The Vermilion Cliffs are the second "step" up in the five-step Grand Staircase of the Colorado Plateau. Reddish or vermilion-colored cliffs are found along U.S.
Land's End and adjacent Lincoln Park stretch from Ocean Beach & the Cliff House northwest to the wealthy Seacliff neighborhood (ask a local to point out Robin Williams' house). A trail follows the coastline along the park's length, offering fantastic views of the nearby Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge, the art deco VA Hospital, and the Pacific Ocean.
Its somewhat remote location in the Richmond District means you likely won't get stuck in a crowd (aside from those rare warm Saturdays), even though the Legion Of Honor museum is just up the road.
While Bixby Bridge is one of the most photographed bridges in California, it is likely that neighboring Big Creek Bridge takes top honors. Traveling north five miles beyond Lucia on Route 1, you'll see the bridge in the distance and a paved and often busy parking lot where people are out of their cars looking and taking photos.