Mission Dolores Park

On the Grid : Dolores Park

"If there was a hub of the Mission, it would be Dolores Park. While geographically its on the border of the Mission and Castro, it is the social center. The park spans two city blocks and includes tennis courts, basket ball courts, a play ground and the facilities that the majority of people use...the grass. This is the perfect spot to picnic and people watch. This park represents a pretty impressive slice of San Francisco's population and is the perfect place to pass many hours." - Avocados and Coconuts

"People watching park Mission Dolores Park, aka Delores Park, is one of the most popular parks in San Francisco, especially when the sun is out and the mercury is up. On a sunny weekend, you'll be hard pressed to find a patch of green to plant yourself on, but that's what makes Dolores Park so much fun. Yes there is a playground for kids, and basketball and tennis courts, too. But the real sport here is people watching. You'll hear music booming between dog barks; people toss footballs, tightrope walk, and fling their Frisbees. Bodies slathered in oil glisten in the sun; ice cream melts down the arms of laughing children; the whiff of cut grass (and other questionable varieties) linger in the air. The abundant restaurants and markets in the area make make it easy to pack a picnic and fuel your day out. All you need to do is bring a blanket, plop down on a hill where the views reach to downtown, and chill out San Francisco-style. FYI: Dolores Park is named for Miguel Hidalgo, a priest in Dolores, Mexico who urged his countrymen to overthrow their Spanish rulers in 1810, sparking Mexico's battle for independence."

"People watching park Mission Dolores Park, aka Delores Park, is one of the most popular parks in San Francisco, especially when the sun is out and the mercury is up. On a sunny weekend, you'll be hard pressed to find a patch of green to plant yourself on, but that's what makes Dolores Park so much fun. Yes there is a playground for kids, and basketball and tennis courts, too. But the real sport here is people watching. You'll hear music booming between dog barks; people toss footballs, tightrope walk, and fling their Frisbees. Bodies slathered in oil glisten in the sun; ice cream melts down the arms of laughing children; the whiff of cut grass (and other questionable varieties) linger in the air. The abundant restaurants and markets in the area make make it easy to pack a picnic and fuel your day out. All you need to do is bring a blanket, plop down on a hill where the views reach to downtown, and chill out San Francisco-style. FYI: Dolores Park is named for Miguel Hidalgo, a priest in Dolores, Mexico who urged his countrymen to overthrow their Spanish rulers in 1810, sparking Mexico's battle for independence."

"The recently re-opened Helen Diller Playground is the stuff of children's fantasies. For one, there's a 40-foot long slide, built into a hill, rock climbing walls, sand pits, and a shipwrecked boat; for two, there's a separate zone for the littlest ones, so everyone can run around without fear of collisions. If playground-ing isn't your thing, there's also a soccer field, six tennis courts, and a basketball court. "