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Golden Gate Park
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1.
Beach Chalet
Top off your day with a sunset cocktail here, overlooking wide-open Ocean Beach.
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2.
Conservatory of Flowers
Take a virtual trip to the rainforest inside this massive greenhouse. There are some terrific picnic areas in the surrounding gardens.
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3.
de Young Museum
It's hard to say what the bigger draw is at the de Young -- its respected fine art collection or its panoramic observation floor.
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4.
Japanese Tea Garden
Scale the steep humpback bridge and look for unexpected Buddhas and lanterns hidden in this perfectly groomed garden.
Map of Golden Gate Park
Covering 1,500 square mi of greenery, with sports fields, windmills, museums, gardens, and a few buffalo thrown in for good measure, Golden Gate Park may be world famous, but first and foremost it's San Francisco's backyard, one of the only sights in town that lures more locals than visitors. Come out here any day of the week and you can find a microcosm of San Francisco, from Russian senior citizens feeding the pigeons at Stow Lake to moms pushing strollers through the Botanical Gardens to tanned joggers and tattooed cyclists weaving their way down the path. There's enough in the park to keep anyone occupied for a week, but you'll do well to allow yourself a whole day to enjoy one or two "sights" and plenty of lazing time. Our favorite: a stroll through the Japanese Tea Garden followed by a picnic across the street in the Strybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and a swing through the de Young Museum. (What do you think of the museum's controversial architecture?) Even if you've no interest in blooms, the stunning, glass-domed Conservatory of Flowers is a must-see. If you plan to go from sight to sight in the park, bring your car -- distances are long, and parking is plentiful and free.
At a Glance
SIGHTS
RESTAURANTS
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