After tour-guiding a number of my friends through San Francisco, I decided to make this list to assist anyone coming into the city.
San Francisco is a magical city with lots of hidden gems, making it one of the most charming cities in the world with millions of visitors every year.
Here is a list of things to do (and not to do) to ensure you get the most of your visit and stay out of trouble :).
But first, some travel warnings:
1. Don’t leave anything in the car! SF is prone to car theft, which happens on a regular basis.
2. Avoid walking alone in the Tenderloin.
3. It’s always chilly (especially in the summer time) so bring some layers.
Hike at Land's End
Coffee at Craftsman and Wolves
Restaurants:
With a view:
- Top of the Mark
- Paramount hotel
- Water bar / epik steak house
- hilton Union Square rootop bar
- Beach Chalet
Fun local spots:
- Che fico (Jewish Italian)
- Saru sushi (the cheap sister of a michelin star restaurant)
- Piccino (italian)
- Souvla (great baklava froyo)
- House of Prime Rib
- Sotto Mare (famous SF “cioppino”)
- Rich Table
- Tony’s pizza Napoletana
- El Farolitos or El Buen Sabor (mexican)
- Flour and Water
- Delfina
- Cordon Bleu (vietnamese)
- Nob Hill Cafe
- Tabolicious
- Yank Sing (famous dim sum)
- Dancing yak
- Nopa
- Mr. Jui (Upscale Chinese American)
- Burma Superstar
- Marufuku ramen
- State Bird provision
- Cha Cha Cha (Mexican with a vibe)
- hookfish (chill & amazing)
Outside of the City but SO worth it:
- Shadowbrook (very very special experience)
Brunch Spots:
- kantine (swedish)
- Zazie (French – packed on the weekend)
- Foreign cinema
- Magic flute
Bars:
- El Techo (rooftop tapas bar)
- Hurricane Room (underground tiki bar with a pool)
- El Rio (dive bay)
- Innovino (italian wine bar)
- Hotel Biron
- Bon Voyage (fancy cocktails)
- Trick dog (award winning cocktails)
- Tonga Room
- Kells (irish)
- Mr. Bings
- Latin America
- Dirty Habits
- Sycamore
- Buena vista (famous irish coffee)
- Zeitgeist
- Churchill
- Black bird
Tourist Attractions:
- Fisherman’s wharf & piers
- Ferry building saturday farmers market
- SF tram
- Pink ladies
- China town
- Mission dolores
- lombard street
Cafes & Tea houses:
- The Center (relaxing hippie tea house with cacao – great for working or deep convos. Also has a yoga studio and workshops).
- Front cafe
- Tartine
- Arsicault (longest line you’ve ever seen but worth it).
- Flywheel
- Craftsman & wolves
- fifty/fifty
- As quoted
- Beloved Cafe & Organic juicery (hippie)
Hikes:
- The presidio (lover’s lane)
- Land’s end (view of GGB)
- Sunrise at Tank Hill
- Angel Island (take a ferry from the Ferry buildinG)
- Panhandle
Hikes outside of the city:
- Secluded cove
- Limekiln state park
- McWay waterfall trail
- tan bark trail
- pfeiffer falls
- jade cove trail
Hikes North of SF:
- Rodeo Beach Maze
- Cataract Falls
- Mt. Tam
- Stinson beach
- muir beach
- Tennessee valley beach
Cities to see when driving South of SF:
- Santa cruz
- Capitola
- Monterey
- Pacific Grove
- Pebble Beach & 17 mile drive
- Carmel
- Big Sur
Special Weekly Events:
- Ecstatic Dance (sundays at the church of 8 wheels)
- Roller disco (Church of 8 wheels)
- Thursday nights at the Academy of science
- Yoga in grace Cathedral
- Farmer’s Markets all over town