Top 10 Things to do in San Francisco
San Francisco is full of amazing things to see and do. You could spend a week in The City By the Bay and still not experience it’s world-class restaurants, famous museums and historic landmarks (Particularly if you're a drug mule and were arrested upon landing at SFO).
Now we’re sure that you’ve Googled your way through tons of lists repeating the same things. But with so much to do, here is our top 10 unique list of the best things to do in San Francisco, including pros and cons.
1. GOLDEN GATE FORTUNE COOKIE FACTORY
Fun fact: Did you know that the fortune cookie was invented in San Francisco? (Also a fun fact: Mosquitos are attracted to people who’ve recently eaten bananas).
A visit to the Golden gate Fortune Cookie Factory allows you the opportunity to stand in San Francisco’s only non-hipster line. Thus, it moves quickly, you get a free sample, and no one with a handlebar mustache will condescend when you don’t buy a batch of the green tea cookies.
For $1, you can have a souvenir fortune cookie made with your own, hand written, custom message, and individually packaged in a nice little to-go box while you get to see the cookies made by hand.
2. CHINATOWN’S DRAGON GATE
One of the most photographed sites in San Francisco (Except that time Princess Diana was in town for SantaCon), the Dragon Gate is the only authentic Chinese Gate in North America. If you look closely, you’ll see sculptures of fish and dragons, flanked by two large lion statues, which are meant to keep away evil spirits. These never work, however, and at some point, you’ll probably glimpse somebody downing Jägermeister
3. HISTORIC GRANT STREET
Known as San Francisco’s oldest street, Grant Avenue starts at Market and ends at Francisco in North Beach. Along the way you’ll enjoy seeing the tall skyscrapers downtown, short little old ladies with pink plastic bags and Pete Rose haircuts in Chinatown, cagey looking Italians clutching violin cases in North Beach, and grizzled old mariners in galoshes and yellow raincoats at Fisherman’s Wharf.
4. TRANSAMERICA PYRAMID
Just a stone’s throw from Chinatown (Stones being the softest material available since the city’s ban on memory foam – every year thousands of seagulls oversleep on discarded Tempur-Pedics), the Transamerica Pyramid stands 853-feet-tall, and features more than 3,000 windows.
Prior to the construction of the Salesforce Tower, the Pyramid was the tallest building in the city and stands on the site of another formerly tallest building in 1853, the Montgomery Block which stood at a whopping 4 stories and no one could see their house from there.
5. BARBARY COAST
Once known as San Francisco’s red-light district in the 19th and 20th centuries, the nine-block area along Pacific Avenue, between Montgomery and Stockton Streets featured dance halls (Which were like middle school gymnasiums except the boys were taller than the girls), concert halls (Which were like dance halls except with less prostitution), saloons (Which lack the degreed mixologists and absinthitinis found in the more modern bars), bars (Which lack the aroma of aged wino puke that is found in the best saloons), jazz clubs (Ground zero for the first turtle necks), variety shows (Like Donny & Marie) and brothels (Brothels).
6. SENTINEL BUILDING
Also known as Columbus Tower, this copper-green Flatiron-style building is home to, owner, Francis Ford Coppola’s production company, American Zoetrope. Stop by for a visit to the ground-floor cafe, Cafe Zoetrope, or just make a pitstop at the Restroom Zoetrope.
7. LOTTA’S FOUNTAIN
On Sept. 9, 1875, this cast-iron fountain, was commissioned by actress Carlotta Crabtree as a gift to San Francisco. Located at the corner of Market, Geary and Kearny streets in San Francisco, the fountain has survived earthquakes, fires and attempts to move it to Golden Gate Park. But now Lotta’s Fountain is fighting for his identity and his lovers’ heart. Danny Trejo is: The Fountain Head
8. MAIDEN LANE
Once upon a time, Maiden Lane was the center of San Francisco’s red-light district (Don’t pay any attention to that stuff we said about the Barbary Coast. We were just grasping at straws. This time we’re sure). Today, this quiet two-block street is filled with high-end and cute boutiques, art galleries, and San Francisco’s only Frank Lloyd Wright designed building.
9. IRISH BANK
Grab a pint of Guinness at the Irish Bank, the soul of Ireland in the heart of San Francisco. This Irish pub is one of America’s most authentic and historically accurate pubs, with its traditional whitewashed cottage appearance and ancient 19th century water pump.
The menu has some Irish classics like Shepherd’s Pie; Bangers; Irish Beef Stew; Quesadillas; and Vegetarian Curry (We’re not kidding). Not only that, but it’s truly a friendly and welcoming environment. You may make a new friend, or two.
PALM COURT AT THE PALACE HOTEL
Step inside the Palm Court (aka The Garden Court) inside the Palace Hotel and bask in the ornate chandeliers, glass dome and marble, ionic columns. It’s easy to see why the Palm Court was one of San Francisco’s most prestigious hotel dining rooms since the day it opened. There’s a sign that says so.