Fort Funston

Fort Funston is one of my favorite spots for sunset viewing due to its accessibility and clear view of the western horizon. It's conveniently located off Highway 35, and it's pretty close to the I-280/Highway 1/Highway 35 interchange. Fort Funston is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, so it's very well maintained. It can get crowded during sunny days, and it's very popular with dog owners. Due to its terrain, being high up on a cliff, it's popular with hang gliders too.




Positives:

• Very accessible
• Lots of parking space
• Portable toilets available
• Awesome view of the Pacific/western horizon, perfect for sunset
• Very dog friendly
• Hang gliding friendly

Negatives:

• Gets foggy in summer
• Gets cold and windy in winter, but not unbearable.
• Short hike needed to get down to the beach

Hang gliding setup area at Fort Funston

It's clear to see why hang gliders love this spot. The cliffs are perfect for uplift, and the view is amazing.

Taken from a safe distance from the landing zone.

When wind conditions and weather are just nice, you'll see sights like this.

The beach is a short hike down the cliff. The hike back up can get pretty tiring.

The trail leads to the fort

If you're lucky, you might see porpoise swimming along the coast from the viewing deck

This is a popular object for photographers. This is located about 10 minutes walk from the beach access point.

One tip about sunsets: If it's cloudy, but there's a gap near the horizon, stay!

Because the sun is going to peek out into the gap

And burst forth with blinding light!

If it's raining, you might even see a rainbow!

Or a double rainbow!

Sights like this are more common in winter when the storms roll in, and the fog stays far away from the coast.

Links:
Official site: http://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/fortfunston.htm