Hi, -iamMysticK23. Welcome to the Forum!
Yes, Bay Area parks are legally off-limits to drones--but the sidewalks surrounding them are not. That said, You'll see others flying drones INSIDE the parks, with cops and other city employees paying no attention whatsoever. The SF Bay Area is actually pretty drone-friendly. I should know. I'm from Central Texas, Central Texas may be a great place to live, with low taxes, low prices, few graffitists, (we cut their hands off), few stupid regs to drive you batty, and you can pack a handgun legally. But scenic, it ain't. Ergo, I do a lot of my flying in SF (part of West Texas, I think). Granted, NW Texas is dandy as well (you know--Portland, Seattle, etc.) but further away. Below is a copy of a post I wrote for another Oakland guy:
1. Try Treasure Island, just west of the dog park. You get a terrific view of the Bay Bridge and the SF Financial District. Early morning is best. You can also reach Alcatraz from there if you have Superman's vision.
2. Another good spot is the parking lot behind the Palace of Fine Arts, from which you can reach the east side of the GG Bridge (again, with Superman's vision).
3. A good spot for taking off to fly the west side of the GG Bridge is the cul-de-sac at the end of 25th St . (by now you should feel comfortable wearing Superman's cape).
4. Alamo Park will give you a good view of the "Painted Ladies", with the Financial District in the background. The streets SURROUNDING Alamo Park have several beautifully-renovated Victorian houses even more spectacular than the Painted Ladies. Again, you'll notice others flying their drones IN the park with nobody giving a rip.
5. Flying above Coit Tower is a nice shoot. You can legally take off and land on the surface streets nearby.
6. Lombard Street, with its twists and turns, is a fun shoot. You can legally TO/Land from the sidewalks by the tennis courts.
7. JapanTown has a Pagoda and a really spectacular church a block or so away. Be sure to go inside--the architecture and stained-glass windows are truly amazing!
8. Alcatraz is pretty ugly up close, but every Bay Area droner needs to fly it at least once. The best spot from which to do so is the fishing pier at the end of pier 45 ( I think that's the one). Nobody minds if you park right by the dumpsters. You'll ALWAYS find a spot there. The seagulls can get pretty aggressive while you're trying to land your drone. You're better off landing it in the parking lot, where you'll have more maneuvering room. Try it. You'll see what I mean.
8. Believe it or not, there is a drone-legal "island" within the Presidio--The Disney/ILM museum parking lot from which you can TO/Land legally.
9. The East Bay: the wood fishing pier at Port View Park is a nice spot for shooting shipping activity and the south side of the Bay Bridge.
That's all I can think of for now. There's a LOT more!
Enjoy your
Mini 3 Pro! I've attached a few links below which will help you learn piloting and aerial photography easier and quicker.
Rich R (aka Hauptmann), Hurst, TX
pilotinstitute.com
www.droneblog.com
data.smcgov.org
