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Dolores Park
Category: Active Life Parks Parks [Edit]
18th St & Dolores StSan Francisco, CA 94114
Neighborhood: Castro
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
837 reviews for Dolores Park
837 reviews in English
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Review from Annie C.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Rain or shine, Dolores park will always have something interesting to share.
The perfect spot to lay out, on any day really, and just people watch. Enjoy all the types of people the city has to offer - you have your dancers, your hipsters, your hippies, your bums, your folks that just look like bums, the acrobats and there is bound to be someone out there amongst the grass practicing their circus act.
With enough lawn space for you to either get cozy with your fellow grass neighbors or if you want to shimmy off for some alone time with your significant and sometimes not so significant other, Bi-Rite right across the street, hills for you to roll down of and both basketball and tennis courts available, what more does a park need?
Perhaps a "Happy Brownie" man and a Truffle Guy? Well shoo, Dolores has them too. So holler at a brotha and enjoy some of their yummy treats. -
Review from Nicole W.
2/2/2012
As part of a grand tour through the neighborhood, a local friend of mine brought us for a quick stop at the park. I think this place really shows how crazy unique San Francisco is and just how diverse the people are that live here.
You had parents with their children, young couples walking their dogs, hipsters, hippies, homeless, some gay boys drinking, some punk kids smoking, and some people playing tennis. There was even some guy peeing in the open and the smell of weed in the air. It was pretty bananas.
The best part? Climbing up to the top of the hill and having a gorgeous view of the city. It might have almost made me keel over (in Vegas, hills are nonexistent) but it was absolutely worth the short uphill hike.
Apparently as a local, this is the place to come to on the weekends and just hang out with friends for the day. With such great weather, the view, and the endless people-watching entertainment I can definitely see why.Listed in: California Dreamin'
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Review from Roy J.
Union City, CA
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Spend a couple hours here and consider yourself a graduate of Hipster 101. Walking around, you'll be greeted by the smells of dog poop, marijuana, beer, urine, bums, and coffee. There are always random groups of people rapping, playing guitar, yelling at each other in some foreign language, etc. It's definitely a fun place to be if all you want to do is watch people do what they do.
Oh and thank you for the laughs, weird dude that was doing some weird kung-fu dance with fans a couple weeks ago. -
Review from Emi T.
2/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Call me a silly LA girl, but I'm in love with this place. The weirdness, the peacefulness, the amazing cafes and grocers around it... I had an amazing picnic with my friend here, and afterwards a nice chill-out session with more friends. If you're looking for a nice, serene place to take a breathe after a long day of walking, this is the place to go!
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Review from Lynn M.
Washington, DC
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Delores Park is one of the warmest places in San Francisco!! When the sun is out, it feels at least 10 degrees warmer than where I work and live downtown. A little bread, cheese, wine, and some good friends in the sun is exactly what I need to recharge to face a gray, chilly week.
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Review from Don T.
Seattle, WA
2/3/2012
Great place to pit stop after you get some treats from the Bi-Rite or Tartine. A real interesting mix of punks, hipsters, hippies, bums, and your punk-hipster-hippy-trying-to-look-like-bums. Beautiful park in a beautiful neighborhood.
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Review from Susanna W.
Palo Alto, CA
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Hipster Heaven.
If its sunny in SF, you can bet there will be tons of people lounging around here, regardless of day or time. Make sure to bring a blanket (the grass can be damp), some snackables, and ice cream from Bi-Rite across the street! -
Review from Craig R.
This picture tells you everything you need to know about Dolores Park
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
But if ya need some more enticing there was an individual selling marijuana laced Pumpkin Cupcakes walking around Dolores. I was tempted....very temptedListed in: Sitting on the dock of the…, All things Pumpkin!!
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Review from Ayall S.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2012
This a great place to be on a sunny weekend.
Open atmosphere with a variety of personalities drinking, smoking and having a good time.
Great views of the city, and IMHO; place presents S.F., best part of Cali and USA. -
Review from Ann S.
12/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Dolores Park is a perfect place for laying out on a warm, sunny day!
With a bunch of tennis courts, a dog playing area, vast greenery, etc., this park is ideal for just about anyone.
Great place to spend a few good hours at! -
Review from Karen T.
1/26/2012
Sunny Days!!! Oh how I miss you. I love getting my tan on at Dolores Park, bring a blanket, some drinks and some sun tan. You all good! If you forgot your munchies or your booze don't worry, there are people ready to sell you some beer, sweet treats and some special sweet treats too! Hooray!!
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Review from Ara A.
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Such a cool park! Stopped by here at night and the view from the top of the hill was beautiful! Next time I'm in the area I'd love to come hang out here and people watch. Beautiful park in a beautiful city!
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Review from Constance C.
East Bay, CA
12/16/2011
I totally agree with the other Yelpers, this park totally reminds me of the Seurat painting "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Jatte." LOL. Just because on sunny days there are SO many damn people everywhere!
I love the view of FiDi from this park, its pretty amazing. And it's pretty cool how diverse the crowd is. Definitely THE place to go on a sunny afternoon. And I do love how people here have nice style, also one of the best places in the city to people watch haha, keyword being "people watch," not trying to be a creeper over here!
Would I love to grab a sandwich from Ike's and an ice cream from Bi-Rite and eat here? Damn straight! I just can't really stand the weed smell that wafts around though sadsies! -
Review from May D.
East Bay, CA
12/21/2011
Absolutely gorgeous views! My boyfriend and I were about to have a picnic and eat our sandwiches that we got from Rhea's Deli, but the portapotty stench was unbearable. I was about 50+ feet away and the smell of age old diapers filled the air.
We ate our sandwiches in the car. -
Review from Sofia R.
12/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great park. I've been here time and time again with friends just to chill, eat food, enjoy the weather (when it's sunny), and to people watch.
This is probably my favorite park in San Francisco and apparently a favorite of many other San Francisco residents. What I like is that it's very accessible public transportation wise and it's really close to a bunch of good food places.
It's a park everyone needs to visit if they're ever in the city. It's the best when it's sunny out but be aware that it could get really crowded really fast. -
Review from Raych D.
11/22/2011 1 photo
WOW! Such a beautiful park
Living in Hawaii, I regret to say that I don't visit parks very often nor do I appreciate them because I see them so much that I barely take any notice.
It was a overcast BUT nice cool Saturday afternoon when me and my friend ventured out of the city to get some Bi-Rite ice cream and after ordering instead of eating our ice cream inside the shop we headed towards Dolores to sit while we eat some delicious Bi-Rite! I was happy that the weather wasn't to cold or gloomy but just right to have a romantical park date that day, and there wasn't to many people around. We sat all the way at the top to get a good view of the cars passing, the neighborhood, the dogs running all the other couples.
If your ever in the area do come here to take a breather because it's so worth it. Everyone keeps to themselves and everything just feels so at ease and right while being here =)Listed in: I Left my HEART in SAN…
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Review from Jeanne C.
San Francisco, CA
11/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
People watching, sipping on booze, taking a nap.
This place feels just like Sheep's Meadow in Central Park NYC. I love it on a warm sunny day! Don't forget to grab yourself some Bi-Rite ice cream. -
Review from Tuesday C.
San Francisco, CA
11/28/2011
It seems like no matter what the weather is anywhere else in the city it is always sunny in Dolores Park.
We love this park because its free and comes with entertainment. From the ganja man to the drummers to the mass of puppies to the truffle man to the lady selling cookies with no drugs in them there is never a dull moment. Mostly we come here to BBQ but have been several days just to enjoy the sun. On the weekends it can become pretty packed in the afternoon so get here early if you want a prime spot.
They are renovating a portion of the park right now and I am crossing my fingers that they plan to upgrade the bathroom facilities because they do leave much to be desired.
The bi-rite ice cream and grocery store are also very near by making it easy to add to your food spread or pick it up along the way.
I have never made it to one but there are also movies in the park for some of the year that I have been meaning to check out. Ill add to this review when that finally happens.
Just check it out, you never know what you are gonna see or who you are gonna meet! -
Review from Liz C.
10/13/2011
If Williamsburgers lead a life of virtue, they may, upon death, be admitted to hipster heaven-
-where tatooed yogis and girls in headscarves lounge in the bright and idle sun, eating carrot sticks or magic mushrooms or fresh-baked weed confections! Where the most direct path between two palms is drawn by slackline, and friendly frisbees whiz by on golden breezes! Where shaggy-haired boys strum mediocre folk music on well-loved guitars, and beautiful, sun-kissed lesbians sip Kombucha and debate liberal politics! Where it's difficult to walk without stepping on a prone but playful dog, or an elegant bicycle, resting in the grass!
Till that day comes, we'll be charing our jeans with cigarettes, suffering sleet, snow, and arrest for possession with intent to sell.Listed in: The Bay for Beginners
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Review from Solitaire M.
San Francisco, CA
9/21/2011
If you like going to a park where you can't throw a ball around without hitting people brown-bagging their 40z, where going to the women's bathroom means being subjected to bloody pads on the floor, no soap or toilet paper and people treating this place like a large, al-fresco, dive bar scene, then Dolores Park is for you! This was all on a weekday too...Great for people who like to wear and/or stare at bikinis on a sunny day!
I wanted to give this park an "Eek, me thinks not" rating, but because I love seeing the Trans Pride event and other community events of that nature, I relented. And despite the lack of maintenance this park receives, I haven't had an agro experience really. Great if you want to show your chill 20-30 year old, out of town friend a chill, eccentric, "San Francisco" place to "people watch," then hop on the J-Line, grab some legal substances and money for the illegal substances readily available for purchase at the park and get ready to have a time! For me, this place is overrated and high maintenance, as I like my parks to be more about the nature. But for some, Dolores Park is their oasis in the middle of a concrete jungle, even though the only thing lush there are the people. -
Review from Shadi N.
Los Altos, CA
11/2/2011
Wow - get here on sunny hot day in SF and you will have a frickin BLAST!!!
Last time i was there there was a Brazillian drum baseline on one side of the park and a DJ on the other - seemed like the whole park was dancing!
It is dog friendly which is great being that i'm a new puppy owner! Everyone just relaxes and picnics and has a great time. Hope this Indian summer lasts through November so I can get out there! -
Review from Idnyc n.
San Jose, CA
I came here with a group friends for pride 2011 and my cousin and her girls from texas were also attending. This is pretty damn big and we all.know parking sucks so we paid to park at this 3 story elementary school.
I didnt attend the parade on sunday due to work, but i had fun! I cNt wait to see the parade next year! This park had a stage and ever-so-many people..i felt like i was at woodstock! I need not say more nor give details. :D since the weather was a little groggy at first n then became partly cloudy..EPIC FAIL! We all got baked under that semi-sunlight peeping out of the clouds. :(
Seems like a great place to have mini bbqs and/or picnic with some wine.. yumm! -
Review from Jennifer H.
12/21/2011
I love dolores park! it's is one of my favorite places in the entire world and at the moment actually my favorite place. There is nothing better than hanging out in dolores park, eating a burrito while looking at the skyline of SF. Just thinking of dolores park makes me miss SF and my student days... and makes me want to turn back time! I love San Francisco!
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Review from Christina Y.
Santa Monica, CA
8/27/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I have a theory that Dolores park sits in some sort of vortex of the universe which keeps away meddling cops, belligerent drunks and anyone else who sets out to hinder others' relaxing weekends. How else can you explain the fact that you can drink pretty much openly at any time of the day and not get in trouble, that the grounds are impressively clean despite so many groups eating and drinking and playing in there at once, and that I've never seen a fight happen occur here even though so many different types of people use it? It's a miracle, I tell ya.
Everyone who's familiar with the city knows how rare and precious a hot, sunny day is, so when one of the few of the year roll around, everyone makes room for everyone else on the grass to spread out and enjoy, preferably with some bubbly or a Bi-Rite ice cream cone in hand.
What else is there to say about this SF miracle that hasn't already been said?! It's a true local gem. -
Review from Ben B.
10/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Who knew that parks could have their own neighborhoods. Well Dolores Park does and there are quite clear borders. There are some places where you won't be welcome unless you're in a speedo and other places where you will be looked at cross eyed for rocking the banana hammock.
It's a beautiful park with great views and actually quite a bit of sun for San Francisco. Was here to watch fleet week and the Blue Angels. Great place to set up a picnic and relax. -
Review from Shanna N.
9/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Dear SF,
Thank you for Dolores Park. There is no better way to spend a sunny afternoon than lounging on the grass with friends and enjoying medical cookies, brownies, ect and day drinking.
Such a great crowd of people too. There is always music and very entertaining for people watching. Come wearing what ever your heart desires. No one cares what you are doing at Dolores.
You can literally come empty handed and people walk around selling everything from water to beer to cookies and special brownies ;).
They also have this food truck... which is ridiculously slow and not that great.. I wish they would have a different one there. It's literally a minimum 10 minute wait and on a hot day, standing by the food truck waiting is the LAST thing I want to be doing, but if the munchies call.. They do have really good Fresh juice- the watermelon one is my favorite! -
Review from George U.
Irvine, CA
10/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I'm not from San Francisco, I'm just a fan of the city. The last time I came up to San Francisco (June 2011), my friends and I went to Lime in the Castro and chilled there for a few hours. After we were mimosa'd up, my San Franciscan friends said it was a beautiful day to hang out at the park. Now, I'm from Irvine, so there's really no kind of "hang out by the park" mentality, but since we were in Rome, we went.
We stopped by a liquor store, got some beers, and went to the park. All across the park were bodies of people enjoying the weather. Some people were juggling, I smelled weed in the air, and a few people burned their trash. I've never seen something like that in a major city.
We hung out for a few hours before it got cold. Pretty awesome park. -
Review from Christine H.
San Jose, CA
10/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I saw this park at evening and need to come back here during the day.
I thought it looked big, busy and pretty clean... but there are a lot of homeless people that seem to hang around and sleep there.
It's in a nice little neighborhood and is across the street from Bi-Rite! -
Review from Shawday B.
San Francisco Bay, CA
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
The view of the city from this park is wonderful. My hubby & I grabbed some ice cream at Bi-Rite - went to the top of the hill and people watched and talked while enjoying a beautiful, warm October Saturday! {2 weeks ago}.
Only downfall: if you are not a potsmoker ...or eater for that matter (and my hubby and I are not) the random people trying to sell you 'special' brownies and cookies can be annoying. No, I don't need to get high to enjoy my day - thank you kind dread-locked sir. However this is Cali..and this IS San Fran - so I guess it's to be expected lol It IS nice that you could take a picnic complete with a bottle of wine {or a beer if that floats your boat} here though and enjoy it in peace because well - everyone else is doing the same thing. -
Review from Abby S.
8/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Oh Dolores Park... You have provided many a sunny afternoon of fun for Bay Area hipsters and beyond.
Even though I'm not a hipster (no one has ever used the words "hip" or "cool" to describe me), I do enjoy hanging here on Sundays with friends and doing some day drinking. Although open containers aren't technically allowed in the park, no one stops you. And considering there's "adult treats" being peddled pretty openly, who really cares if I have a drink in-hand?
In addition to indulging in Sunday funday here, I also love watching the cute dogs chasing a Frisbee or ball. Since everyone lives in tiny apartments in the city, I'm sure those four legged friends enjoy a romp in the grass. Just don't step in poop :)
Getting here isn't a huge hassle, either. Hop on BART or park on one of the side streets and you'll eventually find a spot. And meters are free on Sundays, so that means more room for you and your ride.
Come here, bring a blanket and some friends and catch some rays. It's most definitely a "must" in SF.Listed in: Beer thirty, Summertime Fun, Hipster Chic, Dance Dance Revolution, The Mission
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Review from Jen H.
9/7/2011
Wow, what a welcoming park!
We definitely don't see THAT many people taking advantage of parks in the suburbs.
We came on a warm, Sunday afternoon, and people watched. People were:
1) playing dodge ball
2) hula hooping
3) playing basketball
4) Sunbathing
5) playing tennis
6) walking their dogs
Bi-Rite, Delfina, Philz, and Tartine are all within walking distance! -
Review from Bob K.
9/16/2011 5 photos
A place for the whole family. And feel free to define family in any way you like. And lots of dogs.
When I first came here, it was a Saturday late afternoon, and the hillsides were packed. I was with Blondie and Allergy Boy, and I thought Hey! We must have stumbled upon Something Happening! Cool! Wonder what it will be?
Nope. It's always like that. I'm taking my out-of-town friends here, instead of the Embarcadero, to see the real city. Especially if they're Repubs. ;) -
Review from Vivek S.
7/18/2011
I knew SF was home to America's most distilled varietals of weirdos, hipsters, segway enthusiasts/slam poets, circus freaks, crack smoking millionaires, sub-vegan anarchists, et. al., but what I didn't know is that I could find them all assembled on the slopes of Dolores Park. There was so much going on in this park I couldn't keep my head from rotating in every direction. Most my of sentences started with "is that guy actually...?" before trailing off into a bemused stare.
Every park has their regular clientele (think beardos with djembes), but at Dolores Park I saw people seriously into things that I didn't even know *were things*. These are people for whom unicycling would be considered too mainstream.
I witnesseth with mine own eyes:
A dude excelling at a yoyo-esque egg cup toy
The mediocre use of crystal spheres
Slack lining
Washers (completely baffling to Canadians like me)
Hackey sack
People spinning wooden blades with grace
Corn hole
Straight up solo music-free freak-dancing (I mean obvs)
Hula hooping (word up, Jessica T)
Three distinct types of frisbee
Football and its gay cousin soccer
Hardcore miming
Good ol' catch
A drunkard getting chokeslammed two-feet in front of our blanket
There are any number of interesting vendors in the park also. From a friendly girl in a polka-dotted pinafore selling cookies, to a burly ganjaman with a rhyming pitch dragging around a cooler, to laypersons casually offering cocaine or acid. You could probably anything here. (This includes popsicles.)
But really the best thing about this park is that it's spacious and filled with characters. When you look around, you come to understand that these are the people that makes San Francisco such a mesmerizing and electric town. How can you not love it?
Obligatory Title Pun: DOLOR IS not to be found at this park.
Menu Readability: I thought I spotted a bonfire, but it was really just a cloud of weed smoke. A fucking CLOUD, brah.
Need to mention: There was this couple who brought a small blow up doll and were lying on a blanket, hitting each one other with it. Is *this* a thing now too?
What this place teaches me about myself: I need to spend my weekends in SF.Listed in: My San Fran Checklist
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Review from Monica S.
7/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Pretty much from the get-go, I knew Dolores Park was special. As I understood it, the park offered a microcosmic slice of the SF population at large. Stoners, hipsters, new parents, zombies, nudists, hippies, neo-nerds, jocks, drum circle dancers and other peeps who found their small-town origins too stifling to handle.
The freedom Dolores Park elicits was put to the ultimate test when my mom and her friend came to visit... during gay pride, no less. What part of the park would they gravitate towards, who would inspire a jaw-drop reaction, and what would they do upon being offered a "chocolate" truffle.
The answers are, towards the fun drunks at the top of the hill, at the oversized woman with her exposed ta-tas in full effect, and four truffles is four truffles not enough. Booyakasha! My mom and her friend are awesome and Dolores Park is a place for free thinkers and shameless indulgers.Listed in: SF Like a Local, SF's Really Cool Stuff, SF: The Mission
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Review from Vikki K.
Came here with friends the other day after grabbing lunch at Delfina and dessert at Bi-Rite! I've lived in the city my entire life but I've never stopped by this park and I totally regret it!
This park is gorgeous on a sunny day since you can see the entire panoramic view of San Francisco (City hall, Transamerica pyramid, etc!) There is also plenty of open space for you to sunbathe, picnic, or read a book.
It is a fairly clean park and the homeless don't seem to bother you here which is great! Everyone is quite peaceful here just enjoying their day :o) Great place to be on a sunny day. -
Review from Jennifer C.
Millbrae, CA
9/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love the location of this place, near famous eats like Ikes and Bi-rite so that you can just bring it over to the field and eat. The park always offers enough room for the plenty of people who come to sit, chill, picnic, and play music. The local bands who are trying to get their names out are always a plus to the experience. It's a vast open space so you can enjoy the scenery around you too.
It can get a little dirty, but hey....it's SF :) Too many people pass through...
Really want to come to a movie night here!
Hollor Dolor. -
Review from Durand B.
San Francisco, CA
9/10/2011
Are you fucking kidding? Get. Here. Now!!!
Best place in the U S of A. There is something for any and everyone - whether you're a zebra trapped in a man's body or want to hang out in a pink banana hammock, you feel welcome here. -
Review from Whitney D.
San Francisco, CA
9/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I almost hesitated to write a review for this gem, but figured there's already 790 so what the hey?
This is a great park for sunny days in the Mission. Lots of open space, green grass, and shady trees surrounding the perimeter. Great for people watching, basking in the sun, or reading a book. Also a fantastic panoramic view of downtown San Francisco!
PS You're in San Francisco...parking is terrible everywhere...why knock down a star for that? -
Review from Analleli G.
San Francisco, CA
10/5/2011
Best. Park. In. SF.
Do drugs, listen to music, people-watch, or just enjoy the sun.
You will find the "cold beer" dude, ganja treats dude, special brownies people, special cookies people, and much more.
Best place to chill. -
Review from Wendy P.
7/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
But a couple of blocks from Ike's Place, Dolores Park was my lunch stop during my urban hike. It was a lusciously green carpet of grass filled with people lounging in the sunshine, playing frisbee or tennis, chasing after their dogs, and picnicking with their friends. A large hill on one end made for a natural tiered-seating area that a local theatre group was taking advantage of for an afternoon musical.
With plenty of open space and beautiful large trees around as well, there was sun and shade to be had. I quite enjoyed my lunch hour stopover here. I half expected one of the dogs running by to stop and try to eat my sandwich, but no digs! They were all so well-behaved. A definite recommendation for a warm, sunny day.
