Activities in Golden Gate Park

There are plenty of activities in Golden Gate Park to enjoy. Below are just a few favorites to try out with your friends and family, whether you are a local resident or tourist visiting San Francisco for the first time.

Enjoy the beauty of Golden Gate Park.

When you start brainstorming activities in Golden Gate Park, you will find there are a multitude of options. This is due to the fact that the park is huge in square footage and filled with as much culture and diversity as the city itself. Below are five activities you should try, as they’ve been rated the best by both visitors and locals.

A lot of people will tell you that the flower conservatory located inside Golden Gate Park is a must-see. With over 1500 plant species on display year round, this conservatory is the oldest Victorian-style flower house in the United States, and has enjoyed plenty of achievements any gardener would envy.

You’ll see plenty of active people throughout Golden Gate Park – walkers, joggers, cyclists and roller bladders. This is further encouraged by San Francisco’s rule of forbidding cars from entering any portion of the park on Sundays during designated hours. So grab a friend, drive to the park or ride your bike, and enjoy a gorgeously exhilarating tour of San Francisco that is self-guided and full of fresh air and exercise.

The de Young Museum of Art is a sensory smorgasbord for art lovers. The original building site fell victim to the Quake of ‘89, and it has since been rebuilt and reinvented for a whole new generation of art lovers. Like many points of interest throughout the city, the museum is affordable and open for free every first Tuesday of the month.

If you’re looking for a little extra San Francisco culture, soak in some of the Asian-influence found throughout the city in this tranquil corner of the park. Admission is affordable and you can enjoy streams and Japanese-inspired structures and bridges. Fortune cookies and tea are also available for purchase if you’d like to have a snack while enjoying the rejuvenating gardens.

The Japanese tea garden in San Francisco is one of the oldest in the United States, and despite its yearly influx of tourists, it remains basically untouched and peaceful.

Since the park has plenty of physical activity options, chances are you’ll want to find a nice nearby dining location. Nothing beats the Beach Chalet, which features seafood and handcrafted beer. Enjoy the park and ocean views from your table, and take in some great local cuisine that will refresh and recharge you after a long day.

If you are looking for other activity ideas for Golden Gate Park, your best bet is to ask a local or visit a travel site devoted to San Francisco sights and points of interest such as SFTravel.com. The best tour guides you’ll ever find are city natives, who are abundant on this and rivaling websites.

You can also find various brochures and maps of the park when you get to San Francisco. Some are complimentary (if you are a tourist staying in a hotel), and some you will have to pay for (if you find a charming street vendor who doesn’t give change). Either way, you’re bound to fall in love with what you find inside this unique and historic park.

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