Golden Gate National Recreation Area is unlike any other park I experienced. Instead of being one giant singular unit, the park is broken up into smaller areas that span across three different counties of the California Bay area.

Each part of the park is vastly different from the other. The Marin Headlands is made up of giant sprawling hills that meet the ocean and allow for amazing views, Muir woods allows you to experience the giant redwoods and connect with an old-growth coastal forest. Did you want to spend more time seeing marine mammals? Point Reyes offers some of the best viewing for elephant seals. Maybe you wanted to stick closer to the city of San Fransisco? Well, Golden Gate has you covered! Chrissy field and Ocean beach offer great areas where the beach meets the city.

Also, within the park, smaller non-profit organizations exist like the Marine Mammal Center or the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory. I am eager and excited by the idea to explore this area for the next 11 months, as I have so much to discover. So stay tuned for what’s next!