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Golden Gate Park
Rating Details »
John F Kennedy Drive & Transverse Dr
San Francisco, CA 94121
San Francisco, CA 94121
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
492 reviews for Golden Gate Park
Nearly every trip I make to the city seems to include SOMETHING that takes place in Golden Gate park. It's not that I plan it this way, it just sort of happens, because it's such an awesome place to host things.
I have run participated in several run/walks) (nike, avon, skirt chaser, bay to breakers kaiser to name a few) that have all had either a starting, ending or both come through the park. Why? because it's beautiufl and again, an awesome place to host things.
Museums? check. Art lessons? check. Lawn Bowling, golf, archery, check check check. A big windmill? check. places to sit, relax and play? yup got them too. It's even got Bison!
such an amazing place, we are so lucky to have a park this awesome in SF.
This yelp comes courtesy of my 79-year-old grandmother. Now, she has absolutely no idea what yelp is or even how to work a computer. She wants no part of it, and I love her even more because of it.
Today I called her as I was walking through the amazing Stow Lake (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), and I went on and on (and on) about how amazing this place was and how I couldn't believe I had never been and how it's just another reason why Golden Gate Park is so cool. Her reply:
"You know, I've always thought Golden Gate Park was one of the most beautiful parks in the nation. And I definitely think San Francisco is the most beautiful city."
That's grandma's way of saying five stars!
I took the girls to the Golden Gate Park to go bike riding. It was a BLAST there are so many different paths to take and there are hills, flat areas and ponds to ride by. Perfect place for a hike, walk or picnic.
We went through the paddle boat area and watched the swans. I must warn you though be careful riding off the beaten paths we came upon a "nest" of homeless people in the trees as we were cutting through a path to get away from the freeway. That was a bit scary.
Respectfully Reviewed
If I lived in SF, this would be my hangout. Beautiful park!! It's pretty huge and there's tons to see. We spent an afternoon just walking around and saw the Japanese Friendship Garden, picturesque lake, a waterfall and got some amazing views of the city.
The park also has some great museums! Try the Academy of Science.
Oh Golden Gate. How is it that, despite being relatively inconvenient via public transportation, I keep coming back to you? It doesn't matter if I'm living in San Jose, Berkeley, or the far-flung not-near-Bart or Caltrain Vacaville. I just keep crawling back to you.
I'm not sure if it's the gigantic, beautiful forest you have nestled in a major city with amazing views. It could be the wacky and entertaining homeless guys, who greet me in that laid-back, eyes glazed way and offer me pot. Or maybe it's your amazing hippie festivals (I might've cried when I had to miss Strictly Hardly Bluegrass this year). Perhaps your slightly chilly temperatures have managed to shatter my cold, frigid heart.
Golden Gate, I will brave your rain, cold temperatures, and long rides on Muni to come see you again. I love you just that much!
It's kind of hard NOT to love a seriously massive, festive park containing awesome museums and frequent events of all kind!
There's not much more to say other than:
IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HERE YET, GO ASAP!!!!!
You'll thank me later.
:)
This park is one of the most beautiful parks I have ever been to. It brings back all kinds of sweet memories such as my first kiss. Oh yeh.
So this place has a place where I saw the first buffalo in my whole life. It has a place to sit and watch the ducks. It has a place to ride the bike. It has a place to look at the most beautiful flowers. It is just full of so many little special places you can fall in love with and want to go back to over and over again.
I can't wait to go and spend a day in the park again. I wish they had more than 5 stars so I can give it 10.
Golden Gate is the ultimate park of my vivid dreams. Where else can I watch bison graze in a city?
My parents took me for my first trip to Stow Lake when I was three weeks old.
Now I go on solitary walks through various areas of the park because I'm currently unemployed and have lots of free time to do such things.
I always find groups of geese enjoying a fine lunch of grassy things, while one goose remains on guard. I take funny pictures of squirrels if they get close enough, and I try to walk faster than the old Chinese people getting their exercise in the park.
This park has EVERYTHING one might need....museums...grass lawns...tennis courts....running trails..........concerts.........
It's BIG..it's green...it's AWESOME!
I always find an excuse to come here..whether it's a picnic, or a work-out!
A must for any SF visit-in Citypass there is admission for Legion of Honor and de Young museum. Didn't get to visit Legion, but did visit some parts of de Young. Nice touch if you like art. Visit the Japanese Tea Garden for some beautiful pictures and relaxation. Citypass also has 7 day unlimited municipal transportation (Cablecars, Light-Rail and Buses-great value, and boy did we use it!).
I love this park! It's a great place to have a barbecue and hang out with friends. I came here once with friends...we played a little game of whiffle ball as we grilled some hambugers and hot dogs. After, we made crowns from dandelions. It was so relaxing after we fought for a parking spot and found a nice spot.
You must visit this park, it's SF equvalent to Central Park in NYC.
So much to see and do. Gardens, lakes, museums, and alot of scenic views.
I love GG park! If I ever move to the city, I'll have to find a place near GG. It's my oasis when I need a break from the long conferences, oblivious pedestrians and drivers, and overpriced parking. You can do just about anything here.
Golden Gate Park is one of those massive great American city parks. It contains a bison preserve, a lake, running trails, the old Keisar Stadium, and museums. There are tons of separated nooks and crannies that one can relax in and just picnic. It does get crowded, but there are places where you can really feel like you are getting away from the compact nature of The City. Did I mention that it is HUGE! The city keeps this park in great condition seeing as how difficult it would be to up-keep a park this large. If you are looking for a break, I suggest you pack a lunch and hike it to Golden Gate Park. You won't be disappointed.
I love running in here. Makes me feel really lucky to live in a beautiful city and have legs that can run.
Where else can I see bison in the Bay Area????? I think I'll go visit them this weekend.
The new Academy of Sciences, Japanese Tea Garden, DeYoung, archery, row boats at Stow Lake, other lakes, many parks, concerts, flying fish? or fish flying & so forth are located right in between the Richmond & Sunset District...also in between the Haight (Stanyan-ish area) & Ocean Beach. There are probably much more things to do in the park, I just don't know.
When I was younger & occasionally still do, I would bike inside GGP. As I am getting older, the trails are much harder and steeper, not as fit as I use to be.
I believe reading somewhere that this park is bigger than Central Park...I haven't been there YET, so I wouldn't know.
Remember not to feed the birds (fyi, it's ILLEGAL), they'll keep making babies & those babies will poo on your head.
I want to give this park a big bear hug. It's funny that I've been to the Fisherman's Wharf, Golden Gate Bridge, and Alcatraz, but I didn't get a really solid San Fran vibe until I stepped into this park.
Keep in mind that you have to spend a few extra bucks to get into the museums or the Japanese Tea Garden. Don't fret though; the park itself provides enough free sights and sounds for you to enjoy.
If you go into the De Young museum, go into the elevator on the far right side and go up to the top floor. There you'll find a tiny gift shop and a 360 panoramic view of the park. I highly recommend this for photos and just to get a feel for everything.
Nearby the California Academy of Sciences, you'll see a bunch of artists outside with their work trying to sell their wares. It was pretty neat checking out the different artwork and having conversations with the artists themselves.
I would also recommend walking around Stow Lake. The long leisurely stroll leads you a beautiful waterfall, a small dock where you can rent rowboats/paddle boats, and benches where you can sit and chill for a while. Plus, you'll be in close proximity to some of the wildlife such as ducks, geese, turtles, and squirrels.
I only had enough time to wander around the East end of the park. Next time, I will conquer the West.
A little more than 3 miles from east around 9th Ave west to the Pacific Coast Highway. This park has everything a runner could want. Trails, hills, pavement, multiple trails that run East West so that you can still get lost after years of running. Look up every now and then for the palm trees, to see the lovely houses along the South side of the park and see if you can find the exercise areas to do chin ups and sit ups.
A pool would be a nice addition, but aside from that, a perfect Sunday afternoon- with closed streets and tennis courts and rollerbladers.
Really don't go here enough. But today, riding my bike through on a sunny November day and observing all the nice spots one could hang out, it really made me appreciate the place. Upkeep and maintenance is pretty good and didn't see too many bums, though they most likely are in the dense jungles I didn't go too deep into. Variety is amazing. Good signage. Not even taking into account any of the museums, it's just a great natural wonder of the city.
Big! So, so big! Our initial plan was to bike the park, then my boyfriend said we should try walking and see if we like it. It was COLD that first day, unbearably cold so I hated the park's guts. The times after were great though. Had fun walking around and enjoyed the scenery, but the parks in Handfourth, Great Britain, where I grew up are way cooler!
How can you not love this park? It's in the middle of a very heavily congested city. It is HUGE. It had gardens, museums, concerts, places to walk, places to run, places to eat, places to sleep and whatever else you may be looking for. What else do you want?
The second most quintessentially San Franciscan moment I had was soaking up the warm sunshine while laying down on hippie hill and watching dog owners play Frisbee with their dogs, listening to the drum circle and sipping on a Tecate out of a brown paper bag.
Have I died and gone to heaven? Is this really my life right now? Not to mention I lucked out with the most gorgeous weather I could ask for all 3 days I was in the city - not a cloud in sight, 75 degrees and not a drop of rain to be seen (no fog either). So we hung out on the hill for at least two hours people watching and relaxing.
We finally got up and headed to the gorgeous and brand-new Science and Art building (what was it called?) only to discover it had just closed! I did get to see the very top of an Albino alligator's head from the other side of the glass though, so that was pretty cool. We then headed to the fine art museum that has a tower that overlooks the city and we missed that too (de Young, I believe)!
We cruised around the rest of the park, taking pictures and just sort of taking it all in and being stoked on life. We spent four hours in the park and saw maybe a third of it. BTW, the last place I would expect to have clean public park bathrooms is in this city. Not only were they not smelly nor dirty, and did have locking doors (albeit, doors at all) they had soap AND toilet paper. Um, wow.
Had a lovely picnic here on Saturday, sure brought back some great memories.
Ah, the memories!
Coming here late at night to get freaked out at stow lake.
Beware of the white lady of the lake on Strawberry hill... ewww...
Seeing drunkards wasting pints of beer while playing ball.
Witnessing three men getting dry humped for playing foul.
Lovely times!
The last time I had been to Golden Gate Park, in one of the rooms of one of the buildings or museums, there was a Gary Larsen "Far Side" room. I cannot even remember what building it was housed in, but I now it is long gone.
Anyways, I recently had to the opportunity to go back and explore a little. I parked on the street not too far from the Academy of Sciences and while I walked right on by it, I did not want to brave the line outside waiting so I kept walking and exploring many of the paths that pass by there.
I never made it to the Japanese Gardens or the Carousel or into De Young Museum, so I know I definitely have to go back again and again i am sure.
I should write this park a thank you letter for all the memories it's given me! I have been here so many times through my life - for concerts, school field trips, walks with friends, meeting interesting people...There always seems to be something to do in the park...Not to mention the amazing festivals that are put on in the park! Certainly worth seeing! Parking for this place can be a little frustrating...otherwise this park is just perfect!
Golden Gate Park feels like home to me. I really love this place, thank you San Francisco forefathers and mothers for creating my favorite sanctuary.
There is so much to do and see.
Things that I've done, and will do again and again...
De Young Museum
Academy of Sciences
Get lost in Botanical Gardens... free!
Japanese Tea Garden
Cops and Robbers on Strawberry Hill... also free!
Rent boats at Stow Lake
Conservatory of Flowers
Merry-Go-Round at Children's playground
Watch bfnlf ride at the Polo Fields, wishing I wasn't so chicken to do the same (4th grade)
BBQ's at Marx Meadows
Run track at Kezar
AIDS Walk
Pass out at Spreckles Lake after B2B
I could run around and hang out here for days! Days only though, nighttime is scary.
I love the Golden Gate Park, the thing I love the most about this place is when you walk down the paths people stop and look at you. They look at you straight in the eye and keep looking at you until you pass them by. Great place to find inner peace and to go people watching. Very Serene and comforting!
We drove through the park on our way to the Academy of Sciences and it was gorgeous. The museums are nestled in the middle of the park so if the weather suits you, enjoy the walk to it too.
Bikers, walkers, strollers galore. The park is huge so bring a picnic basket and get ready to relax in the sun for a couple hours.
I'll be back to enjoy the summer when it gets warmer.
An impromptu drive to San Francisco on an idyllic and perfect Easter Sunday ending up with lunch and a glass of wine on the grass in Golden Gate Park - what an awesome way to spend a weekend!
I spent a good part of last Saturday in Central Park back in New York but had no idea that my Sunday morning drive to the Costco in Fremont (near 880/Auto Mall) would end up in quite such a remarkable way. The glorious weather made me want to really take Little Red out for a long drive - she's endured many patient hours waiting for me in cold lonely airport parking lots and I knew she'd love the chance to show me her German heritage on the wide open 880 freeway (it's true, there was hardly any traffic!!!)
So, off we went - thinking - hmmm, let's go up to the San Mateo bridge and cross over to the Peninsula and go to Costco in Mountain View! Little Red would have none of it and soon, we were breezing past the Colisseum (Boo! Raiders!!) and approaching what appeared to be a hearty lunch in Berkeley. Again, Little Red said no and on 580 we stayed, past the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and into Marin county, past San Quentin and onto the 101 where I had been only yesterday on my way to Santa Rosa with the guys!
Little Red now led me southbound on the 101 and I knew she wanted to see the Golden Gate Bridge - ah, ha, tricky little thing... I've always been a sucker for these flashy German types in flashy red garb - today was no exception!
Exit Sausalito and a nice little drive to the foot of the GG Bridge and an exhilarating view of the city across the Bay! Little Red was purring with excitement - and curses! I did not have my customary camera so had to make do with the weak-a$$ iPhone camera to capture the moment!
Then drove across the GG Bridge into the city and decided to go to GG Park. I've never been here before and after Central Park last week, I was eager to see what San Francisco had to offer.
Golden Gate Park is a real gem! I need to spend more time here but I drove through the park, past the Japanese Tea Garden (how beautiful... can't wait to go back and see it up close), the baseball and soccer fields teeming with kids of all ages and all the way up to the Dutch windmill. Then, I drove back to the picnic area and spent about 2 hours on the grass, making myself a sandwich out of some good crusty bread and interesting cheeses I had picked up earlier in Mill Valley before crossing over. And, shhhh, a nice, not-so-chilled Pinot Grigio... ahhh, a perfect spring afternoon. I was kind of impressed that I actually had a blanket in the trunk of my car (no doubt a result of some drunken evening with the SBC) so I was able to make quite a decent picnic out of it.
I can't wait to get back! Fantastic afternoon - great weather - I'm happy that we have something here to compete against Central Park (which is still very near and dear to my heart :)
Impromptu outings like this rock - it makes for that much more fun since things just unfold as they happen - and you go with the flow. A simple lunch, good wine, fabulous weather, a short nap and I was off, back home to the South Bay.
5 stars to the park for making this day perfect - it was the almost perfect finish to an already awesome day. Almost because there's still room on the blanket :)
~ 5 stars overall!
# 79
The Verdict: "So many things to do in a park...you'll never want to leave."
Location: Had a picnic on the lawn near the Conservancy of Flowers during Bike Day Sunday and the Aids Walk, then biked over to the beach.
Pros: Beautiful scenery of flowers, trees, grass; friendly people laying out with their dogs (very dog friendly); so many things to do (people watch and chat with friends or meet new ones), listen to music nearby (provided for the walkers), perfect for biking or rollerblading since the road is closed off to automobiles during bike day, diverse crowd; kind and happy people (no joke); sunny weather with a breeze; well maintained restrooms nearby.
Cons: Can get crowded, but there is plenty of room for lots of people and the more the merrier; be careful of the sun (make sure to protect yourself with sunscreen).
Would I Recommend It?: Absolutely! We rented bikes from a nearby bike and skate rental ($5/hr/pay for what you use) and went riding all the way to Ocean Beach (it was fantastic!!!)
Just. Simply. Breathtaking.
I was born & raised in SF and Golden Gate Park = SERENITY
Taking walks, watching a concert, going for a run, enjoying the different aspects and sites, having tea at the Japanese Garden, admiring the De Young Museum, vegging out on a blanket under the blue sky, or watching the rollerskaters (which i just found out about recently....wtf?), whether the sun is shining or the clouds are covering the sky........its a great place to be.
I love it here.
There are some people/places/things in the world that consistently deliver, that always make you happier than you were before, that give you reason to care.
Golden Gate Park is one of those places for me. I think that when you find something that adds a little more magic or calm or *insert anything positive* into your life, you have to go with it and get as much out of it as you can.
So, Golden Gate Park. Here's my story, written as part-advice, part-autobiography of a San Francisco native.
+ Botanical Gardens. On Saturdays when we were little, my sister and I used to go with my grandma to feed the ducks and the squirrels here. From the Inner Richmond, you walk through the Rose Garden, cross John F. Kennedy drive, go up the hill, past some Cherry Blossoms, and you're there. We brought the ends of bread loaves and packs of peanuts for the animals. The ducks, pigeons, and seagulls would swarm around us, and then a few minutes in, would all fly away together, in a frantic rush, only to return a minute later, ready to eat more. The squirrels, they come right up to you and take the peanuts out of your hands. If you're a little girl, stuff like that is thrilling, enough to make you squeal. My suggestion: Go with your family or friends, bring some food, and sit on a bench feeding the animals. Life moves slower for a while, and it feels right.
+ CA Academy of Sciences: On Friday afternoons, my dad and I used to rush from my Kumon classes over to the California Academy of Sciences to catch the last half hour of the museum, which was open for free during those 30 minutes. I had a mortifying moment once, when we were at the tide pool area, and my dad was pointing out to the white woman next to us all the different animals sitting in there that we Chinese people like to eat. "That's a sea cucumber. It tastes really good in black bean sauce." The Academy is much different now, but here's my advice: Bring your kid to it often. Curiosity is something that people lose as they get older, so make sure that you stimulate your child's curious heart with as much life and science and animals and wonderful things as you possibly can, and maybe when they're 23 years old, they'll also write about their childhood memories at the museum.
+ Sunday in the Park: On Sundays, a lot of John F. Kennedy Drive is closed to traffic so that families can bike, walk, roller-blade in the park, without worrying about traffic. We used to roller-blade and bike in the park, getting our exercise and catching the folks doing Lindy Hop on the bridge or roller-skating and dancing by that area near 6th and Fulton. It's good for people watching, taking in some sun (at least 15 minutes of sun a day is required to produce enough Vitamin D!), and getting some fresh air. Here's my advice: If you're near, make it a habit to come out to GG Park on Sundays to either get your exercise (it's a good place to run), or to just relax and walk around people-watching. The people in this city are interesting, you'll never get bored watching.
+ Conservatory of Flowers: The building is beautiful, and it's a greenhouse in a city. How awesome is that? But even more awesome than the building and its contents is the area outside of it. My advice: This is a good place to walk around with older people. Take a Sunday and bring your grandparents here, let them walk around all the flowers. You'll enjoy each other's company while walking around leisurely. Life moves too fast, take it slow, walk with grandma. Also, if you have kid sisters or brothers, or one of your own, the grassy hills across from the conservatory are perfect for rolling and tumbling down. It's good, simple fun.
+ The Bison: Because where else in the city or anywhere in the state, really, can you find random bison roaming around. I generally jog or bike around here every now and then. Advice: If you're biking past, just take a minute to look at it, laugh, and then move on. It's nice to have that brief "hehehe" moment in any day. Then continue on your journey towards that little windmill and the ocean.
+ Other worthwhile things to see: Polo Fields, Stow Lake, paddle-boating, the DeYoung Museum.
Final word: You can't really complain about a place that's free, fun, friendly, family-oriented.
I think it's fantastic. Golden Gate Park, thank you.
I've lived across the street from this park for over 20 years now and I still can't get over how much I love it. When I used to run, I loved that everyone else was running in it as well. When I used to bike on Sundays, I remember how fun it was and how great nature was.
Now the De Young and The Academy of Sciences have reopened their doors and I love this park even more. I am only a few feet away from these tourist attractions yet they feel like my neighbors homes.
Hippie hill is always a nice place to sun bathe when the sun is hot enough and the hills in front of the Conservatory of Flowers is still the best ones to roll down.
I am lucky.
I love this time of the year at my beloved GGP!
The cherry blossom is in full bloom. The peach blossom is in full bloom.
Weather is nice as usual. Sunny warm but never too hot.
The birds are singing. I have actually been seeing more exotic birds hanging around our little lakes lately. Large snow white cranes and tiny little singing blue birds.
And I love staring at the elegant Chinese mountain pine trees in and around the Golden Gate Park. You don't see this kind of pine trees anywhere else in North America.
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5/3/2007
All the out-of-town tourists may think of SF is all about the GG Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf,… Read more »
As someone who totally enjoys bicycling, Golden Gate Park is definitely my all-time favorite park. During the 1 year I lived in San Fran (years ago) I was joy cruising through this park all the time. The landscaping is fantastic. I miss those days.
In terms of rankings for parks and cycling, I put Golden Gate at the top, followed by Prospect Park (Brooklyn, NY) and then Vondel Park (Amsterdam, the Netherlands).
Believe it or not, this place is bigger than New York's Central Park.
REALLY!
This place almost have everything to look for in a park. Man-made lakes like Stow Lake, which some say is haunted but at the same time a romantic place for lovers. Hike up the hill and you can see the most amazing view of the city. It will also give you a pretty good workout or if you're a child, you can let your imagination run wild.
This place even have Buffaloes. Buffaloes, I tell you. They're roaming around, and eating grass without a care in the world. Head out to Ocean Beach and you'll see those giant windmills facing the Pacific Ocean. They have been weathered through time and their glory days are behind them, but don't let that full you. Underneath that one windmill is the Tulip Garden. When in full bloom, it is a sight to behold.
There's plenty of places to play a catch of football, baseball, frisbee or let your dog play a game of fetch. Hey, I even played flag football with a bunch of Yelpers a couple of months ago. (I played with the East Bay team; go figure?) If archery is your thing, they have that too. This is also home to the famous Conservatory of Flowers. If you're a tourist, you've probably picked up postcards of that place.
I haven't even gotten to the best places yet. Yes, somewhere in the middle are my three favorites things with this place. The new De Young Museum and Academy of Sciences both long time residents have returned to their rightful place. And my favorite is the Japanese Tea Garden. I get my Zen on whenever I visit this place. I mean it will transform you somewhere in Kyoto once inside its magnificent grounds.
Take that, Central Park.
Hello denizens of the park!
Please enjoy:
Tai chi in the early am in Music Concourse (or under the Academy eaves when it's raining)
Public restrooms behind the band shell
Bus parking behind the band shell
A concession stand behind the band shell
Music Concourse is a great place for kids to run around, blow off some steam, and then sleep in the car on the way home!
Amenities galore behind the band shell!
Great things happen here. I could right a book of all the cool concerts, smoke sessions, walks, and barbecues I've had here. Not to mention 4:20. Check this place out.You'd have to be a fool not to love it.
