SF
Guide

Curated by a local tour guide.
What I recommend on tour, collected in one place.

Neighborhoods

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Pacific Heights

Pacific Heights sits on the ridge between the Marina and the Western Addition. Some of the city's highest…

1 restaurants 2 things to do
Haight-Ashbury

Haight-Ashbury is a compact neighborhood at the eastern edge of Golden Gate Park, mostly Victorian flats with record…

1 restaurants 17 things to do
The Castro

The Castro is San Francisco's LGBTQ+ neighborhood, a compact commercial district at the western end of Market Street.…

2 restaurants 3 things to do
Potrero Hill

Potrero Hill sits on a south-facing slope between the Mission and the central waterfront, with a microclimate that's…

0 restaurants 2 things to do
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Where to Eat

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Cotogna

The pasta changes daily and it's always the right order. Lunch is easier to get into than dinner. Book through SevenRooms.

$$$ Italian

House of Nanking

Let them order for you. Tell them what you don't eat and trust the kitchen. If you want, the sesame chicken and potstickers with peanut sauce.

$$ Chinatown Shanghai Chinese

Grubstake

This is the answer to 'where can we eat after the bars close?' The burgers are solid and the all-night breakfast saves lives. Go after midnight for the full Grubstake experience.

$ American

R&G Lounge

The salt and pepper crab is what to order. Bring four people so you can get it plus three or four other dishes family-style. The downstairs room has tablecloths, the upstairs has energy. Same kitchen.

$$$ Chinatown Chinese, Cantonese, Seafood
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Things to Do

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Classic

Golden Gate Park Bison Paddock

Free to see from the fence along JFK Drive in the western half of Golden Gate Park. The herd is small but the bison are real and have been here since 1891. Best early morning when they're active and close to the fence.

free
Classic

Urban Hike: Stairways of San Francisco

The Filbert Steps on Telegraph Hill are the most dramatic, with wild parrots and secret gardens. The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps in the Sunset are the most photogenic. Wear real shoes.
Classic

Book Club of California

Check their event calendar for lectures and exhibitions. The rare book collection is impressive for anyone interested in typography or California history. On Sutter Street near Union Square. Free admission.

free
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Written by someone who actually does this every day

I've been a San Francisco tour guide for years. These aren't hot takes from a travel writer who flew in for a weekend—they're the answers I give people every single day.

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Tourist Traps Worth It

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Insider Tips

What the locals know