Love the yearly Stern Grove Music Concerts on Summer Sundays! The acoustics are just amazing. Go early at ~10am to secure a good space for your crew. Bring lots of nice treats and wine :)
Museum traces the history of the African slave trade & African people's liberation movements. Celebrate Black History by checking out amazing African-American contributions: http://bet.us/BHMonth
On completion in 1854 it was the largest building in CA, with brick and steel walls that survived the 1906 quake. Classical concerts are held Tuesdays at 12:30 pm. - Green Guide Editor
The oldest library on the West Coast and the oldest chess club in the US. Take the free tour on Wednesdays at noon.
Find the fountain "hidden" just off the street and marvel at the statue of Yoda (ironically, at the future headquarters of the Federation Starfleet Academy)
The oldest intact building in San Francisco is Mission Dolores (1782-1791). It was made famous in the Alfred Hitchcock movie, "Vertigo."
This place has dragon kites, lion kites, do-it-yourself kite kits, and a whole bunch of other brightly colored flyers.
Best piano player in SF! He takes requests. Sit, listen and be transported back to the '30's, 40's and 50's Magical.
SF Weekly’s Best Of 2011 Winner – Editorial Pick – BEST ART FROM TRASH Artists realize their dreams by inhabiting a studio at the refuse transfer station for months & earn a stipend for doing so.
Little girls who love playing tea party will love the "Wee Tea" - sandwich, scone, fruit, a petit four and tea or hot chocolate for $13.95 Read more.
Catching a show? Get there early and try their amazing flatbreads, fries or meatballs. The food is amazing and the staff is beyond friendly and helpful. I love this place!
Part impromptu naval museum and party kitsch-fest, venture into the little alley this place is tucked into and stumble out a happier man who just drank up some bona fide San Francisco history.
The most epic buffet (if you can actually call it that) I have ever experienced. Sushi to omelets to dim sum to beautiful salads to you name it. You may never need to eat again after coming here.
You can watch the cookies get baked in griddles and folded around fortunes, some regular and some risqué. Bags of 40 cookies are only $3. - Green Guide Editor
Hike through the Presidio all the way to the Marina. Find the pet cemetery.
Don’t leave without checking out the restaurant’s world-famous camera obscura (one of about 20 in existence), with 360 degrees of live images projected from a nearby seal rock.
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright – it’s like a mini Guggenheim inside. Jewelry fans should check out their unique selection of baubles – they’re very expensive.
$18 for early back 9 on the weekends which is really the back 10 because you start on the 9th hole
Great, knowledgable service. For the size, a great selection. Wonderful stop on any stroll through the Ferry Building....
Best and fun design transforms "quotidienne" things into fab pieces! Come in and be inspired !!
I've been a fan of theirs for years and years....pure, natural scents and the most perfectly chic design. {And I've worn at least 5 of the fragrances over the years.}
Eclectic and vintage collection of Parisian and European style do dats and trinkets ...great place to find a little something for the home or friend
Go with a group of friends. Take turns buying a bowl of Victorian Punch to share. Take the drunkest of the group home in a shopping cart. Read more.
The Haas-Lilienthal House in Pacific Heights is San Francisco’s only Victorian home open regularly as a museum. Built in 1886, it survived the earthquake of 1906 and may be rented for special events.
Make it in to see the fort, it's epic and almost unknown how much history they have stored up in there. Plus a cool view of the city toward North Beach & the bridge. Tap you hands at the runners mark.
go out there at night and peep the view of the city... it's a perspective you don't usually see, and it's lovely.
"A hidden stretch of beach to the south of Treasure Island’s yacht harbor is shielded from the wind and offers great views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge." Read more.
coming right before sunset would be perfect! We came here a lil late so was hard to see the mosaic steps, but still got to see the sunset and was very romantic :)
"This psychedelic art collector’s home, aka the 'LSD museum,' holds more than 33,000 sheets of LSD that the DEA has tried him for – twice." Read more.
"The Barbary Coast Trail is a walking tour connecting 20 historic sites and local history museums. Approximately 180 bronze medallions and arrows embedded in the sidewalk mark the 5-mile trail." Read more.
With six lanes of bowling, a restaurant that serves Mission Burgers alongside other local faves, and a full bar that includes cocktail service, throwing strikes never felt so good. Read more.
The best place to learn the history of The City is on a free SF City Guides walking tours http://bit.ly/16AdJ5 Especially the Haight-Ashbury, Chinatown, Castro and Golden Gate Park West tours!
INCOMPARABLE Monday nights....MoTown Mondays mixed with hip hop samples -- nowhere else to go. Don't miss it. Done.
The made-to-order tortas are generous and tasty. Carnitas here is particularly good.
Get charmingly drunk at the warf and stuble over here for a good adventure.
Club Deluxe brings in local talent event night of the week, serves up wood-fired pizza and slings solid cocktails. It's an intimate space that's great for dates, but don't tell too many people. Read more.
7x7: "Rich permanent collection with 14000+ pieces spanning pre-Hispanic, colonial, Latino and Chicano movements"
7x7: "Focuses on contemporary photography. Both owners have curated exhibitions since the late 90s."
Wonderful space, books, and people. Be sure to check out the gallery in the back.
Inside the Long Now offices is a small museum. Check out its centerpiece, the orrery, a modern incarnation of the planetary models that rose popularity during the Renaissance and Enlightenment.
New mom tired of the hospital coffee? Walk down the hill to Golden Bear for some pour-over! 5 minute walk, tops. The owner is kind and funny, and the pastries are excellent, too.
The Intercontinental Hotel provides two POPOS (Privately Owned Public Open Spaces) on the fourth and sixth floors. They have various seating arrangements and landscaping, each with views of the City
Great tea! Perfect to stop in for a quick snack or to get the full tea! Loved the Paris tea (caramel and vanilla.) Also, they sell candy bars from London! : )
Wonderful place full of tea magic. Hands down, best teas I ever tried. Make sure to stay for the tea ceremony (aka sampling). The staff is very nice&professional. Ask for some ginseng oolongs! Yum!
Ride the glass outdoors elevator at night up n down as often as you want
Awesome POPOS in FiDi. Certainly a hidden gem in this concrete jungle - if you can sneak away or spare an hour on a sunny day come here for lunch or an afternoon reprieve!
A POPOS built with marble, and covered with glass, this greenhouse provides ample seating and tables.
This POPOS has a greenhouse, features large trees, windows, and art, including "Sumer #24" by Larry Bell. It has two levels of space and is served by a cafe.
This POPOS is an urban garden that features a water fountain and landscaping. Along Commercial in front of Empire park, there are many widened sidewalk spaces which have benches and landscaping.
"Urban garden tucked bw very tall buildings. Quiet little gem of a space, access via lobby to the rear or an obscure passage off Front. Light but no sun. Café closes at 3pm, garden at 6:30" Read more.
If you are looking for a drag show in the Tenderloin this place won't disappoint.
A little more pricey than Eastern Bakery in Chinatown, but worth it for the best coffee crunch cake in town! Read more.
Not as big as I was expecting, so it is easy to go and see if you don't have a lot of time
This guy is GOOD!! I agree with other comments to show up early to get your money's worth. If your too early there's a great restaurant with fun drinks across the street!!!
Walk through the Canyon starting at Elk Street and heading to Portola. The canyon becomes steeper as you go along.
This is The Classic spot for your rocky view of the Bridge... It's a rocky way to get to it too, but definitely worthy!
Popular with gay men who dig the naked beach thing. Boisterous vibe. The bridge looms over the long, skinny beach like a living postcard. Read more.
It gets very muddy, it's not fully enclosed and there are no lights on at night but there's plenty of room for the doggies to run and there's even a little hiking trail that winds around it.
The Hagar Planetarium is capable of showing 1,345 stars, the sun, moon and planets, and has a panorama projection system with an 80 scene capability plus numerous special effects projectors.
SF Weekly’s Best Of 2011 Winner – Editorial Pick – BEST HIKEIslais Creek: a trickle of a stream in deeply wooded wildland, 60 acres of what the city's eastern side was like before people... Read more.
Entrance fee is $10 and rentals are $5. Save the $5 by bringing your own skates! Make sure you stay long enough to recreate Beyonce's "Blow" video and hear Donna Summer's "Last Dance."
"Cascading flowers and greenery, one of the most beautiful hidden stairwells in the city. 284-foot steep wooden walkway with sweeping views. Along the Filbert Steps on east side of Telegraph Hill."
Take the kids to the playground. Play a little baseball on the field. There are picnic benches in the shade. Get out and play!!
Great place for older kids, 4+. Coordination required to navigate the structure. There's a bathroom nearby, making this pg the best at GGP for long time play.
New ping pong social club that just opened up with two full bars for cocktails.
Incredible selection of whole spices, packaged in the most beautiful indigo glass jars. Ask Benny to tell you his favorite recipes and taste the pink peppercorns -- they have a delicate sweet finish!
Peer upward through the sculpture’s oculus, where the color of the sky changes depending on the time of day and the shifting LED lights in the domed space. Read more.
The wondrous ground-floor garden boasts a serene bamboo pond and olive trees, plus a huge black granite sculpture cheekily nicknamed “The Banker’s Heart.” Read more.
Drinks are cheap and usually generously poured. The outdoor space includes so much greenery you'll think you’ve absconded to the countryside. Plus the calendar is full of live music. Read more.
"A new urban garden/play space/skate park built by local residents and volunteers. Transformed an abandoned expanse of asphalt into an oasis for the neighborhood to enjoy." http://bit.ly/2bHY2U3
51 lucky urban farmers cultivate their produce using organic methods with a spectacular view of the city. For the rest of us, the garden is open as a park—feel free to wander through. Read more.
A little oasis in the middle of an industrial area. Trails lead out into the marsh with great bird watching. Take your dog for a walk. There are picnic tables and grills at the EcoCenter. Read more.
Best tennis courts ever.. outstanding views in every side! Walking distance from Lombard Street
playground is great for young kids. Soft padding on ground. Sandbox. Swings. Great kid slides.
On the fine line between kitsch and tradition sits Archimedes Banya. Steam yourself in the two traditional Russian saunas, relax with a drink in the soaking pools and finish off with a Platza massage. Read more.
Super pretty books, magazines, fanzines, stationery and objects store, with a well curated selection of local, national and international products. Love the PF Candle Co candles and natural cosmetics.
Royal Cuckoo is a gem in the Mission with live organ player, vinyl spinning and delicious drinks from the bar. Enjoy chips instead of pretzels with your drink from time to time and have a great time.
Imagine if Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory was designed like a Starbucks Reserve
Check out the trails leading down from the Coit Tower parking lot for great, little-seen views of the Bay.
Super cool wood sculpture garden. These were done by the Gardner that used to take care of this park.
$2.8 million renovation including new playground and nature area launched in July 2021.
Lots of info here: https://sf.funcheap.com/city-guide/black-point-historic-gardens-open-to-public/
Through 2023, there are 8 interactive interactive exhibits set up here created with the Exploratorium.
10+ art galleries in one mod warehouse. It’s truly a special place in San Francisco these days.
Received a $5.8 million renovation completed in 2022 https://sfrecpark.org/614/Bayview-Park
"Filled with spectacular views, landmarks and iconic sights for $2.50. Hits Fisherman’s Wharf, Wash Sq Park, DiMaggio playground, up to Coit Tower, where you can check out the 1930s murals free."
See’s HQ makes countless millions of delicious chocolates, bon bons, toffees and truffles annually. The factory store is certainly worth a visit (especially for the free samples they give out!)
Newly reopened and reimagined as of 2022. https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movies-tv/s-f-s-4-star-theater-is-reopening-under-new-ownership-heres-a-peek-inside
Love love love this place and all its pastries! The best bakery in SF! Their cakes are always fresh and delicious, I always order my birthday cakes from here 😍
The ice cream is high quality. The baked goods are highly recommended. I always go for the best of both worlds: a piece of pie al la mode. my favorite being the peach with vanilla
SFGate: "The Plough and Stars, which has live Celtic music most nights and a Celtic jam Sunday afternoons, along with pool tables, beer on tap and a laid back atmosphere"
"Built in 1941, an ocean-side honky-tonk with a small-town lodge vibe and a wild history. Massive stone fireplace, Connect 4 and musical acts. Perfect place to warm up after an Ocean Beach adventure."
