This post may contain affiliate links wherein I earn a small commission if you purchase or subscribe to a product from one of my links (at no extra cost to you!). Read my full Privacy Policy here.
Who says you have to wander far from home to “travel?” There really is much exploring to be done close to home, especially when you live in the San Francisco Bay Area! If you have never been to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, make sure to put it on your to-do list. There are so many different things to do there, you can’t possibly cover them all in one day!
On this particular visit, we decided to make a day trip out of visiting the Japanese Tea Garden – a place we had actually never been to in Golden Gate Park.
Lunch at Pacific Catch
1200 9th Street, San Francisco, CA 94122
https://pacificcatch.com/
Of course I’m going to start this off with food! Before we started walking around Golden Gate Park, we decided it was prudent to pump some energy into our bodies. There’s a couple of great places on 9th Street for lunching, and you can walk right on over to the park when you are done.
On this visit to San Francisco, we stopped and had lunch at Pacific Catch, a West Coast chain serving up a variety of seafood dishes including poke, fish tacos, and some of the best fish ‘n chips I’ve had in a while! They also serve rice bowls and hot soup (if you happen to be in the city on a chilly, foggy day like we were and want something to warm you up).
Alternative Lunch at Nopalito: Another great option for lunch is Nopalito, just a few doors down from Pacific Catch, serving delicious Mexican eats that are suitable for vegetarians AND carnivores.
Visiting the Tea Garden
75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, CA 94102
https://www.japaneseteagardensf.com/
Cost
Entry to the Tea Garden is $12.00 to $16.00 for adults depending on time of year you visit.
Parking
There is parking all along the streets within the park, and there is also a parking garage under the De Young Museum/near the California Academy of Science. However, parking is a little pricey there! But hey, sometimes convenience costs a little extra, am I right?
This visit, we parked on the city streets closer to where we had lunch on 9th Street. We scored free metered parking visiting on a Sunday. This also eliminated the hassle of getting through the crowds of people and other cars once you are in the park.
The Tea Garden, and Golden Gate Park for that matter, does get a little crowded in the summer. It’s a super popular place to visit, especially when the weather is nice. So, if you’re going to this particular Japanese Garden for some peace and relaxation, you might not find it here during peak times. But believe me, it is a serene setting and I still recommend a visit nonetheless because it’s just beautiful!
I loved all the trees and the bright red pagodas! This pagoda in particular (below) was from the Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915.
I won’t fill your mind with too many photos, because you really should experience it all for yourself! Take an hour or two out of your trip to San Francisco to explore this beautiful place.
Also, if you want to extend your day trip into more parts of the park, I would also recommend checking out:
Day Trip Add-Ons
Rose Garden
If you have extra time after visiting the Japanese Tea Garden, be sure to pop over to the Rose Garden in Golden Gate Park. Entry here is totally free and they have some really beautiful varieties of roses!
California Academy of Science
The California Academy of Science is such a neat place to visit in San Francisco. Plan for a half day in Golden Gate Park exploring the gardens, and then head over to the Academy! They have rotating exhibits here, but you can always check out the aquarium and rain forest.
For more info on visiting the Cal Academy of Science, visit their website here.
If you’ve been to Golden Gate Park, what are some of your favorite places to explore?
Leave a Reply