Guidebook for San Francisco
Drinks & Nightlife
Good local spot with an excellent craft beer selection, relaxed vibe, and good sandwiches
37 locals recommend
The Dark Horse Inn
942 Geneva AveGood local spot with an excellent craft beer selection, relaxed vibe, and good sandwiches
Local dive bar that has excellent food and an extensive whiskey selection. Cash only.
47 locals recommend
The Broken Record
1166 Geneva AveLocal dive bar that has excellent food and an extensive whiskey selection. Cash only.
Food Scene
Philly cheesesteaks and a solid beer selection. Get a good sandwich quickly and for a good price!
PHILLIES
932 Geneva AvenuePhilly cheesesteaks and a solid beer selection. Get a good sandwich quickly and for a good price!
Hwaro
4516 Mission StModern twist on Korean food
One of the best taco and burrito places in SF. Get a lot of the green sauce!
44 locals recommend
Taqueria Guadalajara
4798 Mission StOne of the best taco and burrito places in SF. Get a lot of the green sauce!
Solid pho place. I go here when I'm craving some soup.
6 locals recommend
Pho Nice Vietnamese Restaurant
880 Geneva AveSolid pho place. I go here when I'm craving some soup.
This is an actual building where you can catch ferries, but it is much more than that. There is a marketplace full of local vendors and is a great place to go to sample lots of different local places. There is also a Farmer's Market several times a week.
Very accessibly by public transportation - just take BART to the Embarcadero stop and walk a few blocks east. I would recommend starting a day here and the spending an afternoon walking down the Embarcadero.
85 locals recommend
Ferry Building
1 The EmbarcaderoThis is an actual building where you can catch ferries, but it is much more than that. There is a marketplace full of local vendors and is a great place to go to sample lots of different local places. There is also a Farmer's Market several times a week.
Very accessibly by public transportation - just take BART to the Embarcadero stop and walk a few blocks east. I would recommend starting a day here and the spending an afternoon walking down the Embarcadero.
Parks & Nature
Large park in SF with several museums (Academy of Science, DeYoung Art Museum, Japanese Tea Garden). Nice walking and biking trails. On Sundays, several of the main roads are closed to allow for easier biking access. If driving there, go early in the morning on the weekend to get free street parking in the park. DO NOT pay for museum parking - it is a rip off!
1721 locals recommend
Golden Gate Park
Large park in SF with several museums (Academy of Science, DeYoung Art Museum, Japanese Tea Garden). Nice walking and biking trails. On Sundays, several of the main roads are closed to allow for easier biking access. If driving there, go early in the morning on the weekend to get free street parking in the park. DO NOT pay for museum parking - it is a rip off!
Park right by the ocean. Stunning views of the beach and of the Golden Gate Bridge. Check out the old Sutro Baths ruins on the beach, the cave, and the rock labyrinth. Free to go, but parking can get crowded on the weekends.
694 locals recommend
Lands End Trail
Lands End TrailPark right by the ocean. Stunning views of the beach and of the Golden Gate Bridge. Check out the old Sutro Baths ruins on the beach, the cave, and the rock labyrinth. Free to go, but parking can get crowded on the weekends.
Public beach the stretches along the whole west side of SF. Great place to hang out and take a long walk on the beach. During summer and fall evenings, there are lots of bonfires -
a great way to meet locals. Just remember to bring a jacket because it gets cold!
553 locals recommend
Ocean Beach
La Playa StPublic beach the stretches along the whole west side of SF. Great place to hang out and take a long walk on the beach. During summer and fall evenings, there are lots of bonfires -
a great way to meet locals. Just remember to bring a jacket because it gets cold!
Giant cross on a hill. Great view of the city. Not really known by tourists.
96 locals recommend
Mount Davidson
Myra WayGiant cross on a hill. Great view of the city. Not really known by tourists.
Little known state park with a view of San Francisco and some surrounding cities. Can be stunning during sunset. Try challenging yourself and biking up the whole thing! :)
58 locals recommend
San Bruno Mountain State & County Park
555 Guadalupe Canyon PkwyLittle known state park with a view of San Francisco and some surrounding cities. Can be stunning during sunset. Try challenging yourself and biking up the whole thing! :)
National park that used to be a military fort. From spring through fall, there is a Sunday picnic with a wide variety of food truck vendors hosted on the green area next to the Walt Disney Museum
383 locals recommend
Presidio of San Francisco
National park that used to be a military fort. From spring through fall, there is a Sunday picnic with a wide variety of food truck vendors hosted on the green area next to the Walt Disney Museum
Very popular park with views of the downtown area. Locals hang out here on a warm day. Cute little playground for the kids.
1244 locals recommend
Mission Dolores Park
19th StreetVery popular park with views of the downtown area. Locals hang out here on a warm day. Cute little playground for the kids.
Getting Around
Balboa Park Station
401 Geneva AveBART and light rail station
Essentials
Safeway
4950 Mission StHas all of your grocery needs within walking distance
Pharmacy where you can buy toiletries, snacks, and office supplies. If you plan on using a lot of public transportation, I would also recommend buying a Clipper card here since it is a lot easier than trying to buy bus and BART tickets!
293 locals recommend
Walgreens
1333 Castro StPharmacy where you can buy toiletries, snacks, and office supplies. If you plan on using a lot of public transportation, I would also recommend buying a Clipper card here since it is a lot easier than trying to buy bus and BART tickets!
For all of your fancy grocery store needs. They have a parking lot and it is very easy to get here by bus.
905 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
3950 24th StFor all of your fancy grocery store needs. They have a parking lot and it is very easy to get here by bus.
Guzman Produce Market
5229 Mission StLocal green grocer with a wide variety of produce and Mexican groceries
Sightseeing
Beautiful buildings that were built for a World's Fair hosted by SF in the early 1900s. You will often see couples taking wedding photos here
463 locals recommend
Palace of Fine Arts
3601 Lyon StBeautiful buildings that were built for a World's Fair hosted by SF in the early 1900s. You will often see couples taking wedding photos here
Entertainment & Activities
Free concert series hosted in San Francisco during the summer. Free music while surrounded by the woods! It is popular for locals to bring a picnic and hang out all day before the music starts (usually around 1 PM?)
41 locals recommend
Stern Grove Festival
Free concert series hosted in San Francisco during the summer. Free music while surrounded by the woods! It is popular for locals to bring a picnic and hang out all day before the music starts (usually around 1 PM?)