Golden Gate Park is a large park in San Francisco, California, bigger than Central Park and the third most visited park in the US. It has many natural and man-made features, including lakes, gardens, museums, and a bison herd. The park played a significant role in the peace movement in the 1960s. It is free to the public, but some exhibits require payment. Visitors should plan ahead for parking on weekends.
Golden Gate Park is a 1017-acre park and recreation area in San Francisco, California. Bigger than New York’s famous Central Park, Golden Gate Park is the third most visited park in the United States. Since 1860, the park has been a haven for the citizens of San Francisco and a delight for visitors.
The park was built outside the San Francisco city limits, although later additions to the city soon surrounded it. Field engineer William Hammond Hall and his assistant, John McLaren, designed the area and laid out most of the original planting. By 1879, 155,000 trees had been planted. To aid in the distribution of water, a pair of Dutch windmills were built in 1903 and served as landmarks on the western edge of the park. Usually, the area around the windmills is planted with tulips to replicate a Dutch aesthetic.
In the 1960s, Golden Gate Park played a significant role in the peace movement in San Francisco. Bordered to the east by the Haight-Ashbury district, the park was the site of the 1967 Human Be-In. This event is considered the predecessor to the Summer of Love and focused on issues of community, ecology and higher consciousness.
The park’s natural features include several lakes, the two largest being Lake Stowe and Lake Spreckles. On Stowe Lake, visitors can rent pedal boats and rowboats and paddle their way through the landscape. Spreckles Lake is known for model boating activities and has been modified to assist boating enthusiasts.
Several areas of the park are designed as groves for specific plantings. Rhododendron Dell is filled with huge flowering rhododendron plants that bloom in an explosion of color every May. Shakespeare’s Garden contains herbs and flowers referenced in the writer’s works, along with plaques listing famous quotes. The AIDS Memorial Grove is the only national monument to AIDS victims and is a quiet and peaceful part of the park.
Golden Gate Park contains several prominent significant features, many of which are considered San Francisco landmarks. The Japanese Tea Garden is the oldest Japanese garden in the United States and includes five acres of sculptures, bridges, ponds and a tea house where guests can enjoy tea and biscuits. The De Young Museum, reopened in 2005 after renovations, houses cultural art collections from around the world. At the California Academy of Sciences, visitors can enjoy the Steinhart Aquarium, the Morrison Planetarium, and study natural history through the complex’s many exhibits. The Glass Flower Conservatory is one of the largest in the world and features a huge collection of high altitude orchids.
A few strange features mark the landscape of Golden Gate Park, waiting for the startled visitor. Most unusual is the bison herd, which has lived in the park since 1892. Some non-Franciscans believe the American bison herd is a myth along the lines of a jackalope, but they really exist and can easily be seen on a visit to the park.
Golden Gate Park is free to the public, although many of the exhibits are paid. On weekends, when local residents flock to the park’s many open spaces and trails, parking can be difficult, so be sure to plan ahead. A day at Golden Gate Park is an essential part of San Francisco tourism and shouldn’t be missed by any visitor looking to experience the heart of the city.
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