How to Enjoy Golden Gate Park in San Francisco

On 1041 acres, Golden Gate Park is the pride and joy of everyone's favorite city, San Francisco. Located on the City's west side, it is three miles long and a half-mile wide, stretching all the way from the Haight Ashbury to the Pacific Ocean. Laid out in the late 19th century by John McLaren, miles of sand dunes were transformed into one of the nation's premiere public parks. The attractions are endless including wide lawns, formally landscaped gardens, urban wilderness areas, sports fields and facilities, lakes, an arboretum, conservatory of flowers and so much more. The park is also home to the M.H. de Young Museum, San Francisco's most important art museum, the California Academy of Sciences and Steinhart Aquarium as well as the world-famous Japanese Tea Garden.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Comfortable walking shoes.
• A warm sweater or jacket. It can be cold and foggy.

1. Visit the M.H. de Young Museum. The museum reopened in 2005 after a huge restoration and rebuilding following the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 and the collection of paintings and sculpture has never looked better. The collection of art from Oceania and the Americans is particularly significant and be sure to check for any special exhibitions.
2. Japanese Tea Garden Visit the Japanese Tea Garden. This enchanting, 5-acre garden, the oldest Japanese garden in the US, was originally built for the 1894 World's Fair. Its manicured grounds including bonsais and cherry trees, winding paths, a pagoda, tea house and moon bridge, make it one of the park's most popular destinations for tourists and residents alike.
3. Visit the California Academy of Sciences. Directly across the music concourse from the de Young Museum, the Academy of Sciences is home to the Steinhart Aquarium, the oldest, continually operating, grand municipal aquarium in the US. The distinguished collection includes species found at no other aquariums in the world. A new building designed by internationally renowned architect Renzo Piano is due to open in 2008.
4. Visit the Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum. Featuring 55 acres of landscaped gardens and open spaces containing over 7,500 different species of plants from around the world, the arboretum is one of the most tranquil and scenic areas of the park.
5. Stow Lake Visit Stow Lake. Set behind the Japanese Tea Garden, Stow Lake offers paddle boat rentals, picnic areas and an island for hiking with a panoramic park view from its summit.
6. Conservatory of Flowers Visit the Conservatory of Flowers. One of the city's most impressive Victorian buildings, the Conservatory of Flowers is the oldest, existing, wood and glass conservatory in the United States. A park landmark, it opened in 1879 and is a living museum of rare tropical plants from palms to orchids.
7. Visit the windmills and tulip garden. Two historic windmills sit at the very west end of the park overlooking the Great Highway and Ocean Beach. The Dutch Windmill on the north side was built in 1902, while the Murphy Windmill on the south side was built in 1905 and was the largest windmill of its kind in the world when completed. They actually used to pump the park's water but eventually both were replaced by a modern pumping system. The north windmill was restored in 1980 and an adjacent tulip garden was also planted that blooms in February and March.
8. Visit Spreckels Lake, the Rhododendron Dell and the Buffalo Paddock. On the north side of the park at 36th Avenue you'll discover a lovely lake flanked by a 1-acre rhododendron garden containing 400 plants. They bloom once a year, with different varieties showing color between February and May. The buffalo paddock on the other side of the lake features a small herd of bison that have been park residents since 1892 when the area was free-range grazing land for the city's livestock.
9. Hike the length of the park. You can start at the visitor center at McLaren Lodge, the former home of the park's chief designer, on the east side at Stanyan Street and walk the entire three-mile length west to the Great Highway and Ocean Beach passing all the significant sights along the way.
10. Dine at the Beach Chalet. Built in 1925 as a changing facility for bathers going to Ocean Beach across the street, this historic building in the CA Mission Style by famed local architect Willis Polk, complete with WPA murals in the lobby, was transformed in the 1990's into a restaurant and bar. The Beach Chalet is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers both casual and fine dining options. With its wall-to-wall windows overlooking the Pacific Ocean, it's particularly enjoyable at sunset.

Tips & Warnings

• The best days for hiking and biking are on Saturday and Sunday when John F. Kennedy Drive, the park's main street is closed to all vehicular traffic.
• Bring a warm jacket or sweater. It can be cold and foggy.