We love San Francisco - there’s so much to see and do, the region is absolutely beautiful, and the “Mediterranean” climate is hard to beat! We’ve listed just a few of the unique local experiences, and we’re happy to chat about other options in the region to help make a longer (or a whirlwind) visit even more special!
Beyond what you find on the first page of “What to do in SF” google search - Golden Gate Bridge, the Museum of Modern Art, the Presidio, … - consider checking out:
Cable Car Museum: Even if you don’t ride the cable cars, if there’s an engineer in the family, you should check out the free SF Cable Car Museum. But it’s also the “powerhouse” of the system. Also with some history about the 1906 earthquake. Touristy? Yes. But everyone we’ve taken here has enjoyed it.
Musee Mechanique: Though its located in the over-hyped Fisherman’s Wharf area, this unique museum is an interactive exhibit of 20th-century penny arcade games and artifacts. There are a few modern games, but it’s otherwise entirely dedicated to old-fashioned mechanical games.
Ferry Building: Market Street ends at this building along the Embarcadero, which has a dozen or two boutique food vendors for snacks or more. Also, as the name suggests, the boarding point for the ferries for Angel Island, Tiburon, or Sausalito.
Exploratorium: A kids-friendly hands-on science museum that is also great for adults. They have a bunch of technology-oriented displays, and they also prototype and provide some of the science demonstrations for use in museums across the states. You can easily spend a few hours here.
Academy of Science: This museum has an indoor rainforest, a planetarium, an aquarium, an earthquake exhibit to relive some of the regional earthquakes, and exhibits on natural history. Bonus: it’s inside the Golden Gate Park, and across the street from the DeYoung art museum.
Sutro Baths: By the time Kohl Mansion was completed in 1914, this “bathhouse” was already celebrating its 20th year in business as a large swimming complex right at the edge of the ocean. Now all that’s left are the foundations, but you can clamber over it, through a nearby tunnel, and use it as the starting point for easy (or longer) strolls into the Presidio.
Mission: The intersection of 16th St & Mission Street can be the start of many food journeys, for both inexpensive but yummy hole-in-wall places (Pakwan or Pancho Villa) to small unique offerings (West of Pecos, Krua Thai, Bao, Beretta). And don’t forget Dandelion Chocolate for a dessert!
Theatre: San Francisco has lots of small theatre and comedy options; we’ll often get some last-minute tickets to an off-beat production. If you have a free Thursday or Friday - we know your Saturday is booked - check out: Piano Fight for off-color shows, StageWerx for improv, or local productions at New Conservatory Theatre, SF Playhouse, the Great Start Theatre, & many others.
If your time allows it, here are a few awesome places to consider visiting on a more leisurely visit:
Mt. Tam / North Bay: Our first date, our proposal, and our engagement photos all took place here. Drive by Sausalito on the way, maybe check out the “Bay Model” - an acres-large functional model of the regional waterways before the advent of computer modeling, check out the unique houseboats at Waldo Point Harbor, or go have a bite at the yummy Taste of the Himalayas for cuisine from Nepal, where we are having our honeymoon. Have a pre-hike snack (or post-hike drink) at the Mountain Home Inn, and embark on any number of hikes in the area on Mt. Tam. Muir Woods is also in the area - but for several years running, you have to make advance reservations to visit.
Half Moon Bay: A cute sleepy downtown, a great sandwich shop inside Cunha’s Country Store, and a nearby Ritz Carlton with well-prepared (and pricey) drinks. On the drive to the bay, check out any of the many nurseries along Route 92, you can also hike out here: Purisima State Park (limited parking), or head a little north along the coast for one of our favorites, Montara State Park. The hike is on the east side of Route 1 - note that if the “main” lot is full, there are some rarely-noticed spots north of that first lot (but accessed thru the same turnout). But on the west side, there’s a stairway that takes you down to a quiet secluded cove.
Healdsburg: Sure, you can visit Napa. And definitely worth the visit if you have not yet been. But locals know Healdsburg is where its at: the just-as-good wineries are half the price as Napa for a tasting, and lots of great restaurants downtown. Be sure to check out Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie Bar, but they usually run out of pie before the end of the day!
Pacifica: A little closer to home, if you need some fresh air but only have a few hours to kill, consider the Pacifica Rockaway Trail. You are quickly rewarded with great views over the ocean, and the trail is fairly easy and well-traveled. Check out Gorilla Barbecue (Sat & Sun only) or Colombo’s Delicatessen for a filling lunch. Or for a little more investment, check out Sweeney Ridge Trail (trailheads both in Pacifica, or for an easier start, San Bruno), a maintained dirt road that leads to an abandoned Cold War Era military site and great views of the Pacific and of the SFO airport.
Back to the city itself, San Francisco has many of the same challenges as any other urban area, but if it’s been a while since you’ve visited - or you’ve never been here:
Parking: First, of course, in any urban environment, parking can be challenging in many of the downtown areas or around popular neighborhoods. If you are fortunate enough to find street parking on a hill, remember to set your front tires in the direction that they will roll into the curb. If there’s any noticeable slope, remember to do this to avoid a ticket.
San Francisco Glitter: Do not leave ANYTHING of value, or that might be thought of as hiding something of value, in the car. Obviously, no camera on the front seat, but also no empty-but-propped-up shopping bags either. If your hatchback vehicle has a way to leave visible the storage space, doing so is a good precaution that save a rear broken window when an unwanted visitor wishes to confirm as much.
Panhandling: San Francisco is a little worse for the wear coming out of the pandemic, with more than its share of homeless population and urban challenges. We feel safe going around the city at night, but as a general reminder, just be cognizant of your surroundings as you walk to/from your car, not staring at the map on your phone!