Local before arrival
Where else in San Francisco can one see stock brokers and the homeless sunbathing side by side? In 1999, this park won a national award for inclusiveness in urban design, and it truly has something for everyone: lawns, fountains, sculpture, a cinema, a bowling alley, and an ice rink. The restored 1906 carousel is fun, and a little haunting. There are seven museums, including SFMOMA, within two blocks of the gardens, so this is the place to lunch outdoors while museum hopping.
