Golden Gate Park has been one of the most important places in my life.
I took a Golden Gate Park class freshman year at USF, and it changed how I saw the city. This post is a photo-first memory map.
The class that changed everything
That class made me notice the park as a living system: plants, design, history, and people.
I even wrote the plants section in the Wikipedia article.
USF describes these seminars best: “FYS and TYS courses are designed and taught by faculty with a special passion for the topic. All of the seminars count toward the Core, and most include excursions into the city and a variety of enrichment activities. So, instead of a standard ‘Intro’ course in a given Core area, try ‘Dance in San Francisco,’ ‘Lovers of Wisdom,’ ‘Golden Gate Park,’ ‘Telling SF Stories,’ ‘Podcasts: Eloquentia & Audio,’ or ‘Sports Talk.’”
Source: USF First-Year Seminars
My favorite place: Shakespeare Garden
If I had to pick one place in the park, it’s Shakespeare Garden.
Pro tips (local knowledge)
- You can go to the top of the de Young for free during certain hours.
- You can access parts of some exhibits for free year-round.
- Academy of Sciences NightLife (adult night) is a fun way to experience the museum.
Graduation and milestones in the park
I have memories here tied to graduation, including a video of me welcoming people in Arabic.
High school and early college years
Golden Gate Park was a core part of my high school and early college life: skateboarding, hanging out, and learning the city by moving through it.
Outside Lands and work memories
I worked at a smoothie shop over Outside Lands, so I got to experience that whole ecosystem from the inside.
Skating to the beach through the park
One of my favorite routines was skating through the park all the way down to the beach.
Why this park still matters to me
Golden Gate Park has been my classroom, my social space, my skate path, and my memory archive. Every phase of my life in SF seems to connect back to this place.
Photo drop checklist (for next edit)
- [ ] Class + plants/Wikipedia context photos
- [ ] Shakespeare Garden photos
- [ ] de Young tower + free access proof
- [ ] Academy NightLife photos
- [ ] Graduation photos + Arabic welcome video
- [ ] High school/early college skate photos
- [ ] Outside Lands/smoothie shop photos
- [ ] Beach skating photos