Jillian
Los Angeles

What are some unusual things to do in San Francisco?

Traveling to SF for the weekend in December and want to go on some adventures with friends. We know there are endless dinner/drink spots or even parks to relax. No particular budget, but not looking to break the bank. What are the more unusual, fun things to do in San Francisco?

16 Answers

answered by

Elliott from San Francisco

San Francisco is a great city with lots to do without breaking the bank. Compared with LA, SF is a very small city (48 Square Miles) and can easily be navigated. Here are some fun things to do (from my perspective):

Check out "Illuminate SF light Art Walk" through Discovery Street Tours. Its free but you need to sign up. The evening begins on Mission Street plaza of the San Francisco Federal Building where the group will take in James Turrell’s Skygarden. The group will wind its way through SOMA discovering more little known San Francisco facts before arriving at the entrance to the AVA 55 Ninth apartments. Here the group will meet creators Brian Goggin and Dorka Keehn, who will describe the work and share just how salvaged safety glass and Transbay Terminal Douglas fir foundations came to be 13 illuminating, pulsating pianos. Next, After exploring alleyways and architecture, the group will work its way to Ned Kahn’s Firefly on Golden Gate Avenue and admire the high-rise work shimmering in the wind. Participants will need to remain on the lookout for Eric Staller’s Lightmobile, a not so easy to miss Volkswagen Beetle brilliantly lit with 1659 lamps.

Check out Street Food Bazaar. SoMa StrEat Food Park, 428 11th Street.

Looking to discover SF’s best local craft/artisan food vendors and special chef pop-ups? SoMa StrEat Food Park and Funcheap are putting on a Thursday Night Market called “StrEat Bazaar.” The focus is mostly craft food vendors, special pop-up restaurants, food trucks (of course)and some artists and designers to round things out.

Check out Seasonal Food Swap: Hobbyists & Chefs Unite | SF

SF Swappers | A San Francisco-based Food Swap Event
Seasonal Food Swap: Hobbyists & Chefs Unite | SFSF Swappers is an ongoing San Francisco-based food swap and social gathering that welcomes bakers, canners, picklers, distillers, home cooks and everyone passionate about making and sharing food.The food swaps take place every other month, and include getting to know your fellow San Francisco food makers and the opportunity to swap your homemade items with others. They welcome everyone from hobbyists to chefs with professional experience (who they encourage to use the food swap as a platform to branch out).

Check out Free Indie Pop Concert. The Depot SFSU presents free concert featuring local indie rock and gloom pop bands at an early show from 6-9 pm on Wednesdays.

Check out Golden Gate Park.

Modeled after New York City’s Central Park, Golden Gate Park is considered by many to be the best city park in the United States. It is also the largest man-made park in the world at 1,017 acres and over 3 miles (50 blocks) long by 1/2 mile wide. Thirteen million people visit each year making it the third most visited park in the U.S. after Central Park, NYC, and Lincoln Park, Chicago. SF’s Golden Gate Park encompasses several major attractions including museums, lakes, and gardens. Renting and Biking around is a good way to “accidentally” run across the wide variety of smaller attractions such as childrens’ playgrounds, a carousel (built 1912), buffalo paddocks, dog parks, fly fishing, archery, model boat sailing, lawn bowling, golf, soccer, the Polo grounds, Kezar Stadium, and more. Make a point of visiting San Francisco Botanical Garden, Conservatory of Flowers, The De Young Museum, and the California Academy of Sciences. Make a point at the CAS of attending the Planetarium...

Check out Walks. Starting at Columbus and Broadway, explore North Beach (north) and San Francisco Chinatown (South). Find and walk the Filbert Steps near Coit Tower and Lyon Street Steps. Lyon Street Steps is at Lyon Street & Broadway St from which you take the stairs down two blocks to Green St. From there it’s a nice walk along Lyon St to the Palace of Fine Arts and the SF Bay.

Hope this helps.