Golden Gate Chinese Pavilion

A forgotten gift from Taipei city in Taiwan (Sister city agreement in 1970, this pavilion gifted in 1976) There is a memorial display at the front of the pavilion explain it however the time has left its mark so most visitor never saw it. Part of Chinese traditional landscape around lake for enjoy nature and relax

This pavilion is a hidden gem in Golden Gate Park! You have to walk to get here...there is no roadway to drive on since it's technically on a tiny island. You cross a bridge on foot, then travel on a dirt pathway to find it. The pathway gets muddy when wet, so I recommend coming on a dry day if you dont like mud. Such a beautiful place....one of my favorite places in Golden Gate Park. Also FREE.

This is a free pavilion given to the city by its sister city across the Pacific. It is a beautifully detailed interior full of color and contrast. It should be visited purely for an architectural appreciation but also for peace and relaxation. It's a great compliment to any hike.

Asian inspired Pavilion on the Strawberry Hill island. There’s not much to do here, but take some photos - I’d recommend dawn or dusk, and the whole lake looks nice and spooky in a dense fog.

What a lovely little nook to stumble upon while walking around Stow Lake. I was actually with some photo session clients when we discovered it, and turned out to be a great space for some lifestyle portraits with their newborn!

My Favorite spot in San Francisco, plenty free parking, boat rental and food available, close to the museums

Someone does a good upkeep here. Hard to maintain with lots of plants but still beautiful. Looks like a spot to sit and play or have a conversation near the lake. Wouldn’t recommend to be out here when the mosquitoes come out to buzz around. Unless that doesn’t bother you have a great time and be safe out there.

Beautiful hike up Strawberry Hill

Golden Gate Pavilion at Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, is a breathtaking landmark and a meaningful gift from the Mayor of Taipei, symbolizing friendship and cultural exchange between Taipei and San Francisco. This pavilion not only celebrates the contributions of early Chinese settlers in California but also stands as a testament to the collaborative efforts of San Francisco's leadership and community to bring this generous gift to life. One of the park's hidden gems, the pavilion is free to visit, adding to the list of budget-friendly attractions in Golden Gate Park. To find it, head toward the boat rentals, cross the bridge, and follow the path leading up to the waterfall area. Overlooking the lake, the pavilion offers stunning views of the serene surroundings, including the lake, cascading waterfall, and the vibrant birdlife that calls the area home. The pavilion features red bench seating and a stone table in the center, making it an ideal spot to relax, reflect, or enjoy the natural beauty of the park. However, note that access involves climbing stairs, which may present challenges for visitors with strollers or mobility limitations. Whether you're a local seeking a peaceful retreat or a tourist exploring Golden Gate Park, the Golden Gate Pavilion is a must-see destination that blends cultural history with natural beauty.

Classic structure in Golden Gate Park by a big lake. Golden Gate Pavilion was a gift from the Chinese as some kind of peace offering. It still is here today and hosts events and parties. Looks like it could be in ancient China. The structure is impressive and you can get some good selfies. Beautiful looking and it serves a practical purpose of hosting gatherings. It's got some interesting history. This was a gift to San Francisco from Taipei. It was presented in 1976 and installed. Lots of other cool stuff around it including a waterfall. Good place to have a picnic or a gathering. There's also plenty of trails if wanting to go hiking. Have some fun. It's okay to bring beers and wines but not liquors. They also allow grilling but you have to bring your own though.

This pavilion is a hidden gem in Golden Gate Park! You have to walk to get here...there is no roadway to drive on since it's technically on a tiny island. You cross a bridge on foot, then travel on a dirt pathway to find it. The pathway gets muddy when wet, so I recommend coming on a dry day if you dont like mud. Such a beautiful place....one of my favorite places in Golden Gate Park.

Quick take: Beautiful The Golden Gate Pavillion is very beautiful. We were lucky enough to get the Pavillion to ourselves for photos. Also sat at the table for a few minutes. Looked out into the lake and just soaked it all in on a nice sunny day.

The pavilion was a gift from San Francisco's sister city, Taipei, Taiwan (take that, China) that was dedicated on Wednesday, April 15, 1981. This was in commemoration for the friendship and cultural exchange between both cities from the Mayor of Taipei, Taiwan, Honorable Teng-Hui Lee. The Mayor of San Francisco at that time was Dianne Feinstein. There's a plaque in front of the pavilion with both Chinese characters and English etched in bronze. Although the plaque reads, "Golden Gate Pavilion" instead of Chinese Pavilion. The pavilion sits on the North West section of Strawberry Hill, pass the man-made waterfall (Huntington Falls) on Stow Lake. The pavilion has 8 columns in bold red and green-colored tiled roof that is intricately carved and designed with different creatures. The colors stand in contrast and the red stands out from the greeneries surrounding it. It's definitely eye-catching and the unique design blends well with the environment, and one could imagine this was in the Far East instead of California. There's a small land bridge with that distinct architecture that matches the pavilion's concrete fencing. There's a polished concrete table in the middle of the pavilion and the inner walls have built-in benches. The pavilion is surrounded by a moat and all types of plants and flowers. It's a wonderful place to sit, relax and to soak in the scenery. It's also a popular spot for wedding photographers, wedding couples and wedding parties. But you don't have to be in a wedding party to enjoy the pavilion. For something that is 40 years old, it's not too shabby looking. In fact, the older it gets, the better it becomes as it ages gracefully with its surrounding. Best part of all, it won't cost you anything to visit and the parking is free. Two rare things in San Francisco.

Sightseeing in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California... This colorful Chinese pavilion is strikingly beautiful! It is a cultural contrast in the middle of a lush, green park! I really enjoyed walking around the pavilion and through it! The cute little bridge and surrounding stream were great additions to a wonderful experience!

One of the most Beautiful places in SF to watch the very early morning sun-up.

I love Golden Gate Park, and this is one of my favorite spots in the park. There is an almost eerie mystical, magical feel to the Chinese pavilion. Every time I step inside, I feel myself transported back to another time and place... I can very well imagine people conducting Taoist rituals here and calling up all sorts of strange powers and principalities. ​It really bothers me though when I see people sitting inside the pavilion playing video games and texting. Seems downright sacrilegious. You wouldn't think of playing video games in front of the altar at a church... ​

A simple but beautiful pagoda right on the water at Stowe Lake in Golden Gate Park. It's a perfect place for a picnic with friends. Be warned, though -- if you have your picnic after dark, you may get chased away by the police. Apparently fun is illegal after dark.

Beautiful lake to either walk around or rent a boat. The boat we rented was very clean and reasonably priced. We saw turtles and fish as we went around the lake. This is a great place to take the family!

There's something magical about chancing on a peace pagoda while perambulating an island called Strawberry Hill in the middle of a (fake) lake in the middle of a park in the middle of a metropolis. OK, so I've only found this pagoda by chance once, and my attempts to wow out-of-town visitors by walking up to this thing and feigning surprise never work, but it is really cool. For some reason, I always expect old Chinese guys to be playing a game on the table in here, but they never are. I always read the plaque and wonder who made a worse mayor of San Francisco: Dianne Feinstein (then) or Gavin Newsom (now). It's a tossup, although I really cannot stand Newsom. But then I loathe Feinstein. But Newsom's--well, you get the idea. There's a fake waterfall near here, but it's cheesy, whereas the pagoda is awesome!

What a nice surprise! So pretty and well done! Very picturesque!

I love this place. I used to come here all the time as a kid and eat lunch and feed the ducks. It's truly a unique place in the park. Sadly, on recent visits of the place it's looking a little worn down and has more graffiti than I remember. Hopefully they'll clean it up, but even as it is, it's still a great place for a picnic on both nice days but most especially on rainy days.

I love coming here. It is very relaxing and soothing to walk around here. It is very peaceful and there are several benches in the area where you can sit and just take in the scenery and appreciate nature. Lots of trees, birds, bugs, and ducks in the area. This is just a really nice treasure to find when roaming in the Golden Gate Park. I highly recommend coming here if in the park. You can lay out on the grass and have a meal with a YO LADY or significant other. Generally there are families walking around in the area. A good place to walk your dog(s) because their are trails and paths in the area. Just another beautiful part of the park.

The pagoda is a cute place to have a picnic. Grab subs from yellow sub or make your own goodies...... Then come here to play chess or backgammon or card games like scopa or belot.. sometimes I like pretending I'm an old person :) Bring a disposable table cloth or at least newspaper as some people seem to leave a mess there occasionally. Stow Lake is quite nostalgic for me, since we used to feed the duckies when we were little tykes. When the pagoda and waterfall were created, we seriously thought stow lake was huge. Then you grow up and realize it's all perspective. Now it's a haven for kids after dark, but during the day, it's pretty chill. I've practiced yoga outdoors here after looping a few times and must say, it's a versatile little spot in GGpark worth checking out.

Nothing special and kind of on the dirty side. Believe homeless people use this as a shelter at times.

I love site lake. I run and walk twice a week here and always enjoying the quitter site of GGP. It well manicured and maintained. It's easy walk and close to 19th Ave and Lincoln.

A beautiful, lake-side spot that is frequented not only by locals and tourists but the ballsy birds and squirrels scavenging in the fog.

Lucky 8. Love finding all these hidden gems in the City, and the Park. It's fun trying to find your way out to the pagoda, and once you get there, the view is really terrific.

What a beautiful spot! I wandered up here with a friend and discovered a beautiful little lake, surrounded by nature. I came up at about 5pm during the week, and nobody was there, except the geese and ducks. A beautiful walk it is around the lake and across the bridge to the island.

A cute Pagoda that I found by accident while walking around Stowe Lake. It's a bit hidden and, as a result, is a great spot to take a break and not have to worry about lots of tourists.

A pretty place to view the lake, take tourist photos, observe the ducks, people watch, sit down, rest, and get plenty of shade from the sun. It's a lovely structure and irresistable to not take a look at and take pics.

My fiance took pictures here for her 30th birthday three years ago. We came here for a date one year ago and returned again recently for our engagement photos. A calm and serene setting in the heart of SF. It's amazingly clean and well kept. If I lived closer, I'd run this park daily. Great place for events, groups, a romantic afternoon or whatever else you want to do.

This is the only round Chinese pagoda I know of in San Francisco. It came to us as a gift from Taipei as a "sister city" around 1980. What a wonderful gesture back then! It's nicely set right by Stow Lake on the island and near the man-made waterfall. It has a stone table, stone seats, and benches to sit and relax, and possibly have a picnic lunch.

The Stow Lake Pavilion served as the perfect venue for our June wedding in Golden Gate Park. We had the ceremony with 46 guests in the Pagoda, and then enjoyed a cocktail hour just outside of it. The photos were absolutely stunning, with both the fantastic lakeside location, and intricate detailing of the pagoda itself. Site rentals (done through SF parks and rec) are easy to make, and very affordable by SF wedding standards. Fantastic!

On the right day in the right light, this place has great urban scenery and the local birds add a nice accent to it. Stow Lake is a great location for the pagoda and other sightseeing. Typically, bring at least a sweater. Great!