Golden Gate Park, San Francisco - San Francisco - Things To Do Reviews

San Francisco's full of parks. As my friend JP says, every time they didn't feel like paving over the top of an especially steep hill, they'd just leave the trees and call it a park. Decidedly better planned and flatter, Golden Gate Park is SF's biggest park, stretching from the Haight to the ocean. Entering the park takes you right out of the city and to some crazy green little world where hippies frolick, waterfalls flow, and, yes, even bison roam. Major attractions include the De Young Museum, the Conservatory of Flowers, and Stowe Lake, where you can rent a rowboat and pretend it's 1815 and you're chillin' over at Lord Byron's estate.

There's music festivals all the time, too, including that awesome jug band festival we went to. Sometimes, though it's the little surprises that are the best part of the park. Turn a corner, and you're surrounded by swing dancers practicing on a sunday. Turn another, and a row of baby ducks are following their Mama across the road.

My only complaint is that the park seems to give people nervous breakdowns when they try to drive around in it, including a cab driver I had who couldn't seem to find the De Young. If I have the time, I try to walk there instead, but it does take a good hour just to get to the inside border from the Mission.