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Mission Dolores Park Outdoor Activity / Park

Mission Dolores Park Mission Dolores Park, better known as just Dolores Park, packs a lot of action into its two-block stretch – and the diversity of its visitors is often a perfect snapshot of San Francisco's eclectic citizenry. San Francisco United States 37.759755 -122.427064

4.63 24

Mission Dolores Park - Outdoor Activity | Park in San Francisco.

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20 User Reviews

User Reviews (20)

Ratings:

Lucas

Adriana

Jonah

Emma

Party Earth Review Mission Dolores Park, better known as just Dolores Park, packs a lot of action into its two-block stretch – and the diversity of its visitors is often a perfect snapshot of San Francisco’s eclectic citizenry. Warm afternoons... ... read full review

Neighborhood:

Mission
Address:

In-between 18th and 20th Streets
and Dolores and Church Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

Get Directions

Metro:

BART: 16th Street Mission
MUNI F, J Lines: Right Of Way/20th Street
Phone:

415-717-2872 (Park Supervisor)
Links:
Official Website

Hours:

Daily 6am–10pm; hours listed are official park hours, park itself does not close
Recommended as:
- Day Spot

First to review Gabe L.

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Party Earth Mission Dolores Park Review

The Scene

Mission Dolores Park, better known as just Dolores Park, packs a lot of action into its two-block stretch – and the diversity of its visitors is often a perfect snapshot of San Francisco's eclectic citizenry.

Mission, San Francisco –

Warm afternoons find the grassy knolls and undulating hills covered in sunbathers, as clusters of athletes take over the six tennis and single basketball courts at the park’s northern end or join larger groups for an impromptu soccer match on the low-lying field nearby.

Hacky-sackers, Frisbee fans, hula hoopers, and yoga fanatics find their own enclaves around the park, and there’s usually at least one crowd of hippies trying to walk a slackline or a pair of mimes practicing their craft and scaring children.

Further up the park is Hipster Hill, the unofficial gathering spot for plaid-clad twenty-somethings, while the adjacent Dog Hill’s designation is clear in both the passel of pooches and the piles of poop.

Young families tend to congregate around the small playground and picnic tables near the park’s southern edge – which normally affords relative freedom from marijuana smoke, if not from drum circles – while sightseers fare well entering the park from 18th Street, where spectacular views of the city await.

The laid-back vibe of Dolores Park, as well as its proximity to the vibrant Mission and Castro nightlife, makes it a go-to destination for city dwellers from all walks of life.

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Tip from Emma:

Pop across the street to Dolores Park Café (501 Dolores Street) for Happy Hour from 4 to 7pm daily for $3 draft beers and $5 glasses of wine or sangria. Or, if ice cream is more your speed, Bi-Rite Creamery (3692 18th Street) is also nearby and sells handcrafted scoops that require inordinate willpower not to finish before you get back to the park.

Crowd

Hipsters, bicyclists, athletes, families with young children, musicians, jocks, artists, dog owners, and sunbathers. All ages.
Entertainment / Music

Various activities throughout the year include the Dolores Park Movie Night usually held one Saturday a month at 8pm, San Francisco Mime Troupe performances (www.sfmt.org/schedule), Cinco de Mayo celebrations, and the Pride Weekend Dyke March. Six tennis courts, one basketball court, one soccer field.
Food / Miscellaneous

Ice cream and snack carts usually scattered around the park. Restaurants line nearby Dolores Street and 18th Street. Public restrooms.
Prices

Sporting facility use is free, as are most cultural celebrations and events.

What to Wear / Dress Code

Anything goes, including (though not legally) nothing at all.
Hot Nights / When to Go

Sunny days until sundown, regardless of the temperature, and weekend afternoons for an incredibly diverse crowd.
Close By

Bi-Rite Market (3639 18th Street), which sells a large assortment of prepared meals, cheese, fruit, and wine, is a popular spot to pick up picnic supplies.

Tags:: All AgesAnything goesArtistsBasketballBicycle RidingDiverseDog FriendlyEclecticFamilyFlannel ShirtsFreeFrisbeeGreat ViewHippiesHipsterJocksLaid backLive EntertainmentMoviesMusiciansPeople WatchingSoccerSportsSportyStreet PerformersSunbathersTennisTwenty-somethings

Mission Dolores Park User Reviews

keaneiscool May 15, 2013 4.0 stars The most "San Francisco" thing anyone can do is a sunny day out in Dolores Park Visitors to the city, take note: Visiting Dolores Park on a sunny weekend day is the quintessential San Francisco experience. With a cheap tallboy and some Bi-Rite ice cream, there's no better vantage point for all the eccentricities this city has to offer. Take, for example, the dancing robot surrounded by laughing kids; or the balancing skill of the hipsters on the slackline between the palm trees; or perhaps the row of sunbathing men up on "Gay Beach" where one can see a panorama of downtown San Francisco. Yes, it's all here, mixed in with the puppies, the frisbees and the warm afternoon sun. It's one of the best experiences in San Francisco, at least up until you have to use the restroom...

Kristian Richards Apr 1, 2013 3.0 stars Find fun outside with your long-lost freak family This vibrant, sprawling park is an adult wonderland full of the Bay Area’s hipsters, have-nots and everyone else in between. Although you can never be sure whether there is an awesome event going in like festival, drag show, bubble-blowing contest or unofficial holiday celebration, there are a few things that are guaranteed to be in attendance: beer/booze, frisbees and kickballs, picnics, pets, and parents. On the other side of the park, beyond the sea of sunning San Franciscans, there is a recently-remodeled playground where the kiddies can run free along with all the beloved pups and pooches. When the sun is out, this is the place the city comes to play.

Adrienne Zable Mar 25, 2013 4.0 stars Never have I seen such a splendid array of hipsters and weirdos A trip to Mission Dolores Park on a sunny Saturday afternoon is sort of like going to a museum. There you will see all kinds of sights: new, old, dirty, clean, animal, vegetable, herb (mostly herb). Though the park is just one square block, bounded by 18th and 19th Streets, Dolores, and Church, a trip to the park on a sunny Saturday afternoon will capture every kind of San Francisco experience. Just bring a bottle of wine and a joint and lie back on the steep slope facing Dolores Street and enjoy the flamboyant parade. The playground and tennis courts on opposite sides of the park bring the children and yuppies; the yuppies bring the homeless people, with their shopping cards of odds and ends and blankets of makeshift and/or stolen "art" for sale; the nearby Castro brings a colorful collection of cross dressers, activists and exhibitionists; and the sun brings groups of twenty and thirty something stoners, with their PBR and jeggings and every kind of marijuana smoking device, blinking sleepily at the city before them. Men with paper bags and carts full of beer, water, and assorted drug-filled delicacies advertise their wares weaving in and out of the occasional drum circle, hoopers, or game of ultimite frisbee. On nice days the park is packed and noisy, with coveted Mission sunshine casting a cheerful and inviting sheen. And later, when the sun starts to set, after a day of drinking and smoking leaves you tired and hungry, there's the delicious Bi-Rite Creamery across the street (if you can stomach the round-the-corner line), plus all the great restaurants of the Valencia Street corridor just a few blocks away.

Logan Hesse Mar 24, 2013 4.0 stars The Microcosm There's a joke in San Francisco: Burning Man doesn't end, it just moves to Dolores Park for 50 weeks of the year. Go there on any sunny day and you'll see that that statement doesn't cover half of it. It's not just the burners who flock here - it's everyone. Dolores Park on a sunny Sunday is the epitome of San Francisco - diversity, expression and day drinking. Families throwing frisbees rub elbows with hipsters sipping PBR. Silicon Valley execs trade beers and jokes with the crunchiest Haight Street hippies. Dogs mingle indiscriminately like it's a puppy Cotillion, all to the rhythm of whatever live band and/or sound system is nearest. Too busy watching an impromptu acrobatics display to go to the store for more beer? No worries, someone will be along to offer that, plus water and edibles whose potency can only be described as apocalyptic. A blanket, something cold to sip on and something to throw are all you need to enjoy one of the city's essential rituals.

Jordan Tewell Mar 6, 2013 4.0 stars A Treat any Day of the Week Dolores Park lies in the heart of The Mission, a popular neighborhood that long ago surpassed the mighty Haight Ashbury as the hippest place in all of San Francisco. Thanks to the surrounding scene, Dolores is now the city’s prime hangout spot for teenagers and twenty-somethings looking to relax outside, often with the help of booze and a frisby. Sunny days always brings sprawling crowds. And because of The Mission’s favorable microclimate, sunshine--and masses of people--appear often. Critics of The Mission frequently complain about the perceived snobbishness of the neighborhood’s enormous hipster population. But none of that elitism bleeds into Dolores Park, which is characterized by an unassuming, carefree spirit. Most visitors pass the time by lounging along the park’s hilly expanse--snacking, drinking and smoking without much risk of being bothered by police officers or other professional killjoys. At the bottom of Dolores, basketball and tennis courts provide a more active recreational alternative. Your park experience can be enhanced by several of the neighboring shops: The famous Bi-Rite Creamery serves some of the best reviewed ice cream in the country. Its sister business, the Bi-Rite Market, features a gourmet selection of food and beverages, including rare beer by the hallowed Russian River brewery. Overall, Dolores Park is a wonderful little sanctuary that’s perfect for chilling out and carousing with other mellow San Franciscans.

Aleksandra Bulatskaya Feb 20, 2013 4.0 stars No Other Place in San Francisco on a Sunny Day One visit to Mission Dolores Park proves exactly why San Francisco was the birthplace of the, Summer of Love. Located on top of a hill, the park boasts panoramic views of the city, lots of grass space to enjoy the sunshine and hip eateries right across the street. Grab a blanket and get here early to secure a spot with the best view of Downtown’s skyscrapers and San Francisco Bay below. Taking a cab is highly recommended, as parking is nearly impossible in this neighborhood. Favorite pastimes of the locals include tanning on the grass after a bottomless Mimosa Sunday brunch at Mission Dolores Café or grabbing a scoop of artisenal ice cream from Bi-Rite Creamery. The Summer of Love vibes are certainly present here, as a man known locally only as Brownie Man is regularly spotted at the park selling a special brand of home made brownies. The Castro is just a few blocks away, so be prepared to see many ridiculously in-shape sun bathers, some in Speedos some in nothing at all. While Dolores Park is located the Mission District, otherwise known as the unofficial hipster central of San Francisco, people from all over the city come to enjoy this park. It’s the perfect place to spend a sunny day in the city, the fact that the weather here is always about 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the city is just an added bonus.

Alexandra Zabelina Feb 20, 2013 4.0 stars Dolores Park: The Urban Family Reunion No matter what type of crowd you belong to, your age, where you live, what you do or how many cute dogs you have, if you live in San Francisco and you are discussing with your friends where should you go on such a sunny weekend afternoon, at least one of them will suggest going to Dolores Park. The better the weather, the more people come there to relax, have a picnic, throw frisbees, and look at what other people around them are doing. It is like a big family reunion: everyone is in small groups discussing their own thing and you might know the other people from other groups, or see the ones you know, but have not seen for the longest time or not know anyone except for the people who you came with, there are random dogs running up to you to wag their tail and see if you have something they might like, music coming from somewhere, but unlike huge family reunions, Dolores Park is always fun and you don't have to wait for a year to come back, you just wait until the weather is right.

Nicholas Korkos Feb 13, 2013 4.0 stars Dolores Park: Anytime, Any Day This is the place you can go to feel something. Whether the sun is beating down so hard your hallucinations have created a huge swimming pool at the center of the park and the thought of your water bottle suddenly having weight again is too much to bare or the cold, constant drizzle and it's heavy gray counterpart are just enough to make you want to run away, you don't. You wouldn't dare. At least not until you're frozen. The days of sun are thoroughly gawked at for hours on end by the masses of thankful and peaceful people of all kinds, another plus of being at such a mecca for locals. However, it is sometimes the days of low fog or light rain that can have the longest lasting impression. San Francisco is almost magnified by the gloom, as if seen it's its most nature state, and Dolores Park's natural beauty and spectacular view mirror this. Just expect a shorter visit... Whether you are down on the bottom with a mix of people, near the playground with the kiddies, or laying out on what we call the "gay beach," make sure you check out the view from the top of the park on 20th. That's the place to go for those quick visits. Sure, the events within the park and the businesses surrounding it are fantastic but Dolores park is somewhere to take a friend who is here for the first time. Sit them down and let them feel the cool wind on their arms as they close their eyes and feel the energy of the city. If it's wet perhaps a walk through is a better way to feel it. It's everyday that makes San Francisco special and Dolores park is one way in.

Daphne Watson Feb 12, 2013 4.0 stars San Francisco Loves this Park Not only is Dolores Park great for relaxing and people watching, they host a variety of fun, funky events throughout the year. During the summer months, Dolores hosts "Film night in the Park." The locals coined this park as "Dolores Beach," and you will see many locals conversing and tanning on beach towels on a warm sunny day. This park can be a great party spot on the weekends. You can find picnics, live music, frisbee, dance parties, and so many pups and pup owners! Dolores is within walking distance to some great restaurants and bars. Within a block from the park, you'll find Bi-Rite Creamery. They are always crowded, and are known for their great ice cream and deserts. Pizzeria Delfina has great pizza, I especially like their Capricciosa pizza. It's fabulous!

Shaun Parker Feb 12, 2013 4.0 stars Quintessential San Francisco To truly understand San Francisco, you need only to visit Dolores. Go to Bi-Rite Creamery (located on the corner of 18th and Dolores), get a cone, sit in the grass, and just take a look around. Alcohol and marijuana are openly enjoyed while kids run down the street. You may tilt your head, but eventually you understand the one rule: there's no judgements. People play tennis next to stark-naked men, friends toss a frisbee over musicians playing guitar. Some come alone to read, some come alone to practice tossing pizza dough (no joke). Dogs run freely up to you without an owner in site. If you let yourself open up, you're guaranteed to walk away with at least a few more friends. Dolores sums up San Francisco perfectly: weird, fun, and very friendly.

Jan 24, 2013 4.0 stars A must see in San Francisco The park is really close to all of the awesome thrift stores in the mission area. The view is incredible; you can see so much of SF from the hill. Also don't forget to get fresh squeezed juice while you're there as well!

Farah Haidari Jan 24, 2013 4.0 stars Don't plan anything but to go there You cannot visit San Francisco and not go to Dolores Park. You cannot live in San Francisco and not go to Dolores Park. It's got all the weed availability of Golden Gate Park, minus the sketchiness, plus more dogs. The number of annoying drum circles is about the same (but hey, it's the Bay). And most importantly, it is the ONLY place you can find the Truffle Guy. If you don't know him, ask around--you won't be disappointed. This park is the only location that I can persuade people to travel to by just sending them a simple two-letter message: "dp." If I text "dp," to any of my friends, they know the protocol: pick up wine (burrito optional) and head to the hill for day drinking. No questions asked.

sgunther Jan 11, 2013 4.0 stars Best Park Ever This is the best park ever. This is totally a place to take your friends when they come to visit the city. No matter what the weather is like, there are always people at Dolores Park. Right in the center of the Mission district, there are tons of taco shops and little cafes near by. I love biking or running with my dog here and then hanging out with friends drinking wine or beer. Everyone who comes to this park is so free spirited and welcoming that you feel like your at a huge family and friend reunion! This is so a place to go if you haven’t been there YET!

Jackie DeJesse Dec 4, 2012 3.0 stars Great Park Dolores park is THE park that you go to if you're a local. On sunny days, this place is packed with young people out tanning, and hanging out with friends. There's also a few basketball courts that are usually pretty popular with people from the area. My favorite part about this park though, is everything that surrounds it. Some of SF's best food stops are extremely close by, and some, like Bi-Rite, are literally across the street. The line at Bi-Rite creamery gets insanely long, for good reason, and I'd recommend going to the side window and grabbing one of their premade ice cream sandwiches instead of waiting in the 20+ person line for individual scoops.

Jody Pollara Dec 1, 2012 3.0 stars Real San Fran Dolores Park is a small park but it is great to visit if you want to see the real San Francisco. There are lots of locals packed in the small area playing hackey sack and frisbee. You can catch some amateur musicians playing guitar or tambourine in the park. I was there on a beautiful fall day so the park was completely packed. There is a really nice view of the city from the park but the highlight is the people watching. For such a small, chill park, there was a lot going on. I feel like this park really represents what San Francisco culture is all about.

Kaile Krauss Nov 29, 2012 3.0 stars Great on a nice day! Dolores Park is great to visit on a nice day! It has amazing views and is in a great area of the city. There's always young locals here when its nice out, but that means it can get pretty crowded in the summer. Its a pretty social park, so its great to come here and hang out with a group of friends for the day. Always fun to picnic here, definitely check it out!

nsholley Sep 17, 2012 4.0 stars Great little park! During the summer they do movies in the park here. The playground for the kids is pretty impressive. Enough so that I've seen some adults jump in on it. And yes, this place is full of hipsters. Nothing wrong with that. They're human as well. If you cut them (please don't) do they not bleed? Okay, maybe not like you or I. They bleed ironically, of course. Still, it's a nice park where everyone can get a long, you get the best damn view of the city while not being too far away from those crazy traffic filled buildings. and it's sort of a physical activity to be out and about. Mind you that the picnic food you're eating balances out the working out in going up the park's hills. One hell of a neat park.

Gabriel Larkman Aug 7, 2012 4.0 stars San Francisco Staple Whenever friends come to visit me in San Francisco I take them to Dolores Park. Even on just a sunny day, which is a rare occurrence in the city, I go to Dolores Park. While I'm not a fan of the new playground (it's no longer drunk teenager friendly) nothing beats sitting out on the grass, drinking a 40 oz, and watching all the strange hipsters frolic around, have drum circles, practice capoeira, and much more. Even better is that right at the edge of the park is Bi-Rite creamery, where you can enjoy a deliciou scoop of brown sugar ice cream with a caramel-ginger band. Don't get the lavender flavor though, it's disgusting.

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Mission Dolores Park Outdoor Activity / Park

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Party Earth Mission Dolores Park Review

The Scene

Tip from Emma:

Crowd

Entertainment / Music

Food / Miscellaneous

Prices

What to Wear / Dress Code

Hot Nights / When to Go

Close By

Mission Dolores Park User Reviews

Similar Venues

Upcoming Events in San Francisco

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