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NE Region of San Francisco: Click on the map below for information about open spaces in this part of the city: 
back South Park | Map of Area | Panoramic View Status: De Facto Mixed-use Off-leash Area Location: Located between 2nd, 3rd, Bryant and Brannan Streets on South Park Street. Parking: Street parking only. Description: This is the only slice of public green in the entire South of Market neighborhood large enough for dogs to be off-leash - but it is still only a sliver of a park and is surrounded entirely by South Park Street. South Park is generally used by locals only, the West-South side of the park is frequented by homeless people and the center of the park has picnic tables and a children's play area. Nice cafes and restaurants nearby. This is not a legal off-leash area, but because there is simply nowhere else to go locally - many people do allow their dogs off-leash here despite the proximity to the road and small size. Washington Square Park | Map of Area | Panoramic View Status: De Facto Mixed-use Off-leash Area Location: Located between Columbus, Union, Stockton & Filbert Streets. Parking: Street parking only. Description: This is the only central public green in the North Beach neighborhood large enough for dogs to be off-leash. Washington Square Park is generally used by locals and tourists. This is a very well-used park by many different types of park users - including off-leash dog walking. Plenty of cafes and restaurants surround this park. This is not a legal off-leash area, but because there is simply nowhere else to go locally - many people do allow their dogs off-leash here. Lafayette Park DPA | Map of Area | Panoramic View Status: Legal Mixed-Use Off-leash Area Location: Near Sacramento Street, between Octavia and Gough. Beware of the steep slope that leads down to heavy traffic on Sacramento Street. Parking: Street parking only. Description: The legal off-leash area is quite small, and is located on a slope adjacent to a busy street. Beware of the steep slope that leads down to heavy traffic on Sacramento Street. This is a large city park with hills, lots of trees, and it is a great place for walking. This is a popular, heavily used park all year. Alta Plaza Park DPA | Map of Area Status: Legal Mixed-Use Off-leash Area Location: Bounded by 34th & 38th Avenues, Middle Dr. & MLK Way. Parking: Street parking only. Description: This many tiered, Pacific Heights park takes up one square block. Popular with children as their are schools nearby and they use this park for recess. There are tennis courts and a basketball hoop - both are well-used. Lots of dogs! Great views of the city over the Victorians from the top of the park. The legal off-leash area is well marked with paint on the pathways, but is confusing because the most frequented, popular and widely used area is not necessarily within the legal DPA. Buena Vista DPA | Map of Area | Advocacy Group Status: Legal Mixed-Use Off-leash Area Location: Enter at the intersection of Buena Vista Ave. & Central St., south of Haight St. or at any of the other park entrances along Buena Vista Ave. The off-leash area is located in a lower area, along the Western side of the park near Central Ave. Parking: Street parking only. Description: Buena Vista is the oldest city park in San Francisco. Basically one giant hill with expansive views from the top. Just a few short years ago, Buena Vista Park was known as an incredible oasis within the city. Walking along the many steep trails and pathways, one nearly forgot they were in the middle of San Francisco. The vegetation was lush and varied, there were many squirrels and it was a great place for birds. This has all changed with the NAP. The entire hill is slowly being deforested and is quickly turning into a sand dune. The NAP has already removed a huge amount of the vegetation, some trees, and is redeveloping the park under the guise of "restoration". Beware of foxtails in late Spring! This park is popular with professional dog walkers, locals and as a destination location because of its size and safety/isolation from traffic. The legal off-leash area is barely, if ever, used by dog walkers because it is not safe being so close to the road and does not allow for enjoyment of the fantastic trail experience Buena Vista offers. Other regular park users (besides dog walkers who are the majority) can be found in the tennis courts, children's play area, and gay men "looking for love" on the hill (for this reason, it is best to keep dogs out of the bushes!) The Panhandle | Map of Area | Advocacy Group Status: De Facto Mixed-use Off-leash Area Location: Located between Fell, Oak, and Baker Streets. Parking: Street parking only. Description: The Panhandle is long but very narrow; being three-quarters of a mile long but only one block wide. The Haight-Ashbury neighborhood lies to the South of it, and North of Panhandle Neighborhood (amazingly!) is to the North. Only two streets run through it, Stanyan Street at the Eastern end between it and Golden Gate Park, and Masonic Street through the middle. Two paths run through it from Golden Gate Park to Baker Street, one for pedestrians and one for bicycles. There are basketball courts and a playground in the section between Stanyan and Masonic Streets. Extremely popular area for locals, a wonderful neighborhood park. Because it is so narrow and the streets that run adjacent to this park are really more like extremely busy freeways, your dog must be under perfect voice control at all times. There are no legal off-leash areas in this park. Alamo Square DPA | Map of Area | Panoramic View | Advocacy Group Status: Legal Mixed-Use Off-leash Area Location: Dogs may be off leash under voice control in the Western half of this park bordered by Scott, Hayes, Pierce and Fulton Streets. The Eastern half of the park is on-leash. Parking: Street parking only. Description: This is a large, historic park popular with tourists wanting a photo of "Postcard Row". Great views from all areas of the park. Tennis courts, and a new children's play area. The entire park was de facto off-leash until 2003, when the Dog Policy approved half of the park as the legal off-leash area (it was the first DPA approved under the new policy). This is a very heavily used park with every kind of park user. Extremely windy in the afternoons and evenings. Lots of hills throughout the park. Used by locals, professional dog walkers, and serves as a destination location for all San Franciscans because it is one of the largest legal off-leash areas in San Francisco (second only to Bernal Hill). Jefferson Square DPA | Map of Area | Advocacy Group Status: Legal Mixed-Use Off-leash Area Location: Located at Turk and Laguna Streets. Parking: Street parking only. Description: The legal off-leash area is on the West side of Jefferson Square Park. Jefferson Square Park is in the Western Addition neighborhood and is a popular park for locals. It's a gently sloping grassy park. The Eastern end of the park is very popular with homeless people and the Western end has the DPA. Duboce Park | Map of Area | Advocacy Group Status: De Facto Mixed-Use Off-leash Area Location: Located at Steiner and Duboce Streets. Parking: Street parking only. Description: Duboce Park has a looooong history as a great neighborhood dog park. It's a very narrow, small park sandwiched between Muni train lines and Duboce Street to the South and neighbor's homes to the North. With the renovation children's play area (and popularity with kids) and the new RPD Dog Policy, this park is undergoing difficulties coming up with a workable, equitable solution that meets the requirements outlined in the RPD Dog Policy for a legal DPA. The park has worked beautifully AS IS for many decades - it is an absolute shame that the RPD Dog Policy will require segregation of this small park into no dogs/leashed/off-leash zones and that fencing these areas is on the table. More about the areas listed:
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