Land's End and the Haight Neighborhood

The San Francisco Bay area has so much outdoor space to explore, especially along the Pacific coast.  A great park along the water in San Francisco is Land's End.  We parked in the Sea Cliff neighborhood.  This neighborhood is a wealthy area with some beautiful homes that overlook the water in this prime real estate area. Land's End has stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands along with a great walking trail with wildflowers and cypress trees along the route.  We walked from China Beach to the Visitors Center at Land's End.  There are a few miles of trails to explore, a few go down to the water, but most are up on the cliffs above the Pacific.  The park's formation began when Adolph Sutro wanted to bring urban development to the city's edge.  He created the park, first with a restaurant called the Cliff House and Sutro Baths. The Sutro Baths was an engineering marvel and a great recreation place for anyone living inthe San Francisco area in the 1890's. Mr. Sutro built the seven swimming pools so that each was a different temperature and that the power of the Pacific Ocean would fill the baths up during high tide.  In the day a visit to Sutro Bath's was a full day affair for the entire family. Along the beach, many rocks are jetting from the water where the bird's nest, one has a hole in the center that is shaped like a heart.  The panoramic view of the Pacific here is very peaceful.    The Cliff House Restaurant has one of the best views in all of San Francisco.  This is a trendy restaurant for visitors and locals alike.  Once you finished your dining at the Cliff House, you can stroll down Ocean Beach along the Pacific. This beach is a long stretch of white sand that meets the mighty waves of the Pacific.  ​

Another fun area we explored with my cousin was the Haight as it is called short for Haight-Ashbury. This vibrant neighborhood is well known to anyone who grew up in the 1960's and 1970's.  The community was named after the intersection of the two streets and has a diverse makeup of visitor and residents looking to feel the historic hippie vibe.  This neighborhood is where the Grateful Dead lived in their early years.  There are plenty of boutique vintage clothing shops, record shops, and some great restaurants.  We went to a wonderful authentic Thai restaurant, called the Ploy II Thai SanFran that my cousin and his wife used to frequent weekly when they lived in the neighborhood.  

In this area of the city is the famous Painted Ladies.  Many people refer to this neighborhood as the Full House street from the TV show "Full House."  This row of Victorian houses sits across from Alamo Square and is a picturesque view of the many offerings that San Francisco has for visitors. ​