SF
Guide
Curated by a local tour guide.
What I recommend on tour, collected in one place.
Neighborhoods
All neighborhoods →The Embarcadero is the waterfront promenade along the eastern edge of San Francisco, running from Fisherman's Wharf to…
North Beach is named for a beach that was filled in during the 19th century. It became San…
Hayes Valley is named for Thomas Hayes, who developed the area in the 1850s. Its current walkable form…
A 1,500-acre former Army post on San Francisco's northern tip, now national park land. It holds the south…
Where to Eat
All restaurants →b. patisserie
If you are staying downtown, use the Union Square kiosk on Powell for the kouign-amann rather than crossing town, but go to California Street if you want the full range.
Arsicault Bakery
Go early on a weekday and get the plain croissant first, then the almond.
Tony’s Pizza Napoletana
Join the Yelp waitlist before you walk over and order the Margherita first thing. It sells out early.
Scoma’s
Seafood goes from dock to kitchen with no middleman.
Things to Do
All activities →Transamerica Redwood Park
A half-acre redwood grove at the base of the Transamerica Pyramid. It's free too.
Balmy Alley
Balmy Alley has held murals since 1972; the modern tradition took off in 1985, when Ray Patlan organized 27 murals honoring Central American indigenous heritage and protesting US intervention. About 30 murals line the alley between 24th and 25th Streets at any given time. Free, open around the clock, best visited in daylight.
Coit Tower
Lobby and murals are free; you only pay for the elevator. Come early for the lightest crowds.
Best of San Francisco
All lists →Tours I Recommend
All tours →Nob Hill on Film
A free self-guided film locations walk on Nob Hill: five stops including Madeleine's apartment in Vertigo, the Fairmont from TV's Hotel, the…
North Beach and Telegraph Hill on Film
A free self-guided film locations walk through North Beach and Telegraph Hill: nine stops from the Transamerica Pyramid to Coit Tower, including…
The Castro: Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Mile
A walk through the heart of LGBTQ San Francisco, from Harvey Milk Plaza and the Pink Triangle memorial to Milk's camera shop…
The Mission: Murals, Missions, and Taquerías
From the 1791 Mission Dolores through Dolores Park and the Women's Building to the mural alleys and the Calle 24 Latino corridor.…
Fisherman’s Wharf to the Marina: The Working Waterfront
A waterfront walk from the historic ships at Hyde Street Pier west past Ghirardelli, Fort Mason, and the Wave Organ to the…
Nob Hill: Bonanza Kings and the 1906 Fire Line
The hilltop of railroad and silver barons, from the working cable car powerhouse to Grace Cathedral. Six stops, under a mile, with…
Pacific Heights: Billionaires’ Row and Victorian Survivors
A walk along the city's wealthiest ridge, from a tourable 1886 Victorian and the Spreckels Mansion to the Mrs. Doubtfire house and…
The Fillmore: Harlem of the West and Japantown
The Black music history that the Haight's rock story overshadows, from Alamo Square up Fillmore Street to Japantown. Six stops, about a…
Golden Gate Park: A Cross-Park Walk
A three-and-a-half-mile east-to-west walk across Golden Gate Park, from the 1879 Conservatory of Flowers through the museums and gardens to the bison,…
SoMa and Yerba Buena: Industrial City to Museum Mile
How warehouses and rail yards became the city's cultural core, from SFMOMA and the Yerba Buena museums to the dot-com oval of…
The Embarcadero: Earthquake to Ferry Building
How a 1989 earthquake remade the waterfront. A flat walk from Cupid's Span and the Bay Bridge to the Ferry Building and…
North Beach Walking Tour
A free self-guided North Beach walking tour from a local SF guide. 10 stops through Beat Generation history and Italian North Beach:…
Walking the Haight: A Deep History Tour
A free self-guided Haight-Ashbury walking tour from a local SF guide. 17 stops from Buena Vista Park to Hippie Hill: the Grateful…
Chinatown Walking Tour
A free self-guided Chinatown walking tour from a local SF guide. 14 stops over 1.7 miles, from the Dragon Gate through the…
San Francisco by Luxury Van Tour
A 4-hour small-group ride through 16 SF neighborhoods in a luxury van. Buses can't reach these streets — vans can. Local snacks,…
Wine Country Small-Group Day Trip
Napa and Sonoma in one day without driving, which matters more than people expect once tastings are involved. Small group, long day,…
Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Day Trip
Fourteen hours and a lot of it is driving, so go in knowing that. You still get Yosemite Valley and the sequoias…
Vantigo VW Bus City Tour
A restored VW bus, a small group, and a driver who talks like a local instead of reading a script. The most…
Upcoming Events
All events →The Wallflowers
Pertinence at Cafe Du Nord
Anthony Locascio
Drag-Up Comedy
A Berkeley Shakespeare One Night Stand
She Wants Revenge
Sunset Rollercoaster
Pertinence
Jenna Raine
Dinosaur Jr. Fall Tour 2026 With Special Guest Stef Chura
Jenna Raine, Zoe Levert
Late Night Clubbing #085
Sign in to save your favorites
and sync across devices.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy
Get the SFGuide App
The full guide in your pocket. Save spots, get directions, and explore offline.
Scan to install