Autonomous cars have come a long way since Google's self-driving car project started back in 2009.
21.07.2023 - 08:00 / roughguides.com
The Golden Gate Bridge, rows of colourful Victorian houses, trams chuntering up steep hills: San Francisco is a city full of iconic sights. But it's worth tearing yourself away from it for a day or so to discover the other Californian treasures on its doorstep.
A trip to Angel Island State Park gives you some breathing space from the bustle of the city. This wooded island in the Bay is covered with trails for hiking and biking (you can do a bike circuit of the island in about an hour) and grants panoramic views around every corner. Bring a picnic – and a tent, if you want to stay at the campsite for a night – and a decent pair of shoes, and enjoy a refreshingly cheap, back-to-basics break for a few hours. Ferries leave regularly from San Francisco's Pier 41.
Angel Island as seen from Marin Headlands © Sundry Photography / Shutterstock
One of California's few remaining areas of old-growth redwoods, Muir Woods National Monument is the kind of place where you can easily lose a day. It's a popular trip for all those active San Franciscans – arrive early to avoid the crowds – but even when it's teeming with people a sense of calm pervades. The monumental trees line winding trails and a picturesque creek; one of the more challenging routes (the imaginatively named Redwood Creek Trail) follows the water down to Muir Beach. Pop into the impressively authentic Tudor-style pub at the Pelican Inn for some fortification before making your way back. Tour companies like Extranomical run trips to Muir Woods, very handy if you don't have your own transport or want to get a bit of background on the area.
Wandering amongst the giant redwoods of Muir Woods National Monument © My Good Images / Shutterstock
If the fog in San Francisco is getting you down, hop on the ferry to nearby Sausalito, which is usually protected from the «June gloom» that cloaks the city. It may be a tad touristy, but harbourside Sausalito is still undeniably charming, with colourful houseboats bobbing in the bay and seafood restaurants jutting out over the water (try Scoma's). It's also not too far from Muir Woods, so the two can easily be combined into a one-day trip. The roads are rammed early on, especially on sunny days; avoid the queues of cars and enjoy a great view by heading over on the ferry instead.
The wooden pier leading to the seaside neighbourhood of Sausalito © Ben Bryant / Shutterstock
Visiting Presidio Park, by Golden Gate Bridge on the northern tip of San Francisco, can feel like a day trip already. This huge green space, dotted with historic monuments and works of art, is an escape from the city, but it's also a common starting point on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. Currently 375 miles long, and with plans to extend it to a 500-mile
Autonomous cars have come a long way since Google's self-driving car project started back in 2009.
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