[San Francisco, CA] Academy of Sciences' Living Roof

Without their Living Roof, the Academy of Sciences will go into chaos. The Living Roof may look like an oversized garden, but it does so much more than to look pretty. 

It is known as the Heart of the Academy.

What does it do for the museum as a whole, you ask?

[San Francisco, CA] The Art Bistro (6900 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121)

Bagel Sandwiches and Authentic Thai Tea; these are what The Art Bistro is know for. 

Dear Travel Diary #4 (Part1): Great Heights of SF

Dear Travel Diary,

San Francisco is a city built on top of hills. A lot of hills! Today I was able to experience the extent of these hills from 3 famous San Francisco hill locations: Twin Peaks, Turtle Hill, and Golden Gate Park.

My cousin, Jane, who is a local, was wonderful enough to be my chauffeur, as well as, my tour guide today.

We started the day with a visit to the Twin Peaks. I have driven through there before, and I even checked out the view at night, but I had never been there during the daytime. Nighttime is great with all the lights, but it was nice for a change to be able to see the buildings individually than just an abundance of fluorescent lights. The view is incredible up here and even more incredible on top of one of the peaks (where you are allowed to climb up).

My favorite part of the day was the climb to Turtle Hill. It is an experience that I think everyone must take. You start your journey at the foot of the Hidden Garden Steps. These steps consist of hundreds of ceramic tiles that come together to create a picture in each section. This flight contains 11 sections, so you get 11 beautiful garden themed pieces, each with a story that you can read about on their website.

The next stairway you need to take is even more incredible than the Hidden Garden Steps. This stairway have two different names. It's nicknamed by the locals as "The Moraga Steps", but its real name is the 16th Avenue Tiles Steps. I personally like the nickname better. This stairway is a beautiful, mirrored ceramic mosaic masterpiece. It is magnificent during the day, but come when the moon is full, and the mirrored pieces just glistens wonderfully in the moonlight.

The last stairway to the top is less glamorous but it takes you to a view of the City worth seeing. The view at Turtle Hill is one of the best in San Francisco (in my opinion). Also, Turtle Hill is a nickname given to it by the locals because at a distance the hill looks like a giant turtle, but it is formally know as "The Grandview Park". I think Turtle Hill suits it better, don't you?

Finally, the last great view I was able to see today is in the wonderful Golden Gate Park, particular a great up close view of The Academy of Sciences, in Hamon Observatory Tower located in de Young Museum. This viewing platform is free to enter for all visitors, and it gives you a wonderful 360 degree view of its surroundings.

Another great spot within the park that also offers the visitor a wonderful view is on top of Strawberry Hill. I did visit part of Strawberry Hill that day, but unfortunately did not climb to the top. I will definitely do so for the next visit!


Happy Wandering, Alice.

To watch my day, here is a link to: "Travel Vlog: (Part 1) Great Heights of San Francisco.

[San Francisco, CA] Golden Gate Park

The famous Golden Gate Park! If you choose to pay a visit, make sure you have your entire day free. There is a lot to see and do. Heck, you need a good two to three days to truly see and experience everything the park has to offer, and that is only if you keep on your course, but then again, it's easy to get distracted here.

Fountain in the Music Concourse Area.

I'm not going to bore you with the history and the beginnings of the park. If you are interested in learning more about the bones of such an incredible park, here is a link that holds most if not everything you need to know about the place. Of course, there is always wikipedia!

I have visited the Golden Gate Park numerous times, more than I can count. Even so, I still have not explored every inch of the park. There is that much to see, but from the attractions that this place has to offer, here are a few of my favorites. I am sure the more I visit this park, the more I will add to this list.

Picture taken in Hamon Tower

Academy of Sciences:
If you have not heard of Academy of Sciences yet, once you have visited, you will not forget your experience. They have built entire ecosystems in this building, including one on their roof, also known as, The Living Roof. This is a great museum for kids and adults alike.

M.H. de Young Memorial Museum:
This fine arts museum showcases American Art starting from the 17th Century to today. If historic artifacts and art pieces is not for you, at least enjoy the incredible view in the Hamon Tower.

Stow Lake & Strawberry Hill:

You cannot miss Stow Lake or that ginormous island, also known as, Strawberry Hill, smacked in the middle of it. This is the perfect area for hiking, birdwatching, and photography. There are many beautiful features to see, such as the Chinese Pavilion, a man-made waterfall, and a breathtaking view of the City of San Francisco at the top of Strawberry Hill.

Shakespeare Garden:

Feeling romantic? Stop by at Shakespeare Garden and be romanced. This garden is a popular spot for weddings, and one step through the gate, you immediately know why. This little, peaceful garden is the perfect representation of the romance in many of Shakespeare's work.

There is much, much more than this. I will add more to this post as I visit more in the near future. In the mean time, I hope you get the chance to explore some, if not all, of this little green gem in the grand City of San Francisco.

Happy Wandering, Alice.

[San Francisco, CA] Strawberry Hill (Located in Golden Gate Park)

Once upon a time, this beautiful hill exuded a delightful fragrance of sweet strawberries. The hill was covered by wild strawberries, hence where the name "Strawberry Hill" has come from. Today, you are lucky to come across a patch of these wild strawberries, but they had long been replaced (not by choice) by invasive plants such as, the Cape Ivy and Ice Plant from South Africa.

Today, Strawberry Hill is a popular tourist attraction in the City of San Francisco. Situated in the Middle of Golden Gate Park's Stow Lake, Strawberry Hill reaches up to 430 ft high. It offers one of San Francisco's best views.

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The beautiful view is not the only feature this hill has to offer. My favorite is a beautiful man-made waterfall. It is a popular spot for taking selfies, but watch your step; the pathway is made of flat-rocks, all separated by a few inches to allow water flow from the waterfall straight into Stow Lake.

Other features consist of a Golden Gate Pavillion, a gift from San Francisco's sister city, Taipei, and the hill is an excellent spot for bird watching fanatics.

Happy Wandering, Alice.

[San Francisco, CA] Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden (Located in Golden Gate Park)

At the west-north end of Golden Gate Park, you will find a cute little garden with a gigantic Dutch Windmill. This garden is named "Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden". Come during the early months of the year to see the spectacular scene of hundreds of tulips in bloom. If you come during off season, you may miss the beautiful tulips but the staff of Golden Gate Park made sure there are seasonal flowers and other plants to enjoy. So do not to worry, the garden is colorful year round. However, the garden is the most beautiful with the tulips, of course.

RELATED POST: [San Francisco, CA] William Shakespeare Garden (Located in Golden Gate Park)

So who is Queen Wilhelmina? She is the former Queen of the Netherlands, and she is the reason why Golden Gate Park has the Dutch Windmill. You can't miss it in this small but sweet garden. She donated the structure to the City in 1902. The Dutch Windmill used to be a huge part of the park's irrigation system, where it pumped water to plants that reached as far as strawberry hill. Today it is a great piece of history of the Golden Gate Park.

Happy Wandering, Alice.