1. John McLaren Park

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San Francisco, CA

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John McLaren Park

4.3 (183 reviews)
Open • 5:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

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Abel A.

A hidden gem. This parks is triangulated within the Excelsior, Portola, and Visitacion Valley neighborhoods and offers plenty of greenery and pathways as well amenities including but not limited to basketball courts, playgrounds, tennis/pickleball courts, and picnic areas throughout the park. It even has an amphitheater plus offers majestic city views from different parts of the park.

Pond/trail
Liann A.

One of my friends hosts her kids birthday parties here and other friends friends do too. There are different park/party areas. Parking is super easy, the playgrounds for the children are huge and spacious. Plenty of tables and space to host a large party of over 50-100 people! The park is huge, not too far off the freeway. There are hiking trails and also dog park/walking areas and people also run around the area too.

Lisa W.

I love everything's about this expansive park! The scenery, many trails to walk, seeing art the doggies (I think this must be the biggest dog walking park in the city). Each time I visit I am not disappointed. The gardens and paths are well maintained, there are several playgrounds for children and some beautiful mosaic tile.

Stefan T.

Huge park that is only second to Golden Gate park. It is a hidden gem in plain sight here in the city. This is a great place to take your dog for a walk. Huge areas and trails. Old shady trees and best of all views for days. This park is on a hilly area. If you are really out of shape you might not like it... because along with the hills are very long distances. Somehow if you look at this place on a map it is easy to dismiss its vast area. Playground and picnic tables. Many benches in case you get tired and need a break. I try to walk about an hour a day and there is probably nothing better than a walk here. You can escape car exhaust fumes and see lots of green areas. There is a small garden and nearby some white lily flowers that pop up nearby. I found few trash cans - and the ones there were overflowing. People were good about putting stuff right next to it though. The grassy areas are mostly weeds. With all the hills I imagine its difficult to mow or really plant something better - nor with the square footage would it be possible. There are some nice touches here and there. Some mosaic tile work and a fountain that is a nice focal point with the bay and city skyline view behind it. So many photo opportunities. Its not that far from downtown. If you live and work in the city this might just be a quick escape for you after the small apartment and cubicle life.

Ed H.

The past four years I've been commuting between Fresno and San Francisco, and not until this August am I finally back living in the city! It's amazing to me how many parks and hikes there are within San Francisco itself. As much of a city this place is it has amazing nature and it's never too far away. Take for example, John McLaren Park! Friend of mine suggested that I should visit and on one of these amazing sunny days I did just that. She mentioned a hike called the Philosophers Way Trail. It's called that because it's meant to inspire appreciation of nature and all the life within the forest. It's a beautiful 2.2 mile trail with about 300 ft elevation. I noticed lots of dog walkers and dogs that were off leash, which honestly was a bit concerning as I also saw some big coyote's. There are views of all parts of the city, from the Bay Bridge, to south city, to the San Bruno Mountains. Besides that trail, there are plenty more to do. There are also small spaces for events and plenty of parking. Picnic tables and bathrooms! I was there around 11am and was able to see the sun breaking through various parts of the tall trees and smelled a lot of eucalyptus as well. Overall, go! I plan on visiting again and definitely checking out some other trails. 10/10 for me!

Map
Ruhi S.

Ditch the maps and follow the Philosophers Stone to follow an easy/moderate ~3 mile hike with magnificent 360° of San Francisco. Loved this hike that called out unique spots to stop at and learn more about the City.

Alexander C.

Great park to bring your dog and go on a nice walk. Plenty of trails and tons of amazing views. Bring a snack to enjoy at one of the many picnic tables also has a a number of playgrounds and even an amphitheater with shows in the summer.

Montage of images from John McLaren Park
Ed U.

Did you know this is the third largest park in the city after Golden Gate Park and the Presidio? And yet, until recently, my only exposure to it was from a speeding MUNI bus that I thought was going to SoMa. I was mistaken, and my transit angst spilled over to an unfair impression I had that the park was overgrown and not well-tended. It took the pandemic for me to return in my constant search for new places to walk in the city. The park offers the poetically named Philosopher's Walk which circles the park in a 2.7-mile path, half of it paved and the other half either flattened dry gravel or just plain dirt surrounded by plenty of foliage. It's a pleasant enough walk offering panoramic views at certain points like the southern rim where you can see the bay and San Bruno Mountain or from the watertower bluff where you can view downtown in the distance. I have to confess I got confused the first time I followed the path. I thought some of the stone markers were hard to track or plain confusing when they showed two arrows in different directions. Ugh, don't give me choices. I'm neither Lewis nor Clark in my navigational ineptitude, so I sometimes took wrong turns. I just figured what the hell, it added more steps on my FitBit. I was a pro by my second visit and even managed detours to the duck pond where I shared the path with curious dogs. There are other attractions you would expect at a city park this big like a huge playground if you have restless toddlers. There are the expected tennis courts and picnic areas. It's also big enough to offer other trails and paved roads to easily accommodate cyclists and walkers concurrently. I agree that the location feels remote if you don't live in the surrounding neighborhoods, but it wasn't difficult if you have a car. Just take the Paul Avenue exit and drive west on Mansell until you see the park. There's a convenient parking lot to the left, and as luck would have it, this is where the Philosopher's Walk begins. RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

Forest and trails
Annabelle R.

I never knew such a magnificent park existed in SF, comparable to Golden Gate Park. I visited this park to attend SFMOMA's Soapbox Derby!! A festival and show of unique creations racing down the curves of Shelley Drive, with crowds of spectators cheering them on while enjoying, music, food, sunshine, and the occasional crash and tumble along the "cheese grater" (pot holes near the finish line posing a challenge for racers).... See my SFMOMA review for more on the Soapbox Derby. If not for this event, I wouldn't have discovered this amazing park. So I'm really grateful, because there is so much to love. So much greenery, countless leafy trees creating a forest flowing into hilly fields of grass for kids to run around or couples to picnic along. So many trails winding throughout the park and so much to explore. McLaren seems to be a lot hillier than GGP, some pathways with steeper inclines, which can be a bit tiresome climbing uphill, but more than ideal for hikers who prefer more of a challenge. The walk to the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater from Shelley Drive is one of those uphill challenges, but not too terrible. A clean restroom right next to the amphitheater, but no trash bins in the women's (neither in the stalls nor in the restroom itself), pretty inconvenient IMO to have to exit to find a trash can. The park is definitely much larger than what the map looks like, so expect to walk a lot while trekking from one point to another at this park. There's quirky detail like sea creature climbing structures for kids, a playground, tennis courts, golf course, paved and dirt pathways, lakes and creeks, gorgeous views of the city on a clear day, and "lover's rock." I only saw one small parking lot, though there may be another lot somewhere on other sides of the park. There's plenty of street parking within the surrounding neighborhood too. Great park to get lost in nature, and perfect setting for special events, especially a rarity like the Soapbox Derby :)

Emily F.

I really liked this park! A very diverse collection of areas to explore. A tennis court, a large field of grass, a playground for kids, a pond with a bunch of ducks & turtles, a wooded area for hiking, and beautiful city lookout, picnic tables, and your standard hiking trail. We were only there for an hour and discovered that much. The park looks pretty large! We will go again. Just a few oddities we found after walking our dog when we got home. She smelled really strange. I'm guessing it's due to the highly populated bird area. Kya had been suspiciously rolling around in a patch of grass near the pond and we suspect it had geese poop smeared all over. She also ran through some tall grass and plants which may have caused the stench on her face. Weird! Also! Beware of the poison ivy in the wooded area. We aren't 100% sure but a few plants look similar. We kept Kya away from the vegetation in those areas. I'd recommend John McLaren Park!

Great place to escape the crowds and have a picnic
Greg S.

Where do I start? McLaren park is huge! I guess that is how to start... Lots of big trees, hills and trails to challenge every hiking level ability. There are wide paved trails and also a couple roads that are closed to traffic, so you can easily social distance while enjoying the park. Most people were wearing their face coverings...thank you! Clean restrooms and a great number of picnic tables are scattered all around the park. And the views!!! WOW We could see Mt. Diablo!!! This is a great park worth checking out.

Joan W.

I don't usually get down to this part of the city but after seen John Mclaren Park in the distance from many other hikes I've done like Bernal Heights, Mt. Davidson, or Twin Peaks I wanted to check it out. At 317 acres it's pretty big, the second biggest park in the city after Golden Gate Park but way less crowded and easier to find parking. The Philosopher's Walk is the most comprehensive trail around the park. It's around 2.5-3 miles but there are so many different little trails intersecting that you can veer off and develop your own path. There's always something new to explore. Some highlights of the park are the pond or Maclaren Upper Resevoir that is really popular for dogs to jump in and the water tower which looks out towards the city. I love city views and much of the hike overlooks different parts of the SF and the South Bay. The downtown skyline is a bit farther but you really get to see up close other parts that most people forget about like Portola, Excelsior, Visitacion Valley, and Crocker-Amazon.

View from Park
Ana D.

Such a huge park right here in San Francisco! Beautiful view of the city. Large enough that you can social distance. Finding parking is easy. You maybe get lost if you're meeting up with friends unless you drop a pin! As this has many different ways to enter the park. Large area for dogs and picnic tables by the pond! Seeing as this is San Francisco, you can get really cold

The maze

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Reviews are largely positive. People highlight the expansive park and amenities, scenic city views, and well maintained grounds. Parking is also convenient.

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Please please please keep this hidden gem hidden. Love the trails. Very bike friendly. Parking is easy, though I'm usually biking here.

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Ask the Community - John McLaren Park

How is and where is parking?

Are there any restrooms there?

Yes there are restrooms. Just remember to bring sanitizer or some handwipes !

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Review Highlights - John McLaren Park

“There are paths, fields, the Jerry Garcia amphitheater, ponds, cool new kids' play ground, BBQ sites, tennis courts..”

Mentioned in 9 reviews

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First time coming here and it's a great place to visit! There's grass so you can have a picnic…read more There's food trucks so you can grab a bite! The scenery is beautiful, you can see the Golden Gate Bridge! There's playgrounds for the children. Presidio field station for children's entertainment & learning. Gender neutral bathrooms. A lot of people. A lot of parking spots, but hard to find an open one, lol. There's a Walt Disney museum that I want to explore next time. It's a fairly big place with a lot to do! Nice walking distance to all activities.

With views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the rest of the city, it's easy to see why you'd want to…read morespend some time here. The Presidio is such a cool part of SF, and this is a great spot to slow down, enjoy the scenery, and catch up with friends or family. The East Meadow is also near the recently opened Mess Hall, which makes it a convenient location if you're planning to spend a little more time in the area. You can keep things simple and just hang out, or plan ahead for a gathering. There are picnic tables available to rent, and you can even reserve part or all of the East Meadow! Definitely something to keep in mind if you're looking for an outdoor spot to bring a group together. What I like about this area is that the setting itself is such a big part of the experience. You have space to gather and those classic San Francisco views right around you. Whether you're planning a picnic or just looking for somewhere to enjoy an afternoon, the East Meadow is worth checking out!

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This 1017 acre park is incredible huge that housed a museum, academy of science, a botanical…read moregarden/ conservatory of flowers, a Japanese tea garden , as well as a lake!! So much luscious towering trees like eucalyptus groves, as well as enormous massive cypress trees and so much green grass open spaces !!!! Boat rentals are available at the lake!! Food trucks by the covered open stage and surrounded with benches to enjoy live music performances!!! What a day to spend with my grandkids enjoying an open space under the shady trees while eating our food truck eats!!

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John McLaren Park - parks - Updated October 2026

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