Things to do in San Francisco, CA

San Francisco’s Mediterranean climate is mild (the temperature nearly always hovers between 55 – 75 degrees F year-round), but when that pesky fog invades, be prepared for the massive chill down. Most prominent in the summer months of July and August, the natural air-conditioning is both loved and hated by locals. Yes, we crave hot, sunny days and warm nights when the rest of the country enjoys them in excess; however, we’ll haughtily brag when we’re frolicking on the city beaches in March or November. Whether the tidal wave of fog is pouring over Twin Peaks or seeping through the soaring suspension cables of the Golden Gate Bridge, one thing can’t be denied – it’s an uncommonly beautiful sight.

Boasting 47 named hills, these mini-mountains are no joke; you’ll find yourself huffing and puffing up and hanging on for dear life down as the cable car descends. But oh, the views! Stare in awe at the rows of cars parked at 90-degree angles, side by side, like dominos on the brink of toppling over one another. It’s impossible to designate where the best vistas are – Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill, Nob Hill, Twin Peaks, Potrero Hill, Buena Vista Heights, and Pacific Heights are just a few knolls, among many,...  

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San Francisco’s Mediterranean climate is mild (the temperature nearly always hovers between 55 – 75 degrees F year-round), but when that pesky fog invades, be prepared for the massive chill down. Most prominent in the summer months of July and August, the natural air-conditioning is both loved and hated by locals. Yes, we crave hot, sunny days and warm nights when the rest of the country enjoys them in excess; however, we’ll haughtily brag when we’re frolicking on the city beaches in March or November. Whether the tidal wave of fog is pouring over Twin Peaks or seeping through the soaring suspension cables of the Golden Gate Bridge, one thing can’t be denied – it’s an uncommonly beautiful sight.

Boasting 47 named hills, these mini-mountains are no joke; you’ll find yourself huffing and puffing up and hanging on for dear life down as the cable car descends. But oh, the views! Stare in awe at the rows of cars parked at 90-degree angles, side by side, like dominos on the brink of toppling over one another. It’s impossible to designate where the best vistas are – Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill, Nob Hill, Twin Peaks, Potrero Hill, Buena Vista Heights, and Pacific Heights are just a few knolls, among many, that showcase unique panoramas of land and sea.

Few places on earth offer the bounty of epicurean delights like San Francisco. The birth of California cuisine, pioneered by Alice Waters of the world famous Chez Panisse, turned the world on to locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients. The large Hispanic and Asian population contributes to the profusion of fantastic ethnic cuisine in every neighborhood; the city has some of the best Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian, and sushi you’ll find outside of the respective countries. San Francisco is ground zero for food fads that are imitated worldwide, the latest being made-to-order artisan ice cream produced with liquid nitrogen, and a proliferation of mobile, fancy food trucks. You will not go hungry.

There always seems to be cause for a celebration in this town. From the world’s oldest gay pride parade to the largest Chinese New Year’s festival outside of China; from the dozens of film festivals and annual street fairs to the unruly Bay to Breakers road race; from Stern Grove’s free concerts to the weekend extravaganza of Outside Lands; don’t be shy with the glitz and glitter - San Francisco knows how to party.

The early Gold Rush Days paved the way for the beatniks, dreamers, entrepreneurs, and trendsetters who call San Francisco home. From the 1967 Summer of Love to the legalization of gay marriage (and subsequent prohibition), the city is ever heretical and always accepting. Nixed ideas from the east coast will be revered, funded, and celebrated here. Despite all of the fun to be had, San Franciscans are an industrious bunch. It’s no accident that the city is home to online dynamos Twitter, Zynga, Craigslist, and Yelp, with Google, Facebook, Yahoo, and Paypal just down the road.

Rising in pale tiers from shining San Francisco Bay, this extraordinary city issues a siren's call to visitors, inviting them to sample its charms, marvel at its architecture, scale its steep streets, explore its familiar and hidden places, and absorb its one-of-a-kind character. It's a city rich with possibility, abounding in diversity, and irresistibly beautiful.

Curiously enough, the Bay received little attention from Europeans before the latter half of the 18th century and was first sighted from land after having been passed over by ships navigating the coast. The Spanish took initial stock of the site, establishing both a fort (the Presidio) and a mission named Yerba Buena ("good herb").

In the mid 19th century, America took control of the settlement and renamed it "San Francisco" after the mission's original namesake, St. Francis of Assisi. As fate would have it, gold rush fever swept through the region somewhat simultaneously, and sleepy San Francisco leapt to prosperity as a supply center and port. From that point on, both population and business took off, giving rise to one of California's — and the nation's — largest cities.

In 1906, progress came to a terrible halt when a high-magnitude...  Read more »

Rising in pale tiers from shining San Francisco Bay, this extraordinary city issues a siren's call to visitors, inviting them to sample its charms, marvel at its architecture, scale its steep streets, explore its familiar and hidden places, and absorb its one-of-a-kind character. It's a city rich with possibility, abounding in diversity, and irresistibly beautiful.

Curiously enough, the Bay received little attention from Europeans before the latter half of the 18th century and was first sighted from land after having been passed over by ships navigating the coast. The Spanish took initial stock of the site, establishing both a fort (the Presidio) and a mission named Yerba Buena ("good herb").

In the mid 19th century, America took control of the settlement and renamed it "San Francisco" after the mission's original namesake, St. Francis of Assisi. As fate would have it, gold rush fever swept through the region somewhat simultaneously, and sleepy San Francisco leapt to prosperity as a supply center and port. From that point on, both population and business took off, giving rise to one of California's — and the nation's — largest cities.

In 1906, progress came to a terrible halt when a high-magnitude earthquake struck, causing devastating fires and widespread destruction. Despite the loss of life and property, San Francisco rebounded quickly, even hosting the Panama-Pacific Exposition in 1915 amid newly created structures and infrastructures.

Now, a century later, the City by the Bay has weathered cultural and ethnic tensions, the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, and even the rise and fall of the dot-com industry. As strong and seductive as ever it was, San Francisco attracts business and tourism with ease, scarcely a difficult prospect given the city's skill at balancing attractions for the masses and opportunities for the wealthy. The shopping mecca of Union Square, in fact, illustrates the city's range, coupling luxury hotels with a public square and plying folks with both Neiman Marcus and Levi Strauss.

Through everything, past and present, the city's inclusive spirit and forward drive have shone like beacons, announcing a desire to offer equality to citizens, to celebrate the region's rich heritage, and to make the most of its residents' own talents and ideas. It's here, for instance, that early settlers and soldiers transformed barren sand dunes into parks and woodlands, that dedicated shipbuilding provided America an edge during World War II, and that the Summer of Love found reason for peace and hope for the future.

It's hardly surprising, then, that San Francisco consistently ranks as one of the nation's favorite destinations. Not only does it claim a fascinating history, but a temperate year-round climate, landmark sights, fabulous restaurants and a welcoming atmosphere completely sell the compact, energetic city. Venturing around the Bay also lets folks experience distinctive towns, partake of outdoor pursuits, and explore the beauty of the Wine Country. So whether it's a home base for suburban jaunts or a destination in and of itself, San Francisco proves magnetic in its appeal, effusive in its embrace, and insatiable in its appetite for abundant pleasure and extravagant promise.