Mission Dolores Park

Mission Dolores Park offers incredible views of the city, and a near-vertical feeling! It is always sunnier and warmer than the rest of San Francisco, since the fog can't get over the hill to here! Everything is so steep, and it's magical to spread out a picnic blanket on the lawn and watch the world below. You can see all the colorful rowhouses, the Transamerica Pyramid, tall California palms, and canary palms. People watching is also good, because this is a very popular park to hang out on the weekend. The views of Mission High School and its Spanish mosaic bell tower are pleasing. Also lovely is the dome across the street (653 Dolores Street), a former church that has been converted into luxury townhomes. There is a statue of Miguel Hidalgo, and the Mexico Liberty Bell, given to San Francisco by the president of Mexico, to remember when Miguel Hidalgo rang a bell in 1810 calling the people to resist the Spanish yoke. 

There is a space-age playground with a mound in the middle with a wide metal slide that has amazing views of the city skyline! A rope climbey like you've never seen before is interesting to explore, plus cement igloos with holes in them. Kids like the baby swings, bridge to run across, tunnel through a mound, and triple slides to race down. There are also tennis courts and an off-leash dog play area. 
At night, this park is not safe, and there are drug addicts living along the train tracks. Beware also, there are reviews of cars being broken into here. 
The surrounding neighborhood, toward Mission Street, called Mission District, is very, very dirty and I didn't feel safe there at all. Some articles list it as a good place to eat, but yikes, just no. It was one of the worst nights of our trip when we walked along Mission Street trying to muster the courage to eat something cooked there while dodging trash and grime along the sidewalk. If you catch the Muni down Church Street (a 15 minute, extremely steep walk) to 24th Street in Noe Valley, there are cafes and a cute square with umbrellas called Noe Town Square, and it might be a nicer, cleaner area- I will check it out next time. I wish I had known to head in that direction instead!
The day we went to Mission Dolores Park there was a large festival, and that is why it looks so crowded in the photos.
A five minute drive north is Duboce Park, a small park and playground with pretty views. 
Eight minutes drive north is Alamo Square, another hilltop park, with the famous painted ladies rowhouses.
Twin Peaks Lookout is a twelve minute drive west, but it is only good in the early afternoon when the fog has cleared. Also, the view isn't very distinctive, mostly sprawl.

Directions

Mission Dolores Park is located at Dolores Street and 19th Street, San Francisco.
The Muni J line goes to Mission Dolores Park.

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