This area of SF has been our new favorite since avoiding it like the plague due to an unfortunate…read moresmash & grab years ago. Presidio Tunnel Tops is definitely the new parkland that The City deserves! This is a vast haven with lush greeneries and play areas for kids, adults and paw companions. Reservations are encouraged for larger groups with assigned picnic tables and lawn areas, otherwise, it's a first come first served basis with people setting up blankets in the well manicured grass turf. With magnificent views of the Golden Gate, Alcatraz Island, Crissy Field, Palace of Fine Arts and SF's iconic skyline, while standing on one spot. What more could you ask for? Sans marine layer of course. This park is also near the Walt Disney Family Museum for fans of the house of mouse. Helpful reminders for first time visitors. Either get early for parking or forget the adjacent lots like the French Court area and just go to the Anza Avenue, Outpost Meadow or the Crissy Field East Beach parking areas. Parking is free after 6 PM to 8 AM, so that is a plus for sunset vigils. Don't forget to pay at any of the kiosks! Plate number is mandatory. No printed receipt needed. It gets chilly and windy here so bring layers even in the summer. If you can, bring your own snacks and drinks as food truck and Il Parco offerings can get tourist trap pricey. All-Gender restrooms with communal sinks are located by the Presidio Field Station and the cafe.

This is our second most favorite place to visit in the city…read more Only disadvantage is the 25 min drive for 6 miles into one end of it. But every minute spent here is worth all the gas and time! Our toddler loves it. We love it coz of the views and variety of things we get to do. The outpost park is one of the best playgrounds out there. Here they are enjoying sliding / swinging/ climbing rocks and trees and walls without any plastic involved. The sand play area the hit ever single time. The local shrubbery and flowers in spring and summer, the giant green lawns with big red chairs, ones looking over golden gate and magnificent views of the city, food trucks offering variety of food all around the world, gender neutral restrooms, presidio field station for little ones to explore--- you have everything in this beautifully maintained area. It's truly one of the gems in the city. If you are visiting or bored of same four famous places consider visiting presidio. Bike, fly kite, play catch, /slide down the stone slide, enjoy views. Paid parking all around but it can be tricky. SF weather is chillier and overcast in summer ( thanks to fog), always layer up!!

Such a beautiful and clean park!…read more The grass is very well maintained, and the whole area feels peaceful and relaxing. It's a perfect place for a picnic

This is one of my favorite places to create memories in San Francisco. There's plenty of open space…read moreto spread out, relax, and create your own experience. _______ Good for: all ages Quick Guide: * Playground: yes -- Helen Diller Playground (great for toddlers and young kids) * Baby-friendly: open space, with some hills * Terrain: steep grassy hills, some flat areas, and paved paths -- good for walking and strollers; some areas may be more challenging for wheelchairs * Bathrooms: available (see map) * Parking: limited -- easier to walk in or get dropped off * Shade / seating: mix of sun and shade with a large grass area * Dog-friendly: yes * Food / supplies: nearby food options and vendors sometimes (I usually bring my own lunch if I'm staying a while) _______ Real-life insight: You can find a calmer area if you move slightly away from the main crowd. Pro tip: Bring a waterproof picnic blanket. If you don't have one, a plastic tablecloth from the dollar store works just as well.

Great small park, with great views, plus some optional steep sections. On the West side of the…read morepark, You can exit the park and go down some interesting steps into the neighborhood. Parking not too bad: Small parking area, or you can park on street. Lots of dogs.

Enjoyed a sunny day with a short hike and 360 panoramic views of the hometown…read more What I appreciate about this park is there are benches everywhere to admire the view. The lower level is flat and paved and I would recommend for people with mobility issues. The unpaved graveled path to the top of the hill is where you get a birds eye view. It's typically windy but I got lucky this day. Shoes with grip is advised, Note the road to the path is narrow so drive slow.

Naga makes my walks, my nights, my life, and the world better…read more It's best to approach him at night. The Golden Mile might feel creepy in the dark, but once you've walked it a few times, especially on weekends, you realize that there are people coming and going, on foot and on bikes. Just breathe in and out. Just amazing.

Strolling through Golden Gate Park today had so many fun activities and views but the absolute…read morestandout was NAGA the sea dragon at Rainbow Falls! This magical art installation BREATHES BUBBLES! And with the epic waterfall in the background just under prayerbook cross, it's like a scene out of a movie. Totally worth the visit!

Beautiful park by some of the most iconic places in San Francisco. Close by to Grace Cathedral,…read moreFairmont Hotel, the Mark Hopkins Hotel, and the Huntington Hotel. Thus, this park is meticulously manicured and decorated year round, especially stunning during the holidays with decorative lights. Right in the center of the park, there's a fountain here replicated after the Fontana delle Tartarughe (Fountain of the Turtles) in Rome. With how it's laid out, it's picturesque and very popular with locals and visitors. On the side, there's a playground for kids. I remember coming here for Easter egg hunts when I was younger. Now, I bring my pup here occasionally for photos. Located in the middle flanked by 4 streets: California St, Taylor St, Sacramento St, and Cushman St and is reachable by car or via public transportation like the #1 California bus and the cable car - California line. If you choose to walk, you will need to hike up/ or down the hills depending on which directions you are coming from.

What a cute park! It's so clean and well maintained…read more The only downside is having to run around trying to find a bathroom. It's also a little trickier than other parks to access via public transit.

Just past SF this park has so many different trail options perfect for all hiking levels. The…read moredownside is this place gets PACKED! My sister and I arrived before 8am at the Watershed parking lot and barely found a space. We did the trail that took us to the West Point Inn for the pancake breakfast and round trip was close to 5 miles so it was a great workout. There's gorgeous views and well! On the way back to the 101 however it's a mess. The road on the way down is crowded with parked cars, which makes driving through challenging. That's the only thing about this park, other than that I'd love to come back in spring when everything is green and vibrant!

My first association of Mt Tam is from Cowgirl Creamery's best seller, Mt Tam Triple Cream with…read moreHeart cheese. Ever since then, I've wanted to hike this peak, today I have achieved my wish. Early June with mild coastal temp, 50s-60s. Started up Matt Davis Trail in the foggy forest, to Pantoll Campground, to West Point Inn where we can look down to the top of the fog layer, to the Fire Lookout building at the Peak. Then we came down reverse but split off to Steep Ravine and Dip Sea trail after the campground. I've also always wanted to climb that ladder. This hike provided views of the Pacific ocean on the West as well as views of Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on the East side. I thoroughly enjoyed the cool lush forest, but actually my favorite section was the single track along the slope of the open area after the Mt Tam State Park sign.

I honestly thought I had reviewed this magnificent park before- yet I am now!…read moreThis hidden gem is your reward after walking up the hundreds of gorgeously mosaic tile steps. The views are breathtaking. You can see the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin County, Salesforce Tower (basically you see this wherever you are in San Francisco), the coast & much more. I love all the sand at the top of the park. There gorgeous succulents lots of chert rock and stairs on the other side that you can choose to descend. This is another spectacular free destination to enjoy in San Francisco.

How can anyone not like this place? One of my favorite spots in the city, feels a little bit like a…read moresecret. A special little secret hill. Make your way to the top to be rewarded finely with the fantastic view. Do some soul searching, watch the sunset. Say hello to somebody. Make a connection.

This 1017 acre park is incredible huge that housed a museum, academy of science, a botanical…read moregarden/ conservatory of flowers, a Japanese tea garden , as well as a lake!! So much luscious towering trees like eucalyptus groves, as well as enormous massive cypress trees and so much green grass open spaces !!!! Boat rentals are available at the lake!! Food trucks by the covered open stage and surrounded with benches to enjoy live music performances!!! What a day to spend with my grandkids enjoying an open space under the shady trees while eating our food truck eats!!

We were visiting the de Young museum which is right by Golden Gate Park. After we finished at the…read moremuseum we had a picnic lunch in the park at the music concourse area. The park is huge and museums, lakes, and cultural attractions like the Japanese Tea Garden, Conservatory of Flowers, the de Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences. There are lots of park benches for sitting and beautiful water fountains to admire. There is a parking garage close by called the music concourse parking that costs $5 per hour. It's a lovely place to take a nice walk. The gardens are beautiful.

The place offers a parking lot for convenience and restroom on site. I set up my mat on the sandy…read moreshore at Crissy Field East Beach to view the "Opening Day on the Bay" boat parade, and it was perfect! Lots of unleashed dogs running around with their owners. Plenty of boats floating by. Great views of awesome SF landmarks, such as Alcatraz island. The park stretches all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge, with grassy fields and the Fort Point historic site located beyond the beach setting. I come here often, particularly for attending special events on the water while picnicking on the smooth soft sand. It's a great spot for relaxing with loved ones, and not too far from many other cool activities and offerings in the Presidio.

This beach is always busy, but I love that they added a cute shop at the far end…read more Plenty of parking, clean bathrooms, a surfer rinse area, and dogs can run off leash. The view of the Golden Gate Bridge with rolling fog is gorgeous. We'll definitely be back.

We were in the area for a festival and read that this park was great for dogs and had a dog park…read morearea. We walked up the HUGE San Francisco hill to the park, and then the whole park is a hill. The park is beautiful, there are sidewalks throughout, a nice playground for kids, a dog park area with a fence around it, and a summit area. Near the summit there was a coffee truck, Native Twins Coffee, that was perfect to grab a coffee or matcha. The dog park was a good size, it's long and fenced in, but on the hill so if you're planning on playing fetch/catch with your dog it'll either be throwing up hill or chasing it downhill. There were some trees, so there was some shade in the area too, plus a water fountain in case your dog gets thirsty. I will say, there were dogs all over the park off leash, not just in the turfed dog area. The dogs that were off leash were well behaved, but we kept an eye on our dog (on leash) and the others around us just to be safe. The summit is really pretty with some areas to sit down and plenty of shade. The view was great, and there were groups of people there for a birthday party. The playground area also had some seating nearby and another party was happening in that area. Despite the giant hill, this was a very cute park. I'd definitely stop by again.

We really enjoy coming to Lafayette Park Playground this morning for an early Easter egg hunting…read moreevent--it's quite unique compared to other playgrounds in the city. The layout is more challenging and perfect for little explorers who love to climb, balance, and stay active. My 3-year-old always finds something new to do, and it keeps them engaged for a long time. I also appreciate that babies aren't left out--there are designated areas where younger kids can safely play too. The restroom is conveniently located and clean, which is a big plus for families. That said, some of the rocky edges can be a bit risky for adventurous kids, so it's definitely a place where you'll want to keep a close eye on them at all times. The only downside is parking--it can be pretty tough to find a spot, especially during busy times. Overall, it's a fun and exciting playground that's great for kids of different ages, as long as you're prepared for a bit of supervision and a parking hunt!