Rove the Cove

Today’s San Francisco still has a few places where bits of interesting grit exist. Warm Water Cove is an urban waterfront blending serene bay views and relics of days past when this rugged alcove hosted impromptu punk shows. Located off the beaten track in the Dogpatch neighborhood, the park is small, comprising a short asphalt loop curving along water framed by rickety piers, warehouses, and cranes. Fiery bursts of wild parsnip and daisies dot the path, as do remnants of graffiti.

Warm Water Cove is now owned by the Port Authority, which has manicured and maintained the surrounding grounds and added a farmers market on Wednesdays and Sundays. Pause at a bench with vistas out to distant barges, or scramble down to a rocky shoreline punctuated by tires lodged in the sand—a good perch from which to soak in the industrial landscape.

BONUS WINE: From Warm Water Cove it’s a 10-minute walk down the street to Dogpatch WineWorks (2455 3rd Street), an urban winery and tasting room, where you can sample a selection of their rotating in-house varietals (or make your own with their private barrel program). NOTE: The tasting room is open Sundays only, 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., or by appointment.

Warm Water Cove Park is located at the east end of 24th St. in San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood. Dog-friendly!