Golden Gate Park is a serene oasis in San Francisco, filled with museums, lakes, bison, a Ferris wheel and more than a thousand acres of meadows, redwood groves and curated gardens — all told 20% larger than New York’s Central Park.
But it didn’t get this way without some drama. The story of Golden Gate Park is also the story of arrogant tycoons humbled by natural disasters, gunfire and graft, a city that honors its fallen and one giant stuffed 150-year-old grizzly bear (that happens to be on the California flag).
You’ll find all of the above on Secrets of Golden Gate Park, one of The Chronicle’s new GPS based audio tours reported and hosted by Chronicle journalists and published on the VoiceMap app. It’s an entertaining hike through Golden Gate Park for natives, newcomers and tourists alike.
Join Culture Critic Peter Hartlaub and Columnist Heather Knight, the team behind Total SF, as they share their love for exploring San Francisco, while scouring the San Francisco Chronicle archive for the best stories that no one is talking about.