Summer in San Francisco

Run Wild

Fort Funston is a family favorite for a weekend morning adventure. Hiking trails, wind-shaped trees, sand dune bluffs, and an expansive beach make it a dramatic coastal environment. Our daughter and puppy (off-leash allowed) can both run wild on the beach without worry of them escaping. —Scott Davis, Senior Associate

Listen to Wild Parrots

I used to walk across town to work everyday and loved to pause at the top of the Vallejo Steps to admire the San Francisco skyline and listen to the wild parrots fly by. I’d walk down the steep staircase and through Ina Coolbrith Park. —Nicole Germano, NCIDQ, IIDA, Associate

Hike the City

From Bernal Hill Park and Glen Canyon Park to Mount Sutro to Angel Island, summertime in San Francisco means urban hikes. I love engaging with nature while experiencing different urban views and vistas.—Keri Goodlad, LEED AP, Senior Associate

Loop a Lake

The recently rehabilitated Middle Lake in Golden Gate Park is part of the Chain of Lakes. Hidden in the Enchanted Forest, there’s a landscaped loop trail, a handy parking lot, and a winding creekside path that connects to the fly-casting pool above. If you go early to the nearby North Lake, you might even spot a raccoon family gathering by the water.—Alex Huang, Senior Designer

Find Shakespearean Romance

Intimate and beautiful, the Shakespeare Garden in sprawling Golden Gate Park holds a special place in my heart. My wife and I were married at Shakespeare Garden on a quiet summer’s day (probably not unlike the weather in the city right now).—Andy Lin, LEED AP BD+C, Senior Associate

Support Local Farmers

From the best croissant in the city to incredible dim sum, the food at Clement Street Farmers Market is unbeatable. I go on Sundays to marvel at the local produce, build a rapport with the vendors, and keep an eye out for my favorite neighborhood dogs.—Stephanie Thompson, Senior Architect

Slow Your Roll

Slow walks in Pacific Heights and Russian Hill, provide inspiration, conscious and unconscious, drawn from the idiosyncrasies of each house and each block. On routes between Alta Plaza and Lafayette Parks, Fort Mason Center and the Presidio, I found yards full of roses, succulents, and ferns, bay windows of different shapes, and a rainbow of painted facades.—Margarita Urquiza, Associate

We’re honored that India Basin Shoreline Park, a project of craft, equity, and care, is featured in the July 2025 issue of Architectural Record. The 10-acre former industrial site was previously cut off from the nearby Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood. Developed as part of a team led by landscape architecture firm GGN and in collaboration with the Trust for Public Lands, San Francisco Recreation and Parks, and A. Philip Randolf Institute, the first phase of India Basin Shoreline Park repairs the urban fabric, providing better access to the waterfront. “It’s not just about opening up,” JENSEN principal Emily Gosack told the magazine, “but also finding ways to really connect people to this place and make it meaningful.”

Architectural Record contributor Clare Jacobson described our trio of community-centric buildings as “simple and stunning”.

Read more about India Basin Shoreline Park.