Muir WoodsMuir Woods is the first place my friends took me on my first visit to San Francisco. I realized why -- Muir Woods is one of those rare places that has something for everyone. For the nature lover, it is beautiful and extraordinary. For the spiritually inclined, it is a place where you can wander off the main paths and meditate. For the jaded world traveler, it is something to check off on your must-see list. It is a place where the precocious 1-year-old exclaims, "Wow, BIG trees!" as she walks along the easy, short circular path, imagining that she has walked into a fairy tale. What is Muir Woods? Muir Woods is a well-known park north of San Francisco that has some of the largest trees in the world. It is famous for its giant redwoods, which can be so large in diameter that a car can drive through it. Muir Woods is at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge, which is also an interesting destination. The Bridge has a very interesting story behind it, although the story is not told at the Bridge itself. As you drive across the Bridge, you will get a stunning view of the Bay and understand why some many people love this city. To avoid the hordes pouring out of the tourist buses carrying people from every inhabited continent, go at off-hours (such as very early or very late in the day).