The Four Corners of San Francisco

Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, Union Square: If you’ve been there, done that, and are looking for something more off the beaten track, then seek out the parklands and points of interest in the outermost points of the city.

The easiest to approach is the northeast corner. A stroll up from downtown along the Embarcadero offers views both grand and intimate of the downtown skyscrapers, with occasional peek-a-boo views across the bay between piers. Take a detour out to the end of Pier 7, jutting out from the foot of Broadway, to get a full 360º view of downtown and the bay. Further up, pop into Tcho, in Pier 17, and sample some of their chocolates … and maybe buy a few while you’re there. At Pier 23, cut across the Embarcadero and cut through the red brick Levi’s Plaza, headquarters of America’s most famous jeans company. If you’re up to it, hoof it up and down the meandering staircases on Greenwich and Filbert Streets that scale the looming eastern face of Telegraph Hill. Along the way, admire the quaint homes nestled in among the gardens and wooden pathways, and be thankful you don’t have to move your furniture into one of them. At the top, the fire nozzle-shaped Coit Tower sports significant WPA murals influenced by Diego Rivera.

Way out (north)west is the appropriately named Land’s End. Looking down from the bluffs near the Cliff House, the ruins of Sutro Baths, once among the grandest Victorian bathhouses, lay asunder among the waves. Following the Land’s End Trail to the north and east, keep your eyes peeled for the remains of three shipwrecks out on the craggy shoreline. A nearby turnoff towards Mile Rock Beach brings you to a labyrinth created by artist Eduardo Aguilera. If you’re adventurous, trailheads take you down to occasional secluded beaches, but be warned: At least one is an unofficial nude beach, so you may end up with a very different kind of sightseeing.

The southwestern corner is home to Fort Funston, whose looming sand dunes housed a battery of two massive 16-inch guns with a range of over 26 miles. Today it’s a more peaceful place, one of the most popular dog parks in the city, where owners can let their dogs run free along the rugged shoreline. The dunes also make a prime location for hang-gliding. So if you’ve ever had a burning desire to take a flying leap off a cliff, here’s your chance. And if you’re not up for that kind of exhilaration, just hang back and watch them launch. It’s breathtaking.

Jutting out into the bay in the southeastern corner, past Monster Park stadium, home to the 49ers, is Candlestick Point State Park. There’s little to do here but hike along the trails and maybe settle in for a picnic. Due to its sheltered location, it enjoys milder, banana-belt weather than the western neighborhoods. From the far southeastern pier, watch fishermen angle and windsurfers skitter across the water’s surface, or just enjoy the sweeping views from the industrial edifices at Hunter’s Point to the airplanes taking off from SFO.

[Photo by Rick Audet]