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Japanese Tea GardenvsPalace of Fine Arts Theatre
Both are rated highly by professional reviewers writing for major publications. Overall, Palace of Fine Arts scores marginally higher than Japanese Tea Garden. Palace of Fine Arts has a TripExpert Score of 83 with accolades from 6 publications like Not For Tourists, concierge.com and Lonely Planet.
Japanese Tea Garden
Fodor's
Lonely Planet
Condé Nast Traveler
Afar Magazine
Not For Tourists
Michelin Guide
Where
Atlas Obscura Afar Magazine Afar Magazine Show All Reviews
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94117
From $0/night
Fodor's "As you amble through the manicured landscape, past Japanese sculptures and perfect miniature pagodas, and over ponds of carp, you may feel transported to a more peaceful plane." Full review
Lonely Planet "Since 1894, this picturesque 5-acre garden and bonsai grove has blushed with cherry blossoms in spring, turned flaming red with maple leaves in fall, and lost all track of time in the meditative Zen Garden." Full review
Condé Nast Traveler "The oldest public Japanese garden in the United States... located in Golden Gate Park, is a wonderful spot to relax while exploring the park." Full review
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Locals get a discount on entry ($5 instead of $7), so be sure to bring your ID.
Afar Magazine "Visit the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco for a calming escape from the hustle and bustle of the city." Full review
Not For Tourists "Peaceful place to ponder."
Michelin Guide 2 Stars
"This tranquil, five-acre garden has been a premier attraction since it was built for the Midwinter Fair of 1894." Full review
Where "Take a slow stroll among bonsai trees and koi fish in the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States." Full review
Atlas Obscura "Relics of the 1894 Midwinter Exposition continue to delight visitors today. " Full review
Afar Magazine "While Japanese gardens have come to be an expected feature of many botanical parks around the world, the Japanese Tea Garden, which opened in 1894, was the first public tea garden in the United States." Full review
Afar Magazine "After taking in the beauty of the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park, save time for tea and a snack at the tea house, located inside the Tea Garden, next to the Gift Shop." Full review
Palace of Fine Arts Theatre Fodor's
Concierge Lonely Planet Condé Nast Traveler Not For Tourists Michelin Guide Where Atlas Obscura Afar Magazine Afar Magazine Show All Reviews
3601 Lyon Street, San Francisco, CA 94123
From $0/night
Fodor's "At first glance this stunning, rosy rococo palace seems to be from another world, and indeed, it's the sole survivor of the many tinted-plaster structures." Full review
Concierge "A mock-classical ruin erected for the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition in 1915, the Palace of Fine Arts was originally fashioned from wood, plaster, and burlap."
Lonely Planet "Like a fossilized party favor, this romantic, ersatz Greco-Roman ruin is the memento San Francisco kept from the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition." Full review
Condé Nast Traveler "A mock-classical ruin erected for the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition... was eventually recast in concrete in the '60s." Full review
Not For Tourists "Designed for the 1915 World's Fair by Bernard Maybeck, the Roman ruin's grandeur is strikingly beautiful."
Michelin Guide 2 Stars
"Ranking among San Francisco's best-known landmarks, this grand rotunda and peristyle were replicated from structures designed by renowned architect Bernard Maybeck." Full review
Where "Featuring a lagoon with swans, today this is a popular spot to stroll and take photos." Full review
Atlas Obscura "The last remaining relic of San Francisco's glittering 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition. " Full review
Afar Magazine "Standing out in San Francisco's Marina District, this historic landmark is a leftover from the 1915 Pan-Pacific International Expo and was designed by Bernard R. Maybeck." Full review
Afar Magazine "One of my favorite things to do in San Francisco is to walk on the Bay Trail from the parking lot by the Beach Hut Cafe west to Torpedo Wharf." Full review
