San Francisco's Hidden Rooftop Park Offers Free Gondola Rides and 13 Ecosystems
Salesforce Park in San Francisco is an unexpected oasis amidst urban transit. The rooftop park features four city blocks of attractions, including dense bamboo forests and whimsical dancing fountains. Visitors can ride a free glass gondola to reach the park, which takes about a minute and offers fleeting views.
The park boasts 13 distinct ecosystems, with gardens teeming with flora and fauna representing different corners of the world. Within minutes, visitors can walk from a prehistoric plant garden to a South African garden, an Australian garden, or even a fog garden with coastal plants like pineapple and guava.
Other attractions include a dancing fountain designed by artist Ned Kahn, 1,200 feet long with 247 water jets triggered by buses moving in the terminal. The park also features paved walking paths tracing its perimeter, stages, green spaces, and an amphitheater that can hold up to 1,000 people for live music, yoga classes, or movies under the stars.