Brannan Street Wharf Park has long been part of my routine. Back when I was more disciplined about…read morejogging, my route often took me right past it. Even now, it stands out as one of those smaller neighborhood parks that quietly does its job well. It's not a large space, but it's consistently active. In the afternoons, you'll usually find dog owners, nearby office workers on a break, and people just looking for a place to sit and enjoy the waterfront. It feels well used and appreciated by the South Beach community. There's also an interesting backstory here. This area was once part of San Francisco's working waterfront, with older maritime structures like Pier 36 occupying the space. Over time, as those structures aged and were no longer in use, the area was redeveloped as part of a broader effort to improve public access along the Embarcadero. Today, the park offers a grassy lawn, picnic spots, a waterfront promenade, and unique tidal columns that reflect changing bay water levels. It's a great place to pause, people-watch, walk your dog, or take in views of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. A nice reminder that even smaller parks can add a lot to a neighborhood.

Sittin' in the mornin' sun, I'll be sittin' when the evenin'…read morecome Watchin' the ships roll in, And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah... I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay Watchin' the tide roll away Ooo, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay Wastin' time... With so much effort placed on renovating the Embarcadero north of the Bay Bridge (including the installation of the Bay Lights), it seems to be taking forever and a day to see similar improvements along the waterfront to AT&T Park. Fraught with controversy over the America's Cup and the pending construction of the Warriors stadium, the area has finally seen one unmitigated improvement in the opening of the new Brannan Street Wharf. At first glance, it doesn't appear to have much to it. No shops. No clam chowder in sourdough. No Bushman. Just a long lawn along with an open walkway dotted with picnic tables and benches. A group of benches are lined up under a shade structure (photo: http://bit.ly/15CuXcR). I left my home in Georgia, Headed for the 'Frisco bay 'Cause I've had nothing to live for, And look like nothin's gonna come my way. So I'm just gonna sit on the dock of the bay Watchin' the tide roll away Ooo, I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay Wastin' time... The most arresting feature is the trio of red elevated tidal columns with bumblebee colors that visually depict the ebb and flow of tides in order to gage the fluctuating water levels in the bay (photo: http://bit.ly/17s4IGD). The tops of the columns bob up and down according to the tides. There's a series of panels depicting the history of the waterfront (photo: http://bit.ly/19hcgPW), and you get quite a nice view of the Bay Bridge, at least for now before the stadium will likely block it out (photo: http://bit.ly/17MCsEP). But I m happy to read that metal skateboard-deterrent strips are installed. Bayside Market, Delancey Street Restaurant, and South Beach Cafe are all just across the Embarcadero, so you definitely have al fresco dining options available. Look like nothing's gonna change. Everything still remains the same. I can't do what ten people tell me to do, So I guess I'll remain the same, yes... Sittin' here resting my bones And this loneliness won't leave me alone It's two thousand miles I roamed Just to make this dock my home Now, I'm just gonna sit at the dock of the bay Watching the tide roll away Oooo-wee, sittin' on the dock of the bay Wastin' time...

This is a cute little easy walk along a boardwalk close to Baker Beach. I never see a lot of people…read morearound and it's fairly quiet so it's easy to become one with nature and enjoy the stillness with the sounds of many birds and faint hum of the street in the distance. The boardwalk goes over restored sand dunes and there are a lot of native plants like Yellow Brush Lupine, Coyote Brush, and Sticky Monkeyflower. To do a loop around the boardwalk is little over a half mile all fairly level. For a hike I go farther usually to the Lobos Valley overlook then on towards Mountain Lake. There are different paths to add, if you go through the golf course make a left at Washington and a right at Battery Caufield Road it's around a 2.5 miles for a loop. There also the nearby Batteries to Bluff trail up to the bridge which I like, the good thing about the Presidio is there are always many different options.

A nice and easy trail if you want a little walk along the outer side of the Presidio. The trail is…read moreeasy to find especially with the help of Google maps; I started from the Lobos Overlook and set to to Lobos Creek. From this direction, you'll start out more on a didt bath and end with the kind of boardwalk path. If you go in opposite direction, you can take the 29 bus to leas you to the boardwalk area entrance. My only wish is that there was more scenery like flowers or water to look at, but they do have some nice trees and kind of a shrubbery bushes environment going on. Hopefully they develop the area more overtime.

A playground, sanctuary, skate park, historical place, artists' canvas, fortress, meditation place,…read moreescape, hidden gem, nature trail, haunted place and whatever you want it to be. Fort Miley is located between Lands End and the VA Medical Center on Point Lobos covering 54 acres on prime real estate that the federal government purchased for $75,000 in 1891. That's equivalent to approximately $1.9 million dollars in today's rate. It sat empty for several years until the U.S. Army started the fortification beginning in 1899 and completed in 1902. Over the years, they added garrisons, barracks and other improvements as it was the first line of defense for the city. However, they also built on top of a huge cemetery, which they promised to move and relocate. Additional construction for the Palace of the Legion of Honor in 1993 determined that this was not the case as the digging led to discoveries of bodies and coffins underground. This means that only the headstones were removed while the bodies remained in place. I'm not the least bit surprised since how many times has the government lied to the general public. But how morbid is that? One could easily get lost here as there are many places to explore or if you're hiking Lands End and make this a part of your trail for additional challenge. I don't mean lost as in can't find your way back, but lost as in one can easily wander and get carried away. That's what happened to me the first time I was here as I spent hours exploring and studying the history of this place. Local teens also use the area as their skate park and I can't fault 'em since they're using the space to their advantage. There are numerous graffiti on the walls, and some of 'em are very impressive and artistic. One can learn to appreciate this form of artwork while others may disagree. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Don't be surprised if you encounter a homeless encampment here or even actual homeless people. If you go deeper in the woods, just keep that in mind. Also, if your bike is stolen, there's a chance it may turn up here. Just take extra precautions should you decide to check it out. According to historical records, this vantage point used to have a clear view of the Pacific Ocean and all around the bay. Now, most are covered with tall trees, but I am fine with that. The same trees provide a canopy and shelter from the hustle and bustle of the city that one can find relaxing. I can easily seat on the bench while meditating to get rid of stress and forget one's worries. There is a clear patch of land on the west side with a lone picnic table overlooking Ocean Beach. I've seen some people flying their drones here, but I just gaze at the amazing view since you can see as far as Pacifica from here. This could also be a great photo-op for weddings or any celebrations that may come to mind. Fort Miley is named after Lieutenant Colonel John D. Miley, who passed away in Manila, Philippines in 1899 at the young age of 37. That's like some six degrees of Kevin Bacon, right there.

Fort Miley is an old defense fort protecting San Francisco. It was used during World War II and has…read moresince been abandoned. It's a big fort that you can hike to that's been boarded up. However, if you like graffiti art, it's a great place to visit. You can climb three different levels enjoying the concrete fort and beautiful graffiti art that is constantly being added to. I went here and felt safe.

Before I got too lazy, I used to go jogging a few times a week, and my route often took me past…read moreBrannan Street Wharf Park. Even now, it's one of those small neighborhood spaces that quietly does its job well. In the afternoons, it's especially popular with local dog owners, office workers on breaks, and people simply looking for a place to sit, relax, and enjoy the water. It's not a big park, but it's well used and well loved by the South Beach community. What makes this spot especially interesting is its past. This peaceful patch of green was once part of San Francisco's gritty working waterfront, home to aging maritime structures including Pier 36. For decades, this stretch of the Embarcadero was dominated by heavy industry and shipping activity, until the old piers became too deteriorated to safely use. As part of the broader effort to revitalize the Embarcadero and reconnect the city with the Bay, the condemned pier and bulkhead wharf were demolished and replaced with public open space. The park opened in 2013 and remains a welcome pocket of greenery built right over the water. It features a grassy lawn, picnic areas, a waterfront promenade, and the distinctive tidal columns that show the changing bay water levels--a subtle nod to the area's maritime roots. Today, it's a great place to pause, people-watch, walk your dog, or simply take in the views of the Bay Bridge. It's proof that even small parks can make a big difference in a dense urban neighborhood.

Simple but fantastic open Green space on the south San Francisco waterfront. Great place to walk…read morethe dog or just come hang out to look at the bay. April 2021, you'll see plenty of container ships.

A really great softball field. I've tried several others in the City and this is by far one of the…read morebetter ones. Parking is relatively available which is a major plus. No ground squirrels or outfield hazards and plenty of soft dirt in infield for sliding .

McCoppin Square is located on Taraval Street near 19th Avenue and a block away from Abraham Lincoln…read moreHigh School. It encompasses about 8 acres and is surrounded by residences and street parking along the exterior. There is a kids playground, baseball field, tennis court, one half basketball court, and some grassy patches. There's also the Parkside Branch Library which is cool. It's not the biggest park but there are a good amount of offerings.

It's gorgeous, but the place (and all of Golden Gate Park) needs better signs. If you don't know…read moreexactly where your party is, you could waste a lot of time driving and/or walking around. There's plenty of room to run around, play, fly kites, attract/avoid seagulls. If your kid wants to go in the jumpy-jump but you don't know whose jumpy-jump it is, who cares? Sidle up, surreptitiously learn the name of the birthday boy or girl, and drop that name like it's hot if anyone asks you anything. This review is almost over, but why are there suddenly French people arguing animatedly downstairs? What is going on with my neighborhood? I really can't imagine my downstairs neighbors inviting a bunch of Frenchman and -women over. Maybe they're next door? They all sound like Jean-Baptiste, which is both comforting and slightly frustrating. It's June 21, 2014, by the way, and I believe this is review No. 1,999. At least they're listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Now if that one French cover band could only get a singer. I'm pretty happy that Aaminah invited me to her graduation party at Lindley Meadow. I love Golden Gate Park. Even without better signs.

We went here yesterday for a baby shower. This was a busyyyy park. Parking was a bit of a pain. We…read moreended up parking almost a mile away from where our group was meeting. They had bathrooms with toilet paper, soap and running water. (Hard to find sometimes at local parks). There were tons of people for various occasions. There were fields with lacrosse games, there was some sort of music festival/concert, family reunions, people just hanging out, people celebrating birthdays, and of course us there for a baby shower. Our friends got there around 10:30 am to set up and got great parking. I think the earlier the better to get a parking spot close to where you want to hang out. We didn't get there until 1:30 pm.

Came by with my pup on our way to Chinatown and North Beach. This is a tiny neighborhood park with…read morea small playground for kids and some seatings. Perfect as a small neighborhood gathering/exercising place (seniors come here to do Tai Chi) and place to sit for a bit. Has a lot of neighborhood charm and the name means Garden of Peace and Joy. Located on Powell and John.

Not the best park when it comes to actual play structures but it does the job…read more Woh Hei Yuen Park is walking distance from the hustle and bustle of SF's Chinatown. There are plenty of benches and table seating which makes it a hot spot for the elderly to sit back and chit chat. The play area could use a bit of revamping and a few areas actually need some fixing up/replacement of pieces. Bonus points for the large back wall designated to wall climbing- perfect for your little one who are super active. 3 stars for this particular park but I bumped up the rating due to the cleanliness [[aside from the random garbage dumped right outside of the parks entrance, on the sidewalk]]. Patrons are quite respectful of the park and during our visit, plenty of dog owners made sure to clean up after their pets.

This is a good trail to stroll on if driving to Inspiration Point and want a small hike afterwards…read more To walk from Inspiration Point to the end of the trail at Hardie Ave is about 1 mile there and back. The trail is partially canopied in trees and many parts in the sun have wild blackberries growing. The trail parallels a busy street so you can hear cars go by but there are also sounds of many birds, trees swaying, and the fog horn in the distance (sometimes) which is always soothing. I usually do a loop to the Lyon stairs which is a little over 2 miles RT.

Nature, berries, happy dogs, nice people, and fairly easy trail…read more It's a great little break from the city, nice variation of trees, cool birds, and yet like close enough that you can hop in the car after and go get lunch. Perfect for when you need to air out children and take yourself offline for a while.