McLaren Redwood Playground

McLaren Redwood Playground is a genuine San Francisco secret: a playground built inside an actual redwood grove within McLaren Park — the city's second-largest park, covering 318 acres in the southeastern corner of San Francisco. While more famous SF playgrounds draw crowds of tourists and cross-city visitors, the Redwood Grove Playground is the territory of Excelsior and Visitacion Valley families, which means it's consistently uncrowded.

The setting is unlike any other San Francisco playground. Towering coastal redwoods create a canopy overhead, the air smells of forest, and dappled light filters through the trees onto the playground equipment. Kids who play here consistently remark that it feels like being in the woods, not the city.

On hot summer days when south-facing playgrounds bake in direct sun, the redwood grove stays cool and shaded — a significant advantage.

The playground equipment covers the standard range for ages 2-12: climbing structures, swings, and slides. The SF Rec & Park maintenance is solid. From the playground, trails extend into McLaren Park itself — 318 acres of hills, meadows, and forest that most San Franciscans have never explored. For adventurous families, the playground is a launching point for genuine urban hiking.

Free parking is almost always available on John F Shelley Drive near the playground, which alone distinguishes it from most SF parks. Bring food — there are no vendors anywhere near this playground, and the surrounding neighborhood has limited walkable options. But as an off-the-radar, free, beautiful, uncrowded SF playground experience, this is one of the city's best-kept secrets.