Fort Point...one of the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge!

I don’t even know where to start. Fort Point, how did I never venture down to find you, in all my previous travels to The Bridge? I’ll be upfront with a disclaimer: I am absolutely obsessed with the Golden Gate Bridge. I wasn’t sure if it would be as amazing in person as it was in photos or in Epcot’s Soarin’ California Adventure (back when it featured only California sights—alas, one of my favorite rides has gone to Disney heaven). But my oh my, the Golden Gate Bridge really is one beautiful structure. And for me, it never, ever gets old. I’m awestruck every. single. time.

Back when I spent three summers in San Francisco (more on that here), I had a “welcome back” routine: On my first full day after flying in, I’d head to the bridge for a run. The bridge spans 1.7 miles, so I’d log just over 3—meaning my way through the crowds, dodging the walkers, runners, strollers, and bikes, and stopping every few steps to pull out my iPhone and snap photos. I’m constantly amazed at how different it can be on any given day. I’ve seen it shrouded by fog (shout out to Karl the Fog!!) to the point where it’s been partially—or nearly completely—hidden. You know it’s there, but only because you’ve seen it before. If you hadn’t, you’d wonder.

On this most recent trip, I again traveled over to the Golden Gate Visitor Center to take in the familiar sight. This time, however, I passed on the run, as it was another rainy day. Instead, I ventured to the trail that would lead me to Fort Point National Historic Site. By the time I got there, I was cold and soaked. I must have looked it, too, as the ranger working at the site invited me to take a few minutes by the small space heater he had in the entryway. My cameras, luckily, were warm and dry, protected inside my rain-cover-covered backpack.

I was lucky enough to be exploring on a weekend, when the fort was open (in the spring, it’s open Friday-Sunday). For the next hour or more, I explored every nook and cranny. I wondered about what California must have been like years prior, when the fort stood guard even before the Golden Gate Bridge became the city’s sentinel. I wandered inside its arched walls as the rain slowed to a steady drizzle and, then stopped, making way for clearing skies. From within the brick walls to atop the fort itself, I took it all in—the bridge from every angle, including underneath!. From this incredible new-to-me vantage point, I wondered how I had never made my way here before.

It’s definitely worth reading about this gem, “the Pride of the Pacific,” and its history here, but I will say this: if you’re in San Francisco and the Fort Point is open, GO. You will not be disappointed. And if you do go (and you will!!), don’t forget to get your NPS Passport Book stamped!