San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park: The Perfect Daytrip Destination

Each year, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park attracts over 13 million visitors eager to explore 1000+ acres of lush gardens, walking trails, picnic areas, lakes, monuments, and more. The park’s list of attractions is much too long to list here, but some of our favorites include the Japanese Tea Garden with its cherry trees and tranquil koi ponds, not to mention the many stone lanterns, carved gates, and authentic five-story pagoda. The Victorian Conservatory of Flowers, the oldest building in the park, is home to massive water lilies, a brilliant assortment of orchids, and a giant Imperial philodendron that’s thrived for over a century. The Dutch and Murphy Windmills, erected in 1902 and 1905, respectively, are a testament to the engineering prowess of the park’s early designers. Originally used to pump groundwater, the windmills sat idle for several decades starting in the 1930s. Since 2012, however, the Murphy Windmill has been up and running again, much to the delight of park visitors. The carousel just next to the Koret Children’s Quarter is a marvel for all ages. With over 60 beautifully painted animals, including horses, roosters, frogs, and even a dragon, your little ones will be eager to hop aboard this amusement park ride that once entertained another generation of children at the 1940 World’s Fair on Treasure Island. And that’s just a very small number of the many spectacular attractions at the Golden Gate Park, a perfect day trip destination for guests of the Lafayette Park Hotel.