This morning I took a solo adventure over to Golden Gate Park to take a walk, wander around and check it out. I was told by a waiter earlier in the week that it is the third most visited park in the United States (behind Central Park in NYC and Lincoln Park in Chicago). It is 3 miles long by a half mile wide (1017 acres).

Something I didn’t know: It’s larger than Central Park, which is “only” 843 acres.

Another cool fact: Golden Gate Park has over a million trees.

It sure felt like it – everywhere I turned there was new vegetation, new flowers and trees reaching for the blue sky.

There are exhibits/museums where you must pay to play and navigate crowds (Japanese Tea Gardens, Botanical Gardens, De Young Museum), but I kept to myself and tried to stay immersed in the solitude that the park offers – the lakes and trails and animals, the tall redwoods and colorful birds.

At times it truly felt like I was on a hike – you see unofficial worn trails all over the place – and I definitely got a workout in my two-hour walkabout.

On the way to the park I sort of got lost – I consider it wandering – and stumbled upon this magnificent view of the city (more on Facebook):