Golden Gate Park / Upper Haight
Golden Gate Park covers 1,013 acres and features nine lakes, a host of recreational facilities, a botanical garden and several of the city’s biggest attractions, including the De Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences. Built in the 1880s and 1890s, it almost didn’t come to fruition, due to the sandy conditions of the soil. But landscape architect John McLaren created a special kind of grass to anchor the soil, and the park was born. Buildings in a variety of styles are scattered through the park, from Neo-classical columns and band shells to the Victorian Conservatory of Flowers. It’s a popular place for running, cycling, picnics and gatherings (though it can get foggy).
Just to the east of Golden Gate Park is the Upper Haight neighborhood. The epicenter of the 60s hippie movement, it is now an eclectic street lined with vintage shops, edgy clothing boutiques, ethnic restaurants and the occasional head shop.
topSights and Attractions
California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Drive
Tel: 415-379-8000
Open Mon-Sat 9:30am-5pm, Sun 11am-5pm. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Penguin feeding: 10:30am and 3pm; Coral reef dives: 10:30am and 2:30pm; Swamp Discovery: 3:30pm. See other programs here.
This natural history museum and aquarium has been a beloved San Francisco institution since 1853. Reopened in 2008, the new facility houses a state-of-the-art planetarium, the world’s deepest coral-reef exhibit, a natural history museum, and a four-story rainforest. There's also an acclaimed 3-star restaurant, the Moss Room (museum admission not required).
De Young Museum
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
Tel: (415) 750-3600
Open Tue-Sun 9:30am-5:15pm, Fri (Apr-Nov) 9:30am-8:45pm. Closed Mon, Thanksgiving and Dec 25. Closes 4pm July 4 and Dec 24.
Opened in 1921, this fine arts museum was severely damaged in the 1989 earthquake. Renovated using private funds and reopened 2005, it caused a stir with its innovative design, including a wedge-shaped observation tower. The museum houses a permanent collection of African, pre-Colombian American and contemporary American art, as well as traveling exhibitions.
Stow Lake
Stow Lake Boat Rentals
50 Stow Lake Dr.
Tel: (415) 386-2531
Boat rentals available daily, 10am-4pm (weather permitting)
The largest of Golden Gate Park’s man-made lakes, Stow Lake is popular with picnickers, hikers, and fly-fishermen. Paddleboats and rowboats are available for rent – there’s also a charming pagoda (a gift from Taipei) and an artificial waterfall. 430-foot Strawberry Hill rises from the center of the lake, accessible by Roman Bridge and Rustic Bridge. The lake even has its own ghost legend, the Lady of Stow Lake.
Conservatory of Flowers
100 John F. Kennedy Drive
Tel: (415) 831-2090
Open Tue-Sun 10am-4:30pm (last entry 4pm). Closed Mon except Memorial Day and Labor Day. Open Jul 4, Dec 24 (until 2pm) and Dec 31. Free admission the 1st Tue of the month.
Built in 1879, this Victorian masterpiece is the oldest building in Golden Gate Park, holding 10,000 species of rare and endangered plants. The conservatory was severely damaged by high winds in 1995, and reopened in 2003 after a painstaking renovation. Outside, to the right of the Conservatory, is the Dahlia Garden, which is at its most spectacular mid Sep-mid Oct.
Bison Paddock
Bison have been a traditional feature of Golden Gate Park since 1891, when wild herds were on the verge of extinction. The park’s small herd is cared for by staff from the San Francisco Zoo.
topGardens
San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum
9th Avenue at Lincoln Way
Open daily: Mid March-Sep, 9am-7pm; Oct-early Nov, 9am-6pm: mid Nov-Jan, 9am-5pm; Feb-early March, 9am-6pm. Last visitor admitted one hour before closing. Free guided walks daily at 1:30pm.
This 55-acre botanical garden houses some 8,000 species of plants from around the world. Especially worth exploring are the Garden of Fragrance, the Moon-Viewing Garden, and the New World Cloud Forest.
Japanese Tea Garden
Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
Tel: (415) 752-1171
Open daily, 9am-6pm Mar-Oct, 9am-4:45pm Nov-Feb
This tranquil garden was built for the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894 and carefully maintained ever since. Featuring arched bridges, a bronze buddha and a five-tiered pagoda, the garden is especially lovely in April when the cherry trees are in bloom.
Rhododendron Dell
This garden contains hundreds of hybrid rhododendron varieties, many up to 60 years old. Peak blooming happens Apr-May.
Rose Garden
Stretching from John F. Kennedy Drive to Fulton Street, this garden features 60 rose beds, planted with a wide and unique variety of roses. Many bloom year round, but the most impressive season is mid-May through July.
Shakespeare Garden
An arched gateway leads to this romantic spot planted with flora featured in Shakespeare’s writings (quotes from his works are carved on tablets found throughout the garden).
Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden
This garden is named for the former Queen of the Netherlands, who donated the Dutch windmill to the city in 1902. The garden is best in early spring, when the tulips are in bloom.
topActivities
Koret Children’s Quarter
MLK and Bowling Green Drive, Golden Gate Park
Carrousel hours: 10am-4:30pm daily
One of the oldest children’s playgrounds in the US, this playground was renovated and reopened in 2007. The historic 1912 carousel and giant concrete slide are still there, along with a massive rope jungle gym, swings, a sand pit, a climbing wave wall, sea caves, and tidepools.
Disc Golf
Marx Meadow, John F. Kennedy Drive
Course closed during work parties (first Sat of the month)
Built and maintained by volunteers, this tightly wooded course was the first disc golf course in San Francisco. It was expanded to an 18-hole course in 2007. The sport involves throwing a Frisbee into a target (a metal basket with hanging chains). Playing is free, but you need to bring your own Frisbees.
Golden Gate Park Golf Course
47th Avenue
Tel: (415) 751-8987
Open ½ hour after sunrise to ½ hour before dark
Equipment rental available
This small, somewhat scruffy but scenic 9-hole public course operates on a first-come, first-serve basis.
topRestaurants
Cha Cha Cha
1801 Haight Street
Tel: (415) 386-7670
Fun, boisterous, consistently crowded restaurant serving Caribbean-style tapas and delicious but lethal sangria. This is the original location (there’s another in the Mission).
The Moss Room
California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park
Tel: (415) 876-6121
Located inside the California Academy of Sciences. Modern California cuisine made with local, organic ingredients, from COCO500 chef Loretta Keller. No museum admission fee required.
Zazie
941 Cole Street
Tel: (415) 564-5332
Small, charming French bistro with a lovely garden patio. Ideal for brunch.
topShopping
Amoeba Records
1855 Haight Street
Tel: (415) 831-1200
Open Mon-Sat 10:30am-10pm, Sun 11am-9pm
Amoeba calls itself the world’s largest independent record store – and we aren’t arguing. Housed in a former bowling alley, this cavernous shop stocks hundreds of thousands of new and used CDs, records and DVDs.
John Fluevog
1697 Haight Street
Tel:
(415) 436-9784
Open Mon-Sat 11-7, Sun 12-6
“Unique Soles for Unique Souls.” This Canadian designer has been creating funky, high-quality footwear for 40 years.
Kidrobot
1512 Haight Street
Tel: (415) 487-9000
Open Mon-Sat 9am-6pm
Limited-edition art toys and apparel.
RVCA
1485 Haight Street
Tel: (415) 701-7822
The LA-based clothing brand and artists’ collective sells their workwear-inspired, urban-chic clothing in a cool store/gallery.
Shoe Biz
This locally-owned business has three stores on the upper Haight.
Super Shoe Biz
1420 Haight Street
Tel: (415) 861-0313
Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm
Cutting-edge shoes and boots for men and women.
Adidas Concept Shop
1420 Haight Street
Tel: (415) 861-3797
Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm
Globally unique store selling limited-edition Adidas products.
Shoe Biz II (aka the Dino Store)
1553 Haight Street
Tel: (415) 861-3933
Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun noon-6pm
Home of the “sneaker pit,” selling hard-to-find, trendy sneaker styles.
Super7
1427 Haight Street (at Masonic)
Tel: (415) 553-6155
Open daily 11am-7pm
Vintage and new Japanese toys, collectibles, books and clothing.