Our caregiver took some well needed time off the earlier part of this week so we decided to head to Tahoe for a chance for Zygie to see snow. Snow did not disappoint but little man is not a fan of the cold. While it is beautiful and some of these photos are great, we are likely to be summer Tahoe folk and / or stick to down south and wine country jaunts. The best part of our cute little listing was easy access to the beach where the sun balances the lake breeze and cool air. This region is home to tons of state parks and good hiking. No winter sports here, but the views and crisp mountain air were welcomed. So much fun adventuring with little man.
Adventure: South Lake Tahoe
52 Playgrounds: #37 Dolores Park Playground
The sunset is shrouded in fog while the mission is basking in sun. Dolores is SF’s living room and it was packed. The playground is gorgeous and was recently updated during the pandemic. Zygie loved swinging and pushing his car over ridges and humps. We are never on this side of town so we had to grab breakfast sandwiches from Bi Rite and Zyg’s new favorite food, butter croissant.
Adventure: Japanese Tea Garden
Bridging out of playgrounds for Mom & Zygie Friday late afternoon hangs. All the gardens in Golden Gate Park are now free to residents. It’s been years since I went into the Tea Gardens for that very reason. Today we scarfed hotdogs at the music concourse before running in (albeit) dangerous territory for a toddler that tea garden is. Tiny ramps, water on both sides. Zyg loved it before we ran through groves in the botanical gardens. He is zeeeeee best!
52 Playgrounds: #36 Buena Vista Playground
Spring in SF is the best. Tom was up and out at 5am for a round of golf so naturally Zygie and I also got an early start. We first went to checkout the new Battery and trail opening in the Presidio. The views were incredible and Zyg loved the plastic lawn chairs drenched in dew. He pushed car car all through the grass until we were nice and soaked. We then made our way down to Buena Vista Park which has epic views of the city. He wasn’t as interested in the jungle gym but we had a nice game of move the sand around before swinging our hearts out. We walked all around the park before heading down to Ritual Coffee for a nice parklet snack. Zyg scarfed down a decadent butter croissant before I could even get a taste. Loveeee these days and city living.
52 Playgrounds: #35 Lafayette Park Playground
It’s Master’s Sunday so Zygie and I were running solo today. He was an excellent caddy all morning providing advice and strategy to me while I navigated finding parking, climbing up several steps and steep inclines to get to one of the most beautiful playgrounds and parks. It has a similar feeling to Alamo Square with lush green grass and well appointed paths that allow you to circle the park. The playground itself has interesting hills and the first of its kind ribbed slides. Zygie loved swinging as airplanes galore excited him to lean as far back as he could. Today all the dads gave him plenty compliments for his Master’s gear.
52 Playgrounds: #34 Willy “Woo Woo” Playground
This was our first Chinatown excursion. The most difficult part of this venture is finding parking. We had to park 6 blocks away and walk up a steep hill but it was worth it. Quaint and cool, there are these incredible wooden structures of birds and dragons. Zygie loved pushing his car around and met another little boy with a car. He chased him around before heading up to a pretty steep slide. There is a small plastic structure for the little kids but Zygie had little interest. We watched older kids climb up and over the wood structures so this is one to mark as he gets older.
52 Playgrounds: #33 Washington Square Playground
Today was a twofer and this was our second stop. We started at Willy Woo playground, but wanted to do brunch. Only places with parklets that take reservations were in North Beach so we checked this park off the list while dad got his hair cut. Zygie’s friend Henry met up and we enjoyed a lovely brunch at Don Pistos. The best part about this playground is the rubber floor with all kinds of hills and dips that continue to strengthen little man’s walking and running skills.
52 Playgrounds: #32 Aptos Playground
What a gem. It feels like a neighborhood out of the movies. There are open fields with wild flowers and plenty of dirt for Zygie to get baseball basics with his dad. There were tons of kids and little ones learning to skateboard. The play structures are gorgeous including swings and a cool little sandpit. Every little playground we visit has such a nice neighborhood vibe. You just think of the experiences and memories all these little ones are making. The open field is by far the best part about the playground.
52 Playgrounds: #31 Sunnyside Playground
Beautiful day in the city. Sunnyside is a short 10 min drive through narrow neighborhood roads dotted by colorful storybook houses. Sunnyside is built into the backyards of several houses and has gorgeous views. We walked around to see a mid century club house with basketball courts. Zygie is still obsessed with cars and pushing them everywhere. We ended the time with a beautiful swing and snack time by the sandpit. Zeeeee best!
52 Playgrounds: #30 Lincoln Park Playground
Today is a typical San Francisco day with fog floating in and out of blue skies and short bursts of sunlight. We met up with our friends Jason and Saba and their little ones for a play session in their neck of the woods. The park is located right next to the golf course Tom frequents and is surrounded by green space. We love the bouncy ground and Zygie spent a lot of time going up and down the slide. We took a few spills but overall this playground is a gem. The big kids and little kids are separated but connected through stairs. No theme here but lots of flat surface for car car to go.
52 Playgrounds: #29 Helen Diller Civic Center
We had to take a break from playgrounds for a bit due to Covid. But we are negative and back to adventuring around the city. I kept hearing that this playground was epic so we had to check it out. It was bright and sunny with great views of city hall and some of the oldest and newest buildings in the city. The playground is split into two areas. Zygie loved the little area with the mound, a tunnel, and a walk full of marbles and beads. We had a nice swing with the view of ladies and gents hard at work doing Zumba.
52 Playgrounds: #28 Blue Playground
Today was a two’fer. We made plans with friends at the Blue Playground in Golden Gate Park. Twas a bit of a trek and while the playground is just OK, the play date was solid. Zygie loved rolling his favorite blue car back and forth on the play gym. The bottom was sandy and he has gotten so much better balancing while walking on sand. We had a good swing and spent a lot of time stumbling around. We found ourselves in front of Frances Scott Key’s 3rd stanza and my favorite art installation of 300 ancestors willing it to come down. Zygie hugged and tugged on the little statues before dancing to a band playing a little funk at the music concourse.
52 Playgrounds: #27 Alamo Square
We lived by this park for over 4 years and I never knew there was a playground here. I’ve rode by it everyday on my bike on my way to work and Tom and I used to hit tennis balls on that court frequently. It’s a nice surprise and a beautiful playground that fits into its setting. Tons of sand and killer views close to the swing. Zygie loved pushing his favorite blue car through the play gym and going down the slide. We let him roam and walk all around the grass. Selfies are a must by the painted ladies. The best morning!
Adventure: Academy of Sciences
Monday our caregiver was off so we had a mommy + Zygie day. We went to the Academy of Sciences which is beautiful with a natural playground that Zygie absolutely loved. We also watched a puppet show, ran around droves of kindergarteners, and watched a penguin feeding frenzy. Success!
52 Playgrounds: #26 Jackson Playground
We’ve checked off all the parks and playgrounds in Potrero Hill in record time thanks to Goodwill. Last donations meant we went to the last playground. It was quite basic, but Zygie enjoyed it. Large sandy bottom, steep stairs and fast slides. Zygie enjoyed walking around, watching airplanes, and watching old men play softball. Tom bestowed us with his glory days on those same fields and all the dives and haunts around. Zyg sort of understood but this momma has 🤞🏿 that I am not watching slow pitch in my future.
52 Playgrounds: #25 McKinley Square
Construction is finally over! We needed to purge more things so we headed back to Potrero Hill for a Goodwill donation. McKinley Square is not to far from the Potrero Hill Playground. This one is covered in sand, basked in trees, with killer views of downtown, the Mission, and more. Zygie loved the swings today. The park is covered in leftover cars and toys, making Zygie’s day. He immediately abandoned his favorite blue car for an even bigger blue truck before settling on a shoe with wheels. We walked down to the Potrero Community Garden where he continued to master his walking skills. We took one last gander at another crooked street although much less popular than Lombard.
52 Playgrounds: #24 Duboce Triangle
It was a brisk San Francisco morning. Gone is the sunlight and in with the fog and the breeze. We took a short drive to Duboce since Zygie is really into trains and dogs. There is a train stop right by the park and a dedicated dog area. They playground structures were cute, no theme here. Gorgeous tile work across all the back wall with a little nook for sitting where we setup a picnic that was not eaten. Zyg went down the slide by himself for the first time with us. He was not as eager or into the park as he typically is so we walked all around and came home to nest.
52 Playgrounds: #23 Joe DiMaggio Playground
What a great morning! Beautiful day in the city. We headed to North Beach for a play date & brunch with our friends. Zygie took his first ride down Lombard street. The ride brings back fond memories of our dating years in SF. The playground itself is lovely. From the bouncy turf to the giant tiled fish. Zygie loves pushing his trades car up and down the surface. He ate breakfast on its cool wet stone, walked through to the swings and slides before crawling up the play structure that is the tallest with the best views we’ve ever seen. We never eat out but our friend Steve loves being out and about so we are going to be adding brunch and more folks to our upcoming adventures.
52 Playgrounds: #22 Midtown Terrace
Walking 5+ miles up hill and hundreds of steps wearing a 25lb toddler is a workout. Tom wanted to explore somewhere that we could cover on foot and get some exercise so we headed through Forest Hill pass the JP Murphy playground we visited a few weeks back. The neighborhood is gorgeous and dogwoods are in full bloom. We were right underneath Sutro tower and could see Twin Peaks alongside a gorgeous trail system that was akin to Sutro Reserve. Playground itself was nice and in good shape. There was a nice open field and Zygie made a friend with a basketball. The weather is hot so we had a small picnic under a large tree and swirled our way back home. He is currently skipping his nap due to a 3 block snoozer right before we came home.
52 Playgrounds: #21 South Sunset Fields Playground
It’s 73 in February. Tom wants to start an almanac as the scrub jays are also here early this year. We had a few errands to run so the closest playground to our stops was South Sunset. It’s a lovely neighborhood playground with tons of basketball courts, a sand pit, tots and big kids gyms and a soft bouncy floor. We made our way to ocean beach after as it was a perfect beach day. I left my cell at home and just used my camera. I can’t tell a difference but Zygie had a blast throwing sand and tired himself out walking through it. He loves the ocean and I foresee a wetsuit in our future.
