Ina Coolbrith Park sits on the side of Russian Hill at Vallejo and Taylor streets. 48hills named it an editors’ pick in its 2026 Best of the Bay and called it “a tranquil oasis.” The publication says the park was created in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration project. The Ina Coolbrith Circle, a poetry group, lists the park as dedicated in 1941.
Who was Ina Coolbrith?
48hills says Coolbrith was named California’s first poet laureate in 1915 and worked as a librarian in both Oakland and San Francisco. She lived near the park and hosted literary gatherings in her home, where Mark Twain was a guest. She also mentored young writers, including Jack London and Isadora Duncan.
Visiting
48hills warns that the visit takes some effort. Several flights of stairs cut through the grounds and lead to three levels of terraced gardens. Look for the plaque dedicated to Coolbrith at the top. The Ina Coolbrith Circle says the Native Daughters of the Golden West dedicated the park plaque in 1947. The Circle also dedicated a Poet’s Corner next to a bench on Sept. 30, 1984. The views take in downtown, the Bay Bridge and North Beach, and 48hills says the wild parrots often appear near the Vallejo Steps in the late afternoon.
For more of Russian Hill, see our Macondray Lane guide. For a nearby landmark, see our Coit Tower guide.