moon valley justice court The Presidio This beautiful wooded corner of the city has stunning views over the Golden Gate, but f

Sir Francis Drake In 1579, the English privateer landed near Point Reyes and claimed Alta California for Queen Elizabeth I. Along with other early explorers of the area, he failed to notice the marvelous bay just inside the straits. England didn t follow up its claim to Northern California, leaving it to the Spanish to conquer.

The Presidio This beautiful wooded corner of the city has stunning views over the Golden Gate, but from 1776 until 1994 it was owned and occupied by first the Spanish, then the Mexican, and finally, the US armies, and almost entirely off limits to anyone else. It has now been dubbed a major part of the Golden Gate National Recreational Area, and plans are still coalescing as to its ultimate future. At the very least, it is a spectacular park, full of nature trails, moon valley justice court streams, forests, drives, moon valley justice court and historic structures. Some of the buildings are being turned into cultural centers, but many of them are still residences. Parts of it may eventually be developed for commercial use (see p48). d Map D2

Angel, Treasure, and Yerba Buena Islands A trip out to Angel Island, now a state park, can make for a very pleasant day of picnicking, biking, hiking, kayaking, and swimming. But in the early 1900s it was the

requires that all coastal areas remain public, although access roads to them can be private. China Beach is small and protected from the wind, there s plenty of parking, and it s a pleasant walk down to the sand. Once there, you ll find showers and even changing rooms.