Absolutely my favorite place in all of San Francisco, Golden Gate Park is one of the best-designed urban sanctuaries ever made. A perfect intercontinental bookend to New York’s Central Park, Golden Gate has museums, an exquisite indoor botanical garden and what I would consider the crown jewel, the Japanese tea garden.
This garden just exudes serenity.
The lushly textured shrubbery is a serene respite from the city.
There is a tea house in the garden where you can enjoy green tea and a light snack for a nominal fee.
While there is usually a small fee to enter, if you arrive before 10am on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, it is free.
The whole of Golden Gate Park is marvelous, but don’t miss the Tea Garden. Because everyone needs to relax now and zen.