Lafayette Park
4.7 (2,754)park
4.7 (2,754)This Pacific Heights hilltop park pairs sweeping views of Alcatraz and the bay with manicured lawns and tennis courts.
Description
Spanning 11.5 acres across four city blocks, the grounds offer walking paths shaded by mature trees, a renovated children's playground, and a fenced dog play area, with sightlines stretching out to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The hill carries a storied civic past. Attorney Samuel Holladay once claimed the summit for a private home that hosted local literary and political society until decades of litigation ended in a 1936 demolition. It also hosted the first astronomical observatory on the West Coast, established in 1879 by George Davidson, and sheltered 1906 earthquake refugees who camped on the slope to watch the city burn.
