Holly Park is one of the oldest parks in the city, built in the late 1800s as the neighborhood around Bernal Heights developed. After a recent renovation, the park now has lots of space for sports, kids, and dogs alike.

Wedged between Mt. Davidson and Forest Hill, Edgehill Mountain Open Space is a protected mountain side that offers some killer views. Originally part of Adolph Sutro's San Miguel Ranch, the Edgehill Mountain land was sold following his death in 1898. After the land became one of the city's first subdivisions, known as Claremont Court, houses were built on the mountain's western and southern slopes. Soon after, winter rains caused mudslides several times in the past (in the '50s a house was taken out, and in 1997 mud crashed into some unfinished homes). In 1985, Edgehill Mountain Park was established when the city purchased one acre of the mountain's undeveloped western slope and designated the area an Open Space Park.

Nestled along Mission Bay, Agua Vista Park is a landscaped oasis along the waterfront. It offers some killer views of the ship repairs happening nearby, and a sunny spot to have a seat. Even though the construction in Mission Bay is new, the park has been around since the 1970s. Owned and managed by the Port, it's one of the few green spaces in the area.

Designed in 1957 over an existing historic park, St. Mary’s Square is a downtown rooftop park atop a parking garage near Chinatown. Perched up high on a steep hill, the park isn’t visible from most of the sidewalk that surrounds it, making it our new favorite hidden spot.

John McLaren Park, the second largest park in the city after Golden Gate Park, is a nature-lover's paradise with miles of trails and recreation sites. In 1905, a subdivision was proposed for the area, but historic starchitect Daniel Burnham proposed setting the hilly areas aside for a public park, and it opened in 1934.

Created in 1909 the park has seen many changes in its 100+ years. Temporary housing for veterans was built in 1948, a soccer field that had been planned since 1907 was finally completed in 1951, and irrigation systems were installed in 1952. The park also survived an attempted acquisition in 1994 by City College of San Francisco. In 2008, the park started to see a number of upgrades including rebuilding and later expanding the Balboa Playground.

Located high atop Nob Hill is the beautifully manicured and maintained Huntington Park. A mansion owned by tycoon and railroad baron Collis P. Huntington originally occupied the location, but was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake. Mr. Huntington's widow later donated the land to the city, where a park was established in her husband's honor in 1915.

Fully protected by large trees (many of which are Redwoods) on all sides, the park provides a peaceful refuge from the nearby freeway and industrial hustle and bustle.

The park is built on the remnant of a massive dune that was replenished with sand blown across what is now the Sunset. After the development of the district, sand was no longer able to drift across the flats, and the park now ever so slowly erodes away.

The park offers views of both the Bay and and the adjacent valleys. The well-maintained park also features some rare offerings that will appeal to people of many ages and interests.

Known officially as The San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park since 1981, this park is often referred to as simply Aquatic Park, which is technically a district within the park itself.