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It's a short drive to the tunnel
that takes us to the other side
where the headlands —
literally, high land jutting
into the sea —
are hidden.
Coming out
of the tunnel is almost a shock.
The steep, lush hills of Sausalito are replaced with rugged,
brown rolling mounds; the sunshine is gone and fog swirls
overhead; the roads are desolate. It
looks uninviting and forlorn.
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First impressions are
often wrong.
A few
miles in, we stop at the
Visitor’s Center and
collect maps and
brochures. The Headlands, we discover, are crammed full of surprises.
Besides ocean
beaches,
hiking, biking and horseback riding trails —
all with exquisite views —
there is the vibrant energy of history, culture and
preservation.
Inside
are two military batteries, the Nike
Missile Site, the Marine
Mammal Center,
a hospital for wounded mammals, A Home Away
From Homelessness, a place for homeless children, the Golden
Gate Observatory,
Headlands Center for the Arts, a highly unusual place
where artists and thinkers are encouraged to think independently, the Headlands
Institute where
children are adults are inspired to care for the environment, and the Point
Bonita Lighthouse.
The lighthouse
is open for a few hours on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
"You have just enough time to see it before it
closes,." the park assistant tells us, so we
hustle up the road. GO
 
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