Hike Down To Stern Grove, Walk Around Pine Lake, And Play At The Jet Playground
Steps away from the typically busy 19th avenue is a grotto of solitude that feels miles away from the city.
This is part of a series of family-oriented day trip outings around the San Francisco Bay Area I look forward to enjoying once social distancing isn’t the norm any longer.
Trocadero Clubhouse by Matt Biddulph from UK / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)
Social Isolation — Day 11
It has been a fairly quiet day, thankfully. Today almost felt normal, but don’t let that lull you into a false sense of security.
I read this incredible account from Craig Spencer MD, an ER doctor in New York. The long tail of this disease is what is really dangerous. The notion that things will start returning to normal by Easter feels…
Then this video by Mark Rober came across my feed showing how germs spread. It's a fascinating video, please take a few minutes to watch.
We just have to keep adjusting to the new normal, but still, I look forward to a time when this is all behind us. A time we can venture out with our loved ones and not have to worry so much about what we touch and let my paranoia ebb away.
Today I imagined stepping down into Stern Grove, from the busy 19th avenue down to the secluded Trocadero, then down to Pine Lake. Then making our way back up the hill to spend some time playing at the new Larson Playground.
Destination: San Francisco
Hike down to Stern Grove
Walk around Pine Lake
Play at the Larsen Jet Playground
Stern Grove
Daniel Ramirez from Honolulu, USA / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
Stern Grove is a popular spot for weekend concerts during the summer, but my main memory of it was having Cub Scout day camp down here during the foggy summers. I was always amazed at how you can make it a few steps from Sloat boulevard or noisy 19th avenue and find yourself in a completely separate world. Check the Outsidelands link above for a more complete history of this interesting spot.
We would have camp next to the Trocadero clubhouse, the park department allowed us to store our stuff in the basement, and daily we would have to go down and haul it up. We would set up at the fire circle (never having a fire) for sing-a-longs, then up to the grassy meadow or the picnic tables by the BBQ pits for other activities. We were never allowed in the Clubhouse.
The small lake here was also saturated with mosquitos until Whoopi Goldberg had to film a scene for Jumping Jack Flash, and thankfully they sent a crew down to clean the whole thing out. Some good friends of mine got married here, and that was my first opportunity to actually go into the clubhouse, what a wonderful old building this place is.
The summer concerts here are pretty cool too, but get in early to find a good spot!
Pine Lake
https://www.sfparksalliance.org/our-parks/parks/pine-lake-park
http://www.outsidelands.org/historyminute/1262646037/PineLakenopigs
Pine lake is west of Stern Grove. There is an off-leash dog area here, so be aware. There are also coyotes at times, so keep those small kids close.
The lake is fed by the same aquifer as Lake Merced, and over the years it has been a spot for families to play, and cattle to graze.
Occasionally we would walk home from Stern Grove through here, finding our way up to Sunset Blvd where we would catch the 29 bus. Driving down Sloat or Sunset boulevard, you might never realize this sunken oasis is here.
Larsen Playground
Growing up in the neighborhood, everyone always wanted to go play on the Larsen Jet. From 1959 to 1993, Larsen Park (on the southern side of Vicente) hosted three retired fighter jets for kids to play on. Eventually, these jets would succumb to the fog rusting the metal and kids thrashing them during play, and they would be replaced. Until someone realized that the jets were actually hazardous for us to play on — go figure. The final jet stationed here has actually been rehabilitated and lives up in an air museum in Santa Rosa or some place up north.
The current Larsen Playground (on the north side of Vicente) houses an homage to the original jet with a custom-made playground jet that was so thoughtfully designed. I find it an appropriate replacement for the original jet (even if I would love to still climb on the original jet, even at my age).
Cody Tolmasoff is an author and publisher for Adventuring.in. He is a recovering programmer and a San Francisco native, raising two daughters, and regularly finding new adventures around the SF Bay Area. This article is an excerpt from an upcoming book, 52 San Francisco Bay Area Weekend Adventures, Day Trips With Your Kids!
Find him on Twitter @codyo, and read his most recent title Adventures in Getting Out on Amazon, filled with advice on successfully getting your family out for day trip adventures.
Originally published on Medium on 24 March 2020