Golden Gate Park is a large rectangular park in San Francisco visited by more than 10 million people every year. From the top, it might look like Central Park because of its shape and size, but Golden Gate Park exceeds it by 70 hectares and is the fifth most-visited city park in the United States. From one end of the park to another (2.8 miles), there are bike trails, museums, ponds, gardens, and wide open spaces to relax after a tiring day in San Francisco.
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Things to Do in Golden Gate Park: a Walking Tour
The park is located in Northwest San Francisco, close to Haight-Ashbury. An excellent starting point to explore it on foot is the intersection of John F Kennedy Drive and Stanyan Street.
Conservatory of Flowers
The first stop on our walking tour is the Conservatory of Flowers, a greenhouse located on John F Kennedy Drive. It is the oldest wooden city greenhouse in the United States and offers its visitors the opportunity to see nearly 2,000 different plant species from different ecosystems around the world.
Tickets cost $10-12 for adults, $7 for teens (12-17), and $3 for children (5-11).
California Academy of Sciences & the Steinhart Aquarium
(10 minutes from the previous stop)
TheCalifornia Academy of Sciences also has a record. It is the only place in the world to have an aquarium, a planetarium, and a natural history museum in the same building. The Kimball Natural History Museum explores evolution and life on Earth and has an earthquake simulator that is definitely worth a try.
There are more than 38,000 animals in the Steinhart Aquarium, and the planetarium gives you the chance to learn a lot about distant galaxies and our planet.
Tickets, which include admission to all areas, can be purchased here and are priced at $35.95 for adults, $30.95 for teens (12-17), and $25.95 for children (4-11).
Shakespeare Garden
(outside the California Academy of Sciences)
When you leave the museum, you will surely want to find a place to sit and relax. At the Shakespeare Garden, you will be surrounded by quotations from Shakespeare and more than 200 flowers and plants. Don’t be surprised if you see weddings in the garden. It’s a very popular and romantic location.
Music Concourse
(3 minutes from the previous stop)
The Music Concourse is full of trees and monuments. It dates back to 1894 and has seen numerous changes over the years. Today, there are three fountains in the center of the square and another one at the top of the steps. There are also statues, including those of Giuseppe Verdi and Beethoven. It is a fantastic setting for the many free concerts held here during the summer.
De Young Museum
This museum is located opposite the California Academy of Sciences and a short walk from the Music Concourse. It houses works of art from North America, Africa, Oceania, and Latin America. There are also several contemporary art exhibits and textile exhibits.
Admission costs $15 for adults and is free for children under 17. Purchase your tickets here.
Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden is a short walk from the De Young Museum and is one of the most popular points of interest in Golden Gate Park. It is the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States and contains ponds, paths, and a Japanese tea room with different types of tea and sweet and savory food.
It is free on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and on the other days, admission is $9 for adults, $6 for teens, (12-17), and $2 for children (5-11).
Stow Lake & Strawberry Hill/Huntington Falls
(5 minutes from the previous stop)
Stow Lake surrounds Strawberry Hill, which is actually a small island that is home to Huntington Falls. The waterfall is 426 ft tall.
You can also rent a rowboat ($21.50 per hour) or a pedal boat ($27 per hour).
Rainbow Falls
(a few minutes from the previous stop)
Rainbow Falls may be smaller than Huntington Falls but still just as fascinating.
Bison Paddock
(15-minute walk from the previous stop)
You may wonder what bison are doing in San Francisco? It’s a long story that began in 1890 when the first two bison were brought here from Wyoming and Kansas. Over the years, bison also arrived from Yellowstone and more came as a gift to Dianne Feinstein, a former mayor of San Francisco, from her husband. You will have the opportunity to admire these animals without necessarily having to travel to the Rocky Mountains where bison thrive.
Dutch Windmills
Although it might look like you’re in Holland, you’re still in Golden Gate Park. The two windmills, Dutch and Murphy, are about 66 ft high and were actually used in the early 1900s. The tulips nearby bloom between February and March.
Take Bus 5R from Fulton St & 22nd Ave.
Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant
After the long walks, lunch (or dinner) at the Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant is a must. Enjoy a menu at a fixed price ($25 lunch, $40 dinner) while overlooking the sea. The Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant offers a selection of craft beer and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. To make sure you get a table with a view, we recommend making reservations.
The restaurant is in front of the windmills.
How to Get to Golden Gate Park
Despite its name, the park has little to do with the Golden Gate Bridge, which is about 3 miles away. Here are all the ways to reach it:
- By metro (MUNI Light Rail)
The closest metro stop to the entrance in front of Haight-Ashbury is Carl & Stanyan on the N line towards Ocean Beach. From Union Square, get on the metro at the Montgomery stop. - By bus
By bus, if you are departing from Union Square, for example, you can take Bus 21 from Market St. & Grant Ave towards Stanyan Street and get off at Hayes St & Stanyan St. Otherwise, from the same point, take Bus 5 towards Fulton St & 8th Ave and get off at Fulton St & Stanyan St W. - By car
Driving a car (or rental car) to the park means having to find parking, which is no small feat in San Francisco. There are some parking spaces inside the park, and you can find all the information just below.
For additional information on the city’s public transportation system, read our article on how to get around San Francisco.
How to Get Around Golden Gate Park: Shuttle Map
To get around the park, you can use the free shuttle service from McLaren Lodge (west entrance, near Haight-Ashbury) to Murphy Windmill. The shuttle runs from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. You can also choose to rent a bike at one of the many bike rental shops around the park such as Stow Lake Bike & Boat Rentals on Stow Lake Drive and Golden Gate Park Bike and Skate at 3038 Fulton Street.
If you are driving, you have the option to park outside the park or to enter directly. In this case, leave your car at the Music Concourse Garage (open every day from 7:30 am to 10:00 pm) at a cost of $2.50 per hour during the week and $3 on weekends. The parking garage entrance is located between 10th Avenue and Fulton Street.