More Goodies
Lots more to see in Golden Gate Park...
Music Concourse
Music Concourse Drive off of MLK Drive
The Music Concourse, a grand oval-shaped outdoor plaza nestled between the de Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences, has been the cultural heart of Golden Gate Park since its creation for the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition. This elegant space features a sunken design inspired by European classical gardens, complete with symmetrical walkways, ornate fountains, and graceful rows of pollarded trees that create a stately canopy over the benches below.
The historic Spreckels Temple of Music, a stunning Beaux-Arts bandshell completed in 1900, anchors the plaza and continues to host free concerts and performances, carrying on a tradition that has entertained San Franciscans for over a century. The concourse underwent a major renovation in the early 2000s, which included the addition of an underground parking facility, yet carefully preserved its historic character. Today, this vibrant public space serves as both a peaceful refuge for museum-goers and a lively venue for cultural events, food vendors, and the occasional impromptu performance by local musicians.
Portals of the Past
At Lloyd Lake, off of John F. Kennedy Drive
Portals of the Past stands as a hauntingly beautiful monument to San Francisco's resilience in the face of disaster. This elegant marble colonnade, originally the entrance to the Nob Hill mansion of railroad tycoon Alban Towne, was one of the few structures to survive the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire. Relocated to the tranquil shores of Lloyd Lake in Golden Gate Park, the classical portico now serves as both a memorial and a popular photography spot. Its white marble columns are reflected in the still waters of the lake, creating a dreamlike scene that seems frozen in time. Local legend holds that the portal is haunted, adding an air of mystery to this architectural remnant that bridges San Francisco's gilded age with its present. The serene setting, complete with weeping willows and wandering waterfowl, transforms what was once a symbol of destruction into a peaceful meditation on history and renewal.
Anglers Lodge
1232 John F. Kennedy Drive (across from the Bison Paddock)
The Anglers Lodge stands as one of Golden Gate Park's most charming hidden gems, a rustic redwood and fieldstone cottage built by the Works Progress Administration in 1938 during the Great Depression. Home to the Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club —now the largest fly fishing club in the world with over 1,000 members—this mountain-style lodge serves as both a testament to New Deal-era craftsmanship and an active hub for the fly fishing community. The hand-hewn window frames, wrought iron details, and carved fish motifs on the shutters give the building an authentic Sierra foothills character, while the leaded glass panel depicting a fishing fly, salvaged from the club's original 1928 clubhouse at Stow Lake, connects visitors to the sport's deep San Francisco roots.
What makes the lodge truly special is its welcoming spirit. The adjacent casting pools—three enormous concrete tanks totaling 450 feet by 185 feet—are free and open to anyone who wants to practice their fly casting technique, no fishing license required since there are no actual fish. The club honors its Depression-era promise to the city by offering free fly casting lessons on the second Saturday of each month, welcoming beginners and experts alike. The facility has hosted national casting tournaments since 1939 and remains one of the finest casting venues in the world. Whether you're interested in browsing the lodge's fishing library, watching skilled casters practice their art, or simply enjoying the peaceful surroundings under towering eucalyptus trees, the Anglers Lodge offers an unexpected slice of outdoor tradition right in the heart of the city.
Koret Children's Quarter and Carousel
320 Bowling Green Drive
The Koret Children's Quarter holds the distinction of being one of America's first public playgrounds, opening in 1888 as the Sharon Quarters for Children. Funded by Senator William Sharon's estate, this groundbreaking space represented a revolutionary idea for the era: a dedicated area where all children could play together, regardless of their family's wealth. The beautiful Victorian Romanesque Sharon Building, which survived the 1906 earthquake, still stands today.
Thanks to the Koret Foundation, the playground was beautifully renovated and reopened in 2007. Today it features beloved concrete slides that have thrilled generations of San Francisco children, a towering rope climbing web, modern playsets, swings, expansive sand areas, and a small barnyard. The adjacent grassy field makes it perfect for picnics and birthday parties—a wonderful destination for families with young children.
The playground's historic carousel is a treasure in its own right. Built in 1914, this beautifully restored carousel features 62 hand-carved and colorfully painted menagerie animals including horses, a dragon, camel, goat, frogs, dogs, roosters, ostriches, and pigs. The carousel pavilion was designed by Arthur Page Brown, architect of the San Francisco Ferry Building. Carousel rides are affordably priced: $2 for adults, $1 for children 6-12, and free for children 5 and under with a paying adult. Call (415) 231-0077 for current hours.
