Sunnyside Conservatory

(152 reviews)

4.9 mi

This area of SF has been our new favorite since avoiding it like the plague due to an unfortunate…read moresmash & grab years ago. Presidio Tunnel Tops is definitely the new parkland that The City deserves! This is a vast haven with lush greeneries and play areas for kids, adults and paw companions. Reservations are encouraged for larger groups with assigned picnic tables and lawn areas, otherwise, it's a first come first served basis with people setting up blankets in the well manicured grass turf. With magnificent views of the Golden Gate, Alcatraz Island, Crissy Field, Palace of Fine Arts and SF's iconic skyline, while standing on one spot. What more could you ask for? Sans marine layer of course. This park is also near the Walt Disney Family Museum for fans of the house of mouse. Helpful reminders for first time visitors. Either get early for parking or forget the adjacent lots like the French Court area and just go to the Anza Avenue, Outpost Meadow or the Crissy Field East Beach parking areas. Parking is free after 6 PM to 8 AM, so that is a plus for sunset vigils. Don't forget to pay at any of the kiosks! Plate number is mandatory. No printed receipt needed. It gets chilly and windy here so bring layers even in the summer. If you can, bring your own snacks and drinks as food truck and Il Parco offerings can get tourist trap pricey. All-Gender restrooms with communal sinks are located by the Presidio Field Station and the cafe.

This is our second most favorite place to visit in the city…read more Only disadvantage is the 25 min drive for 6 miles into one end of it. But every minute spent here is worth all the gas and time! Our toddler loves it. We love it coz of the views and variety of things we get to do. The outpost park is one of the best playgrounds out there. Here they are enjoying sliding / swinging/ climbing rocks and trees and walls without any plastic involved. The sand play area the hit ever single time. The local shrubbery and flowers in spring and summer, the giant green lawns with big red chairs, ones looking over golden gate and magnificent views of the city, food trucks offering variety of food all around the world, gender neutral restrooms, presidio field station for little ones to explore--- you have everything in this beautifully maintained area. It's truly one of the gems in the city. If you are visiting or bored of same four famous places consider visiting presidio. Bike, fly kite, play catch, /slide down the stone slide, enjoy views. Paid parking all around but it can be tricky. SF weather is chillier and overcast in summer ( thanks to fog), always layer up!!

Seating to avoid the wind

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Mission Dolores Park

4.6

(1.6k reviews)

2.1 mi

This is one of my favorite places to create memories in San Francisco. There's plenty of open space…read moreto spread out, relax, and create your own experience. _______ Good for: all ages Quick Guide: * Playground: yes -- Helen Diller Playground (great for toddlers and young kids) * Baby-friendly: open space, with some hills * Terrain: steep grassy hills, some flat areas, and paved paths -- good for walking and strollers; some areas may be more challenging for wheelchairs * Bathrooms: available (see map) * Parking: limited -- easier to walk in or get dropped off * Shade / seating: mix of sun and shade with a large grass area * Dog-friendly: yes * Food / supplies: nearby food options and vendors sometimes (I usually bring my own lunch if I'm staying a while) _______ Real-life insight: You can find a calmer area if you move slightly away from the main crowd. Pro tip: Bring a waterproof picnic blanket. If you don't have one, a plastic tablecloth from the dollar store works just as well.

Love the open green space and that there's public SF WiFi !! (At least near the 18th street side)…read moreGreat place to relax and sunbathe, have a picnic or play with your dog. Not crowded on a weekday but definitely would be on a sunny weekend

No Kings Day

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Your Caption Here

Bernal Heights Park

4.6

(350 reviews)

1.6 mi

Enjoyed a sunny day with a short hike and 360 panoramic views of the hometown…read more What I appreciate about this park is there are benches everywhere to admire the view. The lower level is flat and paved and I would recommend for people with mobility issues. The unpaved graveled path to the top of the hill is where you get a birds eye view. It's typically windy but I got lucky this day. Shoes with grip is advised, Note the road to the path is narrow so drive slow.

Great small park, with great views, plus some optional steep sections. On the West side of the…read morepark, You can exit the park and go down some interesting steps into the neighborhood. Parking not too bad: Small parking area, or you can park on street. Lots of dogs.

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Rainbow Falls

4.6

(17 reviews)

3.5 mi

Naga makes my walks, my nights, my life, and the world better…read more It's best to approach him at night. The Golden Mile might feel creepy in the dark, but once you've walked it a few times, especially on weekends, you realize that there are people coming and going, on foot and on bikes. Just breathe in and out. Just amazing.

Strolling through Golden Gate Park today had so many fun activities and views but the absolute…read morestandout was NAGA the sea dragon at Rainbow Falls! This magical art installation BREATHES BUBBLES! And with the epic waterfall in the background just under prayerbook cross, it's like a scene out of a movie. Totally worth the visit!

Naga and The Captainess {8/24/2025}

Rainbow Falls at Golden Gate Park

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NAGA!

Huntington Park

(173 reviews)

4.4 mi

Beautiful park by some of the most iconic places in San Francisco. Close by to Grace Cathedral,…read moreFairmont Hotel, the Mark Hopkins Hotel, and the Huntington Hotel. Thus, this park is meticulously manicured and decorated year round, especially stunning during the holidays with decorative lights. Right in the center of the park, there's a fountain here replicated after the Fontana delle Tartarughe (Fountain of the Turtles) in Rome. With how it's laid out, it's picturesque and very popular with locals and visitors. On the side, there's a playground for kids. I remember coming here for Easter egg hunts when I was younger. Now, I bring my pup here occasionally for photos. Located in the middle flanked by 4 streets: California St, Taylor St, Sacramento St, and Cushman St and is reachable by car or via public transportation like the #1 California bus and the cable car - California line. If you choose to walk, you will need to hike up/ or down the hills depending on which directions you are coming from.

What a cute park! It's so clean and well maintained…read more The only downside is having to run around trying to find a bathroom. It's also a little trickier than other parks to access via public transit.

Such a nice park with blooming trees 4/3/25

Saving your spot.

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Mount Tamalpais State Park

(433 reviews)

14.3 mi

Just past SF this park has so many different trail options perfect for all hiking levels. The…read moredownside is this place gets PACKED! My sister and I arrived before 8am at the Watershed parking lot and barely found a space. We did the trail that took us to the West Point Inn for the pancake breakfast and round trip was close to 5 miles so it was a great workout. There's gorgeous views and well! On the way back to the 101 however it's a mess. The road on the way down is crowded with parked cars, which makes driving through challenging. That's the only thing about this park, other than that I'd love to come back in spring when everything is green and vibrant!

My first association of Mt Tam is from Cowgirl Creamery's best seller, Mt Tam Triple Cream with…read moreHeart cheese. Ever since then, I've wanted to hike this peak, today I have achieved my wish. Early June with mild coastal temp, 50s-60s. Started up Matt Davis Trail in the foggy forest, to Pantoll Campground, to West Point Inn where we can look down to the top of the fog layer, to the Fire Lookout building at the Peak. Then we came down reverse but split off to Steep Ravine and Dip Sea trail after the campground. I've also always wanted to climb that ladder. This hike provided views of the Pacific ocean on the West as well as views of Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on the East side. I thoroughly enjoyed the cool lush forest, but actually my favorite section was the single track along the slope of the open area after the Mt Tam State Park sign.

Yummy time for critters

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Grandview Park

(333 reviews)

2.4 mi

I honestly thought I had reviewed this magnificent park before- yet I am now!…read moreThis hidden gem is your reward after walking up the hundreds of gorgeously mosaic tile steps. The views are breathtaking. You can see the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin County, Salesforce Tower (basically you see this wherever you are in San Francisco), the coast & much more. I love all the sand at the top of the park. There gorgeous succulents lots of chert rock and stairs on the other side that you can choose to descend. This is another spectacular free destination to enjoy in San Francisco.

How can anyone not like this place? One of my favorite spots in the city, feels a little bit like a…read moresecret. A special little secret hill. Make your way to the top to be rewarded finely with the fantastic view. Do some soul searching, watch the sunset. Say hello to somebody. Make a connection.

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Golden Gate Park

4.7

(1.4k reviews)

2.9 mi

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!!

We were visiting the de Young museum which is right by Golden Gate Park. After we finished at the…read moremuseum we had a picnic lunch in the park at the music concourse area. The park is huge and museums, lakes, and cultural attractions like the Japanese Tea Garden, Conservatory of Flowers, the de Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences. There are lots of park benches for sitting and beautiful water fountains to admire. There is a parking garage close by called the music concourse parking that costs $5 per hour. It's a lovely place to take a nice walk. The gardens are beautiful.

Golden Gate Park

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Golden Gate Park

Crissy Field

(844 reviews)

5.0 mi

The place offers a parking lot for convenience and restroom on site. I set up my mat on the sandy…read moreshore at Crissy Field East Beach to view the "Opening Day on the Bay" boat parade, and it was perfect! Lots of unleashed dogs running around with their owners. Plenty of boats floating by. Great views of awesome SF landmarks, such as Alcatraz island. The park stretches all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge, with grassy fields and the Fort Point historic site located beyond the beach setting. I come here often, particularly for attending special events on the water while picnicking on the smooth soft sand. It's a great spot for relaxing with loved ones, and not too far from many other cool activities and offerings in the Presidio.

This beach is always busy, but I love that they added a cute shop at the far end…read more Plenty of parking, clean bathrooms, a surfer rinse area, and dogs can run off leash. The view of the Golden Gate Bridge with rolling fog is gorgeous. We'll definitely be back.

Alcatraz Island

Canine's play area

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Lafayette Park

(188 reviews)

4.2 mi

Landscaping is intentional, benches all around, beautiful trees and peaceful crowds. Truly love…read moreevery visit.

We were in the area for a festival and read that this park was great for dogs and had a dog park…read morearea. We walked up the HUGE San Francisco hill to the park, and then the whole park is a hill. The park is beautiful, there are sidewalks throughout, a nice playground for kids, a dog park area with a fence around it, and a summit area. Near the summit there was a coffee truck, Native Twins Coffee, that was perfect to grab a coffee or matcha. The dog park was a good size, it's long and fenced in, but on the hill so if you're planning on playing fetch/catch with your dog it'll either be throwing up hill or chasing it downhill. There were some trees, so there was some shade in the area too, plus a water fountain in case your dog gets thirsty. I will say, there were dogs all over the park off leash, not just in the turfed dog area. The dogs that were off leash were well behaved, but we kept an eye on our dog (on leash) and the others around us just to be safe. The summit is really pretty with some areas to sit down and plenty of shade. The view was great, and there were groups of people there for a birthday party. The playground area also had some seating nearby and another party was happening in that area. Despite the giant hill, this was a very cute park. I'd definitely stop by again.

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Chinatown YMCA

4.2

(141 reviews)

4.6 mi

I have been to this YMCA before and the activiitie the I took was Swimming Lesson which was a long…read moretime ago during when I was in High School.... And this year I did another fun Activity which was volunteering at the ŸMĈÀ with my Fŕìèñð Ðàvìð 朋友 Péngyǒu Dà wèi & His Sister Ada & Her Friend 我的朋友大卫和他的妹妹艾达 Wǒ de péngyǒu dà wèi hé tā de mèimei ài dáat at the ŸMĆÃ 5K 10k Řãćê!!!!! And Coolest That We All Got Was Taking A ŸMĆÀ Ÿèàŕ Òf Ťĥè Ŕàìť 5Ƙ & 10Ƙ Ŕàćê Mèďàĺ We also got a Fŕèê ŸMĈÃ 5ƙ 10ķ Ť Śĥìŕť just for Volunteering At The ŸMĆÃ 5ķ 10ƙ Ŕàčè!!!!! If you Ÿéĺpēřs & Ÿëľpèťťèŝ like Volunteering for a 5ķ 10ƙ Ŕãćé Try going to the ŸMĆÃ it's a fun activity to do!!!!!

It is very strict here. They have 30 days cancellation policy. Even though my dad joined this past…read moreSaturday 4/25 and only went once and then asked to cancel 4/29, they charged 1 month through his insurance. His knee hurts after exercising so decided not to continue. He gave me his card but the registration person said cannot share card even though he canceled and not using it. His picture showed up when I tried to sign in with the card. The facility here is also not good compared to Fitness SF. Adult membership is $91 and Senior is $81 so not much of a discount even though his is paid for by Kaiser. They have free resistance band workout every other Wednesday at the Union Square plaza at 8am. It's a free class and the instructor is nice.

Chinatown YMCA. {10/13/2025}

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The Olympic Club

4.3

(80 reviews)

4.2 mi

I love this place! Great place for weddings. My husband is…read morepart of this club and god! We love this location, good customer service, food, great service! The hotel there is also amazing 100% recommend! And if you are having dinner there get the prime rib!

Would give 0 stars if I could. I had high hopes because I'm a member at Los Angeles athletic club…read more. I thought because this place had more history. It would be a nice venue, but couldn't be further from the truth. Firstly, every one of the staff members was rude and standoffish, I think this must be the only place to work out near downtown San Francisco because it was so overcrowded..Restaurant wait was long, and good luck waiting for your check. Complete attitude of indifference. Seems that all they care about is turning beds and jacking up their membership numbers. They literally turned off my room key before I even checked out, all my luggage was upstairs still. Didn't apologize or offer to get the lubgage. Do NOT recommend

Pool table

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Outside

24th Street Mini Park

4.9

(24 reviews)

2.3 mi

Beautiful little park- I was awed by the murals that covered the walls, the lovely flora, and the…read moreornate snake statue that kids could climb on. There's a splash pad area, a see-saw, and a saucer swing swing and that's really it, but it's impressive what they've done with a thin space between buildings- it's really a gorgeous little oasis from the street. There's a shaded area with picnic tables as well. No bathrooms

I remember this place being sketchy when I was growing up, pretty sure it was a community garden…read morethat was maintained by the neighborhood until it got the funding it needed to open as a park. My nephew and cousin saw this park from the window of Roosevelt's Tamale Parlor and asked if we could go there after we got ice-cream. Sure, why not? So we walk over and have a seat while these pre-teens I'm with are swinging and giggling like little kids. It's nice to see them enjoying the weather outside and physical activity instead of their phones.

Water feature !

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Strawberry Hill

(119 reviews)

3.2 mi

Strawberry Hill is an island in the middle of Blue Heron Lake, with bridge access from the…read moresurrounding trails. Its peak features a spacious lookout point with giant logs, greenery, a few picnic tables, and views of the city and landscape partially blocked by trees but still lovely. There were just a couple visitors up there with their dogs during my recent midweek hike up this hill. The incline from ground level is minimal with multiple paths and staircases available for convenience, and it's just a couple minutes walk from the top of Huntington Falls. Combined with the entirety of what this place has to offer (waterfalls, picturesque lake, adorable waterbirds, trails allowing for a peaceful stroll with loved ones, pedal boat rentals on the lake), it's a pretty great spot, one of many awesome landmarks at Golden Gate Park.

Why is Golden Gate Park so beautiful…read more I chanced onto Strawberry Hills while looking for GG Park waterfall(s). Strawberry Hills gives a nice overview of the lake beneath as you walk up the hill. At the top, you get a pretty overlook of SF city. Image attached below. Definitely check out Strawberry Hills when you're in GG Park. And, if also chasing for waterfalls, definitely check out "Rainbow Falls". It is very beautiful as well.

Pretty wildflowers on the walk up

Strawberry Hill, in Golden Gate Park is suffering terribly from storm damage .

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Aquatic Park Cove

4.4

(158 reviews)

5.4 mi

Came here during a nice San Francisco sunny afternoon to watch the Sunset. There was a good crowd…read moreof people doing the same. Lots of stadium seating to just hang out and enjoy the area. Always a great spot.

The Dolphin Club swims here - and so do swimmers from YPAC Presidio who want to practice open water…read moreswimming. On select Sundays they step into the 50 degree water in wetsuits and confidently start towards their goal, Alcatraz. I asked the kids if they ever got bumped by a shark and they giggled, agreeing, "No, but most times we go out, seals want to play and swim under and nose us, it's funny." Located adjacent to the Maritime Museum, just down the steps to the water's edge.

The Bridge erased in heavy fog

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68 degrees today in February

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2 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Acceptable L.

0

1

0

5 years ago

This was a great, secret place to make out and get beat up in the 1990s. Now its just another "rustic wedding venue" on Yelp. Of course you are more likely to have your car broken into while you enjoy "Well-Fitted Masks...regardless of vaccination status" as we were to get 40oz of beer broken over our heads in 1995. Enjoy the orchestra on the Titanic that is Liberal controlled San Fransicko.. read more

VANESSA F.

8

70

65

12 years ago

Beautifully remodeled by parks and rec this hidden gem is perfect for private events (weddings, parties, etc) but also sometimes hosts public events such as classical music, pumpkin carvings, and more. Even when it is closed it is fun to walk around the gardens surrounding the building. read more

Sunnyside Conservatory - parks - Updated August 2026

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Sigmund Stern Grove

(126 reviews)

Just a serene and calming large park with lots of tree and seating where the stage is…read more Come on a weekday when there's no events and it feels like you have the entire place to yourself. So much room to spread out so no one is in your way. Great for meditation or soul searching. It just feels so healing to be in nature! To be surrounded by all this green! The play structure is so nice and new and clean. I climbed up and (slowly) went down the small slide. felt like a kid again. Such happiness, such wonder. So many fond memories here of people I used to come here with. People not in my life anymore. Hope they're doing well

Beautiful day in San Francisco (normal overcast!) but very well sheltered from the wind. The sun…read morepeeked thought here and there roasting us in the midday sunshine. The concert venue is set in a valley between the Parkside and Sunset districts surrounded by trees. A beautiful setting with multiple terraced levels for seating. Lower area meadow with park benches. A raised area with private picnic tables. Beyond that are stone paved terraces and then a grassy sloped seating area. They say 10,000 people when full. Off to the right of the stage There's an overload meadow where you watch the concert on a big screen. We brought our own lunch and wine but there is an abundance of food trucks as well. Long lines at the bathrooms so plan accordingly. Very festive with folks having a great time dancing to the DJ beats before Diana Ross takes the stage. Feeling alive and proud to live in San Francisco. No doom and gloom here unlike what you see too often on social media. When Miss Diana Ross came on stage the entire crowd erupted in cheers and applause for the music legend. She looked fantastic at 81 years young. Her voice as powerful and sensuous as ever. Great sounding band and sound system. Sang her all time favorites and some jazzy blues songs too. One big negative. People lighting up even tho no smoking of any kind is allowed. Kinda frustrating they don't just follow the rules. Even worse the staff or security don't care to ask them to stop.

Shakespeare Garden

(98 reviews)

If you're in Golden Gate Park, this is worth a visit. It's a small park. There are some nice poems…read moreon the wall that Shakespeare wrote, which is nice to read. It's also a nice place to have a picnic or just hang out with friends or a date. Parking may be difficult, there is parking around the residential neighborhood. Or you can always take public transit.

A beautiful park within the larger Golden Gate Park. It's gated and open "limited hours". A nice…read moretree line walkway caught my attention. There are several benches to relax at. It doesn't seem to get crowded which it nice. Very well maintained. They also host events within the park. We saw a wedding later in the afternoon and it was such a beautiful set-up. Parking is on the streets throughout the park or in paid parking nearby.

Lindley Meadow

4.3

(4 reviews)

It's gorgeous, but the place (and all of Golden Gate Park) needs better signs. If you don't know…read moreexactly where your party is, you could waste a lot of time driving and/or walking around. There's plenty of room to run around, play, fly kites, attract/avoid seagulls. If your kid wants to go in the jumpy-jump but you don't know whose jumpy-jump it is, who cares? Sidle up, surreptitiously learn the name of the birthday boy or girl, and drop that name like it's hot if anyone asks you anything. This review is almost over, but why are there suddenly French people arguing animatedly downstairs? What is going on with my neighborhood? I really can't imagine my downstairs neighbors inviting a bunch of Frenchman and -women over. Maybe they're next door? They all sound like Jean-Baptiste, which is both comforting and slightly frustrating. It's June 21, 2014, by the way, and I believe this is review No. 1,999. At least they're listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Now if that one French cover band could only get a singer. I'm pretty happy that Aaminah invited me to her graduation party at Lindley Meadow. I love Golden Gate Park. Even without better signs.

We went here yesterday for a baby shower. This was a busyyyy park. Parking was a bit of a pain. We…read moreended up parking almost a mile away from where our group was meeting. They had bathrooms with toilet paper, soap and running water. (Hard to find sometimes at local parks). There were tons of people for various occasions. There were fields with lacrosse games, there was some sort of music festival/concert, family reunions, people just hanging out, people celebrating birthdays, and of course us there for a baby shower. Our friends got there around 10:30 am to set up and got great parking. I think the earlier the better to get a parking spot close to where you want to hang out. We didn't get there until 1:30 pm.

Ina Coolbrith Park

4.7

(97 reviews)

Hidden but not hidden. A tiny parked tucked away in the heart of San Francisco with an incredible…read moreview of San Francisco's skyline. If you're not fit, you're not gonna make it here. Just like most places in the city, you'll get here by walking up steep hills and million steps. This park as a few benches facing the city. Best time to visit are sunny days. Grab a coffee, get some food and enjoy the scenic view from this park

Current frontrunner for favorite small SF park. Tiered, 4 or 5 levels?, and so well designed. Seems…read morelike it stays less busy. Leads with a flat area and benches near the entrance. Winding pathways and a variety of stairs through the middle as well alongside gorgeous, colorful flowers and trees. Great city views up top, including sweeping views of Alcatraz Island and smaller cities/islands. Staircase on either side for easy access. So jealous of the folks living in those picturesque apts! Most importantly, I saw someone post a pic of the resident parrots on Instagram today that apparently live there -- bummed they didn't make an appearance for us but aw.. I'm so happy to know they have such a gorgeous home. I then went down a rabbithole and discovered that a SF resident named Mark Bittner had frequently interacted with them, wrote about them, and made a film about them with a woman who he eventually married. All thanks to birdz. An excerpt from Wiki: "He is the author of The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, the book which accompanies the film The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill... Bittner spent 14 years on the streets of San Francisco after his dream of becoming a professional musician fell apart. After many years of doing odd jobs while maintaining a The Dharma Bums-type lifestyle, he found a flock of naturalized parrots (mostly cherry-headed conures aka red-masked parakeets) in the area of Telegraph Hill. His book, The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, and the documentary of the same name, by Judy Irving, describe that encounter and the relationship he formed with the birds. In 2006, Judy married Mark Bittner after the two fell in love during the filming of Parrots." Come here and fall in love. with the parrots, a human, or just the view.

Melrose/Detroit Botanical Garden

5.0

(2 reviews)

Beautiful garden nested on a hill in glen park. Quite peaceful and well maintained! There is a…read morebench to sit and take in the city or read as well

I happened upon this wonderful little neighborhood botanical garden. It has winding paths and a…read morecouple of benches; one which has an excellent view of the Excelsior and other neighborhoods down the hill. Among the various fruit bearing plants there is a big apple tree. I'll be back in a month when they have ripened! It's definitely the secret gardens of Sunnyside.

Mountain Lake Park

4.2

(81 reviews)

Beautiful The…read morehistory behind this Lake is very quite extraordinary. The amount of wildlife being saved by this team (and people from everywhere) is awesome! We got to see the behind the scenes with a ecologists and it was a blast! Knowing the history behind it just makes it so much better! The park is pretty big, with a little beach area (wouldn't recommend going in it), tennis courts, bathrooms, and trails.

Stopped by Mountain Lake Park on a sunny weekday and loved it!…read more Entered through the playground at Lake & 12th Ave. and enjoyed a short, very easy 0.7-mile loop. Along the way are several tennis courts, a basketball court, and exercise stations (even tried the balance beam--fortunately it's only about eight inches off the ground!). The park attracts a wide range of visitors: walkers and runners, people pushing strollers, kids playing, and lots of dogs. There's an area where dogs can run around off leash--one dog walker had nine dogs with them! A playful, friendly golden doodle gently touched me as it ran by. Also noticed a few people enjoying picnic lunches, and there are plenty of places to sit, relax, or host a small gathering. A peaceful, welcoming hidden gem in the Richmond District--a refreshing escape from the bustle of Clement Street and Geary Boulevard, with quiet paths, shady trees, a calm lake, and secluded spots that make it feel like a quiet retreat. Tip: Traffic from Highway 1, Park Presidio, and Lake Street can be heard nearby, but most of the park is quiet.

Billy Goat Hill

4.1

(174 reviews)

Billy Goat Hill would be a definite five stars in most other US cities, but I can't go passing out…read morefive-star San Francisco-park reviews like candy, and the swing no longer exists and/or works, and the swing was/would be what got this review to five stars. But Billy Goat Hill, man. It's difficult to overestimate just how surprising it is as a San Francisco park. It's not overbuilt, overthought, or annoying. Do you know how much of San Francisco is all three of those things? And especially some of its parks? No, the hill is just that: a hillside that was spared from construction, probably because of the complicated nest of streets and elevations at its lower, northern end. The best way to appreciate it is to come in the afternoon. If you really want to unspoil the surprise, drive east on Addison Street past Walter Haas Park. Turn right on Everson Street and then left on Beacon Street. Right after the houses end on the north side of Beacon Street, park your car. The view of downtown is amazing. Give yourself a little bit of time up on the street before you go down the path and stairs. After that initial stunning view, the rest of the park can feel anticlimactic. It's not really maintained as a green-grass park; it's just a more-or-less feral hillside with some iconic trees, some rocky ground, and wooden box steps and handrails that have seen better days. The path goes down the hill to Laidley Street. It's fairly steep, so if you're bringing someone with mobility issues, they should either not go all the way down, or you should drive and pick them up--which is its own issue because although it's only down the hill, it is impossible to drive to the bottom of the park without going three or four times the distance. From where you parked on Beacon Street, continue west and turn right at Diamond Street. Then turn right again onto 29th Street. Turn right on Castro Street, and when it dead-ends at the park, turn left onto 30th Street. The path at the bottom of the park ends near the weird intersection of 30th & Laidley Streets. Oh, and that "dead end" of Castro Street isn't really where it ends--after a long gap, it reappears in Glen Park for a little more than a block between Bemis and Chenery Streets, where it ends for good. It gets really windy up here, and there are no real places to sit, so it's more of a short-hike park than a hanging-out park. Still, it can be serene to just sit in your car and take in the view, which never gets old. Another fun part is looking almost due east from the promontory and seeing Bernal Hill also standing out beautifully and boldly in the city. I'm sure you can see Billy Goat Hill from Bernal Hill as well. I've been many times on beautiful, fog-free days, and I've never had trouble finding street parking right on Beacon Street. There's regular street sweeping, of course, but I'm really surprised it's not more crowded with cars.

Plenty of street parking, no problem at all…read more You can enter the park from atop the hill or at the base. There's street parking at both ends, more on top since it's a quieter road up there. It's not a huge park. Good for a short walk. Great view of the city. Stand there and take it all in. Especially nice on a sunny day. One bench. Stairs and dirt path

Mission Creek Park