Perfect

The

Park

CREDIT HERE

Hamon Observation Tower at

the de Young Museum affords
spectacular views.
 World-class art,
gorgeous gardens, here shouldn’t be a park here. That’s

T
what Frederick Law Olmsted, the

and a herd of bison: legendary designer behind New York’s

Central Park, told San Francisco

You’ll find them all bigwigs in 1865, when they first

approached him about creating an

in San Francisco’s equally grand park in their city. The frontier metropolis,
he said, was too windy and sandy to support even a tree.

Golden Gate Park. And yet, here it is. Born 150 years ago, Golden Gate Park
is a lovely surprise, 1,017 green acres in the heart of one of
the densest cities in the United States. It’s a place where
San Franciscans can toss a Frisbee, row a boat, and joyously
by p e t e r f i s h decompress. “The best urban park in America,” says Phil
Ginsburg, general manager of the San Francisco Recreation
p h o to g r a p h y by
and Parks Department. Ginsburg’s position might make
james bueti him seem biased, but trust me, he’s right. The park has
been my family’s beloved backyard for nearly 20 years. It
is beyond compare.
Ignoring Olmsted, legislators approved the park’s
development on April 4, 1870. But the proposed site was
wilderness, mostly giant sand dunes dotted with tangles
of scrub oak. Luckily, two intrepid San Franciscans—park
surveyor William Hammond Hall and horticulturist John
McLaren—rose to the challenge. “They planted trees to
block the wind,” explains Ginsburg, discovering that “by
mixing barley with sand, they could get things to grow.”
In two years, the duo had planted 22,000 hardy saplings.
Today, the park is verdant with redwoods and rhododen-
drons, conifers and camellias.
On the map, Golden Gate Park is deceptively simple.
Two linked rectangles stretch from the middle of the city
to the Pacific. But it holds a parade of wonders: 10 lakes, two
windmills, and a bison herd. Plus, on Sundays, an open-to-
anybody swing dance class so hot it almost convinces you
that you, too, could Lindy Hop to “Jump, Jive an’ Wail.”
It’s a much-used park, with 25 million visitors a year, two
major music festivals, and weekly band concerts. There are
flower shows, lawn bowling contests, and dozens of races.
And for me? Golden Gate Park has sculpted my life. My
wife and I chose our house because it lies next to the park,
and the park helped us raise three dogs and one son. It has
been our jogging path and our family Christmas photo
backdrop. (One year, we dressed our then 4-year-old in a
jaunty fisherman’s outfit and sat him outside the Angler’s
Lodge.) Above all, the park is our congratulations when
we’re feeling good, and our solace when we’re feeling bad.
After years of exploring those 1,017 acres, I’ve come to
understand that, like all great urban parks, this one chan-
nels its city’s soul. Like San Francisco, Golden Gate Park is
radiant but sometimes moody, welcoming to everyone, and
CREDIT HERE

rich in ways no one could have dreamed of back in 1870.

Don’t believe me? Come to the park. I’ll be there.

A A A   |  VIA  29
 Treasures of Golden Gate Park
Your guide to San Francisco’s big backyard

San Francisco
Model Yacht Club
On Spreckels Lake floats the most
whimsical fleet this side of Stuart Little:
the exquisitely detailed, scale-model
sailboats and powerboats of the San
Francisco Model Yacht Club. Founded
in 1898, the group still maintains a
regular schedule of regattas. Show
up most weekends and you’ll see the
colorful yachts, some of which took
years to build, in maritime competition.
If you’re lucky, club headquarters will
be open—it’s that sweet little Spanish
building just off the lake—and you can
step inside to gaze at row upon row
of beautiful model watercraft.

Dutch and Murphy

Windmills
When you reach the park’s west end
and look up, you might feel as though
you’ve stepped into the pages of a
forgotten children’s book. Above you
stand two charming European-style
sentries. In their heyday, these wind-
mills pumped thousands of gallons of
water through the park. The Dutch
Windmill dates to 1902; in spring, the
garden at its base offers a rainbow
of tulips that is one of the park’s most
impressive flower displays. Just south,
the Murphy Windmill (pictured) shines
with a 64-ton copper dome, shipped
here directly from the Netherlands.

FULTON ST.
STA N YA N

Dutch Windmill Bison Paddock Spreckels Lake de Young Museum

Conservatory
ST.

DR. of Flowers
GREA

NN E DY
F. K E G O L D E N G AT E PA R K Stow
JOHN Japanese Tea California Academy
T H I G H WAY

N Lake Garden of Sciences

San Francisco
1/4 mile Botanical Garden
LINCOLN WAY
19TH AVE.

CREDIT HERE

3 0   V I A  |  J A N UA RY+ FE B R UA RY 2 0 2 0
 Picnic
supplies

ARIZMENDI BAKERY
Just two blocks
south of the park, this
worker-owned co-op
serves fresh-baked
artisan pizzas—thin
crusted and deli-
cious—along with
the best scones in
the world. The corn-
cherry is legendary.

HOOK FISH CO. This

counter-service spot
near the west end of
the park traffics in
poke and fish tacos.
The ceviche is
sublime.

TARTINE INNER
SUNSET A few doors
down from the park’s
southern edge, an
airy new outpost of
the beloved Mission
District bakery turns
out breads, salads,
and soups. Want to
score one of the
morning buns? Come
early; they usually
sell out by noon.

conservatory of flowers
ABOVE: ROBERTHARDING / ALAMY; OPPOSITE, TOP LEFT:

WHOLE FOODS
MARKET The upscale
A stately, ornate tribute to the Victorian passion for growing tropical plants in non­ grocery store’s
GEORGE WILHELMSEN ; MAP: JOYCE PENDOLA

tropical climes, this palatial white greenhouse is the oldest surviving building in Golden Stanyan Street
branch, near the
Gate Park, and perhaps the most beautiful. Opened in 1879, the Conservatory of Flowers
southeast corner of
is one of the last all-wood conservatories left in the United States; its 16,800 panes of the park, carries
glass let sunshine stream in to nurture some 2,000 species of plants, ranging from giant bread, cheese,
water lilies to delicate polka-dotted orchids, from the cascading tassel fern to the bright wine, and anything
coral, extravagantly named Flame Thrower lipstick plant. Step outside and you’ll see else you might
need for a picnic.
flower beds planted in rigorously regimented 19th-century fashion but glittering with
one bit of 21st-century bling—French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel’s La Rose des Vents,
a golden sculpture that gleams as it swivels in the wind.

A A A   |  VIA  3 1
de young museum
Sprawling and angular, with a looming periscope tower, the de Young looks a little
like a spacecraft just in from Planet Art. The 21st-century museum is sheathed in
perforated copper that’s a rich brown today but will eventually oxidize, giving the
whole building a blue-green patina that echoes the surrounding foliage. It’s an
apt metaphor for the evolving institution that traces its roots back to the 1890s.
The de Young is especially strong in American art, counting works such as Albert
Bierstadt’s California Spring among its holdings, but Africa and Oceania are well
represented too. Short-term exhibits delve into topics ranging from contemporary
tattoos to African American art during the civil rights era. Once you’re ready for a
break, ride the elevator up that futuristic tower to the observation deck. The views
stretch from the residential Richmond District to the skyscrapers of downtown.

CHAIN OF LAKES LLOYD LAKE This SPRECKELS LAKE STOW LAKE Skim
A curving drive con- lake off JFK Drive is You might spy a across the park’s

Land o’ nects three lakes—

North, Middle, and
graced by Portals of
the Past, a white
swimming turtle as
you amble alongside
largest body of water
on a pedal boat and

lakes South—that attract

wading egrets and
marble portico res-
cued from a Nob Hill
this placid, cypress-
shaded lake, home
you’ll see Huntington
Falls cascading
herons (and bird– mansion after the of the San Francisco down the island
watchers). 1906 earthquake. Model Yacht Club. of Strawberry Hill.

3 2   V I A  |  J A N UA RY+ FE B R UA RY 2 0 2 0
 ARCHERY RANGE BOWLING GREENS
On the park’s west The nation’s oldest

Sporty side sit nine hay

bales, but you’ll need
public lawn bowling
club offers free

spots to bring your own

equipment. Happily,
beginners’ classes
twice a week on its
it’s rentable from the impeccably mani-
nearby San Francisco cured greens.
Archery shop.

ANGLER’S LODGE BIKE PATHS Rent a GOLDEN GATE PARK

Jade-green casting bicycle to explore GOLF COURSE
ponds sit beside this the park’s paved trails. Nestled amid stands
lodge, home of the Cycling is especially of cypress trees, this
Golden Gate Angling lovely on Sundays, nine-hole course is
& Casting Club. Free when some of the short but tricky. It’s
Bison Paddock
lessons for novices main roads are closed also quite popular, so
take place every to cars. call ahead to book Locals and visitors alike gape outside
second Saturday. a tee time. the Bison Paddock. Here, a herd of regal
ruminants graze in their own little prairie,
sometimes moving majestically toward
onlookers—like proud Downton Abbey
aristocrats—before sidling off again.
John McLaren imported the first pair in
1891, when the species seemed doomed
to extinction. Now, with bison thriving
nationwide, this small herd serves as a
welcome reminder that environmental
crises can have happy endings.

san francisco botanical garden Beach Chalet

No part of the park proclaims its transformation from sandy wildland to At the park’s western edge, just across
from the Pacific, sits a striking Spanish
Northern California Eden more eloquently than this enclave, which shelters
TOP RIGHT: TERRY SMITH IMAGES / ALAMY

revival building. Initially home to a

9,000 different plants from six continents. The park creators entertained teahouse, the chalet was comman-
the idea of a botanical garden in the 1870s, but that vision wasn’t realized deered for defense during World War II.
until 1940. Today, you could easily spend your whole visit here. Start at the Later, it became a notorious biker bar.
California Native Plant Garden, sweet with sage, then stroll into the grove Restored in the 1990s, the local land-
mark gleams again. On the first floor,
of coast redwoods nearby. From there, head for the Mesoamerican Cloud
WPA murals evoke 1930s San Francisco.
Forest, where tree daisies grow 20 to 40 feet high. Continue on to areas Upstairs, the restaurant serves an excel-
devoted to the plants of South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Looking lent burger with garlic aioli, a pleasing
for a choice picnic spot? The sweeping Great Meadow can’t be beat. array of IPAs, and glorious ocean views.

A A A   |  VIA  33
 japanese tea garden
Walk through the pagoda-style gate, and you enter a wonderland where foot-
paths meander beneath Japanese maples, a high bridge arcs over the koi pond,
and, come spring, cherry trees explode in a brilliant shower of blossoms. Sip a
cup of sencha in the teahouse and savor the landscape that has beguiled visi-
tors since it opened as part of the 1894 California Midwinter International
Exposition. The garden’s grace is largely the product of one immigrant family,
the Hagiwaras: Makoto designed the garden and tended it until his death in
1925; later, his daughter and son-in-law took over. During World War II, the
family was forced to abandon their beloved garden when they were relocated to
an internment camp. Today, a simple but moving monument—created by late,
great San Francisco artist Ruth Asawa—honors the people who provided San
golden gate neighbor
Francisco with this profoundly lovely refuge.

The Presidio
Seven blocks north of Golden Gate
Park sits another wildland. Graced
with cypress and eucalyptus trees,
sandy beaches, and coastal wet-
lands, with the Golden Gate Bridge
at its northern border, the Presidio is
a kind of San Francisco in miniature.
The park’s history also mirrors the
city’s. The area—once the homeland
of the Ohlone people—became
a military installation in 1776, con-
trolled first by Spain, then Mexico,
then the United States. In 1994 the
land changed hands again, becom-
ing a 1,491-acre national park site.
At the visitor center, topographical
models and touch screens provide
a good overview of the area. Nearby,
inside the Officers’ Club, the Presidio
Heritage Gallery presents thoughtful
exhibits on the park’s history. The
adjacent archaeology lab displays
American Indian shell beads exca-
HARDLY STRICTLY OPERA IN THE PARK
vated from the parade grounds and
BLUEGRASS This free Each fall, San

Move to
other artifacts unearthed here.
October shindig was Francisco Opera
Modern-day diversions include
financier F. Warren stars belt out pop

the music
Star Wars photo ops at Lucasfilm
Hellman’s gift to the standards—plus
HQ, theme park–worthy displays at
city; Emmylou Harris highlights from
the Walt Disney Family Museum,
and Robert Plant the upcoming sea-
and performances at the newly
have been repeat son—in Robin
restored Presidio Theatre. Yet nature
performers. Williams Meadow.
remains the park’s blockbuster attrac-
tion. A quiet eucalyptus grove hides
Wood Line, a piece by environmental GOLDEN GATE LINDY IN THE PARK OUTSIDE LANDS
TOP: CHARITY VARGAS PHOTOGRAPHY

artist Andy Goldsworthy, and this PARK BAND Playing Hepcats have been MUSIC AND ARTS
spring, seven acres along the strong since 1882, swing dancing along- FESTIVAL The three-
wetland shoreline will be reclaimed this community band side JFK Drive for day August extrava-
as marshland. Dining options range performs some 20-plus years; if you’d ganza draws all-star
from lively food truck picnics on Sundays in an ornate like to join the fun, headliners such as
the Main Parade Ground to haute band shell that looks drop by for a free half- Paul Simon, Janet
Spanish delicacies from James Beard like it came straight hour lesson Sundays Jackson, and
Award winner Traci Des Jardins at the from ancient Greece. at noon. Kendrick Lamar.
Commissary. — ga r r i c k r a m i r e z

3 4  V I A  |  J A N UA RY+ FE B R UA RY 2 0 2 0
 Best
blooms

DAHLIA DELL Come

fall, huge yellow,
pink, and orange
dahlias bloom near
the Conservatory
of Flowers.

FUCHSIA DELL This

quiet nook plays host
to a swell of small,
delicate pink-and-
purple blooms
each summer.

JAPANESE TEA
GARDEN At the end
of March, the cherry
trees around the
garden amaze visitors
with a glorious pink-
and-white display.

JOHN MCLAREN
MEMORIAL
RHODODENDRON
DELL Showy pink,
red, and white flow-
ers blossom each
spring in this hollow
california academy of sciences just off JFK Drive.

What will wow you first is the living roof, a vivid green landscape with undulating hills,
QUEEN
which—you’ll note on closer inspection—are covered with native plants that draw bees,
WILHELMINA
butterflies, and other local pollinators. In fact, every part of the California Academy of GARDEN This neatly
Sciences rewards this kind of focused attention. While ascending the circular walkway arrayed garden, at
in the lush, four-story rain forest, for instance, sharp-eyed visitors might see some of the exhib- the base of the Dutch
it’s well-camouflaged inhabitants, such as the spiny flower mantis, blue morpho butterflies, and Windmill, is at its best
in early spring, when
lime-green Amazonian tree boa. Meanwhile, if you look intently into the luminous, starfish-
hundreds of tulips
filled Philippine coral reef exhibit, you might notice underwater formations shaped like feath- emerge in a riot
ers and leaves, cattails and cacti. But make no mistake: The focus here isn’t just on dazzle. The of color.
academy’s Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability also gathers data, sponsoring
research expeditions all over the planet. To get an in-depth look at the museum and its work—
and a peek into the expansive behind-the-scenes collection—pony up for the VIP tour. ●

peter fish also writes for the San Francisco Chronicle, Sunset, and Houzz.

A A A   |  VIA  3 5