The next time you come to San Francisco, you might not want to stay here. By which I don’t mean arms-crossed-in-an-X, get-the-heck-out-of-Dodge kind of way, I mean essay a slightly different perspective. Essay used as a verb is our unusual word of the day.
For my birthday weekend we stayed at Cavallo Point, just across the San Francisco Bay via the Golden Gate Bridge.
Doesn’t get much more iconic than this.
Cavallo Point isn’t a place for city thrills, urban hills, or glamor.
It sits in the Fort Baker National Park, and several of its buildings were original to the fort itself. The history is here. Complex, as is all of America’s past, and evocative. We booked one of the historic room and were upgraded to a suite. You walk up the original, creaky wooden stairs holding a wooden bannister. No air conditioning, the way it used to be around here. And in the current climate, the lawns don’t get watered. Anti-glamor, true to world.
You come here to see the Bay and the hills around it. A short steep walk takes you from your room to the Marin side of the Golden Gate. You can’t help but imagine San Francisco 100 years ago.
I recommend the restaurant, Murray Circle. We ate outside on the porch for every meal except lunch, when we’d pick up sandwiches from the little store next to Registration.
Tuna for lunch.
Best pork I’ve had in forever. So good.
And the next day we drove a little further north to one of the Marin Headlands trailhead and went for a longer hike. Five-ish miles. Even steeper than the walk about Cavallo, even more beautiful view.
At the top of Hill 88, as it’s still called, you find more military ephemera, now gone to graffiti, become art.
There’s a lot to remember. California says hello to panting, exhilarated climbers, newly hopeful.
So do I. Have a wonderful weekend. I hope you can get outside.
12 Responses
Thanks, I remember taking my grandkids to a children’s Museum around there. I’m getting ready to go walking right now. Out I go.
Sandra, yes, thank you for reminding me. For families, there’s a really nice children’s museum right by the water. http://bayareadiscoverymuseum.org
Thank you sharing! Hundred percent my vibe.
Marilyn, my pleasure! I LOVE sharing things that resonate with readers here.
What a lovely birthday gift. Some of the scenery and food looks spectacular. I wish you every happiness.
Luci
Luci, the San Francisco Bay is a place of beauty. I was so happy to share it with you.
How lovely. Glad you enjoyed your stay. As I think you know, Cavallo Point is one of my favorite places. It’s a beautiful natural site, originally Miwok land. I try to imagine them there without any structures or bridges. Such abundance and beauty. I love the people who joined forces to stop the razing of the historic Fort Baker buildings (it was in my daily papers in SF, but I’m having trouble finding it with a cursory online search), and gave us the mixed-use location that became Cavallo Point. When I lived in San Francisco by the Bay Bridge, I loved driving across the city, across the Golden Gate, taking the first exit, Alexander Avenue, off 101, and driving down the narrow two-lane road into Cavallo Point. It was a foreign land nine miles from my urban home. Don’t you love the curved overpass that frames the city for just a moment on the roadway down? Usually, I drive first out to the end of the edge of the point so I can walk as close to the foot of the Golden Gate as I can get, and look out to the Pacific, up at the bridge, and watch the sailboats and cargo liners moving in and out of the bay. I love the full-sun days, but I also love the days when the fog rolls in. It is always magical to look back across the bay to the city. I stayed once in an historic room. It was beautiful and brought back childhood memories of my dad’s USGS offices in small town government buildings. Farley’s Bar was my favorite place for a cocktail, a late lunch, and a book on a quiet afternoon. Their warmed pistachios with orange rind served in a Weck preserves jar smelled wonderful, tasted delicious, and made me happy. Farley’s Bar was renovated to Farley, a bistro that looks much the same but has booths by the windows instead of club chairs and tables. When I’m there I love lunch on the Murray Circle deck or inside Farley. Before the pandemic it was easy to walk in and get a Murray Circle deck table or a seat in Farley’s Bar. My last couple of times there it was more regimented, another side-effect of necessary safety protocols and the difficulty of finding staff. (I found the same on regarding the deck at Auberge du Soleil.) You’ve inspired me to drop in again soon. It’s a beautiful place, and I love the hikes toward Sausalito or on the Marin Headlands. xo.
Katherine, I was thinking of you as I wrote this! You are one of the reasons we decided to try this place:). Thank you for the recommendation, and for adding your experience here for everyone to hear. And thank you for recognizing the Miwok land. Your voice here is so valued. Thank you so much.
Such a lovely birthday! This would be a dream trip for me: it just seems like a place that creates the perfect space for imagination to fill. I’m so glad you enjoyed it — and thank you for sharing your gorgeous photos! Have a wonderful weekend!
Jess, thank you! You are exactly right. It is a place that creates space, with sky, fog, views, the Bay, a bridge, everywhere.
It looks wonderful…a totally different SF experience and one that resonates with me. Thanks for sharing.
I LEFT A COMMENT YESTERDAY FROM MY PHONE BUT ITS NOT HERE!
I GREW UP OVER THERE AND I REMEMBER THOSE GREEN MILITARY BUILDINGS!
I AM HAPPY TO HEAR THEY LEFT THE OLD BANISTERS ETC.
I AM PISSED THEY TORE DOWN THE OLD HOUSING ON TREASURE ISLAND!SOMETHINGS NEED TO BE LEFT AS A GENTLE REMINDER AS TO WHAT CAME BEFORE………..
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!
I SAID MY FIRST WORDS IN THE TUNNEL HEADED TO MARIN!
“WHAT’S DAT”
Comments are closed.