Bike Ride JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Rock and Roll Golden Gate

Bike, Roller Skate, Paddle Boat and Picnic in Golden Gate Park

09.09.2020
Golden Gate Park San Francisco

Golden Gate Park—the heartbeat of the city and San Francisco's largest park—features slow streets, creating more open space for outdoor exercise along part of JFK Drive. Walkers, bike riders, and roller skaters, have at it! Bonus Spring 2023: Join We Players for a whimsical adventure through Golden Gate Park as part of their "Adventures With Alice" live performance.

Travel alongside looking-glass creatures and queens as you follow the heroine through a wonderland (Golden Gate Park!) and meet favorite Carrollean characters like the Mad Hatter, the Tweedles, and others.

The wide-open grassland and outdoor areas are mostly open, as is the Japanese tea garden (though you’ll need to reserve a space to visit). Grab your bike, roller skates, or walking shoes and enjoy a couple of hours in this beautiful park without contending with cars. You can rent a bike along JFK Drive. A few must-visit highlights:

Skatin’ Place: This might be the happiest place in the park. Just try not to crack a smile while disco skating in the park—fresh air, good tunes, and fun people. And it’s free. Whether you want to join in the rolling party and just chill out and watch, it’s a good time. The Skatin’ Place is at JFK Drive just west of the Conservatory of Flowers. It’s open every day. Organized skates happen Sunday from 12 – 5 p.m., Wednesday from 3 – 5 p.m., and Saturday from 1 – 5 p.m.

Skating at Golden Gate Park

Stow Lake: Golden Gate Park’s boathouse is open. Rent a rowboat or pedal boat to explore the little human-made lake that dates back to 1893. Or just have a picnic on the shore of the lake watching birds and boats pass by. There’s a nice loop hike around the lake, and up to Strawberry Hill if you’re so inclined, and includes passing by a waterfall highlight.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: In the episode "Post-apocalyptic Pandemic Edition" Weekend Sherpa co-founders discuss their explorations of Golden Gate Park.

JFK Dr. in Golden Gate Park (from Kezar to Transverse) is currently closed to cars seven days a week. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Camp and Kayak at Utica Reservoir in Stanislaus National Forest

    Sleeper Hit

    It's all about the water, and the camping, at Utica Reservoir in Stanislaus National Forest, a High Sierra reservoir perfect for kayak explorations and pitching your tent with the lake in the background.

    View

  2. Wapama Wows

    Hetch Hetchy can be overlooked in Yosemite National Park because of its more remote location and limited facilities. But this is where you’ll also find one of the best day hikes in the park: Wapama Falls.

    View
  3. Woman taking a photo on a bike path

    Bike, Beers, Shore Thing!

    The coastal community of Redwood Shores may be known for its tech campuses, but this 8.5-mile bike loop explores the natural side of this beautiful peninsula. With a brew pub bonus!

    View

  4. Sheep Tight!

    You’re not going to have to count sheep to get a good night’s sleep at Sheep Dung’s beautiful property in Anderson Valley near Boonville. Four modern cottages—tucked far apart from each other among 500 acres of rolling hills—are designed for blissful solitude. And it’s dog-friendly!

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. All the Wright Stuff

    Avoiding drama? That’s a good thing. Unless you’re talking about campsites. In that case, the more dramatic the better! And Wright’s Beach on the Sonoma Coast is quite the drama queen—27 campsites sitting smack dab in the middle of the wild and raging Sonoma Coast State Beach.

    View
  2. kirk creek campground big sur

    Sur Bet!

    You can spend $1,000 a night for an ocean-view room in Big Sur. Or you can spend $45 and wake up to the sound of crashing waves and incredible views of Big Sur’s coastline when staying at Kirk Creek Campground.

    View

  3. Secret Redwoods + Camping by the River

    Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park is a little-known gem where skyscraping reds (the tallest living trees in the world!) fly under the radar. Grizzly’s ironically small size and location off the beaten path provide near total seclusion, not to mention relaxing camping!

    View

  4. Three Falling

    Three waterfalls, and fewer people. McCloud Falls might be the best waterfall hike in Northern California. There are bigger waterfalls in the state, but it’s the whole package that makes this 4-mile (round-trip) hike truly memorable.

    View