Exploring the Gems of Golden Gate Park
the Conservatory of Flowers
This Conservatory in San Fransisco’s Golden Gate Park is a large botanical garden and greenhouse. Throughout the garden, you can view the collection of a thousand exotic, rare plants. A total of four rooms make up the Conservatory; the Potted Plants Gallery, Lowlands Gallery, Highlands Gallery, and the Aquatics Gallery, each housing a variety of plants with various temperature needs. These separate rooms allow for the majority of the plants to be native to several places around the globe.
Walking through the gardens and the difference rooms transcends me back to the tropical rainforests of Belize and Guatemala. Some of the rooms are more humid than others which makes each individual room, have the perfect environment for these plants to really thrive.
Ticket Prices:
Adults (Tues-Thurs) $10 (Fri-Sun) $12Youth (ages 12-17) $7College Students (with ID) $7Seniors (ages 65+) $7Children (ages 5-11) $3 (4 & under) FREE** San Francisco residents are eligible for additionally discounted admissions
California Academy of Science
The California Academy of Science is a scientific and educational institute. Founded under the premise of providing a space for biodiversity research and sustainability exploration, the Academy has served its community for the past 160 years. This place has been something I have wanted to go to for a few years, and now that I am back in California, I thought it was a perfect time!
It’s newest addition is the 2.5 acres of living roof that allows for natural ventilation systems and temperature regulation of the entire building. There is a total of seven (7) hills that on the roof, that are meant to pay tribute to San Francisco’s reputation of being the “City of Seven Hills.” The two largest hills (one seen above), with these large sky lights, sit above the rainforest and planetarium exhibits.
California Academy of Sciences
With California’s population continuing to rise, the amount of open land is steadily decreasing. Living roofs provide several benefits to the area as well as to the buildings they are on. The most notable benefits are, that they assist in the preservation of habitats and the reduction of hotspots in metropolitan cities; like SF and NYC. These roofs also naturally sequester carbon leading us to cleaner air, which we all know is a key point in many conversations, while also assisting in a lower fossil fuels dependency by insulating buildings year-round.
Interestingly, San Francisco has the most complex living roof in the world. With ten (10) native birds using this habitat and 90% of the surface covered by 9 of the 35 native plant species, these 2.5 acres give visitors a first-hand look as to the sustainability the Academy focuses its efforts on.
It is important to note that the plants are both perennial and annual, which makes visiting during the late spring and early summer the ideal time to see the roof at its best.
My inner child came out as soon as I walked through the doors. My mind was back in my science classrooms, where we learned about various ecosystems, prehistoric fossils, and the deep sea. At The California Academy of Science is an aquarium, planetarium, rainforest, and natural history museum all wrapped into one, right in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, allowing the public to witness the harmonious existence of land, sea, and space.
During your visit you are also able to also explore the 3D theater, several restaurants, the gift shop, lecture halls and aviary. Children will really enjoy visiting the discovery center on the 2nd floor, got the left of the elevators, as it will provide an opportunity for them to get their hands all over animal skeletons and use microscopes to magnify fossils.
Catch up on what you may have missed.
“This is the place for all science-lovers.”
Through the years, I have visited many aquariums, zoos, museums, and exhibits that all focus on shading light to the lives we tend to forget. The Academy is, by far, was the most diverse and well-thought-out institution that allows its visitors to easily follow through the exhibits of land, sea, and space without feeling overwhelmed with information.
Regardless of if it is a family trip with young children or a date night for you and your spouse, this is the place to be!
Now you guys know that I am always looking for a deal, always looking for a way to do new, fun things while still staying on a budget so I wanted to share some tips with you guys.
Tickets Prices:
DayTime Admission $30 - $40 per ticket
NightLife (21+ with ID) 6-10 pm every Thursday evening. Last entry is 9 pm. $15 - $20 per ticket
The NightLife admissions on Thursday nights is a steal of a deal, if you are local to the area. My other recommendation when purchasing tickets, the further out you book them, the less expensive they are. Also check Groupon for deals, generally you can save an additional few dollars off each individual ticket, that I was I did.
Be mindful that since the roof itself is 2.5 acres, touring inside of the Academy is just a large and multipled by 3 floors. Wear comfortable shoes that you don’t mind standing and walking in for a few hours, generally it take 3-4 for a person to complete the tour visiting all the exhibits at a reasonable pace.
Both of the locations did require showing either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within the last 48 hours. In fact most of San Fransisco has this standing requirement prior to entering public establishments.