FIELD TRIP SUGGESTIONS

[Nancy Sanchez]

Golden Gate Park: San Francisco's Backyard

We're proud to welcome more than 13 million visitors each year to
Golden Gate Park, one of San Francisco's greatest treasures. From a
vast, windswept expanse of sand dunes, park engineer William Hammond
Hall and master gardener John McLaren carved out an oasis--a verdant,
horticulturally diverse, and picturesque public space where city
dwellers can relax and reconnect with the natural world. The rest, as
they say, is history.

Within Golden Gate Park's 1,017 acres you'll discover gardens,
playgrounds, lakes, picnic groves, trails, and monuments, plus an
array of cultural venues, events, and activities. To help you plan
your visit, we've highlighted just a few of the park's special
features and activities below. For more information, stop by McLaren
Lodge to pick up a map, get involved, and find out what's happening in
San Francisco's backyard. For information about reserving facilities
for picnics, athletic events, weddings, and special events, please
contact our Permits & Reservations Division at (415) 831-5500.

Children's Playground and Carrousel

Generations of San Franciscans (and young visitors from around the
world!) have fond memories of the children's playground and the nearby
1914-vintage carrousel. The playground, built in 1887, underwent a
major renovation and reopened in 2007 as the Koret Children's Quarter.
Kids love the new climbing wall shaped like waves and rope climbing
structure, as well as the old concrete slide.

***Japanese Tea Garden

This is the oldest public Japanese tea garden in the United States,
created for the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition and
later expanded by Japanese immigrant Makoto Hagiwara. Enjoy its
elaborate carved gates and five-story pagoda, high-arching Drum
Bridge, koi ponds, and stone lanterns, as well as the many Japanese
and Chinese plants adorning its five acres. The flowering cherry trees
are at their peak in March and April.

Sharon Art Studio

Sharon Art Studio is San Francisco's largest public community art
center, offering affordable classes in ceramics, glass, jewelry,
drawing, and watercolor for youth, adults, and seniors.


Golden Gate Park in Bloom

Golden Gate Park's many gardens provide an exuberant palette of color
year-round. Our calendar tells you when and where to look for floral
displays, from the spectacular cherry and plum tree blossoms of the
Japanese Tea Garden to tulips, dahlias, roses, and more.
White Crowned Sparrow Thumb

Golden Gate Park Bird Almanac

The park provides shelter and food for many species of birds,
including hummingbirds, herons, hawks, owls, ducks, warblers,
woodpeckers, and finches. Take a moment to watch and listen for them;
our almanac has tips on when and where to look.
Wildflowers Thumb

San Francisco Botanical Garden

The San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum grows and
conserves plants from around the world--more than 8,000 varieties in
55 acres of landscaped gardens and open spaces. Stroll through a
redwood grove or a cloud forest, and explore gardens of flora from
Chile, Australia, California, and more. Kids in particular love the
waterfowl pond, where you'll see geese, swans, and many other birds.
Tennis Thumb

Golden Gate Park Tennis Complex

Golden Gate Park has 21 tennis courts near the children's playground
and carrousel that can be reserved for a nominal fee. Sign up for free
lessons for children and adults year-round.

Lindy in the Park

Join the crowd for a free swing-dance party in the park every Sunday
from 11 am to 2 pm on John F. Kennedy Drive, and practice your moves
to the tune of jazz, blues, and swing. Open to all ages; no experience
or partner required!

California Academy of Sciences

The California Academy of Sciences is a planetarium, aquarium, and
natural history museum as well as a groundbreaking research
institution. In 2008 the Academy reopened in a stunning new building
that combines innovative "green" architecture with inventive exhibits,
including the four-story Rainforests of the World dome, the Philippine
Coral Reef, and Water Planet. Be sure to visit the living roof!
The California Academy of Sciences' first iPhone app, the Golden Gate
Park Field Guide is now available.

Dutch Windmill & Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden

On the far western edge of Golden Gate Park, the Dutch Windmill once
pumped irrigation water that helped transform the park's western half
from dunes to landscaped lawns and gardens. Beneath the windmill is
the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden, in glorious bloom every March and
April.

Conservatory of Flowers

A Victorian confection built of wood and glass, the Conservatory,
which opened in 1879, is the oldest building in Golden Gate Park. It
houses a living museum of rare aquatic and tropical plants, including
a 100-year-old giant Imperial Philodendron and a world-renowned
collection of orchids.

The Music Concourse

The Music Concourse is a vital civic and cultural space within Golden
Gate Park, hosting free concerts on Sundays during the summer and
serving as a respite and picnic spot year-round for visitors to nearby
cultural facilities.

Lawn Bowling in Golden Gate Park

Lawn bowling is an easy-to-learn yet highly competitive sport that can
be played by people of all ages and levels of physical fitness. Join
members of the San Francisco Lawn Bowling Club for a free lesson every
Wednesday at noon.

National AIDS Memorial Grove

The National AIDS Memorial Grove is a living tribute to all whose
lives have been touched by AIDS, and a dedicated space where people
can gather to heal, hope, and remember.

Beach Chalet

This 1925 Spanish Revival building at the park's western end, restored
in 1996, originally housed a restaurant and bathing facilities for
Ocean Beach swimmers. A series of WPA-era murals and mosaics adorn the
ground floor, where you'll also find a Golden Gate Park visitor center
and the Park Chalet restaurant; upstairs is the Beach Chalet
restaurant, with sweeping views of the Pacific.

De Young Museum

On October 15, 2005, the de Young Museum reopened in a new facility
that integrates art, architecture, and the natural landscape in one
multifaceted destination. The new de Young provides San Francisco with
a landmark building to showcase the museum's priceless collections of
American art from the 17th through 20th centuries and art of the
native Americas, Africa, and the Pacific.


Stow Lake

Rent a boat and paddle around the park's biggest lake, past an old
stone bridge, a waterfall, and a Chinese pavilion. Or climb Strawberry
Hill, an island in the center of the lake, for views of the city.

Bison Paddock

A beloved San Francisco institution since 1899, the Bison Paddock
actually houses a herd of American bison. Come visit the shaggy beasts
in their enclosure near the park's western end, next to Spreckels
Lake.
main drive, 1899

From the Thicket: Walks and Talks in Golden Gate Park

Announcing a new blog about Golden Gate Park, featuring stories and
information about the natural and cultural history of the park,
profiles of some of the interesting people connected with it (both
historical and contemporary) and reports of fascinating things
happening in the park today. Sign up and learn more about this
fabulous, historic park!