Off The Beaten Path San Francisco
You’ve heard all about the usual spots like Alcatraz, Lombard, and Fisherman’s Wharf.. but San Francisco has so many off the beaten path gems that only the locals know about!
Here are some of my favorite ones:
Table Of Contents
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Labyrinth at Lands End
Located in a windy corner of Land’s End, this rock maze was built originally in 2005 by artist Eduardo Aguilera. At first he had hoped to keep it hidden but it was quickly discovered by other hiker. Over time, although it’s been destroyed a couple times, it’s unofficially become part of the Land’s End park.
Wood Line at Presidio
The Presidio is one of the largest green areas in San Francisco with many lovely walking trails throughout. Placed inside is a lovely art piece called Wood Line, by Andy Goldsworthy.
It’s composed of fallen trees, placed in a snaking pattern, that is a reference to the circle of life. Much of his work revolves around materials drawn from the earth and is meant to decay over time and return back to the Earth.
Musee Mcanique
A fantastic way to spend an afternoon, this arcade is full of vintage arcade games, with some dating back to the early 1900’s.
Most of them are mechanically powered and range from self playing pianos, vintage peep shows, and giant dioramas.
Ed Zelinksy started collecting these vintage arcade games at young age and now his son runs and maintains all the machines.
Most games cost around 25 to 50 cents to play.
16th Ave Tiled Steps
Located in the Sunset District, this lovely set of tiled steps snakes up a tall hill that rewards the viewer with a sweeping view of the city.
Collette Crutcher and Aileen Barr started working on the stairs in 2003 and finished in 2005 with help from other artists and volunteers. The stairs were inspired by colorful Selaron staircase in Rio de Janeiro.
All the mosaics were donated by the community.
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Fort Funston
Another locals only type of spot - this is a fantastic place to hike along the beach, see all the dogs playing, and watch all the hang gliders in action.
To see the hang gliders - they mostly launch off the bluff-top staging area near the entrance. Why are there so many hang gliders here? Well, the winds coming from the ocean hit the cliff wall, creating an uplifting force for the gliders. Similar to birds that seem to hang in midair without flapping their wings - the gliders can ride these wind drafts all day long.
Wave Organ
Built in 1986, the Wave Organ was built by artist Peter Richards and the Exploratorium. It’s a zany acoustic art structure built on a jetty in the San Francisco Bay that takes the sounds of the waves and makes music out of them.
This is done by a creative mix of reclaimed granite and marble from a cemetery and 20 PVC pipes. The water rushes into the pipes to create different gurgling sounds and frequencies.
Make a note that the organ only ‘plays music’ when the tide is in and sounds best at high tide.
Bernal Heights Park
One of my favorite parks to hike up to for an amazing view of San Francisco - this place is rarely crowded and is mostly a locals type of place. For an amazing sunset experience just get to the top, take a seat, and watch as the colors of the city change while the sun dips below the horizon.
The famous swing is also at the top of the hill around on the other side. There might be a line of people wanting to get the perfect photo and also there are times when the swing is simply not there (not sure why?).
Four Seasons Houses
You’ve probably heard of the Painted Ladies at Alamo Square Park, but have you seen the Four Seasons Houses in the Haight?
They are four houses that each represent a season and are themed that way. On the front of each house is an emblem that signifies each season.
I actually think they’re prettier than the Painted Ladies and way less crowded too!
Presidio Pet Cemetery
There’s a quirky little pet cemetery just south of Crissy Field surrounded by a white picket fence and filled with tiny gravestones.
There are all sorts of pets buried here ranging from lizards, hamsters, dogs, and birds.
A bit hidden, underwear the Presidio Parkway, it’s worth checking out and totally under the radar.
Ina Coolbrith Park
One of my best secrets in San Francisco - this gem of a park is rarely crowded and offers a dazzling view of North Beach, Downtown, and Alcatraz. There are nice benches interspersed along a sloped side and is one of my favorite places to watch sunset.
You’ll have to work for the view though, by walking up a steep hill that’s incidentally been in quite a few movies (Pursuit of Happyness, Venom, etc)
Dutch Windmill
These giant windmills were actually built in the early 1900’s to pump water deep underground over to Ocean Beach in order to transform the sand dunes to lush green park land. Electric pumps quickly replaced the need for these windmills and they quick fell into disrepair.
It wasn’t until the 1980’s that they were renovated and a tulip garden was placed around the North Windmill.
As of 2012, both windmills were renovated and in working condition.
Seward Street Slides
These iconic slides built all the way back in the 1960’s are an example of community coming together. The whole lot was set to be bulldozed for development until the neighborhood protested the loss of public park space. They were successful in their protest, which led the way to new laws requiring a set amount of open space in any new development projects.l
These slides are open everyday (except Monday) from 10 am to 5 pm.
Bring a cardboard box or blanket to sit on while riding your way down these slippery slides. Sometimes there are some to use that have been left behind by other people.
Baker Beach & Marshalls Beach
Two of my favorite beaches to take out of towners to - the views from both beaches are absolutely incredible.
Baker Beach is a bit larger with more sand while Marshall’s Beach is more intimate and less crowded. You can also get much closer to the Golden Gate Bridge at Marshall’s Beach.
Also, Baker’s Beach has one section that is publicly nude and for some reason it’s mostly men. Fair warning if that kind of stuff bothers you! :)
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San Francisco Columbarium
Most locals have never heard of this place and I only stumbled across it because of some beautiful spring blossom trees that caught my eye while I was driving.
The Columbarium is a final resting place for a small group of San Franciscans who were lucky enough to remain inside the city limits. (A law in 1901 banned further burials inside the city limits)
The architecture of the building is Neo Classical with a beautiful opening inside. It’s worth a peaceful stroll for sure.
Filbert Steps
San Francisco seems to full of quirky stairs and steps, with the Filbert Steps included. They are actually three sets of staircases that are famous for having beautiful surroundings near each.
One of them is a hidden staircase that lead up Telegraph Hill from the Embarcadero to Coit Tower. Along the way you’ll see lovely gardens and perfectly manicured neighborhoods and cottages.
The Filbert Street Steps traverse the eastern slope of Telegraph Hill from Sansome Street to Coit Tower at the top of the hill, crossing Montgomery Street and Telegraph Hill Boulevard along the way.
