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Sigmund Stern Grove

4.5 (126 reviews)
Open 6:00 am - 6:00 pm

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Joan W.

Stern Grove is like a miniature, quieter, and less touristy Golden Gate Park. I actually prefer Golden Gate Park because it's bigger and there is more to do but I'll stop by Stern Grove if I'm in this area of the city. The park seems to be divided into 3 parts, Stern Grove, the Dog Park, and Pine Lake Park. It's very quiet and sparsely populated (not the dog park part) on the weekdays and if that's what you are into (think that Depeche mode song Enjoy the Silence) it's very rewarding. I like to come here and read in the seats for the amphitheater. There is this building in the grove for events, I think it's mainly used for weddings. Hiking wise there is no definite trail but there are little paths that go to a meadow or up through the trees to the street. From one end of the park to the other is about a mile. For more hiking ideas, here's a collection of other trails I've reviewed. bit.ly/43PhQtL

Montage of images from Sigmund Stern Grove
Ed U.

I'm one of those ignorant locals (or maybe more accurately, ignorant 'nearbys') that came to Stern Grove only for the free music. I admit it. I was the cheapskate who usually sat way in the back on a hill behind a tree that completely blocked my view. Until my most recent visit, I didn't know there was an actual park. OK, I actually did know there was some greenery but never bothered to explore it. It turns out Stern Grove is more than the Concert Meadow, which was rather interesting to traipse around when it was vacant. The amphitheater structure looked like it's been renovated from the golden days when I used to see performers like the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Mimi Farina. However, the true surprise came from the surprisingly vast acreage that I discovered laid west where there's a huge dog park and a pleasant lake with surrounding trails. It's called Pine Lake and well worth checking out. Gee, I just noticed Stern Grove stretches fifteen blocks from 19th to 34th Avenue. That's a lot of woods to appreciate even without free music. RELATED - Exploring the Sunset? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2EI8eIJ

Jean L.

Stern Grove is one of those parks that not many people go out of their way to visit unless attending a festival or concert. I personally like how "local" Stern Grove is in terms of attracting the type of visitors. There's a dog park within Stern Grove and a couple of play grounds for the kiddos, not to mention wide open green space for humans or animals to run freely. My other favorite aspect of Stern Grove is the amount of tall luscious trees within. The other day I was strollin' through and temporarily forgot I was in SF because when I looked up, all I saw were tall trees as if I were in a forest. Of course when I looked down, I was on a paved trail, which quickly brought me back to reality. Lots of entrances/exits to get in/out of Stern Grove so I never felt that it was too crowded, even before social distancing started. I'll see you next week Stern Grove for another stroll. #11/2020

Ben H.

Came for Toro Y Moi and it was a really nice park... However the venue was so packed that everyone was climbing up the hills for a spot. In which the trees blocked a lot of the sound and view so couldn't see much. Glad it was a free concert though but next time I'll try to come a lot earlier

SF housing crisis affecting all sectors
Asper K.

I was headed to Poindexter Cornelius Esquire Park to test my balsa wood glider this past Wednesday. But unfortunately the tape on my glasses was flexing too much due to the above average fog and I had no choice but to turn back. After twisting my ankle last week I have really had a tough time. (I am considering doubling my Vitamin D regimen but you can't trust the dosage information printed on the labels so I don't know which brand to buy.) Thanks for nothing FDA. FYI Sucks. Anyway, when I was almost home I had a change of heart and headed to Sigmund Stern Grove. I've got a pretty sweet glider FYI, so I figured I'd go for it. So glad to have that park nearby. As soon as I stepped into the park, for some strange reason I started crying. I was all, "Sigmund, THANK YOU! SO MUCH!!" I don't know what happened FYI. I digress, but few people are aware of Sigmund's heroic action in saving this eucalyptus park which was not easy for him at all. You see, Sigmund lived down the block from me. I remember, he was just out of college living with his parents in the Sunset after graduating from SF State. He got a degree in something or didn't graduate. Either way getting a job was super hard and rents around are so damn high. So he moved back in. I mean it's tough. But Sigmund's an above average dude FYI and given sufficient time also industrious. To better his situation, and after really thinking it over for a couple months like in that movie "I Graduated" by Dustin Hoffman, Sigmund decided to become a YouTube artist. That was a good move, I think. He's so talented. He could do so many things I'm sure. For example, he could strap a camera to his chest and ride around the neighborhood on a bike and say if a hill is hard to climb or if he is tired today or another possibility would be a channel exploring personal appliances like taking apart a toaster oven. For sure, ad dollars would start rolling in from all his new fans By the way, most people don't know this but Sigmund can do 15 pull ups. Just FYI. Anyway, one time after spending most of morning planning out his YouTube channel Sigmund got bored and decided to head out to the park to unwind and think clearly and what not. And then without any advance notice at all, near the benches in the middle of the park, a coyote walks over to near the garbage cans. It was just like in that Westworld prequel with Kevin Costner "How to dance with a Wolf" where this glitching host heads out to the Land Beyond and finds this kind of unfortunate looking dog who is pretty hairy and has a big nose. So then, Sigmund summons the courage of Akecheta the ghost tribe dude with the blood hand imprint on his neck from Westworld, and yells at the coyote to "get out of here". To this day, most likely, Sigmund checks to see if there are any coyotes lurking about and is ready to act again if need be. On top of all that, he also used his mom's laser printer and google translate to put up a sign to warn people of the danger in like three languages. So in thanks for keeping the park safe, it was probably named after Sigmund. FYI. The end.

Liz S.

This review is for the park, and not the concert series, which I have reviewed separately here http://www.yelp.com/biz/w6_Oi3o3dZv8W1OfV8UOYA?hrid=IA2gy-Rv4chY00FPeezzhA Sigmund Stern Grove is a beautiful neighborhood park. Walking down from the corner of 19th Ave. and Sloat, among the eucalyptus trees and nasturtium, you can't help but feel the magic of this place. At the bottom of the drive is the Redwood Grove. It is dark and shady, quiet and cathedral-like. For this reason, it has been the site of many wedding ceremonies and remains a quiet place to read or take a break from the sun. Next to the Redwood Grove is the Trocadero Clubhouse. It used to be a hotel for the elite of San Francisco, but this use ended with Prohibition. The Victorian structure remains in pretty good condition, and can be rented for private events, and houses the pre-concert talks for the summer concert series. My old company held a Christmas party here and we had a grand time shaking the dance floor in the quiet of the grove. There is a very decent bathroom right next to the clubhouse with lots of stalls for women (yay). The grove itself is best known for the Summer Concerts, which is one of the best activities to do in San Francisco. It is said that Mrs. Stern went around with an opera singer test various spots in the park to determine the best acoustics before setting up the location of the stage. The re-vamp by landscape architect Lawrence Halperin was a welcome change. Additionally, "talking posts" for the sight-impaired have been added, as well as more paths to keep people off of the lawn as much as possible. Right behind the stage is the largest tree in San Francisco, a towering eucalyptus with a huge trunk. Hopefully, none of those branches will come down any time soon. I have heard that if you spend the entire day in the park, you will leave smelling of eucalyptus. Yum! The hillside, which tends to erode from people sitting on it, has been cleared of many trees which were then used to create natural benches, and that are reinforced by deep stakes to keep them from moving. The West Meadow is a sunny spot to hang out on a blanket on a clear day. Please do not use plastic tarps, as these kill the grass and leave ugly brown spots - yuck! Drinking fountains for humans and pets can be found here and by the Trocadero parking lot. Above the seats in the concert grove, there are paths that allow you to wind around the trees and are perfect for dog-walking in a wooded environment. Across the main parking lot is Pine Lake Park, which is currently being renovated to include a dog run and new, beautiful grass for our four-legged friends. This part of the park can be also be entered at Crestlake and Vale. The park is rarely crowded and people are responsible for picking up after their dogs. For some reason, this park does not seem to attract the homeless or lurkers. A wonderful place to escape the wind and city stresses. Go when you need to get your Thoreau on.

The Fun Slide!
Evelyn K.

The Scare Grove Event was terrific! The descent down the path through the eucalyptus trees made for a perfect setting for the Halloween party. Scare Grove is definitely the best kids Halloween party in the city. The wide expanse of the park and the stone seating around the amphitheater gave us ample room to relax, eat or just enjoy the show. In accordance with custom, the kids eagerly flaunted their costumes, breaking them in for a night of partying. We give our son as many opportunities as possible to spend time in his costume before All Hallows' eve. To be sure that he's comfortable in it before the 3 hour dark trek through our neighborhood. The craft tables were terrific. My son made quick crafts while I held his place in line for the other activities. His fav. activies were definitely the "make own magic wand," the face painting and the scamper through the hay maze to the toddler friendly haunted house. We especially loved the carnival rides. The ride staff were extremely friendly, definitely making it a more of a celebration than a mere event. A Juggler and Characters kept the tots occupied in the lines. Older kids weren't left out either. In the clubhouse, adjacent to Pine Lake, a creepy graveyard path through the trees led you into the haunted house. The live actors dressed as ghouls appearing in front of you and some lunatics stabbing body parts provided enough excitement for terror lovers. I do regret not getting zombie face paint. I was indecisive, as I am partial to being a vampire. The food truck choices were also diverse and didn't break your wallet. The heat lamps in the dining section were a bonus. Luckily, the night was warm and we were well sheltered from the wind by the trees. Thanks for another great year SF Rec & Park!

Festival 2010.
Glenn H.

Love this place. Don't come here. This my own piece of paradise. Stay away. Go play over at Golden Gate Park instead.

Clubhouse for weddings
Natalie N.

How does this exist in the middle of the city!!?! This park is beautiful, very peaceful and kept very clean. I attended a wedding here in the "clubhouse" that is on the property. It was an amazing venue for a wedding. I think all the guest's were shocked that this little haven existed like I was. It's also situated near the amphitheater which is a really cool site to see. The place they held the ceremony was under huge trees. Our group was about 85 people, which fit very nicely and was still intimate. The house had a wrap around balcony/patio which was perfect to have drinks and apps on. The inside is small so I don't think you could fit a group much bigger than ours. It was truly an adorable space. My only -1 star was for the parking lot being a little far from the clubhouse area. During the day its easy, but at night its a little scary to walk so far with no lighting at all unless you bring your own. Street parking if you walk up a big hill might be the better option.

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Ask the Community - Sigmund Stern Grove

Review Highlights - Sigmund Stern Grove

I love Stern Grove, and I adore Stern Grove Festival b/c its all this + great bands + good friends + strawberries and wine.

Mentioned in 7 reviews

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