If there’s one thing I love about San Francisco, it’s the abundance of nature. Sure, hop in a car and a 20-minute drive will take you to great beaches, hiking trails, and forests, but within the city itself, green spaces and parks abound. Finding nature in San Francisco is as easy as knowing where to look.
Luckily for me, my good buddy Jordan had bravely volunteered to play tour guide for the weekend, even taking a day off (a much deserved one, at that) to give us more time to explore. This particular Friday, I was in for a treat. We’d be heading to a particularly nature-ey part of San Francisco that I’d never been to before, Lands End.
Though I’d heard of the fabled coastal paths of Lands End (and the incredible views that come with), they’d always eluded me, so I was beyond thrilled to spend the day doing a bit of light hiking.
First, however, we had to fuel up for the afternoon adventure, so we began our day downtown, in the neighborhood of Embarcadero.
This part of the city is a regular tourist haven, but it has a few spots that are consistently popular with locals as well. The historic Ferry Building is one of those places.
We frolicked on over and found the place bustling as usual. We’d come for one important purpose, however, so as we deftly maneuvered through the crowds, we kept our eyes peeled for those slimy, booger-like things some people consider food, oysters. 
We found them with little trouble, as oysters seem to be all the rage in San Francisco, and Jordan ordered three of the biggest boogers he could find.
We then made our way back out to the sunshine, prize in hand. I watched in horror as he excitedly slurped down the slippery creatures, finally turning my attention instead to the beautiful view in front of me of the San Francisco Bay Bridge. In exchange for the trauma he’d just put me through, I forced my camera on Jordan and ordered him (nicely) to play photographer for the day. He begrudgingly agreed.
We meandered southward along the water for awhile longer until the afternoon caffeine craving kicked in. At that point, we made a sharp right turn into the Financial District for a cup of joe before catching a Lyft out to Lands End.
Before I even get to the photos, I’m just going to put this out there–I was NOT disappointed.
The driver dropped us off beside the Legion of Honor, one of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. We didn’t go inside, but I wouldn’t be opposed to coming back on a later visit. It’s gorgeous from the outside, and I can only assume the art collection is just as impressive. It sure seemed to be drawing a sizeable crowd, and I doubt they came all that way for the café.
We ambled on toward the walking paths heading in the general direction of China Beach where Jordan assured me great views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Truth be told, the great views started the moment we stepped on the path.
After a short while, we found ourselves at the edge of Lands End and entering the affluent cliffside neighborhood known rather fittingly as Sea Cliff. Here we found the late Robin Williams’ former home, looking slightly run-down in the absence of proper upkeep. The comedian sure had fine taste, though.
Continuing on, we came to our final point of interest for the day, China Beach. The sign at the beach entrance reads:
Since Gold Rush times, this cove was used as a campsite by many of the Chinese fishermen who worked in and around San Francisco Bay. Their efforts to supply the needs of a young city helped establish one of the area’s most important industries and traditions.
Couples, families and even the odd swimmer populated the beach on this spring afternoon. Surely if I were to ever live in San Francisco, I would take day trips to this beach over some of the more crowded ones closer to the city.
Jordan did an excellent job as stand-in photographer, and I couldn’t choose which photo I liked the most. What do you think–should I hire him full-time?
With that, our quest for nature in the big city ended, and we made our way back to the concrete jungle of Hayes Valley. If you find yourself on a similar quest for nature in San Francisco with incredible views of the Golden Gate Bridge to boot, make a beeline for Lands End. You won’t regret it!
Where is your favorite spot to indulge in nature in San Francisco?
