The inside local's take
Designed by Bernard Maybeck to evoke a Roman ruin. Originally built of plaster and burlap, it was rebuilt in permanent concrete in the 1960s and restored again in 2009.
The reflecting lagoon is home to swans, ducks, and a very photogenic sunrise. Come before 8am for glassy water and no crowds.
Pair a visit with a walk along the Marina Green to Crissy Field — a flat, three-mile shoreline that ends directly beneath the Golden Gate Bridge.
More landmarks
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Golden Gate Bridge
The 1.7-mile International Orange span opened in 1937 and still steals every San Francisco skyline. Walk it from Battery East for the classic view.
Alcatraz Island
The federal penitentiary that held Capone and Machine Gun Kelly. Ferries leave Pier 33; the cellhouse audio tour is one of America's finest.
Painted Ladies of Alamo Square
The famous row of pastel Victorians on Steiner Street, with the downtown skyline framed perfectly behind them from the park's east lawn.