The Haight/Golden Gate Park
The Haight became known world-side in 1967, with The Summer of Love and perhaps was the peak of the hippie movement. The Haight Ashbury Street signs is still one of the most photographed signs in the world, as it was the hippest street corner back then. Back in '67, young people from around the world wearing long hair and bell-bottoms came to celebrate life, love, peace and happiness along with drugs, sex and rock 'n roll. Unfortunately, the drugs brought the scene down, and many clinics sprung up to handle the problem. The downside of the scene also included many panhandlers and unkempt, belligerent people. At any rate, things have mellowed out again, and some of the fun vibes are still definitely in evidence, with the many hip and funky stores, cafes, and restaurants that line Haight Street. It's a scene that still appeals to a largely young hipster kind of a crowd.

Golden Gate Park is one of the largest parks within a city in the world. It stretches from the end of Haight Street at Stanyan Boulevard all the way to the Pacific Ocean. A nice place to start is The Japanese Tea Garden which is next to the De Young Museum, which is closed for earthquake renovations. The Japanese Tea Garden is a wonderful place to have a pot of tea while gazing at the beautiful gardens with temples, ornamental bridges and ponds, which you can explore afterwards. The Academy of Science is nearby and houses a sizable aquarium, many rooms of stuffed animals placed in naturalistic settings, anthropological exhibits and much more. Stowe Lake is a wonderful place to go for a picnic or to rent a rowboat. There's also a Polo Field, a buffalo herd, and two authentic windmills. One of the most scenic attractions is the Conservatory of Flowers, which is a beautiful, white Victorian greenhouse, still being renovated after a severe wind storm several years ago. The Strybing Arboretum offers lots of walks through gardens that feature groupings of plants from various parts of the world, such as the Central American Cloud Forest or the Austrailian Outback.

If you've made it out as far as the ocean, there are two great restaurants to choose from on the Great Highway to enjoy great food with a fantastic view: The Cliff House, one of my favorites, overlooking Seal Rock with its frolicking sea lions and also the Beach Chalet Brewery and Restaurant which has historic murals on the first floor and a casual, inviting restaurant upstairs with full bar and a menu with lots to choose from.
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