Top 10 Experiences in San Francisco That Aren't Fisherman's Wharf
Fisherman's Wharf is where tourists go. The rest of this list is where San Franciscans go. And where you should go.
1. Walk Across the Golden Gate Bridge
Free. 1.7 miles one way. The most photographed bridge on Earth, and walking it (instead of driving) is the only way to properly experience the scale, the wind, the views of the Pacific on one side and the Bay on the other.
Start from the south side (parking at the Welcome Center). Dress warmly — it's always windy. The best photos come from Battery Spencer on the north side after you cross. Allow 1.5-2 hours round trip with stops.
2. Mission District Food Crawl
The Mission is SF's best eating neighborhood. Start at La Taqueria for the country's best burrito ($12-15, cash only). Walk to Tartine Bakery for a morning bun ($5). Browse Balmy Alley's murals (free). End at El Farolito for a late-night super burrito.
The Mission is also SF's sunniest neighborhood (the microclimates mean it often escapes the fog). Dolores Park — the city's favorite gathering spot — has skyline views and excellent people-watching.
3. Alcatraz Night Tour
The regular Alcatraz tour is excellent. The night tour ($52.25) is extraordinary. Fewer visitors, the cellhouse lit by dim prison lighting, and the audio tour narrated by former inmates echoing through empty corridors. The ferry ride back at dusk with the city skyline lit up is the cherry on top.
Book 2-4 weeks ahead at alcatrazcruises.com. It sells out.
4. Lands End Coastal Trail
A 3.4-mile loop along dramatic coastal cliffs with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands, and the ruins of Sutro Baths (a former public bathhouse from 1896, now atmospheric concrete ruins). Free.
The labyrinth — a stone spiral near the trail — overlooks the Pacific and the bridge. It was built by a local artist and has been rebuilt by visitors after storms for years. Go on a clear morning.
5. Chinatown Deep Dive
North America's oldest Chinatown (1848). Enter through the Dragon Gate on Grant Avenue, but the real Chinatown is on the side streets — Waverly Place (beautiful temple balconies), Stockton Street (actual grocery shopping, no tourists), and Ross Alley (fortune cookie factory, free to watch).
Dim sum at City View Restaurant: $10-15. A proper dim sum lunch with tea and har gow is one of SF's great meals.
6. Golden Gate Park
1,017 acres — bigger than Central Park. Free to enter. Inside: the California Academy of Sciences ($42, includes aquarium, planetarium, and a living four-story rainforest), the de Young Museum (free first Tuesday), the Japanese Tea Garden ($12), and a paddock with actual American bison.
Rent a bike from a shop on Haight Street and cycle through. The park is car-free on JFK Drive, making it perfect for pedaling.
7. Cable Car to North Beach
Ride the Powell-Mason cable car ($8) from Union Square to North Beach — SF's Little Italy. Skip the queue at Powell and Market by boarding mid-route.
In North Beach: City Lights Bookstore (the legendary Beat Generation bookshop — browse for free), Caffe Trieste (Italian espresso since 1956, $4), and Tony's Pizza Napoletana (the only pizza worth eating in SF, $15-20 for a pie).
8. Twin Peaks at Sunset
Free 360-degree views from 925 feet above the city. On clear days (most common in September-October), you can see the Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, downtown skyline, and the Pacific Ocean simultaneously. Drive up or take the 37 bus plus a short walk.
Bring a jacket — it's windy and cold at the top, even when the city below is warm.
9. Ferry Building Saturday Market
The Saturday farmers market (8AM-2PM) at the Ferry Building is free to browse and features artisan food producers from the Bay Area. Cowgirl Creamery cheese samples, Blue Bottle Coffee, fresh oysters from Hog Island ($3 each), and pastries from Tartine.
Inside the Ferry Building (open daily): more food shops, a bookstore, and the best mushroom toast in the city at Far West Fungi ($12).
10. Sunset at Baker Beach
The Golden Gate Bridge from below, with waves crashing on a sandy beach. Free. The north end of the beach has the best bridge views. The south end is clothing-optional (fair warning).
Bring a blanket and a bottle of wine. Watch the bridge turn orange as the sun sets behind it. This is the San Francisco postcard shot, but from the beach it feels intimate rather than touristic.
