San Francisco is one of the most sought over destinations of the world. Known for its unique features, this place offers a large urban park which is spread over 1,017 acres of land. Rectangular in shape, Golden Gate Park is a treat to visitors which you cannot afford to miss.

This park was carved out of shore dunes and unpromising sand of then San Francisco. This park was built in 1860. Eventually lots of changes took place in the park. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival takes place every year in this park.

Major features of this park include Kezar Stadium which was built in 1925. A number of athletic events are hosted in this stadium. It is a stadium which offers 9,044 modern seats. In recent years, this stadium is used for soccer, high school championships, and track events.

Golden Gate Park on Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Park

Conservatory of flowers is also an important feature which attracts a lot of visitors. It is one of the world's largest flower conservatories that are built of traditional wood and beautiful glass panes. AIDS Memorial Grove was built in 1988 and is worth visiting.

Golden Gate Park Events

http://www.golden-gate-park.com/

The Music Concourse is an oval shaped area where live performances are being staged. The underground 800-car parking space comes as a great benefit to the visitors. De Young Museum is a fine art museum which was built in 1921.

Getting to Golden Gate Park is easy and convenient since it is well connected to the city. There is a shuttle that takes the visitors from popular locations of the city.

Getting to Golden Gate Park

http://www.sfgate.com/neighborhoods/sf/goldengatepark/

Information on Golden Gate Park San Francisco

http://www.nps.gov/goga/

Any park in the US can stand side by side with New York's Central Park? The answer is no other things but the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco! Frequently compared with Central Park for they are in a similar shape, the Gold Gate Park is actually 20% larger (1,017 acres in total). It stretches over 3 miles east to west, and half a mile north to south, in a rectangle shape encircled by Great Hwy, Fulton Street, Stanyan Street and Lincoln Way.

Golden Gate Park Homepage

http://www.golden-gate-park.com/

Founded around 1870, over century-plus years, this park has offered an ultimate paradise for a getaway from urban chaos. In 2004, this awesome park was added onto the National Register of Historic Places. Each year, over 13 million visitors come to this land to play, relax and sport, putting this huge campus onto the list of top 3 most visited city parks across the nation. As a glowing gem in the city, Golden Gate Park is the home to a number of attractions and entertainments, such as San Francisco Botanical Garden, Japanese Tea Garden, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Mother's and Children's Playgrounds, and just a few to say here.

Meanwhile, the Golden Gate Park is the top-notch biking destination in the city, boasting 7-mile paved trails lined with endless green trees and laden with landscaped scenery. Just imagine the wind breezing through your hair, and the fresh air soaring through your lungs. Waterfalls, gardens, museums, trees, and grassy meadows that appear at each turn make your biking tour amazing and full of exploring fun! What's more, when visitors get further into the thick portions of the park, they will find biking might be the best approach to experience the most of the Golden Gate Park.

Be clear of the BEST TIME to bike at the park and avoid the hustle and bustle.

Though the Golden Gate Park wins the national acclaim for its beauty at any time of the year and the day, the best, safest and least disruptive time to bike throughout the park is Sundays! On every Sunday, the major entrance to the park located at JFK Drive, will be closed to vehicles and exclusively open to pedestrians and bikers. In addition, general holidays also see the closure of this major gate for automobiles. During the times above, the Golden Gate Park swells with the throngs of bikers, walkers, joggers, runners and roller-bladers, and arrays of beautiful sights are easy to access by bike.

Keep several bike rental providers in mind and enjoy a hassle-free biking experience!

Do you get coveted with a biking tour to Golden Gate Park? In any case that you are not the locals and in need of a bike, you are advised to take a look at our article and discover the bike and other park-related equipment rental providers nearby. They cluster around the park and offer convenient and efficient rental services for customers. Below are 3 places recommended on the website of Golden Gate Park for bicycles, skates and other equipment rentals.

- Golden Gate Park Bike and Skate

This renal facility was founded in 1978, dedicated to high quality skate and bike rental services for the neighborhood for over 30 years. Currently this company has moved to 3038 Fulton Street and just a few steps to the national-recognized Golden Gate Park. Following are the directions to this rental provider:

- From the East Bay

Public Transportation: Take Bart to Powell Street Station. Go upstairs to Market Street and take Muni Bus #5 or #21 west. Get off the bus at 6th Avenue and Fulton. The company is situated at 3038 Fulton Street.

Vehicle: Take the Bay Bridge to Mission Street Exit. Go north on Van Ness to Geary and then head west on Geary towards 4th Avenue. Turn left at 4th Avenue, continue for 3 blocks and take a right onto Fulton Street.

- From the North Bay

Public Transportation: Take Golden Gate Transit #70 or #80. Get off at 6th Avenue and Geary S.F. Proceed south on 6th Avenue for 3 blocks to Fulton Street. Golden Gate Park Bike and Skate is located at 3030 Fulton.

Vehicle: Take 101 South across the Golden Gate Bridge. Keep on the right fork after passing the toll booth. Take the exit at 19th Avenue / Golden Gate Park. Turn right on Cabrillo Street and a left onto 14th Avenue. Then take another left onto 6th Avenue.

- From the Penninsula

Public Transportation: Take Bart from Daly City to Powell Street Station. Go upstairs to take Muni Bus #5 or #21 west. Get off at 6th Avenue and Fulton. Or take train to Transbay Terminal Second and Mission. Walk one block north up to Market Street. Take Muni Bus #5 or #21 west and get off at 6th Ave & Fulton.

Vehicle: Take 280 to 19th Avenue. Travel through the Golden Gate Park to the north part of the park. Turn right on Fulton Street and the bike rental agency is located at 3038 Fulton.

Guess you are eager to know the rental rates, right? Golden Gate Park Bike and Skate charges the rental by hour or by day, both available. Listed blow are the renal rates for skates, bikes and disc golf bag.

- Per Hour

Skates: $5

In-Lines: $6

Kids' Bikes: $3

Mountain Bikes: $5

Tandem Bikes: $15

Disc Golf Bag for Two: $6

- Per Day

Skates: $20

In-Lines: $24

Kids' Bikes: $15

Mountain Bikes: $25

Tandem Bikes: $75

Disc Golf Bag for Two: $25

What's more, overnight rentals are available as well, and you can call at 415-668-1117 to consult. In addition, if there are 10 and more people in your group, you can receive special group rates for the rental of 2 hour minimum. (Please take note that the bike rental includes the helmet, lock and map, and the skate rental includes helmet and safety gear.)

In any case that your bike or the skate is broken and needs repair, take it to Golden Gate Park Bike and Skate and they will fix it. The repair rate for bike is $40 including the rim-truing, and that for skate is $8 including wheel rotation. Meanwhile, if you want to get yourself a used bike, this rental company is willing to help you! Come and choose one from the current selection of used bikes which are in good condition and fully checked before going on sale. Further info is available on:

Golden Gate Park Bike & Skate Official Website

http://www.goldengateparkbikeandskate.com

- Stow Lake Boat & Bike Rentals

Artfully located at 50 Stow Lake Drive in the Golden Gate Park, the Stow Lake Boat and Bike Rentals is your best resource for paddle boats, row boats and bikes. Customers can rent a bike here and start the journey throughout one of the San Francisco's most beautiful places. This rental agency is open from 10 am to 4 pm Monday through Sunday. Listed are the rental rates for bikes:

Mountain Bikes: $8/hour, $20/4 hours, $25/day

Cruise Bikes: $6/hour, $15/4 hours, $20/day

Tandems: $12/hour, $28/4 hours, $40/day

Kids Bikes: $6/hour, $15/4 hours, $20/day

For more info, please call at 415-752-0347, or visit the venue in person.

Stow Lake Boat & Bike Rentals on Map

http://www.yelp.com/map/stow-lake-boat-and-bike-rentals-san-francisco

- Avenue Cyclery

Actually this is a bike store located at 756 Stanyan Street, and the rental service is just a small part of its business. Here you can find top branded bicycles including Trek, Gary, Fisher, Look, Surly, IRO and Dahon, etc. Currently, this store only offers Trek Hybrid for rental, and the rental rates are $8 per hour and $30 per day. The bikes are available on a first come first served basis, and no reservation, please!

The store is operated from 10 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday, and will be closed one hour earlier on Sunday. If any enquiry, please call at 415-387-3155 for answers.

Directions and Map

http://local.google.com/local?f=d&hl=en&om=1&q=756%20Stanyan%20Street++San%20Francisco+CA+94117+US

More bike rentals in San Francisco can be found at the following locations:

Lincoln Cyclery: 772 Stanyan Street, 415-221-2415

Skates on Haight: 1818 Haight Street, 415-752-8375

American Cyclery: 858 Stanyan Street, 415-664-4545

Bike Hut: Pier 40, between Townsend and the Embarcadero, 415-543-4335

Bike And Roll San Francisco: 899 Columbus Avenue, 415-229-2000

Bay City Bike: 2661 Taylor Street, 415-346-2453

Nestled in the northwest corner of Golden Gate Park, the Golden Gate Park Golf Course is a hidden urban golf & barbecue oasis in San Francisco with the picturesque park views as its backdrop. Built in 1951, Golden Gate Park Golf Course will celebrate its 60 years of golf in 2011. In other words, Golden Gate Park Golf Course has witnessed how the Fog City learns to play golf.

Golden Gate Park Golf Course is a standard three, nine-hole course catering to golfing veterans and green hands alike. Located at the intersection of 47th and Fulton St., Golden Gate Park Golf Course is easily accessible from downtown San Francisco. Its postal and street address is 3739 Balboa Street #247, San Francisco, CA 94121. Ample free on-site parking is available there.

Hours & Fees: The golf course and the fully-netted warm-up driving range of Golden Gate Park Golf Course are open everyday from sunrise to sunset. They are open to public all year around including holidays. Golden Gate Park Golf Course observes a first come, first served basis. Tee times reservation won't be accepted unless you're practicing for the tournament. The regular green fees of Golden Gate Park Golf Course are as follows:

Adult Green Fee: $15 (Monday - Friday) $19 (Saturday & Sunday)

Junior Green Fee (17 & under): $5 (Monday - Friday) $7 (Saturday & Sunday)

Twilight (1 hour before dark): $8 (Monday - Friday) $9 (Saturday & Sunday)

For holders of resident cards, discounted green fees will apply:

Adult Green Fee: $11 (Monday - Friday) $13 (Saturday & Sunday)

Senior Green Fee: $8 (Monday - Friday) $11 (Saturday & Sunday)

Tournament: $18 (Monday - Friday) $26 (Saturday & Sunday)

Golfing equipments are available for rental. The rental fees are as follows:

Small Bucket (35 balls): $4

Large Bucket (75 balls): $6

Golf Clubs (1/2 sets): $8 per golfer

Pull Carts: $4 per golfer

Note that Golden Gate Park Golf Course etiquette and rules are in line with the USGA rules which have been posted in pro shop. No strollers and caddies are permitted on the course. Each golfer should possess a bag, putter and clubs. And you can't share them with others. Alcohol is prohibited from the golf course.

For additional golf course info, please visit:

Course Info

http://www.goldengateparkgolf.com/golfcourse.html

Tournaments and Special Events: The Family Golf Tournament is a San Francisco golf tradition, which can be dated back to 1951 when the tournament was first played on Golden Gate Park Golf Course. During 2003 through 2007, the tournament was suspended because of financial problems. In the fall of 2007, Family Golf Tournament was brought back to the course. Some notable participants of the tournament include LPGA star Dorothy Delasin, US Open Champion Ken Venturi, former mayor Art Agnos, John Susko and more.

Are your families love golfing? Want to participate in the Family Golf Tournament with your families this year? All you need to do is to download an application form and send it to Golden Gate Park Golf Course. A general gap is required for family participates. That's to say, parents can team up with their children. Or nephew can team up with their uncles or niece.

Tournament green fees are $17 from Monday through Friday and $25 on Saturdays and Sundays. To learn more about the tournament, please contact George Ambrosio at (650) 588-2911. Click here to download an application form for Family Golf Tournament:

Family Golf Tournament

http://www.goldengateparkgolf.com/tournament/family.php

Not just golfing, Golden Gate Park Golf Course hosts a wide range of special events such as meetings, parties and indoor or outdoor activities as well. The inside meeting space, which can hold up to 35 guests, are available from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm everyday. Approximately 80 guests can be accommodated in the covered patio meeting space. Ironwood food service can be offered for your special events. For further info regarding pricing and availability, please contact Bruce Olson, PGA Golf/Business Coach, at (415) 751-8987 or send your inquiries to macolson@mac.com.

Adult Instruction: Golden Gate Park Golf Course offers instruction lessons to individuals and groups who want to get results and fun from golfing. Both on-the-course instruction and training in the practice area will be provided. Private individual lessons, semi-private lessons for 2 to 8 learners and group lessons are available.

If you're schedule challenged or you find yourself learn best with separate teaching, private individual lessons are your top option. Individual instruction fees are $75 for one 45 minute lesson and $198 for three 45 minute lessons. For additional info, please contact Bruce Olson, PGA Golf/Business Coach, at (415) 751-8987.

Group instruction ensures you the best value for your money. Adult group instruction fee is $198 for six 90-minute lessons. Affluent time for practice is allowed during the lessons. And you beginners with little or no golf experience can get encouragements from each other. You're sure to get much more fun beyond the ball. Generally, the class schedule is as follows:

Class #1: 10:00 am on Saturday

Classes #2 - #6: 3:00 pm on Saturday or 1:00 pm on Sunday

Question about adult instruction lessons? Please visit:

Adult Instruction

http://www.goldengateparkgolf.com/adult_instruction.html

Junior Instruction: Golden Gate Park Golf Course offers year round golf programs for junior golfers between 6 to 14 years old including junior instruction, junior competitions, summer vacation camps, winter holiday camps and birthday parties.

Junior instruction offered is dedicated to delivering nonstop fun to junior golfers. Junior instruction classes features on-the-course instruction, a instructor ratio of 8:1 as well as instruction on practice range. All golfing equipment including tees, clubs and balls, a wholesome snack and pro shop gifts worth $2 will be offered to junior golfers.

Further info regarding junior instruction and other junior programs can be found at:

Junior Instruction

http://www.goldengateparkgolf.com/junior_instruction.html

Ironwood BBQ: Ironwood BBQ is specialized in authentic wood fired barbecue made with secret house recipe and Anchor Steam Beer. Their pork ribs, beef brisket, chicken, roast along with homemade BBQ sauce are among the best in San Francisco Bay Area. Some of their signature dishes are wood fired BBQ sandwiches served on a French roll, Schwarz all beef hot dog, BBQ meats, baked cheese sandwich, ironwood "Bogie Bowl", ironwood baked beans and summer salad. Ironwood BBQ offers take-out services for birthday parties and events as well.

Contact Numbers: Need to contact Golden Gate Park Golf Course for golfing instruction lessons? Or you may want to plan your upcoming birthday parties there? The following contact numbers might be of some help:

Golf Course Pro Shop: 415-751-8987

Beyond The Ball Golf School: 415-533-8405

Tournaments & Special Events: 415-533-8405

Ironwood BBQ: 415-751-8987

Being one of the greatest treasures in San Francisco, Golden Gate Park consists of 1,017 acres of public grounds. William Hammond Hall and John McLaren carved an oasis out of the vast, windswept expanse of sand dunes in the late 1800s. The great wondrous public space provides an ideal sanctuary for urban city dwellers to relax and reconnect with the vast natural world. Golden Gate Park welcomes more than 13 million visitors annually, ranking as the nation's third most visited park after Lincoln Park in Chicago and Central Park in New York City.

With the vast expanse of Golden Gate Park, you can find beautiful open spaces, gardens, scenic lakes, trails, monuments and various cultural venues. Now, two of the city's premiere museums are housed in the park: De Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences, one of the world's largest natural history museums. Golden Gate Park is home of many other famous attractions and landmarks as well, like Japanese Garden, Conservatory of Flowers, Kezar Stadium, the Music Concourse and Stow Lake.

Attractions at Golden Gate Park

http://www.golden-gate-park.com/category/attractions

If you're planning a visit to Golden Gate Park, you can take advantage of several different ways to get to the extraordinary destination. If you do not want to hop in your car, consider taking the Golden Gate Park shuttle offered by the public bus transportation of San Francisco. The Golden Gate Park shuttle stops at 15 locations throughout the park.

The very first stop for the shuttle is Maclaren River Lodge, which is located at the intersection of the Mackaren River and Denali River. Visitors can get off to view the rustic log building that is accompanied with an authentic stone fireplace. The full list of shuttle stops goes as follows:

- AIDS Grove/Koret Playground (JFK/Bowling Green Drive)

- Conservatory of Flowers (JFK/Conservatory Drive West)

- De Young Museum

- California Academy of Sciences

- Rose Garden

- Stow Lake (JFK Drive)

- JFK/Transverse Drive

- Marx Meadow

- Spreckels Lake

- Bison Paddock

- Dutch Windmill (JFK/47th Avenue)

- Ocean Beach

- Murphy Windmill

- UCSF Garage

If you need a detailed route map for the Golden Gate Park shuttle, please visit the following website and download the PDF format map. The map is offered by the California Academy of Sciences and you can spot each stop on the map. Carefully arrange your visiting routes based on the shuttle routes.

Downloadable Route Map

http://www.calacademy.org/visit/getting_here/summershuttle.pdf

Does the Golden Gate Park shuttle offer free service for passengers? An all-day, round-trip pass for the shuttle needs $2. Exact change is essential. Children less than 3 years of age and those with special ADA needs can take shuttle rides for free. Please notice that the $2 fare is not eligible for the transportation discounts at California Academy of Sciences or De Young Museum.

The park-wide shuttle is available on major holidays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9 am to 6 pm. Shuttle buses pick up passengers at each stop every 15-20 minutes. The starting time for the first shuttle bus is 9 am and the last bus departs at 6 pm. If you're traveling with the shuttle service, make sure not to miss the last bus departing at your stop.

If you're driving to Golden Gate Park, you'll have to deal with the issue of parking. It can be a challenge to find an available parking space on weekends and holidays at the Music Concourse Garage or any other garage within the park. Additional parking spaces are available on the Great Highway for visitors to De Young Museum, Conservatory of Flowers, SF Botanical Garden and California Academy of Sciences. The shuttle can pick up guests from the parking lots there to locations throughout the park.

1) From Westbound on Lincoln Way

You can proceed on Lincoln Way W until you come to the Great Highway. You just need to drive approximately 1.5 miles. Then you can turn right and park along the beach. Walk to the shuttle stop, which can be found at the Ocean Beach parking lot. Just look for the large, obvious, and green shuttle stop sign.

2) From Westbound on Fulton Street

Guests from this direction should drive along Fulton Street W all the way. Drive for about 1.5 miles and you can come to the Great Highway. Then you need to switch to your left and park your vehicles along the beach. You should seek the large, green shuttle stop sign and wait at the shuttle station located at the Ocean Beach Parking Lot.

As the shuttle only stops at designated locations, visitors from other parts of the city are not able to take shuttle rides. Don't worry! You can still get to Golden Gate Park easily via other modes of transportation.

- Muni

The San Francisco Municipal Railway offers visitors with a wide selection of route connections to Golden Gate Park from various transit stops scattered throughout the city. Route lines include Fulton, Hayes, 19th Avenue, Sunset, O'Shaughnessy, Haight-Noriega, 28L 19th Avenue, 71L Haight-Noriega and16X Noriega Express etc. For Muni riders with a transfer or Fast Pass, De Young Museum offers a discount of $2 off the regular museum admission. To find out the best route to Golden Gate Park, you can turn to Muni trip planners and schedules. For more trip info, please call 415-763-6864.

The Homepage of MUNI

http://www.sfmta.com/cms/home/sfmta.php

- By Bike

For those wanting to stretch your legs, ride on a bike throughout the park and get a breath of fresh air. Featuring a long and narrow structure, Golden Gate Park offers impeccable terrain and chances for enthusiasts to explore the great outdoors. Bike riders are also offered miles and miles of paved trails, which are surrounded by beautiful fields and scenic waterfalls. Free bike parking is available at the Music Concourse Garage from 7:30 am to 10 pm.

Listen to what the locals say: Your visit to San Francisco would never be complete until you encounter the Golden Gate Park!

Yes, this is just a joke, but to some degree it shows how important this park is to San Francisco. Playing the role as the counterpart of New York's Central Park, the Golden Gate Park boasts a much larger area and skyrockets to the third most visited city park in America, welcoming over 13 million annual visitors. So there is no wonder that this park is treasured as a heaven in the city for the respite from the urban hustle and bustle.

Never see the Golden Gate Park as a common urban park! It is really an awesome complex with a multitude of attractions and landmarks, from art museums and botanical gardens, to sporting and recreational facilities. Currently, the park is home to two of San Francisco's major museums - the De Young Museum and California Academy of Sciences, 6 beautiful outdoor gardens and grounds, and 7-mile paved trails laden with grassy meadows and trees.

Golden Gate Park

http://www.golden-gate-park.com/

To be honest, a one-day trip is obviously not enough to get the full showcases of Golden Gate Park. Here comes our article! We have collected the top picks of the park and present them in this informative article. If you are going to San Francisco for a few days, take advantage of our article as the trip planner tool! Bet the most and the best of Golden Gate Park will never slide away from your itinerary.

California Academy of Sciences

Proud to be one of the largest, spectacular and the most eco-friendly natural history museums all over the world, Academy of Sciences delivers the wonders of the land, space, water and more in an innovative and exquisite package. After the top-to-bottom renovations in 2009, the museum today serves as an awesome complex of planetary, aquatic, and historic specimens and exhibits, demonstrating the harmonious relationship between the earth, space and the oceans. The moment the visitors enter this state-of-an-art academy, they seems like to drop into a mysterious journey, traveling from the prehistoric ages to the future - the one that lasts a lifetime.

Built with the sustainability in mind, the single-structure Academy of Sciences highlights:

- Aquarium

- Planetarium

- Natural history museum

- 3D theater

- Lecture hall

- 2 restaurants

- Gift shop

- Relaxing adjacent garden and aviary

- Scientific archive

So now you see that even this museum will keep you engaged for hours! Then what to do in the Academy? Maybe you can refer to what other guests love to enjoy. Following is a brief collection of top things to do at the Academy of Sciences. Have a check and discover the one inviting to you.

a. Tour around the Rainforests of the World: Under the 90-foot diameter doom covered with native is a three-story tropical heaven called Rainforest of the World. Enclosed with the living roof, the "forest" amuses visitors with the floating butterflies and exotic birds. Following the spiraling walkway, the visitors are led into three distinctive habitats of rainforest - Costa Rica, Borneo, and Madagascar.

b. Hands-on Exploration: Make a stop by the Discovery Tidepool for a glimpse into the habitats of hermit crabs, sea stars and other residents. Interactive education related to the California terrain come with plenty of hands-on opportunities.

c. Visit the Naturalist Center: At the Naturalist Center, guests are furnished with unique opportunities for an up-close look at the exhibits and specimens. More fun goes with lectures and small public programs.

d. See the Stars: The Planetarium is your second-to-none destination for a better understanding about the awe-inspiring space. The 180-degree screen, along with the up-to-date digital projection system, presents a terrific and exciting experience through the latest data offered by NASA.

Definitely ultimate fun is never limited to the above. Just come and experience in person! The California Academy of Sciences is located at 55 Music Concourse Drive, open form 9:30 am to 5p m Monday through Saturday, and 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday. As for the admission, the adult price is $29.95. Seniors aged 65 and over, youth aged 12 to 17 and students can enjoy discounted admission - $24.95. Ticket price for children aged 4 to 11 is $19.95. FREE admission works for kids aged 3 and under. Please note that the first Wednesday of each month offers free entry! If any enquiry or for more info, please call at 415- 379-8000, or visit the website below:

California Academy of Sciences

http://www.golden-gate-park.com/academy-of-sciences.html

De Young Museum

Acclaimed to be the main art museum in San Francisco, De Young Museum was originally opened in 1921 as a facility to the community. After a series of renovation, the museum reopened in 2005 and from then on, it began to glisten. Thousands of artifacts and international art are on display here, showcasing a full picture of worldwide proportions. Though the broad collections are the major draw of De Young Museum, there are many things to do in this stunning modern building.

a. Select a Souvenir: The De Young Museum consists of the Concourse Level, Exhibition Level and the Upper Gallery Level. On the main Concourse Level, visitors will encounter a gift shop of unique art items, handcrafted jewelry, exotic textiles, and home decor & furnishings. The lower level store features art books, toys, games, posters and stationary. Choose a gift and take home your museum memories.

b. Tour through the Sculpture Garden: If you are sculpture enthusiasts, a visit to the Barbro Osher Sculpture Garden is a must. This garden hosts a collection of contemporary artist works and is praised to be one of the most photogenic places in San Francisco.

c. Catch A Bird's Eye View: The museum features a 144-foot tower which houses a 9-story observation room. The panoramic and impressive views over the Golden Gate Park, San Francisco neighborhoods, and the Golden Gate Bridge will get you wowed without a notice.

d. Spoil Your Stomach: To satisfy your grumbling tummy, do make time for a dinner in the elegant De Young Cafe. This eatery offers seasonal treats out of the freshest local ingredients. The cafe is open for business from 9:30 am to 5 pm Tuesday to Sunday, and the reservation number is 415-750-2614.

Does anything above appeal to you? Keep in mind the location and hours of De Young Museum and take hassles out of your next trip! The museum is located at 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, just within a few steps to the beautiful Japanese Tea Garden. It is open from 9:30 ma to 5 pm Tuesday through Sunday and closed at 8:45 pm on Friday. For the admission info and more, please call the museum at 415-750-3600.

De Young Museum

http://www.golden-gate-park.com/de-young-museum.html

Beach and Park Chalet

Hugging the west border of Golden Gate Park, Beach Chalet and Park Chalet, the last production of Willis Polk, the notable architect in the San Francisco community, welcome visitors with their own sense of style. The entire building presents a Spanish colonial design and entertains the flocks of patrons who stop for a bite to eat, a sight to greet, and a delicate drink to rock in the night.

a. Browse Historic Artifacts: The first floor of the building offers a walk back into the time when all of the remarkable events that touched the people of San Francisco happened, for instance, the 1894 Mid-Winter Exposition.

b. A Close Look at the Spectacular Toy Model: Have you ever wondered what a bird sees when it flies in the sky? Come to the 3-dimensional Golden Gate Park model on the first floor and experience the bird's view.

c. Grab a Bite of Local Cuisine: The menu features a wide range of American cuisine with a seashore twist. Buttermilk fried calamari and the grilled Atlantic salmon are the most ordered items on the menu. Enjoy a hearty dinner and boost your energy for the exploration of the rest of the Golden Gate Park!

The Beach Chalet and Park Chalet are located at 1000 Great Highway. Breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Beach Chalet are available from 9 am to 10 pm Sunday to Thursday, and until 11 pm on Friday and Saturday. The Park Chalet offers lunch and dinner from 12 pm to 10 pm Tuesday through Sunday, and until 11 pm on Friday and Saturday. Please call at 415-386-8439 for further info.

Beach and Park Chalet

http://www.golden-gate-park.com/beach-and-park-chalet.html

The list of things to do in Golden Gate Park goes on and on! Fun and entertainment appear at every turn, making your each move inside the park full of amazement. Following is a complete guide on other must-visit attractions in the park and the must-do things at each venue.

Japanese Tea Garden

- Mediate and relax

- Sip tea

- Capture creative greenery

- Take wending photos

- Purchase a souvenir

Strawberry Hill

- Visit the waterfall

- Mediate at the Golden Gate Pavilion

- Get in shape

- Enjoy the water

- Bird watch and observe the wildlife

Strybing Arboretum in Golden Gate Park

- Visit the Garden Bookstore

- Enjoy the library

- Entertain the kiddies

- Buy a plant

- Enjoy a colorful walk

Park Windmills

- Take a photo

- Enjoy the tulips

- Stop by the Beach Chalet

Need a break from the hassles of daily life? Why not go picnicking at the Speedway Meadow of Golden Gate Park on a nice day? As the largest man-made lush oasis in San Francisco, Golden Gate Park stretches for over 50 city blocks in downtown. On this page, we'd like to unveil the Speedway Meadow at Golden Gate Park, which is a popular event venue as well as a family-friendly picnic site.

Before getting down to business, you might want to take an overall view of all picnic areas and attractions at Golden Gate Park. As the jewel of San Francisco, the park is home to innumerable places of interests and natural beauty including Conservatory of Flowers, Kezar Stadium, AIDS Memorial Grove, Music Concourse Area, De Young Museum, California Academy of Sciences, Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco Botanical Garden, Stow Lake, Spreckels Lake, Beach Chalet and many more. Golden Gate Park has no shortage of picnic areas as well. It must be a pleasant experience to picnic with such picturesque views as the backdrop. Some popular picnic sites are scatted throughout the Douglas Park, Dolores Park, Pine Lake Park and Julius Kahn Playground. To know more, please visit:

Golden Gate Park Homepage

http://www.golden-gate-park.com/

Sprawling in the heart of Golden Gate Park, Speedway Meadow boasts 9 picnic areas which can be reserved individually. Each area is equipped with 2 tables at least. And you can rent nearby tables if necessary. For large groups, you'd better let them know you're coming. To make a reservation, please call (415) 831-5500.

How to apply for picnics or special events?

Golden Gate Park picnic areas can be reserved from January 15 of each year. Generally speaking, it's unnecessary to reserve in advance for small groups. For groups of 100 or more people, a Large Picnic Application Form need to be completed and sent to their office in advance to confirm availability. Click here to download the Large Picnic Application Form:

Large Picnic Application Form

http://fs18.formsite.com/sfrpsurvey2/largepicnic/index.html

Speedway Meadow is also a perfect event venue for you to throw a child's birthday party or community event. Activities held at Golden Gate Park involve any of the following features would be considered as special events:

- Open to the public

- Tents, stages and other set ups are needed

- Reservation is required in advance

- Amplified sound

- Tickets are sold

If you're planning to reserve a special event venue, please download and complete a Special Event Application:

Special Event Application

http://sfrecpark.org/PermitsAndReservations-SpecialEventApplications.aspx

The mailing address of their office is 501 Stanyan Street, San Francisco, CA 94117. Or you can visit the office in person to ask for permits or make reservations. The office is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday and 9:00 am to 12:00 pm on Saturday. Contact number is (415) 831-5500.

For further info regarding picnic area reservations, please visit:

Picnic Area Reservations

http://sfrecpark.org/PermitsAndReservations-PicnicAreaReservations.aspx

How to reach Speedway Meadow at Golden Gate Park?

Conveniently located along John F. Kennedy Drive, Speedway Meadow can be easily reached either by public transportation or self-driving. Public transportation is strongly recommended since parking spaces are limited there. You can reach 30th Avenue by taking 5 Fulton or 34th Avenue by taking 29 Sunset or N Judah in the first place. Then take a ride of the park's free shuttle which can lead you to anywhere throughout the park.

If you insist on driving by yourself, the following directions to Speedway Meadow might be of some help:

From Hwy 280 (Peninsula/South Bay)

- Get off Hwy 280 by exiting 19th Ave.

- Continue on 19th Ave. towards Golden Gate Park till it becomes Cross Over Drive

- Stay on the left lane and drive pass the stop light

- Veer left onto Transverse Drive

- Bear right onto John F. Kennedy Drive at the stop sign

- Take John F. Kennedy Drive down to 25th Ave.

- Speedway Meadow will be on your right

From US-101 (Peninsula/South Bay)

- Drive off US-101 by exiting 9th Street

- Take 9th Street forward towards Hayes Street

- Bear left onto Hayes Street and continue on it

- Make a left turn onto Gough Street

- Approach on Gough Street for 1 block and veer right onto Fell Street

- Take Fell Street west to Stanyan

- Stay on the left land and bear left onto Fulton

- Take Stanyan down to 30th Ave.

- Make a left turn onto John F. Kennedy Drive

- Speedway Meadow will be on your right

From I-80 (Bay Bridge/East Bay)

- Get off I-80 by exiting 9th Street

- Veer right onto 9th Street and take 9th Street forward towards Hayes Street

- Bear left onto Hayes Street and continue on it

- Make a left turn onto Gough Street

- Approach on Gough Street for 1 block and veer right onto Fell Street

- Take Fell Street west to Stanyan

- Stay on the left land and bear left onto Fulton

- Take Stanyan down to 30th Ave.

- Make a left turn onto John F. Kennedy Drive

- Speedway Meadow will be on your right

Form Golden Gate Bridge/Marlin/North Bay

- Drive across Golden Gate Bridge

- Exit 19th Ave.

- Make a right turn onto Cabrillo Street

- Take Cabrillo Street down to 25th Ave. and stay on the right lane

- Bear right onto Transverse Drive through crossing Fulton Street

- Make a right turn onto John F. Kennedy Drive at the stop sign

- Speedway Meadow will be on your left

Parking can be accommodated at the eastern edge of Speedway Meadow or at the 25th St. entrance to Speedway Meadow. Parking spaces fill to capacity quickly on weekends and holidays. So carpooling is strongly recommended.

To help you navigate your directions better, a park is offered for handy reference:

Golden Gate Park Map

http://www.golden-gate-park.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/map_of_golden_gate_park.pdf

The Golden Gate Park of San Francisco, California stands third in the row of most attractive tourist spots in the city. This huge urban park spreads over 1017 acres of land covered with green grass and trees. This was a gift fro the Scottish nature lover John McLaren. This spectacular park attracts more than 13 million visitors every year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Park

The almost rectangular park includes several great visiting areas and recreational spot:

California Academy of Sciences: The mind blowing structure and the largest roof of the renovated California Academy of Sciences astonish the visitors.

Conservatory of Flowers: Features more than 10,000 plants, wide range of seasonal flowers and 800 live butterflies flying around among the visitors.

Garden of Shakespeare's Flowers:Featuring the exotic flowers mentioned by Bard in his poems.

Japanese Tea Garden: Features 5 acres land covered with Japanese and Chinese plantations and beautiful bridges over ponds.

M.H de Young Museum: The museum is named after the famous newspaper magnate.

The Music Concourse Area: the major attraction here is the "Bandshell" or Spreckels Temple of Music.

San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum: Features more than 7,500 plants of various kinds and Helen Crocker Russell Library.

Golden Gate Park Stadium: Commonly called the Polo Field, has an amphitheatre of 60,000 seats

The other attractive areas are the Stow Lake, Spreckels Lake, the Windmills, Bison Paddock, Beach Chalet and the magnificent statues and landmarks.

http://www.sfgov.org/site/recpark_index.asp

While visiting San Francisco you can stay at any of the high quality hotels in San Francisco California located near the Golden Gate Park.

Hotels near the Golden Gate Park:

Embassy Hotel (0.22 miles from Golden Gate)

http://www.theembassyhotelsf.com/

Ramada Plaza Civic Center (0.27 miles from Golden Gate Park)

http://www.ramada.com/Ramada/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=07272

Rodeway Inn Civic Center (0.27 miles from Golden Gate Park)

http://www.rodewayinn.com/hotel-san_francisco-california-CA228

Holiday Inn San Francisco (0.34 miles from Golden Gate Park)

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/home

Comfort Inn By the Bay (0.36 miles from Golden Gate Park)

http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-san_francisco-california-CA004?promo=gglocal

Golden Gate Park is situated in San Francisco, California. The huge urban park extends to 1589 sq mi, and consists of different public grounds. It is a rectangular shaped park, very similar to the Central Park of New York, but 20% larger. This park is frequented by 13 million visitors every year. Visitors can put up at any of the hotels San Francisco CA close to the Golden Gate Park for convenient access to the area.

An event which extends for about half a year from April to October in the park is the Golden Gate Park Band's offer of free music which continues since 1882. http://sanfrancisco.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Free_Concerts_in_Golden_Gate_Park

The Golden Gate Park had also been the venue for the debut of San Francisco Shakespeare Festival in 1983 with The Tempest.

http://www.sanfrancisco.com/san-francisco-shakespeare-festival-b2629

An important event, which is annually held at the park since 2001, includes Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. You can tour the Golden Gate Park on your own or take guided walking tours which may include stroller tours, history tours and Japanese Tea Garden tours.

http://gocalifornia.about.com/od/casfmenu/a/ggpark.htm

Certain examples of recent San Francisco events scheduled in the Park include:

- Festival of Rock Posters

- Liver LIFE Walk 2009

- Edible Expeditions

You may get information about events to be held in the park through these sites:

http://www.sfgate.com/neighborhoods/sf/goldengatepark/

http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/

http://www.nps.gov/goga/