Japanese Tea Gardens
Price: $7 for entrance; $3 to $8 for tea
One of the most tranquil settings to sip traditional Japanese tea in S.F. has got to be the Japanese Tea Gardens in Golden Gate Park. Surrounded by lush foliage, bubbling creeks (filled with Koi), and colorful, exotic architecture, you’ll forget you're anywhere near a city. If green tea is your jam, then this tucked-away sanctuary has your name all over it. Dreamy and romantic don’t even begin to describe it. Oh, and bring a piece of mail or an ID and get a slight discount if you’re a city resident. And if you stroll in on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday before 10 a.m., it’s free to enter.
Japanese Tea Gardens, Golden Gate Park, 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive; 415-668-0909.

Photographed by Anna-Alexia Basile