Yerba Buena Gardens
add photosOutdoor Space: 130,000 square feet of outdoor space, with an emphasis on discovery, nature, and play.
Carousel: This beautifully hand carved Carousel was built in 1906 and was formerly the Carousel from Playland-at-the-Beach where it ran from 1912 to 1972. In 1998, it was purchased by the City of San Francisco, fully restored and brought to Yerba Buena Gardens. Open Daily from 11am-6pm. Admission is $3 for 2 rides. Located at the corner of 4th and Howard next to Zeum.
Play Circle: Interactive features designed by M. Paul Friedberg, internationally known for his pioneering work in the design of urban playgrounds. The play circle includes a sand circle, play stream a xylophone and 25 foot tube slide.
Labyrinth: Made of hedges: the Labyrinth is a child size version of those found in ancient castles.
Interactive Play Features (Stream & Fountain): Children will be able to interact with the flow of water, whether creating dams or irrigating the gardens.
10 Reviews for Yerba Buena Gardens
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1 family found this helpful
"Cool for older kids too"
My son is at that "tween" age where he still wants to play but many of the playgrounds in The City are geared toward 3 - 6 year olds. One day when we were waiting for a movie start time at the Metreon we decided to walk around Yerba Buena Gardens and stumbled onto this playground. There are younger and older areas and my then 9 year old did not get bored while we waited for our showtime. There was plenty of seating for the adults (including a short "wall" that many adults were sitting on).
Like someone else mentioned though you do have to keep an eye on your kids. It's open, there are all kinds of people walking through the park and there were so many kids and the playground was so big it was easy to lose track of where he was.
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0 families found this helpful
"Amazing place inside the city."
Well, this place is amazing. Such a refreshing spot right in the center of the city. Really great for you and your kids to enjoy the fresh air, the nice views, and the sun in sunny days. We were there for a short picnic and my kids were so happy about it. Also, they love to watch the water-fall and to go to the second floor to gaze the metropolitan.
1 family found this helpful
"The playground is amazing"
If you have a cranky kid yearning for some fun that is not offered in the museum, head to the Yerba Buena Gardens. The gardens itself are great for a picnic type lunch, but the huge playground located in the end is amazing! The slides are for older kids, but youngsters will love the numerous activity sets as well. Public restrooms are nearby and the carousel on the west side is just a cherry on top.
1 family found this helpful
"Performances at Yerba Buena Gardens"
Yerba Buena Gardens is located on Mission Street between 3rd & 4th Streets in downtown San Francisco. If you can find parking, it is a great place for city kids to roam around and picnic while enjoying the free outdoor performances on Thursdays, from 12:30 to 1:30 PM August till Sept. 30, 2010 as follows:
ARAB CULTURAL CENTER: AJYAL
Thursday, August 12, 2010
PRASANT RADHAKRISHNAN'S VIDYA (JAZZ/CARNATIC)
Thursday, August 19
MEXICO: ARTIST TBD
Thursday, August 26
GRAMOPHONE AND DYNAMO (WORLD)
Thursday, September 2
WAYNE WALLACE QUINTET (JAZZ)
Thursday, September 9
MARIA VOLONTI (TANGO/JAZZ)
Thursday,September 16
ORCHESTRA NOSTALGICO (MUSIC OF THE CINEMA)
Thursday, September 30, 2010
0 families found this helpful
"many things to do"
The Yerba Buena Gardens holds my children all time favorite playground. And my least one! There are so many children running around that I am always afraid that one will get hurt. And that happened to the little one who got run over by an older kid. Other than that, between the ice skating place, the Zeum, the fountain, the free concerts that are held regularly on the lawn, and many things that I forget, it is a place to breathe and stop with the kids while visiting San Francisco.
1 family found this helpful
"Nice playground, but keep an eye on kids"
Yerba Beuna Gardens has lots of fun activities for kids of all ages from ice-skating, bowling, the Zeum, a great playground, and a carousel. The playground has really tall metal slides that the kids love. There are some cool climbing structures and bridges as well as a water play area. The only thing I would caution is that the playground is not fenced in and there are lots of non parent people lurking around. The water play area also didn't look very sanitary. Not that one expects it to be sanitary. But considering that it's in the middle of the city, you have no idea who and what has been in the water. I would come to the playground mostly with older kids - 4 and up, but plan on having your eyes glued on them.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
An art and culture ghetto and urban park South-of-Market, Yerba Buena Gardens was built atop the underground Moscone Convention Center, bordered by Third, Folsom, Fourth, and Howard Streets. A greensward surrounded by astonishing contemporary architecture, museums, and theaters, Esplanade Park is a place to sit at an outdoor cafe, lounge on the lawns, and enjoy the larger-than-life sculpture flanked by a 60-footwide, torrential sheet of water that creates a misty grotto for trees and a butterfly garden.
• The Rooftop (ages 2 to 8); (415) 522–9860. Free. An outdoor amphitheater where frequent performances are held for young audiences. A lawn bowl, robot sculptures, and fabulous playground with rubberized surfaces are also here.
• Yerba Buena Bowling Center (ages 6 and up); (415) 777–3727. $$–$$$. Twelve lanes of high-tech bowling with newfangled “bumpers” that pop up on either side of your lane, the better to corral the ball. Upstairs, Mo’s makes its famous smoky grilled burgers, thick shakes, sandwiches, and salads, with incredible views of the gardens and the surrounding cityscape.
• Yerba Buena Ice Skating Center (ages 2 and up); (415) 777–3727; www.skatebowl.com. Adults $$; ages 12 and under $. Surrounded by windows with stunning views of the city, this 100-foot-long, NHL regulation-size rink flashes with plenty of action—ice dancers, hockey players, and figure skaters of all ages and abilities. It’s free to watch. You can rent skates and get in on public sessions every afternoon.
• Zeum (ages 8 to 18); (415) 777–2800; www.zeum.org. Ages 4 and up $$. Leonardo da Vinci meets R2-D2 at this pumpkin- and mauve colored visual, performing, and media arts center. Peer docents help kids get involved in multimedia production, animation, Web page design, and all kinds of tech-based art and drama. Your children can simply observe and enjoy the exhibitions and performances or jump right into interactive play and learning, from virtual reality games to high-tech puppeteering, making a video, making music, sculpting, or participating in backstage theater production. The average visit is about three hours.
1 family found this helpful
"Oasis in the Middle of the City"
We love this urban park in the middle of San Francisco after shopping or visiting one of the attractions surrounding the park such as the Zeum, the MOMA, the Carousel, the Ice Skating Rink, or the Metreon. The kids favorite spot to play is at the Martin Luther King Jr. fountains/waterfalls. It's a cool exhibit. The park doesn't have any sort of playground, but it provides a safe grassy area to picnic and run around on.
0 families found this helpful
"Outdoors in the City"
We love the waterfall over Martin Luther King's words. A great place to run around, explore and enjoy a picnic.
0 families found this helpful
"Great fun"
You would not know it to look at the surrounding areas, but there is a surprising amount of fun to be had here - from the occasional outdoor entertainment to the great lawns and fountains. There is a playground, a carousel, and the extremely cool Zeum, just nearby. Lots of places to eat nearby. Parking can be hard, but there is a lot on Mission and 3rd. Try to go when a concert is scheduled.
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