Best Parks for Outdoor Fun

Explore the best best parks for outdoor fun options for kids and families in San Francisco

Lafayette Park

Lafayette Park

Green space for picnics & scenic views. Puppies & picnickers pack this hilltop park, which includes a playground & tennis courts.

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Huntington Park

Huntington Park

Grand park with a fountain atop Nob Hill. Manicured green space on Nob Hill with an elaborate fountain, native plantings & benches.

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Yerba Buena Gardens

Yerba Buena Gardens

Public park & cultural space. Several gardens share space with dramatic outdoor public art pieces, including a memorial waterfall.

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Ina Coolbrith Park

Ina Coolbrith Park

Compact green space with urban views. This pint-sized, unassuming tract features a steep path & views of the city & bay.

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Mission Dolores Park

Mission Dolores Park

Neighborhood green space with city views. Locals of all ages gather at this outdoor hot spot for picnics & people-watching.

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Corona Heights Park

Corona Heights Park

Busy park with picturesque views. Bustling, hilly park featuring hiking trails & sweeping, scenic city vistas.

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Helen Diller Playground

Helen Diller Playground

Play area with a climbing wall & slides. Climbing structures, sand boxes & swings in an adventure playground with a long, twisting slide.

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Joe DiMaggio Playground Park

Joe DiMaggio Playground Park

Cool climbing structures & a pool. Popular green space with modern climbing structures, a swimming pool & basketball & bocce courts.

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Rincon Park

Rincon Park

Park with bridge views & a sculpture. Waterfront park with a promenade & a giant bow & arrow sculpture, plus Bay Bridge views.

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Crane Cove Park

Crane Cove Park

Beach, industrial relics & harbor views. Reclaimed area in a former shipyard, with a small beach for water sports & views of passing boats.

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Bernal Heights Park

Bernal Heights Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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San Francisco Botanical Garden

San Francisco Botanical Garden

Green refuge with rare plant collections. 55 acres of serene gardens showcasing diverse plants from around the world & a magnolia collection.

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Hellman Hollow Picnic Area

Hellman Hollow Picnic Area

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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McLaren Park

McLaren Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Middle Harbor Shoreline Park

Middle Harbor Shoreline Park

Bayside trails & panoramic bay views. Public preserve with trails, BBQs, an amphitheater & sweeping views of the bay & San Francisco.

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San Bruno Mountain State & County Park

San Bruno Mountain State & County Park

Hiking trails & picnic spots with views. Mountain recreation space featuring city & bay views, hiking trails, picnic areas & open meadows.

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Angel Island State Park

Angel Island State Park

Island park with campsites & city views. Large island with campsites featuring hiking & biking trails plus panoramic views of San Francisco.

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Hillside Park

Hillside Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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West Oakland Farm Park

West Oakland Farm Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Shorebird Park

Shorebird Park

Picturesque setting with a nature center. Scenic marina park offers picnic sites, play areas & a nature center with fish & wildlife displays.

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Paradise Beach Park

Paradise Beach Park

Scenic spot for picnics, beach & fishing. Waterside park in a residential neighborhood, offering views, picnic lawns, a fishing pier & beach.

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Adventure Playground

Adventure Playground

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George Rocky Graham Park

George Rocky Graham Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Alta Loma Park

Alta Loma Park

Park with tennis & basketball courts. Open city park with a basketball & tennis court, playing fields & a playground.

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Cesar Chavez Park

Cesar Chavez Park

Kite flying, a dog run & bay views. Popular, 90-acre park featuring kite flying opportunities, a dog run, bay vistas & more.

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Jean Sweeney Open Space Park

Jean Sweeney Open Space Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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McLaughlin Eastshore State Park State Seashore

McLaughlin Eastshore State Park State Seashore

Pedestrian & bike trails with bay views. Shoreline refuge features tidal marshes, beaches & trails that provide panoramic views of the Bay.

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Mussel Rock Park

Mussel Rock Park

Coastal park with scenic vistas & trails. Known for its rocky coastline, this park boasts sandy beaches, scenic ocean vistas & hiking trails.

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Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline

Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline

Waterfront park with beach & rail museum. Waterfront space with a picnic area, beach, fishing pier, panoramic views & a model railroad museum.

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Cedar Rose Park

Cedar Rose Park

City green space for sports & picnicking. 5-acre city park featuring 2 play areas, a picnic site with BBQ grills & multiple sports courts.

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Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt

Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt

Playground & creek amid redwood groves. Urban greenbelt offers a playground, climbing wall & creek amid butterfly gardens & redwood groves.

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Point Isabel Regional Shoreline

Point Isabel Regional Shoreline

Park with trails, birdwatching & fishing. This large park with trails plus birdwatching, picnicking & bay fishing allows off-leash dogs.

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Hauke Park

Hauke Park

Neighborhood hub for sports & relaxation. Partially fenced park providing open green space, ball fields & a landscaped play area with benches.

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Ring Mountain Preserve

Ring Mountain Preserve

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Piedmont Park

Piedmont Park

Tranquil picnic spot with a paved trail. Leafy city park popular for picnics, dog-walking & wedding photos, with a paved trail.

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Live Oak Park

Live Oak Park

Wooded park with paths & a rec center. Wooded park featuring walking paths & a rec center with tennis, basketball & a playground.

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Temescal Regional Recreation Area

Temescal Regional Recreation Area

Oasis for picnicking, swimming & more. Urban, lakeside retreat offering swim & picnic areas, a fishing dock, trails & playgrounds.

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Dimond Park

Dimond Park

Creekside hiking trails & a public pool. Park featuring creekside hiking trails, picnic areas, playgrounds, a pool & a recreational center.

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Codornices Park

Codornices Park

Rose garden, views, picnicking & hiking. Comprising the Berkeley Rose Garden plus areas for ball playing & hiking, picnicking & kids' play.

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Old Mill Park

Old Mill Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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San Bruno City Park

San Bruno City Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Grotto Rock Park

Grotto Rock Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve

Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve

Scenic hiking & equestrian trails. 208-acre preserve with hiking & equestrian trails, plus views of nearby cities & San Francisco Bay.

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Junipero Serra Park

Junipero Serra Park

Park with impressive views of city & bay. Park offering picnic areas, a creek & walking trails plus scenic views of the city, bay & mountains.

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University of California Botanical Garden

University of California Botanical Garden

Sprawling collection of diverse plants. Established in 1890, this 34-acre garden features a collection of plants from around the world.

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Muir Woods National Monument

Muir Woods National Monument

Picturesque, redwood tree-filled park. Scenic, forested park featuring giant redwood trees, long hiking trails, a visitor center & more.

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Bayfront Park

Bayfront Park

Waterside park for airport watching. Small bayside park next to the airport, with a walking trail & benches for watching the planes land.

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Tilden Nature Area

Tilden Nature Area

Site for scenic hikes & wildlife views. Nature preserve featuring easy & challenging hiking trails with scenic views & wildlife sightings.

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Central Park

Central Park

Sports field, tennis courts & playground. This 13-acre recreational area features tennis courts, a playing field, picnic spots & a playground.

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Grizzly Peak

Grizzly Peak

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Tilden Regional Park

Tilden Regional Park

2,000+ acres & recreational activities. A 2,000+ acre park with a carousel, botanic garden, lake swimming, picnic areas & steam train ride.

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Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve

Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve

Nature preserve with extensive trails. The site of an ancient volcano, this park offers self-guided tours & features many hiking trails.

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Wildcat Canyon Regional Park

Wildcat Canyon Regional Park

Trails, a playground & picnic spots. Spacious park offering miles of multi-use trails plus a children's playground & picnicking areas.

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Joaquin Miller Park

Joaquin Miller Park

500-acre park & trails through the trees. Dog-friendly woodland park on 500 acres boasting rustic trails, meadows & picnic sites.

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Alvarado Park

Alvarado Park

Green oasis with a children's playground. Part of Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, this area has a playground, picnic sites & historic stonework.

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Village Park

Village Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Baltimore Canyon Preserve

Baltimore Canyon Preserve

Wooded hiking area with a waterfall. 193-acre park with trails through forests with large trees, a creek & waterfall, plus scenic views.

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Roberts Regional Recreation Area

Roberts Regional Recreation Area

Sports & picnicking amid redwoods. An 82-acre park in a stand of second-growth redwoods, popular for picnics & recreational sports.

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Frontierland Park

Frontierland Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Robert E. Woolley State Park

Robert E. Woolley State Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Marina Park

Marina Park

Shoreline park with mile-long trail. 30-acre park along the shore with picnic tables, a mile-long workout trail & large group shelters.

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Magic Mountain Playground

Magic Mountain Playground

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park

Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park

Vast woodlands with trails & campgrounds. Sprawling forest featuring redwood groves & rare wildlife, plus trails, picnic areas & campsites.

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Washington Park

Washington Park

Playground, ball fields & courts. City park with baseball & soccer fields, tennis & basketball courts, plus a playground.

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San Pedro Valley Park

San Pedro Valley Park

Scenic hiking trails & picnic areas. Park boasting a visitor center & seasonal waterfall plus picnic areas with BBQ pits & hiking trails.

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Coyote Point Recreation Area

Coyote Point Recreation Area

Large playground, trails & picnic areas. Bayside park offering a sizable playground with 6 slides, as well as trails & picnic areas.

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Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area

Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area

Low-key park featuring eucalyptus trees. Quiet spot for picnics & other gatherings, with a rustic cottage, hiking trails & fragrant trees.

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