Fodor's Expert Review Beach Chalet

Hugging the park's western border, this 1925 Willis Polk–designed structure houses gorgeous Depression-era murals by Lucien Labaudt of familiar San Francisco scenes, while verses by local poets adorn niches here and there. Stop by the ground-floor Golden Gate Park Visitor Center to see the murals and gift shop on your way to indulge in a microbrew upstairs, ideally at sunset. The restaurant here, renovated in 2021 and with a refreshed menu that includes more seafood, is open for lunch and dinner. The ocean views are spectacular.