At least once a week, my family and I bring Leila, our three-year-old, mixed-breed dog, to our favorite local dog park, Fort Funston. Located in the southwest corner of San Francisco, Fort Funston marks where San Francisco meets my hometown, Daly City. The park is conveniently located for us, only a three-mile drive from our home, and perfect for sneaking in a quick doggy play date before heading into San Francisco to run errands or visit extended family. While there are several ways to access the Fort Funston area, we typically enter from the main parking lot, located just off of southbound Skyline Boulevard.
Fort Funston is well-known for offering stunning scenic views of San Francisco’s cityscape and oceanfront; views that even a non-outdoorsy person like me has to admit are quite breathtaking. While walking through the park, one is able to see everything from pairs of joggers making their way around Lake Merced, to lengths of the Pacific Ocean lapping against the beach, to the signature peaks of the Golden Gate Bridge off in the distance. From certain special spots, I am even able to trace the exact street route that my parents used to drive to bring me to my grandmother’s house as a child. Fort Funston is also a popular site for hang-gliders. If you are lucky, during your trip to the park, you may get the chance to see a hang-glider or two taking off from a designated ledge located just off the parking lot.
In addition to its sweeping views, Fort Funston has grown especially popular among local dog owners largely because it is one of the rare parks in the Bay Area that allows dogs to go off leash. The park is generally more crowded on weekends and afternoons-even more so when the weather is especially nice-playing host to many approachable and friendly dog owners and dogs, a handful of joggers and casual walkers, and even the occasional kite flyer. Here, dog owners can partake in a worry-free, dog-friendly experience during which their dogs will be able to play catch, socialize with other dogs, and perhaps even go for a dip in the ocean.
The park is quite large, with spaces open enough for dogs to run freely. Leila especially enjoys exploring the park’s various terrains, whether trotting along the paved cement trails, racing along the soft stretches of sand, or-her favorite-investigating the ever-intriguing plant-covered sand dunes. My family and I particularly appreciate the wide range of routes we can take when visiting Fort Funston. With our sporadic schedules, the time we can spend at the park often varies and changes at a moment’s notice. Knowing that we can choose between a variety of longer or shorter routes means that we can more often than not squeeze a trip to Fort Funston into our schedules.
When we have the time, we like to frequent a lengthier route that loops around a sizeable portion of the park. Our route takes us straight from the parking lot across a small stretch of sand, then slopes downwards, connecting to pathways that, if you were to follow them, could take you all the way down to the ocean. Along the way, we pass by a makeshift watering hole where dog owners can be found taking a moment to either relax or chat as their dogs thirstily lap away at dog bowls left under a nearby water fountain. The cement pathway then gradually begins turning us in the opposite direction, first steeping upwards, then leveling out, leading us now parallel to the ocean. This is my favorite part of the route, where, elevated by the heights of the cliffs, I can clearly see the ocean stretching out into the horizon and can feel the wind coming off the ocean waves. The route conveniently brings us back to the parking lot, where we can quickly wipe Leila down before hopping in the car and heading home.
While Fort Funston offers up a generally casual and care-free experience, visitors should take some precautions while visiting. I have seen numerous signs throughout the park warning dog owners to make sure that their dogs do not wander too close to the edges of the cliffs lining the park. These edges can become unstable under a dog’s weight, and not all of them are marked off with fences. Considering how expansive the park is, staying away from these areas is generally not a problem. Also, in true Bay Area fashion, the weather at the park can become extremely cold and windy, especially in the late afternoons. Prepare accordingly and bundle up!
