SkyStar Wheel set to soar at Golden Gate Park

Attraction had been shut down due to pandemic

The SkyStar Wheel is set to spin again.

The 150-foot-tall observation wheel, which has been shut down for more than three months due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, is set to reopen at noon March 4 in the Music Concourse of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

Tuesday’s reopening announcement comes after health officials moved the city from the purple tier to less restrictive red one, which allows for the return of a number of public activities.

“We look forward to reconnecting with Bay Area families and individuals by offering a wonderful, safe and memorable aerial experience while adhering to public health protocols for wearing masks, social distancing and more,” SkyView managing partner Todd Schneider said in a new release March 2.

There’s also a special SkyView summer promotion for San Francisco public school graduating seniors. Beginning June 2 and running through Sept. 6, these students just need to show their SFUSD identification card at the onsite ticket booth and then they can ride for free.

“The pandemic has been especially hard on kids who are missing out on celebrating their milestones and achievements the way they’ve envisioned,” said San Francisco Recreation and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “The SkyStar Wheel allows them to rise above the fray and find inspiration in the exhilarating view.”

SkyStar is providing the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department with 500 free tickets each month for families enrolled in the City’s Community, a program providing support for distance learning for San Francisco’s highest needs children and youth.

The 15-story-tall SkyStar Observation Wheel is made up of 36 enclosed, but reportedly “well-ventilated” gondolas, delivering views stretching from downtown San Francisco to the Pacific Ocean. COVID-19 precautions in effect include “thorough sanitizing of all gondolas between each use; only family and friends will share a gondola; social distancing in queues; onsite handwashing; and temperature testing for staff and riders,” according to the news release.

The SkyStar Wheel was installed in March 2020 as part of celebrations surrounding Golden Gate Park’s 150th anniversary, but the opening date was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It eventually opened on Oct. 21, delivering over 65,000 rides during 39 days before closing again on Nov. 29 due to the surge in coronavirus cases.

The SkyStar is located in the Music Concourse plaza near the de Young Museum, the California Academy of Sciences, and the Japanese Tea Garden. It is open noon-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Public parking is available from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Music Concourse Garage.

Tickets are $12-$18 and are available online at sky starwheel.com.