Golden Gate Park Travel Guide - Top 5 Things to Do

Golden Gate Park in San Francisco is home to many things to do and places to visit. It is one of San Francisco’s largest parks and is home to the California Academy of Sciences and Steinhart Museum, the amazing Japanese Tea Garden, the beautiful San Francisco Botanical Garden, the Dutch Windmills and golden white sands of Ocean Beach which are managed by the park.

Hi, I’m Michael Johnson with Film Compass and in this travel guide we’ll be exploring all the fun things to do in Golden Gate Park.

Chapters
00:00 Steinhart Aquarium
01:16 Japanese Tea Garden
02:03 SF Botanical Garden
02:47 Windmills
03:14 Ocean Beach

1. Steinhart Aquarium and California Academy of Sciences - this place is massive which is why I only highlighted the aquarium portion because it was simply my favorite. The Steinhart Aquarium is one of San Francisco's best kept secrets and is a truly remarkable place. The aquarium houses many species of fish, an alligator named Claude, exhibits like the California Coast and the remarkable Philippine Reef.

2. Japanese Tea Garden - there’s no better place to relax in Golden Gate Park than the Japanese Tea Garden. Sip on hot tea and dine as you overlook the small ponds, bridges and waterfalls that encompass this Garden. It’s completely free for residents and is a great way to spend the weekend. The Japanese Tea Garden is open every day of the year so you won’t have to worry about missing out.

3. San Francisco Botanical Garden - this garden is just across the street from the Japanese Tea Garden and very close to the California Academy of Sciences. It’s completely free for residents and just $13 dollars for non residents. Stand among the tall trees and diverse plants that encompass this place and you’ll soon be at peace regardless of how stressful your week has been going. The botanical garden is one of my favorite places to relax and escape the noise of the big city.

4. Windmills - the Dutch Windmill and the Murphy Windmill are beautiful places to visit towards the edge of the park. The Dutch Windmill in particular has a beautiful garden of tulips for you to take pictures among. Both Windmills are worth visiting and if you have time be sure to check out the Beach Chalet nearby.

5. Ocean Beach - this beach and its golden white sand is 3.5 miles of peace on earth…except for those very windy days. Regardless of windy or calm, this place is worth seeing. Ocean beach is home to incredible wind and kite surfing as well as a relaxing day with winds permitting. I wouldn’t swim here though as the tides are unpredictable and the temperature is extremely cold.

That’s everything - I hope you enjoyed this list of things to do in Golden Gate Park!