Inspiration: Sutro Heights Park

It’s time to talk about one of my new favorite place in the city: Sutro Heights Park. Rob and I discovered this after our Point Lobos hike on Sunday.

First a quick background: the park was established by former Mayor Adolfo Sutro as a companion to the famous Sutro Baths in the late 1880’s. Super ornate and lavish, these gardens featured intricate flower beds, lots of statues, a flower conservatory and a private home for Sutro. It was designed to be a “Victorian playground,” and I pretty much love anything that comes with that description!

Over the years, the park fell into disrepair and only scraps of the former features remain. When you first walk in, there are two giant lions greeting you at the gate. The rest of the park is filled with hidden statues, giant pine trees, abandoned flower beds and gravel paths:

At the top of the park, you climb these steep rock staircases to get to a spectacular view of Ocean Beach.

As Jean said, “it is like Jane Austin was walking through it ten minutes before.” Lovely, lovely!