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Travel bucket list idea:

Last updated: 26 June, 2023
Expert travel writer: Laura Kiniry

First of all: the Golden Gate Park is not adjacent to the Golden Gate Bridge. Rather, this rectangular, 1017-acre urban park lies on the city’s west side – San Francisco’s equivalent of Central Park but 20% bigger.

It’s home to some pretty stellar attractions, among them the world-class DeYoung Art Museum, the California Academy of Sciences, the Japanese Tea Garden, and the Conservatory of Flowers – not to mention acre upon acre of green goodness.

You can hire bikes or rollerskates to explore, and rowboats or waterbikes from the boathouse on the northwest side to float on Stow Lake, one of the park’s loveliest spots.

Recommendations

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Japanese Tea Garden

San Francisco, California, United States of America (USA)

lake, trees and temples in Japanese Tea Garden

Escape the city mayhem in the immaculate, contemplative Japanese Tea Garden, which was first developed in 1894 to showcase a traditional Japanese village for the California International Exposition (World’s Fair). An additional tea house and pavilions were built and the garden became a permanent fixture of the Golden Gate Park.

Adult price: £5

Best for ages 13+

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De Young Museum

San Francisco, California, United States of America (USA)

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Bucket List Experience
Sculpture and paintings in the De Young Museum of Fine Arts, San francisco

A highly regarded art collection showcasing American art from the 17th-21st centuries, as well as international contemporary art, costumes and textiles.

Adult price: £12

Best for ages 18+

Conservatory of Flowers

San Francisco, California, United States of America (USA)

Conservatory of Flowers interior, a giant glasshouse

The elaborate Victorian greenhouse at the Conservatory of Flowers is the oldest building in the park, constructed in 1878 and rising 60ft (18m). Plants and flowers from around the world are housed in a variety of climate-controlled galleries, including Highland Tropics and Lowland Tropics. Closed on Mondays.

Adult price: £11

Best for ages 8+

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California Academy of Sciences

San Francisco, California, United States of America (USA)

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Bucket List Experience
Tyrannosaur Rex skeleton in the California Academy of Sciences, a natural history museum in San Francisco, California. It was established in 1853

One of the world’s greatest natural science museums. An aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum, and four-storey rainforest – all housed in an architectural masterpiece.

Adult price: £35

Best for ages 4+

Logistics

Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 4+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

San Francisco’s public transit systems will get you to the park. It’ll also help you get around the recreational area that stretches almost three miles from east to west, thanks to the free shuttle service that picks up from various spots in the park daily. You can hire bikes and skates at Unlimited Biking on Haight Street on Fulton.

A number of local companies also offer guided bike tours of the park, exclusively or as part of a wider itinerary (see our recommendations).

When to do it

The park is always open, but the attractions have varying open times. Check the website before you go. Go early to enjoy the park and its attractions with fewer people. Locals love the park, and weekends bring the biggest crowds.

Who to go with: organised tours

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Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Golden Gate Park Segway Tour - Easy to learn then 2.5 hours of gliding fun

San Francisco

Golden Gate Park Segway Tour - Easy to learn then 2.5 hours of gliding fun
Hop on an eco-friendly Segway for a convenient tour of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park! You'll see all 1,000-plus acres of the park as you learn the rich history of this majestic San Francisco green space on a narrated journey. This unique tour is the perfect way to see Golden Gate Park and its hidden gems. Riding a Segway is similar to riding a bike. It's intuitive, but nobody is born knowing how to operate it. You'll have 20 - 25 minutes of training prior to beginning the tour so you can get familiar with the most innovative transportation device of the millennium. You will practice on the Segway until everyone feels comfortable and ready to tour Golden Gate Park!

Price: $98

Min age: 12

Rating 4.89 / 5 [483 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Private Segway Tour through Golden Gate Park - 3 hours with your own guide

San Francisco

Private Segway Tour through Golden Gate Park - 3 hours with your own guide
Combine the fun of touring San Francisco by Segway with the personal touch of having a private guide attentive to your group’s interests and skills. This itinerary features the amazing Golden Gate Park. You’ll be able to cover more ground than walking and enjoy the fun of the Segway personal transporter for a once-in-a-lifetime experience while touring San Francisco! A minimum of 2 people per booking is required.

Price: $238

Min age: 12

Rating 4.96 / 5 [26 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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3HR Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park GoCar Tour

San Francisco

3HR Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park GoCar Tour
It's the most exhilarating, entertaining and enlightening way to see San Francisco - the first-ever GPS-guided storytelling car! The clever talking car navigates for you to places tour buses can'r go and points out the sights that bring San Francisco to life. Experience what the press is buzzing about, what visitors rave about and what Time Magazine has nominated "as one of the coolest inventions of the year".

Price: $228

Min age: 0

Rating 4.08 / 5 [12 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Destination guides

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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

San Francisco

California, United States of America (USA)

Early morning low fog at Golden Gate Bridge

A beautiful bayside city with home-grown authenticity, charmingly unique neighbourhoods and excellent locally-driven food. Home to the magnificent red-ochre Golden Gate Bridge and the world’s most infamous prison, Alcatraz.