The best part of San Francisco
Written: Dec 31 '99
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A fabulous park with endless avenues of exploration
Cons: San Francisco weather
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| tarthurs's Full Review: Golden Gate Park |
If you plan on coming to San Francisco, plan at least a day to see Golden Gate Park -- you could spend your whole vacation there, if you wanted to. Get a bicycle and do it right.
The park starts at the "panhandle", across from the DMV. The first few miles are just a pleasant park setting, with a few playgrounds, etc. If you plan on starting your tour here, make a side trip up Ashbury to the Haight for breakfast or coffee.
At the end of the panhandle the park proper starts. As you work your way down the north side of the park, you will find the Conservatory, with a constantly changing, always fresh exhibit garden. As you work your way west towards the ocean, you will find the Academy of Science, the art museum, the Japanese Tea Garden, the Rose Garden (which always has at least some rose bushes in bloom, except for a few weeks in the middle of winter), numerous meadows, glades and waterfalls. Towards the end of your tour, you will find the oldest buffalo herd in continuous captivity. They used to have the last Grizzly Bear in California, but he died and is stuffed on exhibit at the Academy of Science. You will then reach the ocean, with the two Authentic Dutch windmills, one of which was donated by a queen of Holland. Take time out for Lunch, you can eat at the Beach Chalet, a microbrewery featuring California type cuisine, or if that is not to your taste, you can turn North up La Playa and ether get deli sandwiches at the Safeway Grocery, fast food from Burger King, or turn South down La Playa and get Thai or American food in Ladda's in the Great Highway Motel.
This is not by any means an exhaustive list, I haven't even touched on the playground, Stow Lake or many other features. Get a map when you get here, and have an adventure wondering around the park.
One of the things to look for on your wandering is the collection of statues hidden throughout the park. The reason for them is left as an exercise for the studious tourist. :)
Dress in Layers though, even during the warmest weather (September and early October here in San Francisco) cold winds and fog can spring off the Pacific Ocean or the Bay without any warning, and there is a great deal of difference from one part of the city to another. The Park covers more than half the breadth of the city.
A note of caution. The Pacific Ocean in this part of the coast is not for swimming. The undertow is horrible, we lose 5 or 6 people almost every year. The park service has finally put on a beach patrol, which has made a difference this year, but they mostly drive up and down the beach in their 4 wheelers chasing people out of the water. The only people that go into the water here are surfers, and they always wear wetsuits, and have a surfboard tied to them. Also please don't attempt to climb the cliffs below the Cliff House -- even good, experienced rock climbers get stuck on them and have to be plucked off by the fire department -- you may be surprised by a large bill for the rescue.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tarthurs
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Member: Tom Arthurs
Location: Newark, CA USA
Reviews written: 29
Trusted by: 26 members
About Me:
Computers, Books, Cats, Travel, and California. And, of course, Epinions.
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