A county park that bisects the peninsula south of the main city, San Bruno mountain is accessible by car and has loads of walking and biking trails. The Saddle Trail goes through woods and leads to fantastic views of the city.

It's particularly convenient for the airport, which is why if you've got a couple of hours to kill before or after a flight it's a great antidote to the stress of air travel. Parking is $5.

Guadalupe Canyon Parkway;
For directions see www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/smc/department/home/0,,5556687_12313315_12345092,00.html#Directions

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Just off Fisherman's Wharf there are a couple of platoons that've been taken over by basking seals. They sunbath, swim, fight and generally provide a surprisingly entertaining show.

I took this photo:
www.flickr.com/photos/bryceedwards/134744111/

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Muir Woods National Monument, thirty minutes or so north of San Francisco, is an absolute must on any visit to the Bay Area. The sheer scale of the redwood trees, some of which are over a thousand years old, is almost overwhelming. Film fans will also recognise it as one of the locations used by Alfred Hitchcock in 'Vertigo'.

Mill Valley, CA 94941;
tel: (415)388-7059;
www.visitmuirwoods.com

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Nearest redwood forest to SF. Deeply spiritual place - which gives a taste of what the coastal forest must have been like before the loggers got working. The trip includes crossing the Golden Gate bridge and returning by ferry from the pretty town of Sausalito.

There are lots of tour companies that go there but they charge a lot of money and give you almost no time. It is accessible by public transport and the best parts of the park can be see on this round trip walk.

Saturdays in summer:
Golden gate bus 10/70/80 (before 9.57) from the Civic Centre to Marin City then catch bus 63 to Muir Woods (leaves Marin at 10.41). Arrives at Mountain Home Inn 11.07. Walk through the forest to the visitor centre (downhill). Return from Pan Toll ranger station or Bootjack (mostly uphill but not steep) 3.29 (last bus to catch a ferry 5.24). Arrive Marin 4.04, bus 22 to Sausalito ferry leaves 4.09. Ferry from Sausalito 6.10 (or at 4.45). Arrive SF 6.40 (or 5.15). Last ferry at 6.25 from blue & gold terminal el portal east of Bridgeway.

For more information on how to get to Muir Woods see www.nps.gov/muwo/pphtml/planyourvisit.html

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Beautiful lake right in the centre of Golden Gate Park. Hire a rowboat for about five bucks, and make nice lazy progress around the central island, perhaps stopping to pick blackberries on the way. Of all the things I did whilst in SF, this was the most relaxing and idyllic.

Muni (the municipal railway) offers connections to the park from transit stops throughout the city. See their pdf for more information: www.goldengateparkconcourse.org/docs/2005%20Muni_GoldenGatePark_Brochure.pdf

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