Textbook-like recommendations towards the bottom of the page, touchy-feely wanderlust-style SF recommendations up top!

What I’d do with an afternoon in San Francisco (mostly, eat):

  • Stroll to the Ferry Building, grab some ice cream at Humphrey Slocombe’s, potentially a burger at Gott’s, some empanadas, and maybe a pastry from Vive La Tarte, and wander along Embarcadero towards Pier 39 (once there, if you want to avoid the tourists, then take a left and go to North Beach or Russian Hill for a cozy neighbourhood feel; if you’re into the touristy stuff, go soak in all of the Ripley’s, Krispy Kreme, and souvenir shop vibes. Don’t forget to see Ghiradelli Square and where they turn the cable cars around)
  • Wander Hayes Valley and see all the little stores – stop for a glass of wine or a cocktail at Absinthe or Linden Room, get some German food at Suppenkuche, or enjoy some bagels at Wise Sons (you can also get rice pudding/ice cream at Loving Cup, bubble tea at Urban Ritual, or grilled meat at Souvla, or pasta at A Mano)
  • Go to the Mission and enjoy a burrito at El Farolito and get some ice cream at Garden Creamery. Walk down Valencia between 16th and 24th, check out Stonemill Matcha, Craftsman and Wolves, the other Souvla, Dandelion Chocolate… Lots of options for food. Enjoy the contrast between the grungier Mission St and more polished Valencia St. Check out the houses on Folsom and Guerrero for a more residential feel. And don’t forget to stop by the original Philz coffee for a mint mojito or swing by Tartine Bakery
  • Grab some baguettes and cheese/meat at Whole Foods on 4th Street and head over to Yerba Buena Gardens for a picnic or sit in Samovar and drink some expensive tea and enjoy the sunshine
  • Bike around Golden Gate Park when it’s closed off to cars, check out the free observation tower in the De Young Museum, and end off wandering through Haight-Ashbury or Cole Valley (you can grab brunch at Zazie’s or coffee at Wooden Coffeehouse)
  • For a real escape from the grunginess of SF, grab a coffee at Cafe Reveille on 4th St just south of Mission Creek, check out the food trucks at Spark Social SF, and wander around the playground and beautifully landscaped grass around Mission Bay and sit by the creek, watch people walk their dogs and cats (no joke), and enjoy the peace and quiet (and feel like you’re in a totally different, almost suburban, newly built and somewhat sterilized)

General background

  • The Bay Area is San Francisco through to San Jose (which is south)
    • North Bay = Marin, towards Napa Valley (includes Point Reyes, etc.), …
    • East Bay = Berkeley, Oakland, Alameda, …
    • San Francisco
    • South Bay = San Jose, Palo Alto, Mountain View, …
    • Connected via CalTrain (commuter rail) and BART (think clunky subway that goes outdoors)
  • The Golden Gate Bridge connects San Francisco and Sausalito, the municipality to the north of the city
    • Sausalito is a cute, oceanside town that feels very vacation-y (it is also expensive)
    • Lots of outdoor activities (e.g. hiking) in the Muir Beach area, which is just next to Sausalito
    • Lots of people bike across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito; be warned it is very windy
  • The Bay Bridge is between San Francisco and Oakland, the municipality to the northwest of the city
  • Getting around is easy via Uber Pool and Lyft Line (Muni, which refers to the buses, and BART, which is the “subway,” are not as reliable oftentimes. The good news is that ride shares are pretty affordable in SF)
  • Cable cars are fun but hard to squeeze onto without a long wait; they don’t fill to capacity at the first stop because they reserve spots for later stops so a good way to avoid the wait is to go one stop beyond the starting point!

San Francisco food staples

  • Boudin: sour dough bread (they have a sour dough waffle, which is one-of-a-kind, and also amazing grilled cheese and tomato soup)
    • I personally like their Fisherman’s Wharf location the most. Also check out their bakery section with full windows so you can see how the bread is made
  • Ghiradelli Square: started in SF, best in SF (chocolate ice cream, sundaes, hot chocolate…and free samples)
    • Lots of cute stores in the Square if you walk around as well
  • Blue Barn: amazing salads and sandwiches
  • Boba Guys: amazing bubble tea, options are all organic/friendly to non-dairy drinkers, and you can sub almond jelly for bubbles (it’s my favourite)
  • Bun Mee: fun modern take on bahn mi, light lunch/dinner option
  • Humphry Slocombe: hands down my favourite ice cream in the city – so many original flavours and never too sweet… usually I can only finish one scoop on my own but if it’s from HS, I’ll have 2-3!
    • Bi-Rite Creamery: super famous but not sure why (imo)
    • Smitten Ice Cream: they make your ice cream to order in front of you – super cool for theatricality, tastes average (imo)
  • Philz Coffee: try the mint mojito (coffee beverage); the setup of their stores is such that you order with a specific barista and then you only pay once you’ve picked up your drink, you pay for it
  • Blue Bottle Coffee: lots of coffee…the stores are nice…especially the one in Palo Alto

Things to see in the city

  • Golden Gate Park
    • Check out the Japanese gardens and stay for some refreshments there (expensive but lovely ambiance in the middle of the greenery)
    • The tower at the DeYoung Museum has free admission and great views of the park/city, so head on over!
    • To the north and the south of the park are a few pedestrian-friendly streets with lots of small eateries
  • Lands End: exactly what it sounds like – beautiful rocky cliffs where the city meets the ocean
    • Best accessible by car
    • Probably one the best secluded views of the Golden Gate Bridge you can find
  • Presidio
    • Large grassy space known especially for the nude beach in its north (North Baker), Crissy Field (great views of the Golden Gate from here as well), and Off the Grid
    • Off the Grid is a food truck festival – think Smorgasburg in Brooklyn (check for open hours before going)
    • Lyon Street Steps provide amazing views of the city – best to drive there as there are a lot of steps if you intend to climb up from the bottom…
  • Marina District: frat bros galore (rumour has it that this is where all the frat bros move after college)
    • Smooth bars, e.g. The Dorian
    • Lombard Street is here as well – it’s the famous street with those breakneck angles…more fun to drive down than to walk it, but also most fun at night when there aren’t 1000000 other cars as well
      • One of the cable car routes will take you within walking distance
  • Nob Hill/Russian Hill
    • This is an area where on weekday nights, the line at Trader Joe’s will loop the store once (tons of young working professionals)
    • A few dive bars on Polk and Hyde Streets, a number of cafes and eateries, and lots of apartments
  • North Beach: Little Italy
    • Italian restaurants, cafes, gelaterias, and also bars – grungier than Marina but also cheaper
    • Coit Tower offers incredible views of the city but lines are often long to get in; go early to get up quickly (or on weekdays); small admission fee required but well worth it
      • Coit Tower is on top of a hill that is hard to climb by foot (lots of steps and the route isn’t very clear); better to Uber or Lyft there
  • Pacific Heights
    • Lots of cute stores along California St. – take your time and browse
    • Stop for snacks or food
    • Known for its large, expensive houses
  • Downtown/Union Square
    • The Westfield is one of the most beautiful malls I’ve ever seen
    • Nearby is Union Square, with buskers and painters and an outdoor market (I love getting food and eating it in Union Square)
      • The two block radius around Union Square has most major stores an avid shopper would seek
    • Great Vietnamese food if you head towards the Tenderloin (best to be city-sensible around there)
  • Chinatown
    • Lots of food options, groceries, and a traditional Chinatown gate
  • Embarcadero: waterfront walk
    • Starts at Fisherman’s Wharf (Pier 39) and continues down to Ferry Terminal Building
      • Fisherman’s Wharf has many touristy stores, souvenirs galore, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., and even docks full of sea lions
    • Great walk on a nice day though plan a few hours
    • Exploratorium is a fun adult- and kid-friendly museum; they have Thursday night events for only adults
    • Ferry Terminal Building is the home to the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had (at Cowgirl Creamery) and ice cream (Humphry Slocombe)
  • Fillmore District/Western Addition
    • Other than the Painted Ladies (nice, colourful, iconic houses) and Japantown (lots of cute stores in a small, cramped mall), I’m not too familiar with the area and have not had much reason to visit
      • Japantown does have a good karaoke bar though
  • Twin Peaks: exactly what it sounds like
    • Long drive up, but great views
      • On weekend nights, often filled with party buses, the scent of weed, and jovial humans
  • South of Market (SoMa)
    • Post-industrial area with lots of new apartments, home to AT&T park (baseball stadium), and not much else…
      • …except night clubs, but one of the most famous recently shut down (DNA Lounge)
  • Mission District
    • Renowned for its Mexican food, undergoing lots of gentrification at the moment
    • The original Philz Coffee is here
    • The core of the hipster part of the Mission is between Valencia/18th and Valencia/24th
    • Lots of bars…and rooftop patios (check out El Techo’s rooftop for brunch)

San Francisco in X days

  • One day
    • Breakfast at Ferry Terminal Building
    • Walk along Embarcadero with a detour to Coit Tower (go up and check out the views)
    • Continue on Embarcadero to Pier 39 to check out the sea lions, have some chowder, and buy some souvenirs
    • Head over to Ghiradelli Square and have some ice cream
    • Catch a ride to Crissy Field and check out views of the Golden Gate Bridge and bask in the sun for awhile, maybe fly a kite
    • If there’s still daylight, then head on over to Golden Gate Park via rideshare, otherwise catch sunset at Lands End
    • Wrap up the day with a drink and Mexican food in the Mission
  • Two days
    • Breakfast near Golden Gate Park, followed by a walk through the park
    • Check out the views from the DeYoung tower
    • Catch a ride to Lands End and walk around in the fog, admire the bridge
    • If Off the Grid is happening, catch a ride over to the Presidio and grab lunch there; otherwise, head on over to Fisherman’s Wharf for lunch (chowder, souvenirs, sea lions)
    • Hike over to Coit Tower, check out the views from above
    • Stroll through North Beach and grab some gelato
    • If interested, wander through Chinatown; otherwise, hop on the bus down to Union Square
    • After some shopping and sun bathing/people watching in Union Square, grab a ride over to Twin Peaks for sunset or go straight down the Mission to catch the sunset from a rooftop patio

Day trips

  • Muir Woods
  • Napa Valley
  • Lands End / Sutro Baths
  • Point Reyes
  • Santa Cruz & Monterey
  • Half Moon Bay