In this compact city of hills, walking is the best way to discover over 200 public parks and myriad sea views from rooftops and grassy bluffs above the Pacific. Not far from the rush of the Financial District and bustling ethnic neighborhoods, you will find refuge in tea rooms, spas and quiet gardens. And, for an energizing, breezy blast of salt air, hop on a ferry to wildlands across the bay.

Hide Away in Pocket Parks
In tiny Huntington Park atop Nob Hill, stylish city folk walk their poodles while dolphins play on a replica of the curvaceous, 16th-century Tartarughe Fountain in Rome. Duck into Grace Cathedral across the street for a slow stroll on the stone labyrinth below the glorious rose-colored window. Take the bus up and walk down the steep Filbert Street steps past a jungle of gardens and sweet, clapboard cottages. At the foot of the city's iconic pyramid, Transamerica Redwood Grove is a patch of green where Financial District mavens munch lunch and relax. The aerie of Alta Plaza Park rises in landscaped terraces above chic Pacific Heights, a warren of hundreds of "painted ladies"--Victorian-era mansions. Locate a park at www.frp.org.

A cuppa - Imperial Tea Court
Step away from the madding streets of Chinatown and into a red and gold daydream, a traditional Chinese teahouse with hanging birdcages, glowing lanterns and gleaming mahogany furnishings. Indulge in a tasting of rare and specialty teas, or seek the quiet pleasure of a formal Gong Fu Tea Presentation (1411 Powell Street and Ferry Building Marketplace, www.imperialtea.com).

Quiet lunch - San Francisco Art Institute Cafe
Enjoy panoramic views of the city and the bay with an espresso or an inexpensive, yummy breakfast or lunch in a Spanish-style courtyard at the city's oldest art school. Hobnob with the eccentric students, and don't miss the 1931 mural in the Diego Rivera Gallery (800 Chestnut Street).

Clothes-on stress cure - Chair Massage
After a fast-paced day of work, a chair massage works wonders for tension held in shoulders, neck and back. The certified therapists at super-hip Elephant Pharmacy in Berkeley are experts at stress-relief; while there, stock up on alternative health products (1607 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, www.elephantpharmacy.com). Call ahead for a soothing session in the chair at Sunset Day Spa, and linger awhile in the leafy garden (1214 20th Avenue; www.sunsetsauna.com). Supercharge morale among your work mates by arranging in-office chair massages by the pros from Therapeia; minimum time required (1801 Bush Street, www.etherapeia.com). In the late afternoons, guests at the Hotel Monaco sip wine and enjoy complimentary chair massage and Tarot readings (501 Geary Street, www.monaco-sf.com).

Swim, steam, work out - Nob Hill Spa
Cloistered within one of the city's most opulent small hotels, the Huntington, is a two-story, glass-walled atrium where spa guests swim in an infinity pool and gaze out at the downtown skyline. Orchestrated by a feng-shui expert, the environment is formal, yet sensuous and soothing, with ripples of celadon and gold mosaic ribbons, and a glamorous curving staircase. On foggy days, warm up by the fireplace. When the sun comes out, grab some rays from a chaise lounge on the patio. Give in to extravagance as you recline on a rose petal-covered table for a Bali Ginger Spice Scrub, or get swallowed up in Asian-inspired "ScenTao", designed to create Qi flow: exotic plant extracts exfoliate and soften your skin, all over. Heated stones are massaged along your meridians, and an enlivening cup of green tea is offered before an aromatic facial. Prepared in the hotel's legendary Big Four Restaurant, healthy spa cuisine is served poolside. Try a passion fruit-wild berry-ginseng smoothie, or dig into Dungeness crab cakes with crispy artichokes. With a spa treatment, you are welcome to enjoy free yoga, Pilates, fit ball and tai chi classes; or skip treatments and pay $35, slip into a cushy robe and spend a day in this pleasure palace, enjoying the pool, the eucalyptus sauna, Wellness Program classes and the weight-training venue (Huntington Hotel, 1075 California Street, www.huntingtonhotel.com).

Bay views - Maritime Plaza Rooftop
Ascend by elevator or stone staircase to the Promenade level of Embarcadero Center for breathtaking views of the bay and the Financial District. Sip a latte on a bench by a fountain or on a lawn surrounded by flowerbeds. This rooftop is connected to terrace gardens atop five high-rise buildings.

Seaside sanctuary - Crissy Field
Below the Golden Gate Bridge at the entrance to San Francisco Bay, breathe in the salty air as you ramble the paved footpaths ride the bike trails around this grassy open space on the shoreline. Birders flock here to see migrating and resident feathered creatures in the tidal marsh--herons, grebes, willets and killdeer, among others. Windsurfers launch into the choppy bay, kids play on the small beaches. Watch the fishermen on Torpedo Wharf, and when the fog drifts in, take shelter with a hot drink and a snack at the Warming Hut Café and Bookstore, or at the Crissy Field Center café (Old Mason Street at Marina Boulevard).

Picnic on the Grass - Marina Green
A spectacular display of kites--multi-colored parafoils, huge sleds, stunt kites, box kites--is guaranteed every windy weekend in San Francisco's front yard, Marina Green, a vast greensward along the waterfront. Stretch out on the lawn, survey the passing sailboats, ferries and freighters, and be glad you are on the loose in America's favorite city (Marina Boulevard between Scott and Webster).

Soak, scrub, steam - Kabuki Springs & Spa
Don't be shy. Try an authentic Japanese communal bathhouse experience (men and women alternate days). Scrub down, soak in the steaming hot pool, plunge into the cold pool, and finish off with a Shiatsu "finger pressure" massage and a seaweed wrap. Blissed out? Say arigato (thank you). (1750 Geary Boulevard, www.kabukisprings.com)

Renew - International Orange Spa Yoga Lounge
Celebrities and the mayor are spotted in this chic, airy bubble of yoga classes and spa experiences in affluent Pacific Heights. Transformative In Fiore body balms are used for Swedish massage and ritual-based "Red Flower Japan." Stay dressed for the Thai stretch. Daydream by the fireplace and on the redwood deck (2044 Fillmore Street, www.internationalorange.com).

Meditate - San Francisco Zen Center
Drop in for a free, Saturday morning introduction to meditation and a talk on Buddhism, in a serene, welcoming setting (arrive by 8:30 am). No registration is required and you can come as many times as you wish. Stay for tea, and for a small fee, have a healthy lunch. In a Craftsman-style, circa-1920 architectural landmark designed by Julia Morgan, the Zen Center--called "Beginner's Mind Temple"--has for over three decades been a meeting place and resource for the large community of San Franciscans and visitors who practice Zen Buddhism. Participate in daily sitting and walking meditation. Take a half-day or a full-day class, and come to hear speakers on Buddhist practice, philosophy and history. And, feel free to browse the library and bookstore. Ask about the popular Sunday Tea Gatherings across the bay at the Marin County annex, Green Gulch Farm, located in a verdant valley surrounded by a National Park(300 Page Street, www.sfzc.org).

Yerba Buena Gardens
This sprawling, green breathing space in the South of Market District is the city's backyard. Sweeping lawns and blooming gardens are backdrops for outdoor sculpture, while a woodland grove and soothing water features create serenity. From the upper terraces, the 360-degree panorama is of high-rise hotels, historic churches, major museums, and a looming, glass-walled entertainment center, Metreon. Cascades and a waterfall block traffic noise for city-weary lunchtimers and afternoon loungers who grab snacks at outdoor cafes and retire to benches under the sycamores and, in the spring, the pink-flowering cherry trees. A 50-foot-wide wall of water drops in a torrent, creating a grotto where you can walk and read inspiring excerpts from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. Get into a prone position on the grassy esplanade, or step to the upper level to watch ice skating at the indoor rink or toss a few balls at the bowling center. Explore the nearby culture ghetto: the Yerba Buena the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and, across the street, the soaring, modernist SFMOMA. A serene oasis on weekdays, Yerba Buena Gardens are busy with outdoor performances and festivals on Saturdays and Sundays (www.yerbabuenagardens.com).

Glories of Golden Gate Park
From the Haight-Ashbury District to the Pacific in a wide swath of meadows and hills, forests and flower gardens, the park is a glorious retreat from city life. Row on a lake, fly cast, play tennis, bocce ball, baseball and checkers; ride your bike, walk to the beach, nap under a tree (www.parks.sfgov.org).

A warm refuge on a foggy day in the park, the Conservatory of Flowers is a monumental glass greenhouse that was shipped around Cape Horn in the 1870s. A sort of Victorian biosphere, it shelters a steamy, dreamy, five-story jungle of trees, exotic plants and flowers. Leaves as big as Hummers; lily ponds, Tarzan vines, gorgeous orchids and fragrant, blooming bulbs and the butterfly enclosure are among the soothing sights. Outside are lawns for lounging, picnicking and somersaults (www.conservatoryofflowers.org).

Share the San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum with a bevy of birds and waterfowl. Even on busy weekends, you will find solitude in theme gardens from Mediterranean, Australia and South America, and in the enchanting cloud forest. Linger by the stream in the redwood grove; look for the rare Dawn Redwood from China. Drink in the fragrance garden, share your lunch with ducks and swans at the pond (www.sfbotanicalgarden.org).

A fantasy of cherry trees, dark pines and lily ponds swimming with golden carp, the Japanese Tea Garden is the oldest public Japanese garden in America. Cast in 1790 in Japan, the bronze Buddha is a favorite backdrop for photos, along with the gilded five-level pagoda. In April, cherry blossoms are a fragrant white cloud, and rhododendrons are oceans of magenta, pink and white; in fall, maples blaze red and gold. Climb the rustic Drum Bridge, and have jasmine tea and fortune cookies served by Kimono-clad women in the open-air café.

Reflect and renew on a wander in the National AIDS Memorial Grove, a magical wooded dell. In the spring, white dogwood blooms around the Circle of Friends where the names of those touched by and lost to AIDS are inscribed; look for the names of Robin Williams and Sharon Stone, among others, honoring their loved ones. Picnic in the sunny meadow, enjoy the dappled sunlight through the towering redwoods and pines. The changing colors of the seasons are inspirations to make the most of life! (www.aidsmemorial.org)