Parks around Danville

America's only Nobel Prize winning playwright, Eugene O'Neill, chose to live in Northern California at the height of his writing career. Isolated from the world and within the walls of his home, O'Neill wrote his final and most memorable plays; The Iceman Cometh, Long Day's Journey Into Night, and A Moon for the Misbegotten. The park is closed for tours on Mondays and Tuesdays.

John Muir played many roles in his life, all of which helped him succeed in his role as an advocate for Nature. As America's most famous naturalist and conservationist, Muir fought to protect the wild places he loved, places we can still visit today. Muir's writings convinced the U.S. government to protect Yosemite, Sequoia, Grand Canyon and Mt. Rainier as national parks.

On the evening of July 17, 1944, residents in the San Francisco east bay area were jolted awake by a massive explosion that cracked windows and lit up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were instantly killed when two ships being loaded with ammunition for the Pacific theater troops blew up. It was WWII's worst home front disaster.

Contra Loma Dam and reservoir are part of the Central Valley Project - Delta Division and offers recreational opportunities for the East Bay area near San Francisco. Numerous hiking trails exist as part of the facility and the area provides excellent access to the Contra Costa Canal Regional Trail. The trail system provides for bikes, equestrian and pedestrian use and are available from 5:00 am ...

The Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge is located in the San Francisco Bay-Delta area, along the southern shore of the San Joaquin River. It was the first national wildlife refuge in the country established to protect endangered plants and insects. Established in 1980, the refuge provides protection for three endangered species: Lange's Metalmark butterfly, Antioch Dunes evening primrose a...

Explore and honor the efforts and sacrifices of American civilians on the World War II home front. Find out how they lived, worked and got along. Many faces, many stories, many truths weave a complex tapestry of myths and realities from this time of opportunity and loss.

"Everyone mount up!" was the rousing call from Juan Bautista de Anza. In 1775-76, Anza led more than 240 men, women and children on an epic journey to establish a settlement at San Francisco Bay. Follow their legacy along a 1,200-mile historic trail from Nogales, Arizona, to the Bay Area. For a dynamic online Anza Trail experience, follow the link below to our partner site AnzaHistoricTrail.org:

Stand on the stern of BALCLUTHA, face west to feel the fresh wind blowing in from the Pacific Ocean. Located in the Fisherman's Wharf neighborhood, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park offers the sights, sounds, smells and stories of Pacific Coast maritime history.

Alcatraz Island offers a close-up look at the site of the first lighthouse and US built fort on the West Coast, the infamous federal penitentiary long off-limits to the public, and the 18 month occupation by Indians of All Tribes which saved the tribes. Rich in history, there is also a natural side to the Rock—gardens, tide pools, bird colonies, and bay views beyond compare.

For 218 years, the Presidio served as an army post for three nations. World and local events, from military campaigns to World Fairs and earthquakes, left their mark. Come enjoy the history and the natural beauty of the Presidio. Explore centuries of architecture. Reflect in a national cemetery. Walk along an historic airfield, through forests or to beaches, and admire spectacular vistas.

The Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is located in south San Francisco Bay, California. One of the largest urban refuges in the United States, it is an island of wildlife habitat in a burgeoning metropolitan area of 7 million people. The refuge consists primarily of tidal marsh, salt ponds, mud flats, and seasonal wetlands acting as a keystone to the preservation of the biolo...

Just north and west of San Francisco Bay a large expanse of Pacific Ocean along with nearshore tidal flats, rocky intertidal areas, wetlands, subtidal reefs, and coastal beaches were designated in 1981 as Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. This 1,255 square mile area (948 square nautical miles) is larger than the state of Rhode Island. The Farallon Islands, 30 miles (26 nautical mil...

The Bay Model was built in 1957 as a research tool to test the impact of proposed changes to San Francisco Bay and its related waterways. The model has been used to study the effects of chemical/oil spills, altering of shipping channels, levee failures, and bay in-filling. The hydraulic model was used to simulate currents, tidal action, sediment movement and the mixing of fresh and salt water. ...

From its vantage point overlooking the spectacular Golden Gate, Fort Point protected San Francisco harbor from Confederate and foreign attack during and after the U.S. Civil War. Its beautifully arched casemates display the art of the master brick mason from the Civil War period.

The park chronicles 200 years of history, from Native American culture, Spanish Empire frontier, California Gold Rush, evolution of American coastal fortifications, and growth of urban San Francisco; comprising of 19 separate ecosystems & home to 1,273 plant/animal species. It has hundreds of ways to recreate including horseback riding, ranger-led programs, bicycling, hiking, and walking your dog.

NARA's Pacific Region (San Francisco) has more than 48,000 cubic feet of archival holdings dating from 1850 to the 1980s, including textual documents, photographs, maps, and architectural drawings. These archival holdings were created or received by the Federal courts and more than 100 Federal agencies in northern California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada (except Clark County), American Samoa, and the Trus...

The San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve comprises two components located along the salinity gradient of the San Francisco Bay. The reserve's 3,710 acres are located at China Camp State Park in San Rafael and Rush Ranch in Suisun City, 30 miles north and 50 miles northeast of San Francisco, respectively. A primary focus of the reserve is to support tidal marsh restoration throug...

Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1992. It is located in San Pablo Bay off the coast of San Rafael in Marin County, California. Two islands (East Marin and West Marin) form the core of the refuge; surrounding submerged tidelands also are part of the refuge. West Marin Island, rises 85 feet above the bay's waters and supports the largest heron and egret rookery in the Sa...

When John Muir learned that William and Elizabeth Kent were naming a redwood forest near San Francisco in his honor, he declared, "This is the best tree-lovers monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world." The couple had purchased the land to preserve its beauty and restful wilderness; and in 1908, they donated it to the federal government to protect it from destruction.

The San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge lies along the north shore of San Pablo Bay in Sonoma, Solano, and Napa Counties in northern California. The refuge includes open bay/tidal marsh, mud flats, and seasonal and managed wetland habitats. The Napa-Sonoma marshes in San Pablo Bay have been greatly impacted by human activities such as hydraulic mining, salt production, water diversions, and...

The Preserve is home to California's largest remaining valley oak riparian forest, and is one of the few protected wetland habitat areas in the state. The Cosumnes River is the only free-flowing river left in California's Central Valley. Only minutes from California's capital, this is a critical stop on the Pacific Flyway for migrating and wintering waterfowl. Over 200 species of birds have been s...

The San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge encompasses more than 6,500 acres of riparian woodlands, wetlands, and grasslands that host a diversity of wildlife native to California's Central Valley. Established in 1987 under the authority of the Endangered Species and Migratory Bird Conservation Acts, the refuge has also played a major role in the recovery of Aleutian cackling geese. Within...

Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary is a lush feeding ground for many marine mammals and seabirds. Algae and invertebrates proliferate. Endangered humpback whales along with Dall's porpoises, albatross, shearwaters, and countless other marine species flourish in this extraordinarily rich marine environment. However, few people have seen this special part of the California seafloor due to its de...

The Phillip Burton Wilderness now contains a total of 26,025 acres and is managed by the National Park Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of California. In 1976 the Phillip Burton Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. ...

From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors over 1500 species of plants and animals to discover. Home to several cultures over thousands of years, the Seashore preserves a tapestry of stories and interactions of people. Point Reyes awaits your exploration.