Sterngrove Festival

Since 1938, this eucalyptus-wooded natural amphitheater in the Sunset District has hosted America's oldest free admission music festival. Donated to the city in 1931 by Rosalie Meyer Stern and named for her late husband Sigmund (a nephew of Levi Strauss), the 33-acre grove underwent a $15 million renovation in 2005 designed by landscape architect Lawrence Halprin. The outdoor venue accommodates up to 20,000 on terraced stone seating and grassy slopes. Sunday summer concerts bring an eclectic international lineup ranging from the San Francisco Symphony and Ballet to artists like Patti Smith, LeAnn Rimes, The Isley Brothers, Ziggy Marley, and Janelle Monae. Picnic blankets spread across the meadow as fog rolls through the towering redwood, fir, and eucalyptus trees. Free admission requires advance reservations. The festival runs seasonally from June through August, accessible via Muni's K and M lines at St. Francis Circle.