Golden Gate Trailblazer: Where to Hike, Stroll, Bike, Jog, Roll in San Francisco and Marin

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Summary: Tooling Around
Review: I use this as my weekend outing toolkit. It contains tons of trails to explore and the authors cleverly add twists, tips and history to liven up the descriptions. What I liked most is that I don't have to hunt through the pages to make choices. I first go to the index, look at the photos, get the directions and hit the road. For any person living around here it's an essential manual for knowing all there is to do. It even has hand selected lists of good local restaurants and hotels. Never lend it out. You'll never get it back. I've inscribed my name in huge letters on the inside cover.

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Summary: Best Guide
Review: My vacation to San Francisco lasted three weeks. I bought Golden Gate Trailblazer when I arrived and walked many miles with it as my guide. Treasured memories are Limantour and McClures beaches at Point Reyes National Seashore which I never would have found on my own. There's so much more to the Bay Area than Fisherman's Wharf and the cable cars and traffic. This book excels when it comes to organization with maps in every section and a very detailed index. I highly recommend it to hikers and walkers who have never visited this part of California's coast. Like me, you'll probably be surprised at all the places these local authors have packed inside.

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Summary: A good idea
Review: Normally we take three or four guidebooks on vacation. This time we brought only this book and it's all we needed. It was pretty handy having six types of activities in one. We picked new jogging routes from their "Best Of" list every day. It was a wonderful way to see the city and meet some of the locals. Our week was fully packed with places we would have never discovered on our own. Next time we'll bring our bikes so we can cover more ground. A San Francisco book written by San Franciscans - how ideal.

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Summary: Hooked on San Francisco
Review: Reading this guidebook before my first visit was probably the best decision I could have ever made. I didn't realize Marin was so close to San Francisco. The hikes there were world-class and offered stunning views of the city. Writing style was light and breezy. Alot of historical data packed into the book as well. Golden Gate Trailblazer defintely deserves five stars.

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Summary: Sports!
Review: San Francisco was only a brief stopover and this book opened up all the possibilities. It turned my vacation upside down with all its trail recommendations. The book is so well written and well researched. I've loved using it and recommend it to anyone who wants a bit of history along with their exercise. The restaurant recommendations were too cool. These guys are real pros.

Rating:
Summary: A+ + + +
Review: Simply said . . . wow. What a find! High on my list for seeing all the offbeat and major sites around the City and along Marin's rugged coast and bay wetlands. For years I've been the chauffer when guests come and stay. Now I just hand my friends a copy of Trailblazer and tell them to begin at trail #1, The City. For trails in the Golden Gate National Recreation area and Mt. Tamalpais, this is the most detailed book. You really get a feel for northern California and its history by reading it. Maps are A+ too.

Rating:
Summary: A+ + + +
Review: Simply said . . . wow. What a find! High on my list for seeing all the offbeat and major sites around the City and along Marin's rugged coast and bay wetlands. For years I've been the chauffer when guests come and stay. Now I just hand my friends a copy of Trailblazer and tell them to begin at trail #1, The City. For trails in the Golden Gate National Recreation area and Mt. Tamalpais, this is the most detailed book. You really get a feel for northern California and its history by reading it. Maps are A+ too.

Rating:
Summary: Essential reading
Review: Super. The book really captures the essence of the place.

Rating:
Summary: get the new one
Review: This book is excellent but readers should know the authors have recently revised it for 2004/2005. They've added more maps and photos and a section for family outings. The easiest way to find the new edition is to click on the authors name. Note the title has changed slightly too. It's now Golden Gate Trailblazer: where to hike, walk, bike in San Francisco and Marin.

Rating:
Summary: Best Bay Area Guide
Review: This book is filled with good ideas. There's no other book quite like it that covers the entire San Francisco coastline and every trail imaginable in Marin County. As hostel managers, we refer to it constantly to answer questions posed by our guests who want to get out and hike, learn some California history and soak up what's cool around here. We keep extra copies on hand to loan out and, because the maps are so good, most often end up directing folks to where they can be purchased. We like this book.