Seward Street Slides: San Francisco's Concrete Neighborhood Legend

Why It Stands Out

The existence of these slides is a testament to the power of community resistance. In the early 1960s, this hillside was a vacant lot destined to become an apartment complex.

However, the surrounding neighborhood had other plans. Local families organized a decade-long campaign to preserve the open space, culminating in a dramatic 1966 protest where residents famously sat in front of bulldozers to halt construction.

Their persistence paid off. Not only did the city eventually concede and create the park, which opened in 1973, but the movement also helped shift San Francisco’s urban planning laws to mandate minimum open spaces in new developments.

Adding to the charm is the fact that the slides were actually designed by a local teenager who won a design competition for the site. Today, the slides are framed by the Corwin Community Garden, a lush space filled with California native plants that softens the industrial look of the concrete.

Before You Go

To make the most of the experience, you must bring your own equipment—usually a sturdy piece of corrugated cardboard. Without it, the friction of the concrete makes for a slow and uncomfortable descent.

The park is managed to respect the peace of the residential neighborhood; the slides are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and are closed on Mondays. If you arrive outside of these hours, you will find the entrance to the slides physically locked to prevent use.