Golden Gate Park is the largest urban park in America, larger than New York’s Central Park. It is shaped in a long rectangle, at over 3 miles long and 1017 acres, the park is a divide between two neighborhoods in San Francisco, the Richmond and the Sunset.
Golden Gate Park was originally sand dunes that came from the Oceanside winds. John McLaren, a naturist from Scotland planted the grass, trees and various plants in 1890. The park now has more than 1,000,000 trees and 10,000 plants with a variety of different species.
On an average weekend, 75,000 people visit Golden Gate Park. In the park there is a lot to see and do e.g. Museums, Gardens, Sports and Activities. Here is a list of some of the things you should come across when in the park:
Museums at Golden Gate Park:
- California Academy of Sciences
- Conservatory of Flowers
- Garden of Shakespeare’s Flowers
- Japanese Tea Garden
- M.H. de Young Museum
- San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum
Sports and Recreation at Golden Gate Park:
- Archery
- Basketball
- Biking and Skating
- Dog Runs
- Fly-Fishing
- Golf – 9 hole golf course
- Handball
- Kezar Stadium – Former home of the San Francisco 49ers
- Lawn Bowling
- Lindy in the Park – Swing Dancing
- Pètanque – French Bowling game
- Speckels Lake
- Stow Lake – Largest Lake in the park
- Tennis
- Ultimate Frisbee
Sights and Activities at Golden Gate Park:
- AIDS Memorial Grove
- Arts & Crafts
- Beach Chalet and Park Chalet
- Birding
- Buffalo Paddock
- Children’s Playground
- McLaren Lodge
- Music Concourse and Pavilion
- Opera in the Park
- Picnic Grounds
- Rose Garden
- Portals of the Past
- Rhododendron Island
- Statues
- Strawberry Hill
- Windmills and Queen Wilhlmina Tulip Garden
