Best Parks in San Francisco: City Views, Coastal Trails & Hidden Gems
The best parks in San Francisco are more than just green spaces; they’re cultural landmarks, community hubs, bucolic escapes, step count champions, and excellent people-watching perches.
I’ve selected 10 notable ones (but there are so many more). Some are tried and true, while others are hidden gems waiting just for you to discover.
Many 3-day San Francisco itineraries include time in parks. Be sure to pack a blanket, comfortable shoes, water, and your sense of adventure.
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Dolores Park
Dolores Park in San Francisco’s Mission District is one of the most popular parks in the city, especially on a sunny day.
When the rest of the city is fogged in, this sloped hillside in the Mission brings out neighbors and friends who sprawl out on picnic blankets and admire the views of downtown San Francisco.
If you’re into history, the oldest building in San Francisco, Mission Dolores, is just across the street, established in 1776.
Sunset Dunes Park
Although primarily a walking path along Ocean Beach, Sunset Dunes in the Sunset District is the newest addition to San Francisco’s park portfolio. It’s hard to believe that less than five years ago, it was rumbling with buses and cars on what was known as the Great Highway.
Sunset Dunes runs for two miles between Sloat Boulevard and Lincoln Way, and skirts the Pacific Ocean. You’ll see skaters and walkers, tons of surfers headed to wide and sandy Ocean Beach (be careful swimming here as the riptides are brutal).
It’s also near some truly local and charming cafes and shops. One of my favorite book stores, Blackbird Books, is out here. And if you are an artist or have one in your life, Case for Making is a lovely little store with supplies like sketchbooks, pastels, paint brushes, and more for pros and novices alike.
Coffee at Java Beach Café is a must.
Land’s End/Sutro Baths
I really love the feel of this place: part park, part rugged coastal trail, part ruins located in the city’s northwest corner, not far from Sunset Dunes/ Great Highway.
Visitors can hike along cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, through cypress trees and wildflowers, where you might even catch a glimpse of old shipwrecks, access to the epic ruins of Sutro Baths in the Sutro Historic District, and beaches with views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Sutro Baths is especially scenic at sunset when the reflections, colors, and people alchemize into a magical moment not found anywhere else in the city. You can easily pair a visit here with a visit to the iconic Presidio of San Francisco.
Don’t miss a stop in the Land’s End Lookout Visitor Center for cute San Francisco souvenirs.
Golden Gate Park
This is the Grand Daddy, or Grande Dame, of San Francisco parks and it’s hard to talk about the best things to do in San Francisco without mentioning this 1,000+ acre urban oasis.
Often compared to New York’s Central Park, Golden Gate Park is even larger and full of lakes, meadows, museums, and gardens. Locals come here to cycle and jog on the numerous trails, paddle on Blue Heron Lake, and enjoy world-class museums, including the amazing California Academy of Sciences, a great rainy day spot to visit if the weather is wet.
It’s also home to renowned events, including Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, an epic music free outdoor music festival held here each October.
Just east of Golden Gate Park, the colorful Haight-Ashbury neighborhood is an easy next stop after a park visit. You can browse vintage shops, visit Summer of Love landmarks, and explore the area’s counterculture history—see my guide to Haight Street San Francisco for where to start.
📍If you’d like deeper context, a guided Summer of Love E-Bike Tour through Golden Gate Park and Haight-Ashbury brings the stories of the 1960s scene to life in an efficient and fun way.
The Presidio of San Francisco
It’s hard to imagine visiting San Francisco and not spending time in the Presidio, a national park site with nearly 25 miles of trails, Presidio Tunnel Tops, Crissy Field, a public golf course, cultural institutions, and even hotels.
It’s definitely one of the top things to do when visiting San Francisco. And it’s one of the best neighborhoods for families to stay in, too, thanks to hotels, restaurants, and tons of outdoor space.
Transamerica Redwood Park
Full confession: I’ve lived in the San Francisco Bay Area on and off since 1990, and I JUST visited Transamerica Redwood Park for the first time this year. Face palm! What was I waiting for?
If you’re in downtown San Francisco or taking a tour of North Beach, this is an easy detour and totally worth it.
As the name suggests, this park sits at the foot of San Francisco’s Transamerica Pyramid and is surrounded by towering redwood trees—a mini-forest right in the heart of downtown San Francisco!
There is also shuffleboard and ping pong , and Café Sebastian is right there too, with some outdoor seating, if you want to grab coffee, breakfast, or lunch .
From May to September, the park hosts FREE concerts on the wooden stage on Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Pioneer Park
Even long-time SF residents might be surprised to learn that Coit Tower, the white fluted column rising from the top of Telegraph Hill, resides inside Pioneer Park.
It’s only about four acres, but worth a taxi up for the epic views of San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, and Alcatraz Island.
If you’re feeling fit, climb the Filbert Street Steps or Greenwhich Steps, two of the hundreds of public staircases zigzagging around San Francisco.
FYI: The Filbert Street Steps begin from just past where Sansome and Filbert streets meet. The Greenwhich Steps are one block north, near Greenwhich and Sansome.
Sales Force Park
When you need a dose of greenery in downtown San Francisco, the 5.4-acre rooftop oasis atop the Salesforce Transit Center blends lush gardens, winding pathways, and vibrant skyline views.
A half-mile walking trail meanders through 13 distinct botanical gardens, featuring roughly 600 trees and 16,000 plants, from redwood groves to desert-inspired landscapes.
Relax on grassy lawns, explore the amphitheater, grab a coffee from the kiosk, or let the kids play on climbing structures. If you’re visiting San Francisco on a budget, note that the park has weekly programming that includes FREE fitness classes and other activities year-round.
Seward Mini-Park
San Francisco Hidden Gem Alert! Hidden away in San Francisco’s Castro/Upper Market neighborhood, these two cement chutes were designed by a local teenager who won a contest. Signs nearby read “no adults unless accompanied by a child.”
There’s usually a piece of cardboard or two lying around for sliding down. Grab one as it’s much easier than your jeans, which will get shredded. Keep your arms in to avoid scraping hands and elbows, and have fun!
After spending a day touring around San Francisco, an hour, or even a few minutes, in one of San Francisco’s parks can be a revitalizing moment.
Grandview Park (Turtle Hill)
Located in the Inner Sunset, this hilltop park is another hidden gem that most tourists won’t see.
If you can make it to the top (there are LOTS of stairs), you’ll be rewarded with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, the Sunset District, and epic Pacific Ocean sunsets on clear days. Bonus: nearby are beautiful tiled steps on Moraga St. between 15th Ave. and 16th Ave., another San Francisco secret.
It can be a little tricky to find them, though a driverless Waymo or axi can drop you right where you need to be. There’s also a guided tour of these stairways led by a knowledgeable local who takes all the guesswork out of navigating to the park and stairways.
📍Visiting the Sunset District makes an easy addition to a day in Golden Gate Park. If you’re using the Big Bus San Francisco Tour Red Route, get off near 9th Avenue and Lincoln Way, which will put you close to Grandview Park and the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps
