Golden Gate National Recreation Area - Definition and Overview

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is a U.S. National Park which surrounds the San Francisco Bay area. It extends over 75,000 acres (304 km²) of land and water and is two-and-a-half times the size of San Francisco. It is one of the largest urban national parks in the world and one of the most visited national parks in the U.S., with over 20 million visitors a year.

The park contains such famous tourist attractions as Alcatraz and the Presidio, as well as extensive nature preserves, 28 miles (45 km) of coastline, and many islands. Other parks, monuments, and attractions administered as a part of the area include:

• Battery Chamberlin - the last remaining coastal defense "disappering gun" on the U.S. West Coast.
• China Beach
• The Cliff House
• Crissy Field
• Fort Baker
• Fort Cronkhite
• Fort Funston
• Fort Point National Historic Site
• Gerbode Valley
• The Marin Headlands
• Milagra Ridge
• Muir Beach
• Muir Woods National Monument
• Nike missile site SF-88
• Ocean Beach
• Olema Valley
• Phelger Estate
• Point Bonita Lighthouse
• San Francisco National Cemetery
• Stinson Beach
• Sutro Heights
• Sutro Baths
• Sweeny Ridge

Golden Gate National Recreation Area is not synonymous with Golden Gate Park, which is an urban park located entirely within San Francisco and managed by the city.

External link

• NPS Official Site for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (http://www.nps.gov/goga/)