San Francisco is known for its many parks, famously Golden Gate and Mission Dolores, which draw huge crowds on a sunny day. The oldest park in San Francisco isn’t either of the highly frequented, famous parks; it’s actually Buena Vista Park, tucked away in the Haight.
The park encompasses a steep hill filled with trees and a winding walking path up to the top. From there, you can see spectacular views of San Francisco, making the steep climb worth the work. The secluded park is perfect if you want to feel like you’ve left the city; a few steps into the climb, you’re surrounded by trees. Buena Vista Park also boasts a grove of coastal oaks, a rarity in SF these days. Reaching the hilltop isn’t a small feat; the park covers one of the largest hills in the city, at over 500 feet tall.
Buena Vista was first established in 1867, aptly named Hill Park when SF’s Committee on Outside Lands reserved the plot of land to be the city’s first park. John McLaren was responsible for planting numerous trees in the park, including eucalyptus, cypress, pine, and more. While the views are enough to make the park worth a visit, it also has some interesting history.
In the early 1900s, San Francisco was rapidly expanding. In response to the growing city with limited space, the city removed all cemeteries except for SF National Cemetery and Mission Dolores beginning in 1914. San Francisco relocated the buried bodies to Colma, but some remnants of the cemeteries remained. Unclaimed headstones were used for public works projects, including lining Buena Vista Park’s gutters along the winding trails. You’ll still be able to see the pieces of old headstones lining the paths today as you make your way to the park’s peak.
Today, the park is a peaceful oasis in the city. Just a few blocks away, you can explore Haight Ashbury, which is known for its role in prominent counterculture movements. The area has numerous vintage and thrift shops, along with restaurants and coffee shops.