Golden Gate Park/Sunset: San Francisco

Cut from a sandy expanse once known as "Outside Lands," Golden Gate Park offers over 1,000 acres of outdoor fun within the city. Whether strolling around the Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens or the exotic Japanese Tea Garden, or renting a bicycle and riding past rhododendron dells, scenic Stow Lake, a Dutch Windmill, and a bison paddock (for real!), out to Ocean Beach, the park holds endless wonders and picnicking spots for locals and visitors alike. Golden Gate Park isn't just about enjoying the outdoors, either. It's home to the de Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences, two of the city's top cultural destinations.

On the south side of the park is the Sunset, a residential district containing UCSF, vibrant Asian communities, and a surfer scene out by the beach. The neighborhood boasts great restaurants such as Ebisu, Pacific Catch, and Outerlands, and fun shops and bars in the Irving Street and 9th Avenue area. © NileGuide