Destination
Type of Activity
Editors Pick
Courtesy AlcatrazRead MoreAlcatraz
If you’ve never been to Alcatraz, the notorious prison in operation from 1934 to 1963 that housed infamous criminals like Al Capone and “Machine-Gun” Kelley, now is a good time to go. A multi-million renovation includes a new entrance that...
Read MoreAsian Art Museum
The Asian Art Museum boasts one of the largest collections of Asian art outside of Asia. Housed in a 1917 Beaux Arts building (the city’s former Main Library), the Asian Art Museum was designed by Gae Aulenti, an Italian architect...
Read MoreBay Area Discovery Museum
This is more of a play-oriented outing than a museum per se, but it’s a fabulous facility in a great location right across the bridge in Sausalito. A lot of fun for kids.
Read MoreBiking
San Francisco presents a biker’s dilemma: biking is one of the best ways of getting around (public transportation still leaves something to be desired), yet the steep hills make it nearly impossible to have a smooth ride. Locals know to...
Read MoreCalifornia Academy of Sciences
Designed by Pritzker Prize–winning Renzo Piano, this $500 million architectural marvel in Golden Gate Park is a pioneer of environmentally friendly design: its “green” planted roof can be seen from across Golden Gate Park and it received Platinum LEED certification.
Read MoreContemporary Jewish Museum
This dramatic structure designed by architect Daniel Libeskind hosts a variety of collections that examine the Jewish experience in our contemporary world. Past exhibitions have looked at Jewish life in the Bay Area since the gold rush, Andy Warhol’s portraits...
Read MoreCrissy Field
This is a wonderful place to take kids for a walk along the water. There are several beaches and spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Angel Island, East Bay and Marin. There are also two nice casual spots...
Read Morede Young Museum
The stunning all-copper museum building, designed by the Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron, is seamlessly integrated into Golden Gate Park, with plants and sculpture gardens helping to merge the two. Inside is an encyclopedic collection of American art from...
Read MoreEmbarcadero
Named for the stretch of road that fronts the bay, the Embarcadero is home to the San Francisco Ferry Building, restaurants like La Mar Cebicheria Peruana and now the Exploratorium. A walk along the promenade, which is inlaid with discreet plaques...
Read MoreFort Baker
San Francisco’s Golden Gate National Park Service is one of the most progressive such agencies in the country, and is among the first park services to offer trails and campsites within an urban national park, as it does in the...
Photo by Ali Malecka, courtesy IndagareRead MoreHayes Valley
In the heart of San Francisco, this neighborhood is known for its local shops and amazing restaurants. Be sure to stop in Rand and Satler, one of our favorites. For lunch head to Souvla for fresh Greek food.
Read MoreHyde Street Pier
This pier at the end of the Hyde Street Cable Car line is well worth a visit. It houses some fascinating and photogenic historical ships and offers expansive bay views. The gleaming white Eureka, resembling a classic riverboat, was part...
Read MoreLand’s End Trail
This popular cliff-side trail starts above the ruins of the Sutro baths, which at the end of the 19th century comprised the world’s largest indoor swimming pool complex. The buildings burnt down a half-century ago, which is just as well,...
Read MoreLegion of Honor
The Legion of Honor was built as a replica of the Palais de la Légion d’Honneur in Paris. With the permission of the French government, and at the urging of his wife Alma Spreckles, sugar magnate Adolph Spreckles spearheaded the...
Photo by Ali Malecka, courtesy IndagareRead MoreOcean Beach
Although this is not the spot to take a swim (the currents are quite strong and the water is chilly), Ocean Beach is a great spot to dip your toes in the Pacific and enjoy a beach picnic. Outerlands is...
Read MorePier 24 Photography
On San Francisco’s historic Pier 24 lies the aptly named Pier 24 Photography, an appointment-only exhibition space that allows 60 guests per day. The 28,000-square-foot gallery houses an extensive collection of over 2,000 photographs and is a must for any...
Read MoreSan Francisco Museum of Modern Art
In May 2016, the SFMOMA, founded in 1935, reopened its doors in San Francisco’s South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood following a $300 million renovation and massive expansion. Permanent collections include some of the most important European and American artists of the...
Read MoreThe Exploratorium
In early 2013 the Exploratorium opened its new doors on Pier 15 and became the latest addition to San Francisco’s ever expanding Embarcadero waterfront – and an excellent reason to visit the city. The new space puts the Exploratorium where...
Read MoreThe Museum of the African Diaspora
Attached to the St. Regis hotel in the South of Market neighborhood, MoAD opened in December 2005 with exhibits that explored humanity’s roots in the African continent. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Courtey JaGaRead MoreThe San Francisco Ferry Building
No self-professed foodie should leave the City by the Bay without paying a visit to the San Francisco Ferry Building. Once the center of one of the busiest ferry systems in the world, today the building pays homage to San...
Photo by Peter Schlesinger, courtesy IndagareRead MoreTwin Peaks
This is the lookout point at the highest spot in the city. San Francisco is a particularly hard city to wrap your mind around geography wise, so we recommend going up to Twin Peaks to spot the different neighborhoods.
Read MoreYerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA)
It’s always worth checking to see what exhibitions and dance performances are scheduled at this contemporary complex of galleries and performance spaces, which opened in 1993. The surrounding five acres of lovely gardens provide an inner-city oasis and are a...
