Recently I've been asked by different friends about San Francisco and how to make their visit, for work or vacation, more authentic and more "local". So after giving different pieces of feedback on what to do and where to go I decided to share this with the broader audience, here are some of the secrets from a local's perspective. I'm sure my friend Kristela will take advantage of these suggestions. Many of these are related to restaurants or bars, but let's face it, SF is a foodie's paradise, with access to Sonoma and Napa wines and hundreds of microbreweries in town, so here you go:
1. Zeitegeist: If you are in the mood for a really biker-theme authentic bar with almost limitless options of beers, mix crowd of bikers, leather and basically anyone in SF, you should go and check it out. The backyard biergarten is very unique, sunny or cold, you'll always interact with an eclectic fun crowd (zeitgeistsf.com/)
2. El Techo de Lolinda: Rooftop bar in the middle of the Mission, with sprawling unique views of the downtown skyline you can witness how the city is changing by the minute. Reopened as a Mexican-style tapas bar you can taste delicious Mexican appetizers and small plates with a refreshing pitcher of Pueblo Viejo Margarita (eltechosf.com)
3. Smitten's Ice Cream: Yeah, most of people know about Bi-Rite creamery, but Smitten is creating that same fame in Hayes Valley with made-to-order ice cream made with nitrogen, so in less than five minutes you can have your salted caramel dessert, vanilla or many other daily flavors. What started off from a Radio Flyer cart is now a very successful business model in SF (smittenicecream.com)
4. Beach Chalet Brewery in Golden Gate park: With all the microbreweries trending in SF, this one is a classic one. Location is absolutely perfect on the Ocean Beach, on west end of Golden Gate park. Food is good and you can get beer to take home, also walk around and experience the marine layer coming in from the Pacific Ocean (beachchalet.com)
5. Salito's in Sausalito: Situated in the iconic Sausalito just 20 mins north of SF, this place serves a great variety of seafood, you can get a perfect clam chowder here instead of crowded Pier 39. People-looking is so much fun, be prepared to have amazing views of the bay and see how popular this town is for cyclist crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on a sunny or not so sunny day (salitoscrabhouse.com)
6. Alcatraz at night. Make sure that you book this tour way in advance to your visit, usually tickets sellout at least a month in advance. The night tour has even reduced limited space, again book in advance. Once there you'll get to see the city from a very unique perspective, city lights and high-rises all throughout the city. Prisoners back then could hear the big parties happening on New Year's eves, fireworks and music. It makes you appreciate the ability to be in the city anytime (alcatraztickets.com)
7. Biergarten in Hayes Valley. Owned and operated by Supenkuche, has taken a corner of the lot located on Fell and Octavia streets. Popular spot to hang out with the true techies of the Bay Area. They only serve German beer and some pretzels, snacks and on Wednesdays burgers which run out pretty quick. Original German picnic tables and chairs, enjoy a litter of beer while the fog rolls in at the end of the day (biergartensf.com)
8. Dandelion. Chocolate maker on Valencia street. This place is decadent, desserts are just amazing and the cool aspect about this place is that they have several seasonal events that include wine and bourbon pairing with chocolate, can this get any better? Authentic chocolate maker in SF and with way less crowds than Ghirardelli and also giving you the chance to stroll on Valencia street and check out trendy boutiques and bars (dandelionchocolate.com)
10. Hi Tops. This recently opened gay sports bar is attracting big crowds in the city. Located on Market Street, in the Castro, it offers like no other bar in the city a wide selection of flat screens projecting different sports. Of course when the SF Giants are playing this is mostly what we watch, but don't worry we won't hold it against you (as long as you're not L.A. Dodgers fan). Great food and drinks are awesome too (hitopssf.com).
11. SF Giants ballpark. If in town and games are happening I completely recommend going to a game (or two) and witness the greatness of the Giants (World Series champions 2010 & 2012). Seriously, this AT&T park is one of the most beautiful ones in the country if not the best. Great bay views, by the water and with cool surroundings like China Basin, SoMa and many restaurants that are making this area another happening neighborhood in SF. (sfgiants.com)
12. Helicopter tour. This is the best way to see the city, from above. You can easily identify how the city laid out and limited on each side by the Golden Gate Bridge on the North connecting to the Marin Highlands, on the West by the Pacific Ocean, anchored on the East by the Bay and South leading to the Peninsula. Appreciate Golden Gate Park, The Presidio, Twin Peaks, all different parks in the city and Alcatraz right on the bay. Tickets range about $200 per person but believe that it's worth every single penny.
13. Sonoma County. Up and happening, it's the quiet wine county, forget about Napa. Avoid the crowds in Napa and instead head out to down-to-earth and friendly Sonoma and enjoy its great wines. Visit Healdsburg, the Russian River and make your way out all the way to Bodega Bay (set used for the filming of The Birds, by Alfred Hitchcock). Only 90 minutes from SF and you can read more about this area on these blogs:
14. The Ramp. If you have seen the movie Blue Jasmine, then you have seen this place in the movie. The ramp is located South of the Ferry Building, at one of those even-numbered piers in Potrero Hill. Totally understated, with white plastic tables and chairs, with a great bar and fantastic views of the south piers and some military and fishing boats around the bay. This is not the typical Yacht Marina, on the contrary a cool and eclectic San Francisco beauty that not many tourists get to see (theramprestaurant.com)
We all know the classic spots to visit in San Francisco, and don't take me wrong, we also do them every now and then, it's good feeling like a tourist in your own town. Don't forget to checkout: Golden Gate Bridge & Park, Ferry Building, The Presidio just to mention a few attractions. If in need of a restaurant just chose anything, we are lucky enough to have options in all budget ranges, just go online and Google them, I'll include some options at the end of this blog.
San Francisco is a great town to be a local and to be a tourist, don't forget to bring a light jacket as weather can change anytime. So here you go, book your trip and explore the local spots in SF!
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