Golden Gate Park is one of the largest urban parks in the world, stretching for three miles along the western edge of San Francisco. It is filled not only with natural beauty but also a science museum, art museum, flower conservatory, and much more. The California Academy of Sciences includes an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum, and scientific research facility under one roof—and a living one at that. The 2.5-acre roof is home to more than 1.7 million native plants. The facility boasts the world's largest all-digital planetarium and the world's deepest display of living coral; more than 38,000 animals fill the aquarium and natural-history exhibits. Elsewhere in the park, the deYoung Museum is home to American art from the 17th through 21st centuries; textiles and costumes; contemporary art; and art from the Americas, the Pacific, and Africa. The entry court, expansive lobby, café, museum store, sculpture gardens, and 144-foot-high observation deck are open to visitors free of charge. Another park attraction is the Conservatory of Flowers, the oldest surviving wood-and-glass greenhouse in the U.S. Its 1,750 species of plants represent tropical flora from more than 50 countries. For more flora, check out the San Francisco Botanical Gardens, which cover 55 acres and feature more than 7,000 kinds of plants, including outstanding geographical collections and unique specialty gardens as well as the most extensive botanical reference library in the U.S. Docent-led walks of its 17 gardens are offered daily. The Japanese Tea Garden is another must-see. Its torii (gates), pagodas, moon bridge, and 1.5-ton Buddha create the perfect backdrop in which to munch fortune cookies, which were first created and served here in 1914. Admission is free before 10 a.m. and after 4:30 p.m.
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Active and Adventure Review of Golden Gate Park
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Recommended for:
Day Hiking,Mountain Biking,Road Biking,Walking
Active and AdventureExpert Tips & Helpful Hints
- Plenty of public transportation options will get you to the park, including the N-Judah light rail line. Be aware that on Sundays, John F. Kennedy Drive is closed to cars.
- Miles of roads and paths are perfect for walking, jogging, and riding bikes. Stop by the botanic gardens, Stow Lake, or the Conservatory of Flowers. And of course, don't miss out on the Buffalo Paddock.
- In addition to the meadows, paths, fields and flowers, the park is home to the de Young Museum and Japanese Tea Garden. Festivals, concerts and events are also frequently held in the park.
Romance Review of Golden Gate Park
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Recommended for:
Anniversary,Honeymoon,Weekend Getaway
RomanceExpert Tips & Helpful Hints
- Among the most romantic spots in the park is the Japanese Tea Garden, created in 1894, with its light-dappled pagodas, bridges, and still ponds. While much of the park is free, there's a charge to enter this peaceful enclave. Shady Shakespeare Garden, with intricate wrought-iron gates and the Bard's writings engraved on stone tablets, is also an enchanting place to sit or stroll.
- The Conservatory of Flowers—with its Victorian-wedding-cake-like building (the oldest in the park) and vast, sunny lawns—is a wonderfully romantic place to amble or spread a blanket. Bring your camera and take photos of the dahlias in bloom.
- Rent a rowboat or paddleboat on Stow Lake, just the two of you.
With more than 1,000 acres, Golden Gate Park is larger than New York's Central Park, and is filled with things for visitors and locals to see and do. The park has a golf course and miles of walking and cycling trails, as well as the California
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With more than 1,000 acres, Golden Gate Park is larger than New York's Central Park, and is filled with things for visitors and locals to see and do. The park has a golf course and miles of walking and cycling trails, as well as the California Academy of Science, the de Young Museum, the Strybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, the Conservatory of Flowers, a herd of bison, a huge windmill and tulip gardens, the Japanese Tea Garden, and several lakes. A huge expanse of lush greenery, Golden Gate Park is a place for lovers to be active or not, to amble, sit, talk, and enjoy each another and nature's bounty in the middle of the city.
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Address:
501 Stanyan Street (administrative office)
San Francisco, California 94117
