Golden Gate Park
The Verdict
"Cluster the museums and gardens at the eastern end, then bike west for the bison, Stow Lake, and the empty paths."
What you need to know
A Park Built on Sand Dunes
A 1,017-acre park stretching 3 miles from Stanyan Street to Ocean Beach, covering gardens, museums, meadows, lakes, and trails.
The whole western half of the city was sand dunes before the park was laid out starting in 1870. Engineer William Hammond Hall drew the plan, and superintendent John McLaren spent decades turning the dunes into a park.
What’s There
The eastern end holds the big draws: the de Young, California Academy of Sciences, Japanese Tea Garden, and Conservatory of Flowers around the Music Concourse. The western half holds Stow Lake (pedal boats and a waterfall on Strawberry Hill), the bison paddock (a herd since 1891), Spreckels Lake, and the Dutch Windmill near Ocean Beach (built 1903). Walking end-to-end takes over an hour, so rent bikes to cover more ground; the western half is foggier and emptier on weekday afternoons.
Getting There
N-Judah to 9th Avenue for the Music Concourse. 5-Fulton along the north edge, 7-Haight/Noriega along the south. Paid parking in the Music Concourse garage; JFK Drive is car-free.
Explore Nearby
Rose B. Simpson: LEXICON
Rose B. Simpson's exhibition LEXICON opens at the de Young Museum, featuring...
Uji Time Dessert
First shop in the Bay Area to serve taiyaki ice cream in...
Boom Boom Room
A Fillmore blues, funk, and soul club with live music most nights.
Bob’s Donuts
Famous donut shop
