A quirky park on the shoulder of San Francisco is my favorite little area in the entire city. Lands End has a powerful punch of nature and some seriously strange wonderful characteristics. First – the city has made the ruins of an exorbitant Greek style bathhouse available to the public. The lavish Sutro Baths was built in 1894, but fell to into disrepair during the Great Depression and was eventually acquired by the parks system.
Walking along the walls of the once grand structure beside the sea is an adventure, be sure to examine every nook in the area – you never know what interesting recent developments have been added.
The nature in this little crevice is outstanding, from the geological formations to an arch with a heart carved out of it,
to the flocks of seabirds,
and the plentiful vibrant wildflowers – this place is a dream.
But this is only the first element of Lands End. There is so much more. Hiking trails lead to secluded treasures. Take the Lands End trail to Mile Rock Beach viewpoint.
Head down the stairs towards the water to discover a perfect labyrinth at a cliffs edge.
Walk it and be at peace. Watch the pelicans, gulls, and hummingbirds.
Smell the flowers.
Take in the view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
This place is pure magic. On the way back there were more pretty little birds upon the flowering bushes.
If you appreciate a roadside attraction, don’t miss Camera Obscura.
A huge ‘camera’ based on a device by Leonardo da Vinci creates a 360 degree live image of the ocean from within its dark room. If you want to make a whole day out of there area just next door is a wonderful smelling restaurant and Ocean Beach is right next door!
There is plenty of parking in the area, so be sure to visit one of my top picks in the city for a full day of unique fun.