What an absolutely beautiful playground. There is truly something about city playgrounds that just feel different in the best way possible. A refreshing experience and a little slice of slowing things down in busy surroundings. We've been hoping to visit Joe DiMaggio for quite some time now, and it was so nice to get there over the holidays. You can find street parking in the surrounding neighborhood ~ we had to do a few laps coming on a weekend afternoon, so keep in mind leaving time to park. We didn't have much time to explore much else than the epic slides (2), swings, and both fun and engaging equipment for kiddos of all ages. That is one thing I've noticed about city parks ~ creative developers that keep equipment innovative while still safe and exciting (even for us adults! Ha) This is def a Playground that was to me, worthy of the drive from the East Bay. Enough room to run, play, and truly enjoy something different than the parks we frequent. This Playground is set near the heart of North Beach which makes for a great afternoon out strolling to well-known eateries and a great foodie adventure. We didn't notice restrooms, so traveled to the public library across the way to also check out the kiddo section. Would definitely return! read more

Very nice playground in old north Beach Sunny ..touristy and regional Fun park ..watch out ..advanced childrens park Open all days ...near tennis courts Spacious clean ..igloo and tilt o whirl ..slides Modern and 1980s style ..must see in north Beach read more

Joe DiMaggio Playground - Playgrounds Near Me - San Francisco, California

An unexpected find exploring the tough streets of SF. Located just on the outskirts of North Beach. Seems like a cool place to "Ball" in the heart of the city. Tennis court seems cool w/ plenty of space. -Overall - a nice and clean , humongous park in the center of everything with a cool-ass-chill-vibe. Definitely worth a hike too if you're in any of the surrounding neighborhoods. I wish i have a park like this in my neck of the woods.... read more

Joe DiMaggio Playground - Playgrounds Near Me - San Francisco, California

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On our way back from a restaurant nearby, we saw this park and decided to stop by. They have a good space and fun equipments for kids. The park was fenced tall along the streets and there was only one way in and out of the playground, so I felt pretty safe having my daughter here. They have a swimming pool and tennis court adjacent to the play ground and clean restrooms. read more

Amazing playground with beautiful views within the city. I'm jealous of the community that gets access to the park and the library right next door. Awesome set-up for both big and little kids. The grounds were very clean during our visit. My kids loved the swings and the upper portion of the playground with gigantic slides coming down the hillside. Highly recommend! read more

Pool and playground in North Beach. Spring blossoms on trees and fenced off all the way around makes for a safe feeling. Only two ways in and out. Don't know anything about the indoor pool but the playground is solid. Some slides and play structures. From the park you can see Coit tower and the big church towers soaring in the air. Very clean and well maintained. Next to the playground is a tennis court and basketball court. You might find some kids riding skateboards around there. Well lit and a pleasant place to be. Its in a hilly area yet everything here is perfectly level - I'm sure at a great cost. I think this neighborhood is one of the most fun in the city. For people where money is no consideration - I wouldn't be surprised if they would choose to live here. I sure love it. read more

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Love this park! I used to come here once in a while when I was younger and I tagged along with my brother and his friends. While he played basketball with them, I played by myself on the playground like a loner I am. It's huge! And they have a swimming pool, tennis court! Booce ball court &&&&&&&& the North Beach Library is right at the corner!! It's good to go after play time so the kids can calm down! I took my niece here today for the first time. Let her play on the playground. But not too long as there were many children there. It was really crowded. She was really happy to come here today as it's a new park for her. read more

Joe DiMaggio Playground - Playgrounds Near Me - San Francisco, California

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A gathering place I've lived in North Beach for over two decades. Back then the playground's official name was "North Beach Playground", and it was a bit behind on maintenance. Then when the great Joe DiMaggio passed away, the city decided to rename it. The story goes that the Hall of Famer's state did not take kindly to the fact that his name was associated with a rundown playground. So in 2005 the city completed a $7.5 million renovation and significantly improved the facilities. The park is a great place for all in the neighborhood. Families can bring their kids and take advantage of the kids playground. There are tennis, basketball,and Bocce courts, a public pool, and a multi-use community building with table tennis tables available for all. For more than 20 years a bunch of us used to gather there our weekly game of soccer every Thursday night, but that stopped as the number of "retirees" grew. I still visit once in a while for different reasons, but if anyone is getting the soccer game going again, I'd love to join! :-) read more

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We were on our way to North Beach to have brunch with some friends and walked pass this park on the there. Our girls (4.5 and 2.5 years old) saw the playground and of course wanted to go there to play but we didn't have time and so stopped back after we were done with our lunch. The park was spacious and has separate sections for different age group but it's nice that they have gate for the actual playground so no little ones can get out. They offer free open play in the recreation room and the bathrooms are actual flush toilets that are outside versus porta potties like we have here in Minnesota. The two slides that they have available are a little too fast for our 2.5 years old to want to go down on her own. By the bathroom, there are basketball courts and tennis courts. Inside the rec room, they have games and a table tennis available. When were there, there was a big birthday party going on and so I guess you can have parties here. We love that the place like it has been renovated because everything looks new and clean. read more

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Wow!!! A hidden gem great for kids and families, a must visit, super clean and lots of parking available.

I was headed on a pilgrimage to the North Beach Branch Public Library when I discovered the Joe DiMaggio Playground which is adjacent to it. The Joe DiMaggio playground is quite alright as features a large children's playground complete w/ swings, large slides, & artificial turf. For adults there are four basketball courts including one full court, a swimming pool, three tennis courts, & pull up bars. This isn't a place to really have a picnic yet if basketball, tennis, swimming, or bringing your children to play in the playground sounds appealing then this place is for you. Joe DiMaggio grew up in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco as one of nine children of Sicilian Immigrant parents & grew up playing in this playground named after him. read more

Joe DiMaggio Playground - Playgrounds Near Me - San Francisco, California

Beautiful and very spacious; sometimes you forget that it is location in such a small city like San Francisco. I come here every weekend for the tennis courts. read more

What an absolutely delightful little playground nestled right in between North Beach and on the way down to Fisherman's Wharf. We came on a Sunday and found parking was readily available. The park is connected to a library and a rec center (both closed now due to Covid). The play structure has a nice big security gate around it and there are activities for both toddlers and slightly older children. My daughter spent most of the time on the play structure for 5-12 despite being 2. There is a fun double slide where you can slide down and race. Quite fun and enjoyable way to spend the day. After you work up an appetite, you can easily walk along Columbus to one of the nearby restaurants to have lunch or a snack. read more

Swings are broken and that sucks. I never see any maintenance done on this park but that's SF in general. I'm not from here so of course my impression of SF parks seem like crap. read more

Joe DiMaggio Playground - Broken swings - Playgrounds Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This park is one of few parks for young families with kids. The playground is child centered. There's also a huge yard for basketball, soccer and other sports. read more

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a review from @amom2kidsandapark Located right along the cable car line, this fun play area with rec opportunities is a perfect addition to a SF day plus it's walking distance from Fisherman's Warf. Along with the shiny play structure and fun playground elements, this park has a full and two half basketball courts, tennis courts, volleyball courts, four square, bocce ball courts, an indoor swimming pool, and a library. The play area is completely gated in inside the already gated in park (double security for the runners ). There is a huge climbing dome with sideless bottomless slide, a climbing merry-go-round, a spinning cup, bucket swings, a swinging meets teeter-totter (so much fun!), and a mosaic fish sculpture that you can climb in and on. The play structure is on a higher level of the play area and is accessible by a ramp or amphitheater-style steps has two slides (a spiral and a double), steps, ladders, a sliding pole, a bridge, activities, a small and climbing wall. The double slide is long and goes from the structure through the amphitheater-style steps to the lower level of the playground. Nearly all of the flooring at this park is astroturf. There are bathrooms. Street parking. read more

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Playground, Basketball Courts, Swimming Pool, Tennis Courts and Library... what more can you ask for? I live a block away and I've gone a couple of times in the past to play tennis and basketball (HORSE/Around the World) with the roomie -- I should take advantage of going here more often... ...Now that I have someone to play with, I think I will play tennis here on a daily basis. Ian and I have gone twice on a Monday night (around 6p), the courts are usually full, but the wait isn't that bad -- we waited 20 minutes last night. If anything, we can always play against the wall -- lots of wall space available. There are three decent courts, but no lights at night. Great location, perfect for "nearby residents [who] live in small apartments with no yards" (dimaggioplayground.org). read more

Joe DiMaggio Playground - from website: http://dimaggioplayground.org/?p=1 - Playgrounds Near Me - San Francisco, California

Good playground. Very clean. A lot of open space and a few cool structures. The big metal slides were fun.

From the pictures, it's a 5-star but we know better than to trust a playground named after a famous person. More often than not, that alone means it's located in a non-desirable part of town and this is no exception. High end play structures and those slides make me want to go down them too! Coming from south central LA where I've had my experiences with transients (more positive than negative), I can say that the ones that hang out here I wouldn't be so concerned about as far as safety. I'd still keep an eye. It's always nicer to enjoy the playground with your kids w/o the half naked man across the way with a bottle alcohol. This area along with the rest of Downtown does have its share of transients that need a place to hang out and what better place than at a park? The ones that don't end up at Washington Square nearby will surely end up here. This park is currently closed during Covid. It's physically blocked off with "Camp in session" signs that prevent anyone not in the camp from entering. I've visited over a dozen local parks to find the best place to fly an FPV quadcopter. Because this is physically blocked off, I won't have access if I crash the quad, so no flying here. Also tough to watch your back when you're in your goggles and this isn't a place I'd feel safe with my back turned. I wouldn't consider this a destination playground. If you're in the area doing other things, then maybe drop by with your kid when it reopens but I wouldn't go out of your way b/c the photos look so epic. read more

Having grown up a block away, Joe DiMaggio playground was my hang out during my junior high and high school days. Oh, back then it was known as North Beach Playground and I can't think of it being other than that. Spent my time mainly playing softball here in the two diamonds. Yes, softball on asphalt field. It was a unique experience compared to playing on a grass field. Recently, I happen to walk by my old neighborhood and notice the newly renovated playground. There is just one baseball diamond now with four basketball courts. The tennis court have shifted up from the swimming pool and the area is now a nice children's playground with nice modern equipment with two bocce courts on the side of the pool building. This has to one of the nicer playgrounds in the City. The playground is not totally different than it was when I grew up, but I guess things have to change with time. But I will always remember it as North Beach Playground, where I learned how to play softball. read more

North Beach Playgound... please get the name right. Yes, I know that Joe and his brothers used to play here. Yes, I know that he is a local hero and celebrity. But, for me, this place will always be North Beach Playground and "Al's Place", not to be mistaken with Big Al's on Broadway. Al was the park director for many years until he retired in the 1990's (think Robert Loggia, Tom Hanks' boss in the movie "Big"). With two tennis courts (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Ed-A3hmo2H3PxXdtKzrAIA?select=Cg21cwpxGrE4VsJwbszntQ), the asphalt basketball court (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Ed-A3hmo2H3PxXdtKzrAIA?select=Cg21cwpxGrE4VsJwbszntQ), and a recreation room (kid's chill spot and table tennis table) (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Ed-A3hmo2H3PxXdtKzrAIA?select=mE-n6FVjB0ZZP4BtJmzQzA), many local children found this their refuge from both school and home, probably one reason that these now-grown ups have social skills. For me, the main attraction was the expansive asphalt court, which, on cold, foggy weeknights, became home for softball games and leagues. As a child, it was the merchants' league with teams named Scott's (as in Scott's Seafood), Gino and Carlo, and BBB (Beach Blanket Babylon) that drew my friends and I to watch the intense yet fun competition. As we grew to our teenage and early adult life, we became the players instead of the audience. It was also home to the annual softball game between the Washington Square Bar and Grill (Ed Moose, Herb Caen, etc. vs. national media types that included Tom Brokaw). During my late high school years, a group of friends and I organized a neighborhood co-ed church league. For the next ten years, summer weeknights or weekend afternoons were filled with teenagers and young adults moving their bodies and meeting new friends, many who I still see today. In an age where kids are less physically active and finding refuge online or playing video games, today's children could really use these types of activities. On a recent weekday morning, I witnessed tennis lessons being given at the courts, a few children playing in the playground area, and four or five people practicing either ballroom dancing or tai chi on the main court. The bocce ball courts (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Ed-A3hmo2H3PxXdtKzrAIA?select=BPqt2tjDnmJUzKOmNMVAsA) were sadly empty, void of the senior Italian men who used to smoke cigars and reminisce about the good old days. Five star for the memories of this playground, but minus one star for removing the softball fields. read more

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Kickball Tuesday's here are great! We love the large basketball courts, proximity to food/drinks and bathrooms

What a beautiful and clean park this was to take our kids for a bit while on vacation. Very pleased, so much to do here. The people are so friendly and the cleanliness of the place was very appealing. I love that the playground has one way in for safety purposes. Will definitely visit here again when in town in the future. read more

The legend... Joe really did learn to play ball here. The neighborhood... Many old schoolers refuse to stop calling it north beach playground. Whether it's due to force of habit, or sentimentality, they're pretty stubborn about it. I say Joe deserves the nod. The remodel... Thank goodness, because it was looking rather raggedy there for a long time. The playground is now downright inviting. You can now happily bring your tots here; whereas before there was always some trepidation involved. They finally finished the pool. It's pretty nice. Tennis & basketball go strong here. The bocce ball courts... This is where I learned to play bocce ball. And, for story time, the NB library is right next door. Apparently, there's an issue w keeping the restrooms clean. This is common w public spaces, I know. But w all the little ones around, it really needs to be taken care of. 4 stars. read more

What a great, recently renovated playground with everything you could ask for: tennis courts, kids' playground, all-purpose courts, basketball courts, rec center, pool and a library on the grounds. They have FREE Zumba on Tuesdays (11:30 AM with Pauline) and Sundays (11AM with Maile - me!)! Check this website for updates: http://sfrecpark.org/recprogram/zumba-in-the-parks/ The playground is accessible by Muni 8, 30, 45 and cable car. Love it! read more

Joe DiMaggio Playground - Every Sunday starting 11/13/2016! - Playgrounds Near Me - San Francisco, California

Wow, this park has it all. It isn't even really crowded on a week day late afternoon. Some of the parks get really crowded. My daughter didn't have any trouble getting on some of the playground attractions. She was the only one sitting on the swings and the rocking horse (forget what animal it was). The slides looked pretty cool but I think my daughter is too young to sit on the steep slides. Its a pretty neat park for older kids too. I thoroughly enjoyed taking my daughter here. read more

This location is really convenient for me, and they're open, with lights, till 10 p.m. Cons? Slippery court in the back and only three courts available. If you're driving, you might find parking, but if you give up, try Alice Marble or Marina courts. read more

Feeling the need to play baseball, tennis or basketball on your own or with companion? This facility is the spot for this! If you or someone have kids with you, they enjoy spending time doing other recreational activities then there is a clubhouse, swimming pool and a playground available. When you're in the North Beach/Telegraph Hill area looking for an outdoor recreation facility, then Joe DiMaggio Playground is the place you are looking for. If you pass by looking for a place to study, then there is a library adjacent to the recreational facility. Overall, good spot for a recreational facility! read more

wanna be a kid again? wanna take your kid to somewhere to make them tired so you can get some rest? then this is your spot!! never have i ever been to a park as new, well maintained, and with so many cool playground items. totally puts LA to shame! this is a great park to take the kids! the kids would totally love it. the slides are super long. lots of swings, a pretty challenging monkey bar, etc. i would highly recommend it! if you're in the area then its a must go! plus you can't go wrong with free! tips: *right next to the library. *street parking. *if you have a stroller you gotta take the long route to get in and out. not sure stroller friendly. read more

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Stumbled across this park while driving by and decided to pull over and check it out. The park has a lot of structures and different ones than I've seen at other parks. It looked like they had something for all ages so that was nice. Park was clean and is right near little Italy. read more

Awesome playground remodeling. Well done San Francisco! I am impressed by the toys for little and big kids. Awesome talk slide too! So fun.

At the North Beach Joe DiMaggio Children Playground, Basketball, Tennis courts, club house there OKAY!!! But, the bathroom is very dirty & very smelly & it's does smell like oatmeal poop & urine. Gross & unsanitary!!! Plus, there's a lot of crazy & homeless people making too much crazy noise & it's very annoying. Also, The last time I was at the north beach playing tennis with my friend in singles & doubles was since 2017 & the reason why, I never came back because it's too much interruption & distraction by a annoying S.F tourist public people taking a DUMB picture with the insane flashlight camera in my eye & almost blinded my eye on the tennis court & Crazy Homeless people start spitting & throwing trash at the tennis court & at the practice tennis wall. Besides, I hate the new model construction design of the 2016 North Beach Joe DiMaggio children playground & it's not the same NO more!!! Also, It just my honest opinion & I'm just saying!!! Plus, I just love the old classic North Beach 100% better & date back since 1990. Plus, It use to have swimming pool in the back & tennis court in the middle & children fun playground on the top front. I remember that 100% long time ago, it's use to be super quiet & very peaceful. I felt that, it was good old time & I missed the wonderful classic moment in the early 90's era at the North Beach tennis court. It's was GOLD!!! Grade: C+ (Very Okay) read more

Great playground we was looking for someone local, as we are from the UK. Ground all around is soft and bouncy. Clean and safe

One of the best parks in the city. Tons of structures and excellent for kids of all ages, especially 5-8. It's right by little Italy and not too far from all the eating spots. Plan accordingly for parking as it's limited in the vicinity. read more

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Last night was a beautiful night. The type you don't typically see in San Francisco, where the weather hits just right and you could be wearing shorts and a tank top or jeans and a sweater and feel comfortable either way. I know people are going to go into shock over what I am about to say, but this is the sort of night that would be wasted on getting all boozed up. This is the perfect sort of evening for a leisurely walk, stimulating conversation and some old fashioned, wholesome fun. So, imagine my disappointment when I found that they turned all of the swings in Washington Square Park into those annoying kiddie swings that just don't work for adults. Imagine my glee when Christopher K googled parks on his handheld and we realized we were a mere two blocks away from this playground. Now, it was 10 at night so of course the park was going to be locked up and we would have to do some fence hopping if we wanted to do some swinging and sliding and climbing, but we were up for the challenge. Imagine our luck when, as we were scoping out the best way to get over the fence, we discovered that someone had failed to lock one of the gates. I highly recommend tapping into your inner child, sober, from time to time and remembering the simple pleasures in life. I also recommend doing this with a great conversationalist because there is nothing like flying through the air with some good company at your side! read more

Only reviewing the tennis courts here and they are great. The problem is the place is always crowded and you'll likely end up waiting a bit to get an open court. Definitely recommended as it's a lot better than some other courts in the area, but just be prepared to wait a bit! read more

I have never used the playground. And I probably won't ever use the swimming pool. But the baseball diamond/basketball court/giant asphalt square is the perfect place to teach your puppy how to fetch, heel and any other activity that requires little distractions and a save and almost completely fenced-in environment. But beware. Dogs are not allowed off leash, so be careful. Just be smart about it and go when there's practically no one there. And keep them away from children. For your own dog's safety. Children can be unpredictable and cruel. Very dangerous. read more

Some North Beach old schoolers still call it North Beach Playground, but yes, this is where Joe learned how to play baseball. The park is old-fashioned with asphalt courts & a tiny playground of sand, monkey bars, swings and dilapidated & badly painted wood play structure. It needs some serious new love, people, and in the form of funds & newer & safe things for kids to play in and around. Time to bring some life to the rest of the park (and the adjoining library) to mirror the revamped pool house and bocce courts! read more

I grew up here, I played here, and I enjoyed being here. What more is there to say about this place? It's a playground with a huge yard for baseball and softball. You got a semi decent basketball court and a new set of tennis courts...Well, repaved but still, who can complain compared to a few years back before they re did everything. I mean, it was nice of the planners to redo the park when they were tearing down the swimming pool. And the clubhouse, wow. Looks fantastic! The old one is like a water shed compared to this new modern clubhouse. Them young folk have it good now. Let's just hope the place maintains this new coat of shine and last for as long as possible. And I hope Marlena stays there as long as she can because she is one of the best rec directors they have. It would be a shame to lose her after she's been there for as long as I can remember. read more

This playground has great potential. A lot of real estate for a park in a densely populated neighborhood. See the note below about potential renovations! Attention! All North Beach Parents and Residents: Please come to the first planning workshop for the new North Beach library, potential park improvements and the future use of the "Triangle" property across Mason Street from the library. It's on Wednesday, April 30 at 7 p.m. at the North Beach Clubhouse (661 Lombard Street). I would like everyone to come armed with some important information that all concerned residents should know about as we enter into this important public discussion of the future of our neighborhood. There has been discussion about closing the block of Mason Street between Lombard Street and the Triangle, thus joining the Triangle with the library/playground property. What has not been communicated are some disturbing statistics that will affect all of us. In December 2005, in response to the proposed closure of Mason Street, the Department of Parking & Traffic completed a traffic survey to determine the vehicle usage of Mason Street between Columbus and Lombard Streets. The results for this off-season sampling showed that the total number of cars that passed through this vital portion of Mason Street ran between 5000 and 6000+ vehicles per day, which would amount to about 2.2 million vehicles per year. Mason Street is the only unobstructed north-to-south two-way street in all of North Beach and is well-used by locals and tourists alike. Mason Street is the primary road connecting Fisherman's Wharf with North Beach, Chinatown and Nob Hill. Closing this street would create a chain reaction that would force the majority of those 2.2 million diverted vehicles onto arterial residential streets with two preschools (Tel-Hi Pre-School and Tel-Hi Co-op Preschool on Chestnut St), a Senior Center (Tel-Hi Senior Center on Lombard St), and two grammar schools (Francisco Middle School & Sts. Peter & Paul), as well as push traffic toward both the main entrance to Joe DiMaggio Playground & Pool and the playground adjacent to Washington Square. Since this study was performed, North Beach Place has been built and is now fully occupied and Trader Joe's has opened and is used by residents citywide. In addition, the study was performed in December, not during the busier summer months when tourist vehicles greatly increase this number. It's ironic that the closure of Mason Street would result in diverting traffic toward the very playground we're trying to improve. I fully support the renovation of the playground and the library. My daughter and I use the playground and library often. It also seems that the number of families in North Beach with young children has increased. In addition, more children seem to be staying in the neighborhood thanks to the improved educational opportunities at Yick Wo and Sherman elementary schools. So this effort is long overdue. However, every morning when I cross Chestnut Street to take my daughter to Tel-Hi Preschool, walk my dog, or ride my bike to work, I fear the negative impact of closing Mason Street. More than 2.2 million vehicles - including fast-moving cabs and tour buses -- will be heading my direction. I would rather use the crosswalk and safely cross Mason Street than risk the danger that would result from this closure. Please take this information into consideration and join the community on the 30th when we weigh in on the exciting prospect of improving educational and recreation resources! read more