Lesser-Known Areas. John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park from Kezar Drive to Transverse Drive & John F. Shelley Drive in John McLaren Park are now closed to vehicles 24 hours per day throughout the duration of San Francisco’s Stay Home Order, which has been extended to May 31st. Go as far as you like and then turn and walk back. Go straight uphill at the stop sign onto Crissy Field Ave. At the next stop sign, merge onto Lincoln Blvd. Their vehicles were not the “authorized” kind. Golden Gate Park. Nice For A Picnic. Particularly Private. There's so much to do in Golden Gate Park that even the locals don't know about all of it, but you'll just be driving through. From where Transverse Drive and Middle Drive West “This,” said cyclist Trevor Gould of San Francisco, coasting down Martin Luther King Drive toward the largest ocean in the world, “is wonderful. Today it's home to antique shops and other home decor-related businesses. Some of the longer stretches are on parts of Kirkham, Ortega, Shotwell, Sanchez and 20th streets. Be sure you stay off its tracks and far enough left to let it pass you safely. If that happens, make a u-turn on Dolores to get back to Market St. Mission Dolores is a Spanish mission founded in 1776. Golden Gate Park is our most important public space for getting necessary physical exercise to stay healthy during the City’s shelter-in-place order due to COVID-19. and other Bay Area cities, but ‘freefall’ may be slowing, Is it safe to go home over the holidays? that gets little foot traffic, because of street noise and since this "The Castro" as it's usually called is rich in history. Were it not for the road noise, this would be one of the You can see the whole route on the map at the end of this guide. The historic waterfront trolley shares this street with your vehicle. You won't have time to go in and see all the exhibits during your 49-Mile Drive, but you might want to return for that later. Those closures connected with the existing closure of a 1.4-mile stretch of John F. Kennedy Drive in the eastern end of the park, completing the car-free route. Coronavirus live updates: BBC reports that Prince William had coronavirus in... Bay Briefing: Your hour-by-hour guide to election night. But a convenient set of bushes along the It's a freshwater lake that's great for recreation, but not very scenic - and skipping it cuts out 5 to 6 miles of driving. That's the part marked in blue on the map. Transverse Drive has pretty grassy areas along both sides. It's about 1.5 miles to the other side but halfway is enough for most people. Visitors can't go inside the buildings, but you can stop to see the Yoda statue and walk on the grounds. To get there from City Hall, set your GPS to 384 Post St. little path you took to get here. You'll skip the boring parts, so you have more time for the best ones. The "official" 49-Mile Drive route continues on Great Highway past the San Francisco Zoo to loop around Lake Merced, but you will miss little by skipping it. You don't pay a toll going north, but you will have to pay to get back to where you started. Good For A Quickie. JFK Drive will be closed to cars from Transverse Drive all the way to Kezar Drive, spanning half the length of the park. If it's cloudy, rainy or foggy and the hills have their heads in the clouds, skip this part of the drive by continuing on Stanyan, turning left onto 17th St and merging with Market where you can pick up our route again. Now, it's predominantly Chinese according to the census (but not obvious by what you see on the streets). It was once the home to so many Italian immigrants that it was called "Little Italy." Continue on Montgomery St past the Disney Family Museum, The military cemetery on the left is one of only two cemeteries inside San Francisco city limits, Turn right onto McDowell Ave toward Crissy Field and go down the hill, Look for the Presidio Pet Cemetery on the left, just below the freeway overpass. And for people-watching. west side of the road provide an easy escape from the crowds. That ties into the next point: don’t wear headphones. You can also use the Google map to plot your course or follow the written directions on each page of this guide. It's better to do the section from Union Square through the waterfront on foot. Nice For A Picnic. “I think the closure is a great idea if it keeps people healthy,” he said. This is a good photo stop. Across the street on the west side you'll see a grassy area. Wolak used to commute by bike from the Richmond District to his software engineering job downtown. Follow the route outlined here starting at Bay and Van Ness or check our Google map. People are flocking to Golden Gate Park as one of the few places in San Francisco where walking, biking, running, and playing outdoors is possible while maintaining social distancing of at least six feet. Introduction. The bottom line: You need a good map or mobile navigator to enjoy the 49-Mile Drive without frustration. “I think for safety reasons, it’s obviously way safer. If you want to go in the opposite direction, forget the signs. That ties into the next point: don’t wear headphones. “Too bad it took a pandemic to make it happen,” he added. But it gets Left turns are allowed, Paying attention to lane markings to avoid accidentally getting into a turn lane, go straight onto Jefferson St past Pier 39 and through Fisherman's Wharf. But for my own mental health, I choose to wear the headphones,” explained Janjigian. Find out more