The Best Park / Open Space in San Francisco

Robin Williams Meadow - Sharon Meadow

A great open field where many concerts and events take place. Most weekends the drummers hill adds great atmosphere to this location. It's the nearest large meadow area to Haight Street and a good place to break away from shopping. more

Salesforce Park and Transit Center

Behind the curvature of a pearlescent lace-like awning, this multi-story San Francisco landmark transforms the former Transbay Terminal into a commuter hub and an urban destination. With interiors open to the light, it's a sociable, open space for pe... more

San Francisco Botanical Garden

Escape to a unique urban oasis of extraordinary beauty. Through its programs and displays, the Garden celebrates the bond between people and plants, and instills a deeper understanding of the necessity to conserve Earth's biological diversity. Pla... more

11 Upcoming events

San Francisco County Fair Building (Hall of Flowers)

An exhibition hall that serves as host to many of the top natural life shows and festivals that come to San Francisco. The San Francisco County Fair Building (Hall of Flowers) is a flexible space that can be molded to fit a variety of event types. more

1 Upcoming events

San Francisco Maritime Museum & National Park

The San Francisco Maritime Museum features interactive exhibits, ship models, figureheads, maritime paintings, photos, and artifacts. Its library has a premiere collection of martime history: books, magazines, oral histories and reference service to... more

San Francisco Yacht Harbor

Welcome to San Francisco Marina Small Craft Harbor website. San Francisco Marina, as it is also known, is a destination sought by thousands of boaters from all over the world. The oldest recreational marina operating in San Francisco, and perhaps the... more

Sand Harbor State Park

Seward Mini Park

Two long, steep concrete slides are the main attraction at this hidden gem. They're not for tiny tots, nor for the faint of heart! If you decide to slide, please remember that the park closes at sunset and adults must be accompanied by children. Brin... more

SF Parks Alliance

SF Parks Alliance is the only city-wide parks nonprofit in San Francisco. For over 50 years, we've been partnering with communities and public agencies to create, sustain, and advocate for parks and public spaces that welcome and belong to everyone. more

Sigmund Stern Grove

From a cow pasture to cantatas, from a roadhouse to Rigoletto is the history of Sigmund Stern Grove in brief. Before the Forty-Niners cast their shadow across the chronicle of California, the area was part of the pioneer homestead of the Greene famil... more

South Beach Park

A small, triangular shaped park with a little playground, next to AT&T Park and South Beach Harbor.   If you're walking around, and as long it isn't a game day, this little park makes for a nice spot to throw down a blanket and picnic. &nbsp... more

South Park

A great little refuge of green in concrete plagued SoMa.   There are lots of great restaurants near or around the park, but South Park is more of a lunch time kind of place to meet a friend and/or eat if your brown bagging it.   ... more

St. Mary's Park

St. Mary's Recreation Center

St. Mary's Square

Strawberry Hill

Measuring close to 430 feet into the air and serving as the highest point in the entire park.  The views of Mt. Tamalpais, Twin Peaks and the Golden Gate Bridge are amazing.  Cross either the Rustic Bridge or the Roman Bridge to hike your w... more

Sue Bierman Park

The 5.3 acres of land that currently make up Sue Bierman Park (formerly Ferry Park) previously served as on-ramps and off-ramps for the Embarcadero Freeway, which was demolished after being damaged by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. After a conceptu... more

Sutro Heights Park

Located at the westernmost point of Lands End, the historic Sutro Baths was once a lavish 25,000-person swimming facility and museum built in the 19th century by former San Francisco mayor Adolph Sutro. The facility’s six saltwater swimming tan... more

Sydney Walton Square

Sydney Walton Square is a public park located just west of the Embarcadero. The park is named after San Francisco banker Sydney Grant Walton. The 2-acre park was designed by Peter Walker. It was created as part of the city of San Francisco's partn... more

Tenderloin National Forrest

Luggage Store Co-Artistic Directors/Artists Darryl Smith and Laurie Lazer of the luggage store have been working to transform Cohen Alley since 1989 from a place emblazed in a health-hazardous cesspool of bodily fluids and other dumped items, non-sup... more

The Benches Garden

Located at 18th Street and San Bruno Ave, the garden is a wonderful community resource. more

9 Upcoming events

The Great Highway - Great Walkway

The Great Highway is the main roadway along Ocean Beach, connecting the Cliff House to the San Francisco Zoo. From Lincoln to Sloat, the Highway has become a walkway - running course - skate park - bikeway. In normal times, the paved walkway on t... more

6 Upcoming events

The Panhandle

The Panhandle is a thin strip of greenery from Divisadero / NoPa - Upper Haight and Golden Gate Park. The park features a running / walking pass, bike trail, basketball court, playground and a few small open fields to lay out, play catch and enjoy t... more

The Presidio

The Presidio preserves an astonishingly complex cultural and natural heritage within its 1480 acres. For details, select the "In Depth" link to the right. For thousands of years, the Ohlone Native Americans managed and harvested the natural bounty o... more

2 Upcoming events

Transamerica Redwood Park

Privately owned Redwood Park is a unique feature of Transamerica Pyramid Center: An intimate, half-acre redwood grove nestled between the skyscrapers of the Financial District. more

Treasure Island

Treasure and Yerba Buena Islands are home to over 3,000 residents as well as a number of commercial tenants, schools and community serving organizations. The Islands are also open for public use and recreation at all times, and TIDA encourages all Ba... more

19 Upcoming events

Tunnel Top Park

Serving both Potrero Hill and Dogpatch, Tunnel Top Park is located on the corner of 25th Street and Pennsylvania Ave.  Tunnel Top Park is a volunteer driven community greening project, focused on transforming a once vacant lot into a vibrant gre... more

Twin Peaks

The Twin Peaks are two prominent hills with an elevation of about 925 feet (282 m)... Only 928 foot (283 m) Mount Davidson is higher within the city... Twin Peaks Before the arrival of the Europeans, the native Ohlone people may have used Twin Peaks... more

Union Square

Union Square, one of San Francisco's commerce and cultural centers, also refers to an actual park that became a primary focus for renovation and restoration this past year. The square itself underwent a much needed $25 million facelift, transforming... more

Vallejo Stairway Garden - Ina Coolbrith Park

This walk-through green space has some of the most amazing downtown views from Russian Hill. The steps are a stairmaster's dream. more

Victoria Manalo Draves Park

This 2.5-acre park is a welcome addition to the SOMA neighborhood.   The park has a softball field, basketball court, dual-level playground, picnic area, community garden and large, and grassy field. The park is named for local diving champion... more

Waller Street Skatepark

The Waller Street Skatepark doesn't feature huge ramps or a large bowl, but the skatepark has a long tradition as a meeting point for skaters around the city, before heading into the GGPark, Panhandle, or just raising a little cain on the Upper Haigh... more

Walter Haas Dog Park

Named after one of San Francisco's most generous and well-known philanthropists, this enclosed dog play area is very popular with dog walkers and owners alike. It is at the top of a hill in the residential Diamond Heights neighborhood of San Francisc... more

Warm Water Cove Park

Nestled on the Central Waterfront between China Basin and Candlestick Point, Warm Water Cove sits at the end of 24th Street, east of Illinois Street and close to the new Third Street light rail. It's one of the parks embedded in the Blue Greenway, Sa... more

Washington Square

Washington Square is a park in the North Beach district of San Francisco, California. It was established in 1847 and is one of the city's first parks. The park is bordered by sidewalk cafes and restaurants such as Mama's (restaurant), Park Tavern res... more

Willie "Woo Woo" Wong Playground

This well-loved inner-city park contains two sand-floor playgrounds, and basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, all built into the side of a hill. The large Rec Center runs a popular afterschool program providing homework assistance, snacks and ac... more

Woods Yard

Woods Yard is a block-long miniature open space with two grassy areas and a few shade trees. In between the grass area you'll find a large sand pit for the kids to play in. Dog-waste bags are provided; no restrooms. more

Woods Yard Park

Woods Yard is a block-long miniature open space with two grassy areas and a few shade trees. In between the grass area you'll find a large sand pit for the kids to play in. Dog-waste bags are provided; restrooms are not. more

Yerba Buena Gardens

An urban oasis, Yerba Buena Gardens is one of only a few parks in SoMa. Very close to it all, the gardens are worthwhile as a destination for a quick retreat from the crowds or a nice weekend picnic. The spring - fall arts and entertainment Garden... more

2 Upcoming events

UPCOMING EVENTS