Coit Tower

1 Telegraph Hill Boulevard
San Francisco, CA 94133
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Standing at 210 feet, the art deco, reinforced concrete tower sits atop Telegraph Hill and was erected in 1933. Designed by architects Arthur Brown Jr. and Henry Howard, Coit Tower was commissioned by the estate of Lillie Hitchcock Coit for the purpose of adding beauty to the city she lived in and loved. Rescued from a severe fire as a child, Coit wanted to pay tribute to the city’s firefighters, which could help explain the fire hose-like shape of the structure. Murals by 26 artists can be found inside the tower and were completed during the Public Works of Art Project, the first Federally funded employment program for artists during the New Deal.

Open Daily:
Mon-Sun: 10am – 5pm

Dolores Park

500 Dolores Street,
between 18th and 20th
San Francisco, CA
94110
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Named after the |Spanish Mission| down the street, Dolores Park is one of the city’s best places to relax in the sun and take in the beautiful views of downtown. Nestled between the Mission and Castro districts, the park always attracts a very diverse mix of people. Public facilities include tennis courts, a basketball court, two soccer fields, and a playground. Unfortunately, the park will be closing some time in the Summer of 2010 to undergo a $3.5 million re-development of the playground and surrounding landscaping.  The work is not scheduled to be completed until 2011, renderings look more like a theme park than the charming neighborhood park of today. More information on the project can be found here: |Friends of Dolores Park.org|

Baker Beach

Battery Chamberlin Road
The Presidio
San Francisco, CA 94129
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With one of the most iconic views of the |Golden Gate Bridge|, it’s no surprise that |Baker Beach| is a very popular destination year-round for locals and visitors alike. Located on the western shores of the |Presidio|, this mile-long stretch of beachfront is a romantic locale for a walk along the shore or a relaxing place to enjoy a good book. On warm days, the beach is very popular for sunbathers (the northern section of the beach is favored by the clothing-optional type). There’s even a picnic area near the parking lot with tables and grills perfect for a warm weather barbeque.

Upon parking, one may think the hilly terrain at the right of the entrance is merely a sanctuary for wild plants, but it’s actually the site of a former military gun installation built in 1904 to protect the harbor. Baker Beach was also the site of the first five |Burning Man| Festivals from 1986 to 1990. The festival has since moved on to Black Rock Desert, Nevada due to campfire size restrictions that prohibited the burning of large wooden structures. Though Burning Man would have had to be much smaller at Baker Beach, here’s a cool video of the festival from 2009 to envision what the party could have been like: