Here’s How To Virtually Celebrate San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park’s 150th Birthday Today

The sand dunes of western San Francisco were the most unlikely terrain to build a park. But engineer William Hammond Hall and gardener John McLaren had a vision. And on April 4, 1870 — exactly 150 years ago today — California state legislature created Golden Gate Park.

Located on 1,017 acres of land — that’s 20 percent more area than New York City’s Central Park which covers 840 acres — the Park now has 680 acres of forest, 130 acres of meadows, 33 acres of lakes and 15 miles of road winding through its rectangular perimeter.

Plans to celebrate the 150th birthday this weekend with a Community Day Parkwide Birthday Celebration were rescheduled due to concerns with the coronavirus pandemic, calling for a statewide stay-at-home order since March 19.

“While our plans to celebrate the park’s birthday have changed due to the unprecedented challenges we are facing, we have found a special way to bring all the history, nature, art and performances of Golden Gate Park directly to you,” San Francisco mayor London Breed said in a greeting. “We hope this virtual experience provides a way to share our park and serves as a reminder of what makes Golden Gate Park one of the most iconic and treasured landmarks in the world.”

So the park normally visited by 24 million a year has launched Virtual Golden Gate Park: a portal with activities, articles, books, photos, playlists, podcasts and videos — constantly updated to ensure the experience is as diverse as the park itself.

As part of the digital visit is the Virtual Concert Series, featuring performances from the park’s Outside Lands and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass music festivals. While the series launched with Boz Scaggs playing at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in 2016, Lars Ulrich of Metallica also offered a 150th birthday message, ahead of its Outside Lands set being featured next week on April 13.

“Metallica is proud to call San Francisco — the Bay Area, NorCal — its home and we shout from every rooftop all over the world about how awesome the Bay Area is,” Ulrich said in the video message. “Obviously over the last 40 years, we’ve had some incredible experiences in the Golden Gate Park, including playing two incredible concerts hosted by our friends at Another Planet, the Outside Lands in 2013 and 2017... everybody in Metallica hopes that you and your family are safe and sound. Much love. And once again, happy 150th Golden Gate Park.”

Even though I grew up in the Bay Area as well, it wasn’t until my visit this past February — prior to the widespread COVID-19 concerns — that I hopped on the Muni right outside the historic Palace Hotel, built in 1875, and went for a run through Golden Gate Park and uncovered treasures I never seen before.

Here’s what I stumbled upon — and how you can experience them virtually.

(Bonus: Listen to the San Francisco Parks and Recreation’s Shelter in Place Spotify playlist for the perfect soundtrack to your virtual travels.)

Learn About the American Bison at Buffalo Paddock

Back in 1890, a bison cow named Sarah Bernhardt and a bull named Ben Harrison were moved from the Great Plains to Golden Gate Park. In 1905, another three came over from Yellowstone National Park and at its peak, there were about 30 bison in 1918.

The recent group of five bison were all descendants of the bison given in 1984 to then-mayor Dianne Feinstein by her husband. And just ahead of the 150th anniversary a few weeks ago, five young bison — humpbacked shaggy-haired wild ox from a northern California ranch — were added to the herd, making a total of 10 bison. Learn more about their backstory on the virtual tour’s video.

Spy on the California Academy of Sciences’ Penguins

The park is also home to attractions, including the iconic Conservatory of Flowers, the de Young Museum dedicated to fine arts, the San Francisco Botanical Garden and the California Academy of Sciences — which features an aquarium, planetarium and rainforest under its Living Roof.

But the most immersive way to experience the creature comforts is to tune in to the live penguin cam to peer in on the daily routines of the South African and Namibian penguins below. And if you crave even more waddling adventures, download the Pocket Penguins app.

Explore the World of Fly Fishing

Down a nondescript driveway across from the Buffalo Paddock is the Angler’s Lodge, the home base of the Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club, which has 1,300 members. The massive pool in the back allows beginners and experts alike to work on their fly fishing skills — and, once it’s safe to reopen, the club offers free casting lessons on the second Saturday of each month (check the schedule for the latest info).

But in the meantime, browse the photos in the Stories section of the Golden Gate Park’s 150th Anniversary site, as well as the club’s own gallery.

Discover the Heritage Behind the Dutch Windmills

Tucked on each corner of the west end of the park is a windmill: the Dutch Windmill to the north and the Murphy Windmill to the south. While most of the time, they stand with silent boldness, every April, they spring to life as the epicenter of the annual King’s Day festivities.

Read about the the celebration in the digital version of the Golden Gate Park 150 Years Brochure — and find out why 3,000 Dutch descendants usually visit the area dressed in orange (Note: Stay tuned to the events page for an update on this year’s event). Fun fact: The two windmills are known back in Holland, appropriately enough, as the San Francisco Giants.