San Francisco is made special by the experience of living in the city. The parks you find in every corner of the city all have their own personality- some fit neatly into the street grid, some are connected to much larger parks, and some are defined by the water bodies and hills around them. Each has its own landscape, surrounding context, and the people who use it for specific activities throughout the year. Mission Dolores Park, for example, is as much about its views of the downtown skyline as it is about the people lying across the grass on a warm day. The Presidio, in contrast, feels quiet and posh, with open wind and views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
These parks offer a welcome break from the busy streets, chaotic public transit, and the endless uphill and downhill walks. Sometimes they’re nothing more than a place to sit and catch your breath, and sometimes they’re where you end up spending an entire afternoon. Duboce Park sits right next to a Muni station, an easy stop along the way, while the Panhandle is a familiar space for joggers in Lower Haight. Marina Green Park is where you go to watch the Fourth of July fireworks, and Washington Square Park makes a good food stop after the climb up to Coit Tower. Everywhere, people are walking their dogs, eating lunch during work breaks, meeting friends, or simply sitting around reading in the sun.
Then there are the lesser-known hidden gems, the urban parks that people working downtown might stumble upon. They’re often invisible from street level, perched atop multi-story structures, crossing busy streets, or positioned between office buildings, sometimes connecting several buildings. Salesforce Park is a wonderful green escape right in SoMa, and it’s worth a special visit. I found that you could spend years in the city and still discover new little spaces. Some parks become destinations, while others are simply a pleasant surprise. Lincoln Park, for instance, makes a lovely picnic spot after a visit to the Legion of Honor. You can never quite explore all of San Francisco’s parks, and I think that’s part of what makes them special- there’s always some new place to explore.
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