San Francisco, with its open spaces, beautiful parks and mild weather is an awesome location for picnics at any time of the year. Whether you are in the mood for a picnic at the beach or just want to have an awesome time with your family and friends in the midst of lush green grass, the city has several options for your next outdoor plan.
We have done the legwork for you and prepared a list of great picnic spots in San Francisco. Pack your basket full of treats and head to one of these awesome picnic spots in San Francisco that offer an afternoon of relaxation and gorgeous views.
1. Mission Dolores Park
Mission Dolores Park is an extremely popular location among the locals and is a perfect picnic spot to drop the blanket and relax in the sun. The park provides a spectacular view of San Francisco accompanied by gorgeous weather and festive atmosphere year round. There is a playground at the top where kids can swing and slide while you enjoy your treats in the company of your loved ones.
2. Alamo Square
This picnic spot offers amazing views, and one of those views includes the Painted Ladies. Tennis court, flowerbeds, walking trails and benches make this place ideal for people who are wishing to enjoy a fun outing with their family and friends. Luckily, the place is rarely crowed and mostly offers secluded environment for a peaceful picnic.
3. Crissy Field West Bluffs
View the marvelous Golden Gate Bridge from this picnic location while you relax on the lush grass with grills and picnic tables. You can even fly a kite here as the winds in Crissy Field tend to be strong. Be sure to bring some hats as you won’t find much shade in the area.
4. Yerba Buena Gardens
Tall buildings of the city surround this unique picnic location, but they don’t rob you of enjoying the beauty of the area. If your office is located in the downtown, Yerba Buena Gardens will be a perfect spot for a company picnic.
5. Baker Beach
On sunny weekends, this picnic location is crowded with picnickers, but, that shouldn’t stop you from taking your family to this awesome spot. Enjoy the spectacular views of the Marin Headlands and the Golden Gate Bridge as you prepare your barbeque on charcoal grills.
6. Corona Heights Park
Head out to the Corona Heights Park for incredible views of the Noe Valley, downtown and the Mission. Native California wildflowers grow in the park including the checkerbloom, Douglas iris and California poppy adding to the beauty of the location. Cuddle up with your loved one or play Frisbee with your friends as this location is rarely crowded.
7. Mile Rock Beach
If you are inclined towards a beach picnic, head out to the Mile Rock Beach. This spot is a little small and bit rocky, but you can easily explore the beach because of low tides. However, it is hard to find the staircase that takes you down to the open beach, so be sure to get a map from the Lands End Lookout.
8. Lafayette Park
With its awesome views of the bay, grassy lawns, playground, tennis court and picnic tables, this park is a source of recreation for the locals and tourists alike. Grab your charcoal grill, picnic basket and blanket to enjoy an afternoon of relaxation under the bright sun at the Lafayette Park. Bring your dog along too as the park offers an off-leash dog-play area.
9. South Park
South Park was renovated a couple of months ago and now includes new features. Natural lawns, kids play area, landscaping, picnic tables and other amenities are available at the park. The South Park is great for a family picnic, but the space isn’t large enough for a company picnic.
10. Golden Gate Park
There are many dedicated places in this park that allow picnickers to grill up meat and enjoy a delicious feast. However, we recommend you bring your own grill here so that you can camp anywhere in the park. Thousands of local residents come to the Golden Gate Park to cook hot dogs and hamburgers and enjoy endless scenery of the bridge. Whether you are planning to host a family reunion or celebrating your day off with friends, Golden Gate Park has everything you could need for a great picnic.
11. Ocean Beach
This white beach with no high-rises and only a few tourists is another great picnic spot in San Francisco. Great for flying kites and strolling, but the currents are strong so don’t think about surfing if you are inexperienced. September and October months are perfect for a beach picnic at this location.
12. Precita Park
This gathering spot can be used by picnickers who just want to enjoy an evening out with their family. Kids love the gated playground in the park and there are benches available where parents can relax while their kids play. Play Frisbee or toss a ball on the open grass fields. Dogs are allowed too. The Precita Park doesn’t provide grills, so be sure to bring your own if you are planning to BBQ.
13. John McLaren Park
This is the second largest park in San Francisco. The park offers game courts, picnic areas and playground. In addition to that, you can score a bogey at the golf course, enjoy a swim in the Coffman Pool and gaze at the beautiful McNab Lake. While you are the John McLaren Park, don’t forget to explore the wetland habitat, grassland and scenic meadows.
14. Holly Park
This small park offers great views of the city and provides grills for picnickers who wish to barbeque. Gated picnic areas are popular spots for family events and birthday parties. The playground in the park offers colorful play structures with climbing ropes, swings and slides for the kids. Dedicated areas for tennis, basketball and baseball offer plenty of fun to people who are interested in extracurricular activities. If you just wish to relax, then spread out your blanket and lie down under the shade.
15. Bayview Park
This picnic spot is great for people who wish to escape the crowd of the city and enjoy a relaxed afternoon in a secluded environment. The grassland of the park has a beautiful wildflower display and the park allows for grilling. The remarkable views of the bay are unsurpassed.
16. Mother’s Meadow
The trees that surround the Mother’s Meadow seclude it from any wind. Picnic tables and a playground are offered by this picnic spot and there is plenty of space available to enjoy soccer, Frisbee, or tag. If you choose the Mother’s Meadow for your picnic, be sure to explore the beautiful Stow Lake.
17. Treasure Island
This picnic spot in San Francisco probably provides the most spectacular view of the big city. Home to the TreasureFest Flea Market, this area is mostly crowded during the weekends. Take your blanket and picnic basket and enjoy the outstanding views while your kids jump and slide at the playground. The area is also great for flying kites as it is usually windy here.
18. Sutro Baths
Sutro Baths is one of the best picnic spots in San Francisco. The area is surrounded by light forests and hiking trails and has several options for picnic spots. You can pick your spot near the baths, along the water and along the hiking trail.
Now that you know all these great picnic spots in San Francisco, choose one of the locations and organize an awesome picnic in the outdoors. If you are organizing a small scale picnic with your close family members, you’ll require minimal planning. So, you can plan everything yourself.
However, if you are planning to organize a big picnic with all your friends and family members invited, it is essential to take help from professional picnic planners. Selecting a picnic location, making arrangements for catering and planning extracurricular activities and entertainment for the enjoyment of the guests are tasks that require experience to pull off. Therefore, it’s best that you hire a professional picnic planner to take care of everything when organizing a large scale picnic. Bay Area Picnic Planners is one such service that goes out of its way to make sure that your event is a success.
At Bay Area Picnic Planners, we have the experience and skills required to organize large scale picnic. We are the only fully accredited Award Winning Event Planning and we would love to show you the way to a memorable picnic in San Francisco. You can choose our all-inclusive picnic packages that include entertainment options, food, play zone, kids fun zone team-building events, and other exciting activities.
