San Francisco's best, as seen from a zeppelin at 1,000 feet

Just a week after the 75th anniversary of the Hindenburg disaster, CNET flies on an airship during a SugarSync event and spots some of the best the Bay Area has to offer.

Daniel Terdiman

May 11, 2012 4:21 p.m. PT

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Golden Gate Bridge and the zeppelin

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Seventy-five years ago, the golden era of travel by zeppelin ended with the fiery crash of the Hindenburg. But today, airships have a new lease on life. Today, CNET got a chance to fly aboard the Eureka and check out the best of San Francisco and the Bay Area.

In this picture, the Golden Gate Bridge appears behind the underside of the Eureka.

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New Bay Bridge

Visitors to and residents of the San Francisco Bay Area are no doubt aware that one of the region's biggest infrastructure projects is the multi-year construction of a new eastern span of the Bay Bridge. Seen here just north of the existing eastern span, the new bridge will be the world's largest self-anchoring suspension bridge, and is designed to offer significant seismic improvements over its predecessor.

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Tower

This is the tower mast of the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge, which will be the world's largest self-anchoring suspension bridge.

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Straight on

A straight-on look at the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge.

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Kid and Zeppelin

In this photo, taken on Nov. 28, 2008, a child is seen in the foreground, with the Airship Eureka seen in the background. That day, Eureka was christened at a ceremony at its home base of Moffett Field at NASA Ames Research Center, in Mountain View, Calif.

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Golden Gate Bridge

Perhaps the world's most famous bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge is probably San Francisco's most visited attraction -- and one of the most beautiful of its kind anywhere. Later this month, it will turn 75 years old.

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North tower

The north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge, which connects San Francisco to Marin County.

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South tower

The south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge, with the Presidio and Fort Point visible to the left.

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Alcatraz

With the Golden Gate Bridge in the background, the famous island prison Alcatraz is seen from the Airship Eureka, about 1,000 feet above the San Francisco Bay.

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Pilots and the Golden Gate Bridge

The pilots of the Airship Eureka fly their zeppelin towards the Golden Gate Bridge.

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Shadow

The shadow of the Airship Eureka is seen on the San Francisco Bay.

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Bay Bridge

If it weren't for the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge would probably be San Francisco's most famous icon. It connects San Francisco to Treasure Island.

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San Francisco

A look at downtown San Francisco from aboard the Airship Eureka.

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Waterfront

A look at the northern waterfront of San Francisco.

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Veronica

Well-known video blogger Veronica Belmont (@Veronica) sees what it's like to stick her head out the window of the zeppelin during the ride above San Francisco and the Bay Area.