Best Redwood Grove

Transamerica Pyramid

600 Montgomery (at Washington)

"From them comes silence and awe," John Steinbeck said of Sequoia sempervirens, the majestic, towering conifers that can grow well over 300 feet in height, 7 feet in diameter, and 2,000 years in age. Not native to San Francisco, they are nevertheless the fog-nurtured essence of Northern California. Nestled against the eastern base of the Transamerica Pyramid is a half-acre grove of young redwoods transplanted from the Santa Cruz Mountains, their hushed dignity imparting a bit of reflective quietude to the heart of the concrete jungle. The grove, designed by Tom Galli, also features ferns, boulders, a fountain with jumping-frog sculptures (a fond remembrance of Mark Twain, who lived and wrote on this site), and a paved walkway with some dozen benches where the city-addled can sit and contemplate. Here's hoping these stately trees will one day place their spired neighbor in shadow.