Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park is a 1,017-acre urban park located on the west side of San Francisco, between the neighborhoods of Ocean Beach and Haight-Ashbury. Picture open green space and majestic trees giving way to memorial gardens and world-class attractions. Because of its diversity, Golden Gate Park is sometimes considered something of a miracle in San Francisco.
In the 1860s, once the City of San Francisco sectioned off the land for Golden Gate Park for use as public green space, similar to Central Park in New York City but 20% larger, the new challenge was to adapt the soil (Golden Gate Park was originally sand dunes) into something more suitable for growing. To the rescue came the Dutch Windmills to pump water into the park, which enable botanists to introduce new plant life. The landmark windmills still sit at the Ocean Beach entrance to Golden Gate Park for you to visit.
Fast-forward 120 years, you can now see a beautiful green space with 50- to 100-foot gum trees.
In addition to a varied plant life, Golden Gate Park includes an eclectic collection of topnotch attractions. You can visit the California Academy of Sciences, a natural history museum featuring everything from a basement aquarium with an albino alligator named Claude to a planetarium to a four-story climate-controlled rainforest. Or check out the de Young Museum, a fine art museum with a free observation deck rising above the Golden Gate Park tree line.
Other attractions include the Conservatory of Flowers, the Japanese Tea Garden, and even a Bison Paddock with 10 head of bison and a conservation history that explains how the species was saved from extinction.
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Once you see Golden Gate Park up-close and personal, you’ll know why 13 million people visit the site annually. You can relax in the grass, visit a museum, or join hippies in a drum circle. Your possibilities are limited only by your imagination at Golden Gate Park.
It’s time to rewrite the record books. The new visitation record is 13 million plus one: YOU.
How Do I Find Golden Gate Park?
- Golden Gate Park is located in the central-western half of San Francisco. Because of the park’s size, we recommend using a bike to see the attractions faster. The bike will help you cover more ground.
- You can use public transportation routes 5, 7, 16ax, 18, 21, 28, 28L, 29, 31, 33, 37, 38, 43, 44, 71 and the N to access the park. But again, it’s a big area. Grab a map to find the best route for the specific attraction you want to see.
- To reach Golden Gate Park from Union Square you can ride bus 5R (the R stands for Rapid —less stops) and walk. The 5R rides along the northern border of the park and the ride should take around 45 minutes.
- Attractions inside or near Golden Gate Park include the de Young Museum, California Academy of Sciences, Bison Paddock, Dutch Windmills, Conservatory of Flowers, Hippie Hill, the Japanese Tea Garden, Ocean Beach, the Sutro Baths and Haight Ashbury.
Orange Sky Co. says:
Golden Gate Park is the mother of San Francisco parks. If you want to relax, hike, throw a frisbee or get lost in nature, it can all be done here. Plan your time wisely; the park take longer than you think to see properly.
Location of Golden Gate Park
