Updated in September 2026, this Yerba Buena Gardens guide covers opening hours, entry, parking, transport, accessibility and what to see.
Yerba Buena Gardens is a set of public gardens spanning two blocks in downtown San Francisco, built on top of the Moscone Convention Center. The gardens remain free to enter at any time during opening hours, though several attractions within the complex, including the Children’s Creativity Museum, charge their own separate admission. This guide’s opening hours and access details were checked against the official website in September 2026.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Daily 6am–10pm |
| Ticket prices | Free entry; on-site attractions like the Children’s Creativity Museum charge separately |
| Address | 750 Howard Street, San Francisco, California 94103 |
| Nearest transport/parking | Powell Street or Montgomery Street BART; Yerba Buena/Moscone MUNI Metro station |
| Typical time needed | 1–2 hours; longer with the Children’s Creativity Museum or ice rink |
Yerba Buena Gardens opening hours
The gardens open daily from 6am to 10pm.
Individual attractions within the complex, such as the Children’s Creativity Museum and the Ice Skating and Bowling Center, keep their own separate, more limited hours, so checking these ahead of a visit is worthwhile.
Yerba Buena Gardens ticket prices
Entry to the gardens themselves is free, with no ticket or gate at any point.
The Children’s Creativity Museum charges $20 for all visitors aged 1 and up, and the historic LeRoy King Carousel costs an additional $3 per ride with paid museum admission. The Ice Skating and Bowling Center also charges separately for sessions and lane rentals.
Opening hours and access details were checked on the official website and last updated in September 2026.
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- 🌉 Combine the Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Woods, Sausalito and Alcatraz on a packed day tour.
- 🌲 Take a day trip to the Giant Sequoias and the highlights of Yosemite National Park.
- 🌃 See the city lights at night on a San Francisco Bay cruise.
- 🍷 Go wine-tasting in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys on a full day wine tour.
- ✌️ Hit the hippie hotspots in a colourful VW bus on the San Francisco Love Tour.
How to get to Yerba Buena Gardens
The gardens sit between Third and Fourth, and Mission and Folsom Streets, in San Francisco’s South of Market district.
The gardens are served directly by the Yerba Buena/Moscone MUNI Metro station, and sit a short walk from the Powell Street and Montgomery Street BART stations. MUNI bus routes 14 Mission, 15 Third, 30 Stockton, 45 Union, and all Market Street routes stop nearby, and the Caltrain station at Fourth and Townsend connects via MUNI along Third Street.
Parking at Yerba Buena Gardens
The closest options are the Yerba Buena Garage at Fifth and Mission (2,700 spaces) and the Moscone Garage at the Moscone Center (710 spaces).
Metered street parking is also available in the surrounding blocks, though it is often in higher demand when a convention is taking place at Moscone Center.
How long to spend at Yerba Buena Gardens
Most visitors spend 1 to 2 hours exploring the gardens, memorials and public art on foot.
Adding a visit to the Children’s Creativity Museum, which itself takes around 3 hours to fully explore, or a session at the ice rink or bowling center, extends a visit to half a day.
Accessibility at Yerba Buena Gardens
The gardens are wheelchair accessible, with paved pathways connecting the two main blocks via a pedestrian bridge over Howard Street.
The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, which runs performances on-site from May through October, states that its programming is ADA-accessible throughout.
Inside Yerba Buena Gardens
The first block, between Mission and Howard Streets, opened in 1993, followed by the second block, between Howard and Folsom Streets, in 1998.
The gardens’ centrepiece is the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, where a 50-foot waterfall cascades over granite in front of glass panels inscribed with King’s words, translated into the languages of San Francisco’s sister cities.
The Sister Cities Garden showcases plants connected to San Francisco’s international sister cities, while public artworks scattered through the gardens include Shaking Man by Terry Allen and the wind-powered Whirligig by Doug Hollis atop the carousel.
On the Rooftop, above Moscone North, families will find a large playground, a hedge labyrinth, and an outdoor amphitheatre used for free performances during the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival season.
The rooftop level also holds the Children’s Creativity Museum, the historic 1906 LeRoy King Carousel built by craftsman Charles Looff, and the Ice Skating and Bowling Center, offering year-round skating and a 12-lane bowling alley.
Practical visitor tips
| Focus | Tip |
|---|---|
| Timing | Visit on a weekday for a quieter Esplanade, away from weekend event crowds. |
| Crowds | Thursday lunchtimes and weekends from May to October bring free Festival performances and larger crowds. |
| Layout | The gardens span two blocks, linked by a pedestrian bridge over Howard Street. |
| Entry process | There is no ticket or gate for the gardens themselves; only individual attractions require tickets. |
| On-site logistics | Bikes, skateboards and team sports are not permitted within the gardens, per posted park rules. |
Frequently asked questions about Yerba Buena Gardens
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Yerba Buena Gardens suitable for children? | Yes. The Rooftop has a playground, carousel and the Children’s Creativity Museum. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance? | No, for the gardens themselves; the Children’s Creativity Museum can be booked online or bought on arrival. |
| Is Yerba Buena Gardens open every day? | Yes, daily from 6am to 10pm. |
| Are dogs allowed at Yerba Buena Gardens? | No. Posted park rules list animals among the restricted activities. |
| Is Yerba Buena Gardens wheelchair accessible? | Yes, with paved paths and a pedestrian bridge connecting both blocks. |
Things to do near Yerba Buena Gardens
- SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art) — a major modern art museum, directly across the street.
- Yerba Buena Center for the Arts — a contemporary art and performance venue, part of the same cultural district.
- Moscone Center — San Francisco’s largest convention centre, beneath the gardens themselves.
- Metreon — a shopping and entertainment centre, a short walk away.
- Union Square — San Francisco’s main shopping district, about a 10-minute walk away.
Alternative attractions
- Golden Gate Park — home to the San Francisco Botanical Garden, Japanese Tea Garden and Conservatory of Flowers, about 20 minutes away.
- The Presidio — a former military post turned national park site, about 20 minutes away.
- Dolores Park — a popular hillside park in the Mission District, about 15 minutes away.
- Alamo Square — known for its “Painted Ladies” Victorian houses, about 20 minutes away.
- Crissy Field — a waterfront park with Golden Gate Bridge views, about 20 minutes away.
More San Francisco travel
Other San Francisco travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Complete guide to day tours to Monterey and Carmel from San Francisco.
- What’s the point of the Wave Organ in San Francisco?
- Visitor guide to Fort Point by the Golden Gate Bridge.
- Get interactive at the Exploratorium in San Francisco and the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito.
- How to get the best out of the Asian Art Museum, Legion of Honor Museum and de Young Museum in San Francisco.
