National Park Visitors Center

San Francisco grew from its docks, and this 10,000-sq-ft visitors center for the nearby maritime national historical park details how, with a permanent exhibit re-creating the city's 19th-century waterfront. Also on display is a rich collection of maritime artifacts, from a giant first-order lighthouse lens manufactured in Paris in the 1850s to scale models of 19th-century schooners. Kids love exploring the vast space. Rangers provide maps and information about the surrounding Golden Gate National Recreation Area's trails and walks.