In the 1870s, the city decided to turn a strip of sand dunes into a park larger than New York's Central Park. It took decades of planting, but Golden Gate Park now runs for three miles from the Haight to the ocean, with gardens, lakes, meadows, museums and even a herd of bison.

The eastern end

  • The Conservatory of Flowers, a white wood-and-glass greenhouse from 1879, full of tropical plants.
  • The Japanese Tea Garden, originally built for a world's fair in 1894, with a drum bridge, a pagoda, koi ponds and a tea house. Quietest early in the morning.
  • The museums: the de Young and the California Academy of Sciences face each other across the music concourse.
  • The botanical garden, with plants from around the world, especially from climates like San Francisco's.

The middle and the west

  • Stow Lake, with rowboats and pedal boats for rent, circling an island hill with a waterfall.
  • The bison paddock, home to a small herd since the 1890s.
  • The windmills at the western end, built to pump water for the park, one with a tulip garden in spring.
  • Ocean Beach, the long, wild beach beyond the park, too cold and rough for swimming but beautiful at sunset.

Getting around

JFK Promenade, the main road through the eastern half, is closed to cars and open to walkers, bikes and skaters. Rent a bike to see the whole park in a day; walking end to end takes well over an hour. Buses run along both sides.

A short history

In 1870, engineer William Hammond Hall surveyed a strip of shifting sand dunes known as the Outside Lands and began the work of turning them into a park, planting grasses and trees to hold the sand. John McLaren, the park's superintendent for more than fifty years, continued the work, planting more than a million trees and turning the dunes into forest, meadows and lakes. The park hosted the Midwinter International Exposition in 1894, gave shelter to tens of thousands of refugees after the 1906 earthquake, and in 1967 hosted the Human Be-In that launched the Summer of Love.

A route through the park

  1. Enter from the Haight at Stanyan Street and walk to the Conservatory of Flowers.
  2. Continue along JFK Promenade to the music concourse, the de Young and the Academy of Sciences.
  3. Visit the Japanese Tea Garden and have tea.
  4. Walk to Stow Lake and climb Strawberry Hill.
  5. Continue west, past meadows and lakes, to the bison paddock.
  6. Finish at the Dutch Windmill and Ocean Beach.

The full route is about four miles; rent a bike to cover it comfortably.

For families

The children's playground near the eastern end has slides, climbing structures and a historic carousel. Stow Lake has pedal boats, and the Academy of Sciences is one of the best family attractions in the city.

Events

The park hosts free concerts and festivals through the year, including a large free bluegrass festival in the fall and a major summer music festival.

Frequently asked questions

Is Golden Gate Park bigger than Central Park?

Yes, by roughly 20 percent.

Can I drive through the park?

Some roads are open to cars, but JFK Promenade in the eastern half is car-free.

How long should I spend?

Half a day for the eastern highlights, a full day to see the whole park.