Flowing and Glowing

See the Winter Lights and the Waterfalls at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco

San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park charms with splashy waterfalls, but in January it adds splashes of color too, thanks to its Winter Lights in Golden Gate Park displays, including the popular Entwined installation in Peacock Meadows. Brighten your winter with an afternoon visit to the park to check out its waterfalls, then see some of the park’s classic buildings and gardens light up the night in technicolor beauty.

Hunting falls in Golden Gate Park

There’s a nice loop hike around Stow Lake and up to Strawberry Hill, passing by a waterfall highlight, Huntington Falls. Then make your way to Rainbow Falls along John F. Kennedy Drive (near Crossover Drive). This oasis is created from water at nearby Lloyd Lake, and if you’re lucky you’ll spot egrets and herons enjoying the scene. The falls got their name from early days when its dedication celebration included colorful lights beaming on the falls. Those are gone, but there’s plenty of colorful light still to be found in the park, especially now.

Rainbow Falls in Golden Gate Park

Winter Lights in Golden Gate Park goes from sunset to 10 p.m. each night. And it gets glowing reviews! Follow the map to visit meadows and gardens and magical sites illuminated by gorgeous lights, including the Conservatory of Flowers and the spectacular SkyStar Wheel.

Skystar Wheel Golden Gate Park San Francisco

There’s also artist Charles Gadeken’s interactive exhibit—Entwined—found in Peacock Meadow. Back by popular demand and even better for interactivity in viewers’ ability to sequence light changes on the installations, the sculptures here resemble flowers and transpire the setting to a mystical forest and paths of possibility. Ideal for 2022.

Entwined lights photo by Jason Chinn

Photo of "Entwined" is by Jason Chinn.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View
  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

    View
  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

    View
  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View