After a day exploring Golden Gate Park, relax for a cup of tea at the Japanese Tea Garden.
Stretching just over 1,000 acres between the Haight District and the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Park is the cultural and recreational heart of San Francisco. It’s bigger than Central Park in New York City and is packed with goodies, many of which are just off the radar enough to feel like local secrets. Here are the top seven hidden secrets of Golden Gate Park.
1. Bison Paddock
Some of the city’s oldest residents, the bison of Golden Gate park have roamed freely here since the 1890s. Originally grouped with other emblems of the American West including bears, goats and elk, the bison now graze alone off John F. Kennedy Drive when approaching from the Anglers Lodge.
2. Hamon Observation Tower
While the de Young Museum is well known, many people don’t know that the free upstairs observatory offers one of the best views in the city. Shoot 145 feet up in the air to get the lay of the land, all the way from the Bay Bridge to the spires of the Golden Gate and the breakers of the Pacific Ocean.
3. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
Golden Gate Park hosts a packed lineup of events and festivals such as Power to the Peaceful Festival and Outside Lands, but none is as inspiring or affordable as the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in October. This free celebration of old-time roots music is sponsored by the late Warren Hellman and draws some of the biggest names in bluegrass, including Gillian Welch, Steve Earle and Lucinda Williams.
4. Hippie Hill
Those who think the Flower Power movement is dead and gone need only to walk by “Hippie Hill” to hear the bongo drums, smell the marijuana and join the dance party. The infamous site on the Haight-Ashbury side of the park was a gathering spot during the 1960s anti-war protests and the Summer of Love and continues to fuel the counterculture today.
5. Lawn bowling Club
Dating to 1901, the San Francisco Lawn Bowling Club is the oldest of its kind in the United States. Free lessons are offered every Wednesday at the historic greens on the southeast side of the park.
Stretching from the Haight Ashbury District to Ocean Beach, Golden Gate Park is largest than Central Park.
6. Beach Chalet
At the point where Golden Gate Park meets the sands of Ocean Beach, sit down for a dinner and house-made brew at this San Francisco landmark. On a sunny day, there’s no better idea than unpacking a picnic blanket at the Park Chalet, which often hosts live music to enjoy with your burger or pizza. Before you leave, check out the 1930s WPA frescoe on the ground-level of the building, painted in the Arts and Crafts style.
7. Shakespeare Garden
An English-style garden manicured with a brick path and more than 200 flowers and plants, the Shakespeare Garden is dedicated to the Bard’s favorite flora. Read famous quotations nestled into the roses, poppies, violets and lilies, or bring a Shakespeare poem to read beneath the trees.
—Serena Renner
7 Hidden Secrets of Golden Gate Park from San Francisco Things to Do