls that is controlled by pumping of electronically delivered energy. The waterfall cascades down through Strawberry Hill and spills into Stow Lake.

Some of the things that you can do at Strawberry Hill are hiking, walking, jogging, meditate and enjoy the view of the cascading waterfall and Stow Lake. The nearest public restroom is located by the boat rentals in Stow Lake which is about 15 minutes walk from the waterfalls.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about Strawberry Hill and Huntington Falls after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.