Esmerelda Street Slides

A little bit of a hike for something thats a little underwhelming. It was fun but totally not something I would recommend if your short on time. Theres so much more to see in the city.

Castro and slides? Who knew they could pair up so well together. I was browsing the internet looking for a touristy spot to check out in San Francisco and I came across Esmerelda Street Slides right in the middle of the Castro district.
Though the parking is a complete disaster, once you are able to get to the slides you are going to have a boatload of fun. Please bring cardboard because it’s going to make the experience THAT MUCH BETTER.
The slide feels like a rollercoaster that brings back childhood memories. Once you hit the top and fall straight down the slope, you’re going to scream like a little kid. I love this little gem in the middle of San Francisco because it makes this city so amazing!
Have fun and prosper folks,

These are lame compared to the Seward Street Slides. I think all the sap from the trees above that fall onto the slide slow you down.

Came across these lovely slides while running up the stairs to Bernal Heights Park. Make sure you stop by the park if you’re visiting these slides. It’s not too far of a walk, and it yields AMAZING views!
Wear something slippery on your bottom. Something stretchy will usually get the job done. Be careful, though… You have a pretty good chance of falling at the bottom if you fly off without preparing yourself! If you’re scared, put your feet against the slide to slow yourself down. Oh, and no need for cardboard — save those for the concrete slides!
Other than the slides, there’s not much more at this small park besides a sitting area up at the top.

Slides are nicely hidden and mostly locally known. Keep it clean please!

Go left.
Especially if things go wrong.
But also if you are here. Left side slide is the best. Faster. Little scarier. All good things.
Team behind this magical little corner of San Francisco is five stars as well:
Despite what people have left around you don’t need cardboard and in fact it’s discouraged. Go without.
Just be sure to go.

Slides are nicely hidden and mostly locally known. Keep it clean please! It’s a beautiful spot to visit late night for great city views and to be a kid all over again as many times as you want!

How can you give anything less than 5 stars for something that is FREE and FUN?! Came here during an urban hike and the inner child in me could not wait to go down the slides! Lucky for me, I was already wearing my slick yoga pants, so I went FLYING down! As of now, there are two baby blue fleece rags for people to ride down. But be careful, as you can REALLY eat it when you are not prepared to catch yourself at the end.
Enjoy!

Awesome slide for toddlers.
Extra long to teach them courage.
Warning, parking is difficult.

Cool neighborhood and very much hidden. It’s quite a hike to make it up there if you don’t come with a car. Well worth it though! Don’t forget to bring your wax paper!

Cheap and easy fun. A must for any afternoon bouncing around the city.
A dual, medal slide runs through a park between homes. What a great idea! Maybe not for the neighbors. Although I did see cardboard sleds best used at other, concrete, city slides, you do just fine racing your friends in what you have on.
NOTE: denim slows you down. If you want to win, cotton pants baby!
Weeeeeeeee
Picnic table at the top for nosh between heats.
Bring the children, your friends or the homeless guy at the bottom of the hill and enjoy your time here. I love that there’s an opportunity for me to keep being a kid.

Cute little park on the way up Bernal Hill. The slide may look all tame but you’ll definitely pick up enough speed to fly off the end and land on your butt if you’re not careful. Deploy those shoes on the sides of the slide if you’re smart. There’s no sand at the bottom to cushion your landing.

Fun slide for all ages.

If it’s warm and sunny the slides are fast, but if it’s foggy they’re slow and damp cardboard won’t help. To go really fast, wear polyester pants or bring a piece of polar fleece to sit on — you’ll fly off the end!

I stumbled upon this fun little park while walking through Bernal heights one afternoon. I wouldn’t advise scooting down the slide in a suit. Suit pants make for a very expensive additional cost to the other wise free admission
If you have kids it’s a must, I mean come on how many thing fun out there are still free? The slide is.

4 stars at least for even being able to write a review about a slide, period. Why the 1 star deduction? It’s true about the type of clothing you’re wearing and if you’re unlucky to find a clean piece of cardboard (note to self: next time, bring our own) — the slides just won’t go that fast. But if you come prepared or just happen to be wearing synthetic clothing or stumble upon a clean piece of cardboard, you should be golden.

While it was fun to find a little park in the middle of this residential area, the slides just didn’t slide! Maybe it was because the air was moist, but neither myself or my boyfriend could get a good clean slide.
We’ll have to come back and try again when the weather is warmer.

As someone who lives next door to these slides, I can testify that the secret to swiftness is synthetic fabric.
My husband once sat on a Nike running jacket and went down holding hands with our daughter. He built up such momentum he ended up dislocating his finger when he came off the end.
To summarize: wear an all-​Lycra ensemble and don’t hold hands with anyone.

I found this place 22 years ago when I first lived in San Francisco. I moved to a new neighborhood shortly after that, and forgot all about it. I am back in Bernal now and went exploring the massive hills of this quaint, quiet neighborhood. A little hard to find.
These slides seem like a block long, but slow for me … a review suggested cardboard, so I will have to try that. Being the speed demon that I am. It’s a clean park to bring the kids and have some fun to get away for a while. The neighbors are nice, but respect their property.

My friend, Clayton A., was devastated with the destruction of the Seward Street Slides. His search for the next best thing brought us to the Bernal Heights Mini-​Park Slides.
This place consisted of two metal slides that are about 40 feet long… and they are FAST with cardboard! It’s a little slower than the Seward St. slides… but fast enough to break you pretty little face if you’re not careful with the landing.
We didn’t have any trouble with the neighbors like we did at Seward’s…so that is a huge relief. But still be sure to respect the tenants around the area.