Member-only story
SF BAY AREA DAY TRIP ADVENTURE
Day Trip Adventure: Stroll to the Cliff House
Stroll along the Great Highway from Golden Gate Park, visit the Camera Obscura, learn some history about the Cliff House.
This is part of a series of family-oriented day trip outings around the San Francisco Bay Area I look forward to enjoying with my kids once social distancing and shelter in place isn’t the norm any longer.
Cliff House Stroll — A Bonus Adventure
A visit to the Cliff House is a step back in time. As a kid, the Musée Mécanique was located in the basement of the Cliff House, the entrance across from the Camera Obscura. During its last renovations, the Musée Mécanique had to relocate to Pier 45. But visiting it at the Cliff House gave added effect to stepping back in time playing with all the classic arcade games. I’m glad to see the Cliff House looking so good, but I miss visiting the Cliff House of my youth.
Adventure: A Cliff House Stroll
- Stroll along the Great Highway from Golden Gate Park
- Visit the Camera Obscura
- Learn some history about the Cliff House
Stroll along the Great Highway from Golden Gate Park
Crossing the Great Highway from Golden Gate Park, take a right and head north up toward the Cliff House perched on the rocks ahead. The walk is approximately 3/4 of a mile and about an 80-foot elevation gain. Walking at the edge of the Richmond District, notice the 2 blocks of condos between the park and Sutro Park. Until 1972, these two blocks and the two behind were Playland at the Beach. It was a seaside amusement park similar to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.