San Francisco: Out of the Ordinary Things to Do
There are lots of resources you can use to find stuff to do. As someone who likes to adventure, I’ve explored those resources.
Most of those resources suck.
Here, I’ve compiled things to do or see. I tried to pick things you might not normally hear about, or if you do hear about them you might not realize just how much fun they are. If you’re new to SF, or just looking for something new, I hope it’s helpful.
If you find something you think I should add, please let me know.
Go forth and make memories.
Finding New Events
When this list isn’t helping, I find that these two web sites are the best places to turn. Get on their mailing list for fun stuff emailed to you weekly.
SF FunCheap
This site is the king of “What do you want to do today?” Weekends are about chilling your way into awesome, and cheap awesome is the best kind.
Broke-Ass Stuart
Broke-Ass Stuart used to be FunCheap.com before there was a FunCheap.com. These days, one gets the impression that Stuart isn’t quite as broke-ass as he used to be, but he still tries to stay true to his roots and ferret out inexpensive and underground events that you might find intriguing. I’ve found lots of good stuff here. Their mailing list is 100% worth it.
Recurring Events
Nerd Nite
Three interesting speakers give talks on interesting topics like: computer-assisted interspecies communication, underwater archaeology, and man-eating lions. Doors open an hour before the talk. Arrive 30 minutes before doors open to guarantee a seat.
Odd Salon
Another series of speakers talk about super interesting things. Less nerdy than Nerd Nite, but still pretty nerdy. These are kind-of-sexy nerds. Self-proclaimed weirdos give talks on odd topics. There will be some yelling.
Party at the Museums
Super fun parties that happen in SF museums at nighttime. Museums have not been so fun since you got to miss school to go to them:
NightLife at California Academy of Sciences
https://www.calacademy.org/nightlife (most Thurs, 6-10p, 21+)
Exploratorium After Dark
http://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/after-dark (every Thurs, 6-10p, 18+)
Dance Karaoke Night
It’s like a dance club, but all the music is Karaoke. Totally fun.
Oakland Art Murmur
Big free street party that happens in Oakland every month. Galleries open their doors and everyone has a great time. Maybe the second coolest thing I know about that happens in the East Bay. The first coolest thing is directly below.
Tourettes without Regrets (now called The Ruckus Revival)
Holy shit, this show. It’s the Fight Club of underground art. Poets battle. Rappers battle. Comedians battle. There’s a clown dance off. It’s amazing. You need to show up at least an hour before doors open if you want a seat. It’s in Oakland, at the Continental Club. Go.
Open Studios
Artists around the city open up their studios for you to check out. Peek into hidden worlds. REALLY interesting.
https://www.artspan.org/events-programs/visit-sf-open-studios
Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
These “farmers” mostly farm specialty things like Roli-Roti porchetta sandwiches, Korean Tacos, and kiosk-ready paratha. If you don’t know what most of that is, you’ll enjoy exploring this event. There are also fresh fruits and vegetables you can check out if you’re some kind of hippie.
https://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/farmers-market/
Alameda Antiques Flea Market
The most interesting Flea Market, seriously, ever. Everything is over 20 years old. There is so much cool and weird stuff to look at that you will become desensitized. The Flea Market is on an old naval base and is BIG. Go early. 1st Sunday of the month.
http://www.alamedapointantiquesfaire.com/
Free Museum Days
All of the SF museums open their doors for free at least once a month. Get some culture for free, you smooth criminal.
https://sf.funcheap.com/city-guide/monthly-free-museum-days/
Sunday Streets
There’s something cool about a closed street that normally isn’t closed. People walk around in the middle of the street, have picnics in the street, set up weird stuff in the street, and generally hang out in the street. It’s pretty street.
http://www.sundaystreetssf.com/
Stern Grove – Free Summer Concerts
During the summer there are a bunch of awesome concerts in a great big grove–some pretty big names play. Reserve your free tickets in advance, then go early with peeps and make a day of it. Set out a blanket, hang out.
Litquake
You’re brainy. You like the books. You think poets reciting in a cathedral or novelists reading in a beekeeping supply store sounds interesting. Litquake is for you.
Lit Slam
You’re a little cooler than the folks above, even if you are one of the above folks. Lit Slam. It’s like a poetry slam but with, well, it’s still poetry. It’s also a competition, so people try harder and there’s, like, drama, man.
Bawdy Storytelling
Great storytellers get together and tell you all about their crazy, hilarious, sexy, and sometimes cringe-tastic lives. Super fun. You’ll love it because you’re a little freaky.
Mortified
Awesome people get together and read their diaries and journals from when they were children & young teens. Get ready to wince, laugh, and sadly relate in equal measure. This is just as amazing as it sounds.
http://www.getmortified.com/live/
Yoga on the Labyrinth
Grace Cathedral is one of the few “old world” style cathedrals in the new world. Unless you’re going to Chartres in France sometime soon, you want to check this place out. It’s usually open, and you can walk right in. They have a labyrinth built into the floor that you can follow, and folks gather there to do yoga. If you’ve never tried yoga, you can’t beat this as an experience. You’ll feel badass and like you’re part of something special. D’awww. (but, really)
https://gracecathedral.org/our-labyrinths
Hubba Hubba Burlesque Revue
This is San Francisco burlesque, which has become sorta famous around the world. The show will be made up of ¼ super-fun vaudeville hosts, ½ girl-power burlesque numbers, and ¼ amazing circus acts. Splurge for the seated tickets, or show up when doors open for a good standing view. It’s a hoot.
Special Dance Events
Morning Dance Party
That’s right. Morning dance parties (these days they’re usually on weekend mornings). Super amazing if you can get a group going. Set your alarm early, get up, and get down.
Non-Stop Bhangra
High energy Indian dance music dance party. Dance performances happen early. Next, there are surprisingly good Indian hip hop performances. Then, it’s all bhangra dance music all night long. It sounds like this.
Yearly Awesomeness Happenings
SketchFest
Special comedy overload. Famous people and groups you wouldn’t expect. Small venue shows and concerts (think Tenacious D at the Castro Theatre). This happens every year and sells out quickly. Get on the email list for advance notice.
SF Film Festival
Film nerd or just want to experience the experience? Well, hell. Come get it. Mailing list is important for the most popular/worthwhile films.
Fillmore Jazz Festival
In the summer, San Francisco hosts a different street festival every weekend. Most are fun, but… kind of the same. The Fillmore Jazz festival is different, and totally the best. Filled with amazing music and a super fun scene.
https://www.fillmorejazzfest.com/
Monarch Butterfly Migration
Every year monarch butterflies make their way along the coast from Washington to California. There’s nothing like walking into a grove and seeing thousands of butterflies perched in the trees and flying around you. I stumbled across such a grove by accident when I was nineteen. I wouldn’t recommend throwing a stick in a tree, because there’s nothing amazing about watching thousands of monarch butterflies circle your head.
It takes some work to find out when the butterflies are coming, but they usually cruise through our coast in late October. Set a reminder for early October and start searching for “Monarch Butterfly Migration California.”
Check here for updates: https://journeynorth.org/monarchs
Dykes on Bikes
Just what it sounds like, if it sounds like a huge parade of Harleys and such during Pride Weekend. Super fun and loud. The best part of Pride weekend you might otherwise miss out on.
SantaCon
You’ve probably heard of the event where thousands of Santa and Santa-themed supporters descend on The City. Buy a Santa Suit on Amazon or at Walgreens. Seriously, go. Why be a fun-hater?
https://www.santacon.info/San_Francisco-CA/
SF Fleet Week
The Blue Angels flying low over the city is pretty cool, but this weekend opens up a bunch of battleships, aircraft carriers, and other billion dollar amaze-things you’d never get to walk on without a four-year commitment. Plus, they pack the ships full of other military vehicles and equipment you can check out and hold. When’s the last time you held a .50 caliber machine gun?
SF Restaurant Week
Not super cheap, but super cheaper than normal. San Francisco fancy eateries open their doors with fixed price (prix fixe) menus. Restaurants highlight their best fare in hopes you’ll “discover” them and come back. Restaurant Week is an amazing date night opportunity. San Francisco is consistently rated the best restaurant city in the US. Check the site for participating eateries.
http://www.sfrestaurantweek.com/
Outdoor Adventures You Might Not Know
Anyone new to the area who enjoys the outdoors will want to know about this stuff. SF is the BEST major city when it comes to outdoor adventures right outside the city.
Bay Area Hiker Resource
Using this amazing resource is like hiking through the Internet in 1998. You can’t deny its retro feel or its smorgasbord of hiking options to explore. Hikers rejoice.
Weekend Sherpa
Want weekly emails with suggestions about amazing outdoor adventures? Shit, yeah, you do.
Seward Street Slides
When you’re looking for an “It’s so cool that’s even there” adventure. Concrete slides built right into a hilly SF neighborhood. You might want to bring some cardboard to sit on, but this thing is super cool and childishly fun.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/seward-street-slides-san-francisco
Marin Headlands, WWII Bunkers, and Nuclear Missile Silos
During WWII, people were super worried SF would be attacked by the Japanese. So, they built up defenses into the hills. There are a number of places you can go check them out, climb in (and on) them, but the best place is in the Marin Headlands. You’ll also get picture postcard views of SF, so you’ve got that going for you. Also, old Nike Missile silos!
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/marin-headlands-nike-missile-site-batteries-and-bunkers
Fort Point
During the Civil War the Union built a big fort to protect the Golden Gate, and it’s still there. It’s UNDER the Golden Gate Bridge. If you’re at a loss for something amazing to do, do this. Go check it out. You can walk inside it and see how soldiers lived back then.
http://www.nps.gov/fopo/index.htm
Mission Cliffs
Okay, this outdoor adventure is indoor. It’s a great big rock climbing gym. They’re super friendly to newcomers. It’s like climbing a tree when you’re a kid, except the tree is straight up, and it’s a wall. Also, they have an awesome slide you can run and jump on. Don’t let the super bad ass pictures dissuade you. They put those up for their climbing friends. Fun is had by all.
https://touchstoneclimbing.com/mission-cliffs/
House of Air
This one is also indoor. I guess I am that kind of guy. BUT, when you were a kid did you ever think about a massive building filled with interlocking trampolines? Probably not, but if you did you would have begged your parents until they took you, right? That’s what this is (it closes for good on February 15, 2027). BOING BOING BOING! Super fun, and kids get the heck out of your way because: IT’S A GROWN UP!!! Don’t worry, they get the last laugh when you’re tired in 10 minutes.
Coffee
It’s not hard to find amazing coffee in SF, but this coffee place is a coffee place you can treat as an event. Visit it and rejoice.
The Mill
The original home of $5 toast. Even to say that sounds elitist. But, life is an experience. So, swallow your ego and get ready to swallow some of the best toast of your life. It’s okay. The bread is special. The toppings are special. You’ll feel like you’ve done something after a trip here.
http://www.themillsf.com/
Food
SF is a food town. In fact, most major food magazines rank SF as the best food city in the country. Those magazines have probably never been to New Orleans(?), but these are my picks of the most amazing of the amazing.
Tartine
There will be a big fat freakin’ line. Deal. Enjoy the line; it’s there for a reason. When you get to the front of the line, get the ham and cheese croissant. There will be a lot of other tempting things, but NO. Get the HAM AND CHEESE CROISSANT. This is one of the best things you can get in SF, and it’s why there’s a line. Yes, have them heat it up for you. Are you kidding? The other best thing is the gougere bun (gu-jher bun). It’s good to take with you. Don’t bother trying to get a seat. Take a walk and eat your newly acquired awesomeness. Maybe go to Bi-Rite Creamery for dessert and get the salted caramel.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/tartine-bakery-and-cafe-san-francisco
Crustacean
Holy shizzbot. Are you ready to be ruined for crab? This place has a separate secret kitchen where only family members are allowed. They make the secret roasted crab and slide it through a little door that looks like a prison cell door window. Why? Because it’s that good. If you go here, you get the famous Roasted Crab, not one of the other kinds of crab. If you get the other kinds, when you die an angel will smack you in the face and maybe not let you into heaven. Also, get the garlic noodles. Both dishes will ruin you for dishes of that type, because you will never find their equal. They have a number of sister restaurants. They’re all the same. Kinda pricy. Soooo worth it. (They moved to 195 Pine St in the Financial District in 2025.)
https://www.crustaceansfpine.com/
Cordon Bleu
This place is a hole in the wall. I prefer to think of it as a whole in the wall. It’s on California near Van Ness. It’s listed as “Vietnamese”, but it’s more “French Vietnamese”. They serve (only) roasted chicken, huge imperial rolls, and some kind of amazing meat gravy over rice. If you don’t get all three, you’re cheating your very soul. Seriously.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cordon-bleu-san-francisco
Bi-Rite Creamery & Mitchell’s Ice Cream
People will argue about which is best. Both have a line. Bi-Rite is fancy. Mitchell’s is down-home. I prefer Bi-Rite for straight-up ice cream and Mitchell’s for the milkshakes and sundaes. If you have to choose just one, go to Bi-Rite Creamery, wait in the line and get the salted caramel. Salted ice cream sounds nasty, but this is some of the best stuff you’ve ever eaten. Then chill in Dolores Park and look at all of the freaks. Win-win.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bi-rite-creamery-san-francisco
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mitchells-ice-cream-san-francisco
Pizza: Little Star or Patxi’s
No, you haven’t had this kind of pizza before. New York has pizza. Chicago has pizza. This is closer to Chicago, because it’s deep dish, but that’s where it all starts new. You might not think sourdough crust makes a big difference, but you’d be wrong.
You’ll think it’s a small pizza for the price. But then you’ll eat a fraction of usual because it’s so freaking filling. Also, delicious.
I prefer Little Star, but Patxi’s is almost the same and they deliver. If you get the cornmeal crust, or thin crust, or anything other than the deep dish, you are doing it wrong, hippie.
https://thestarpizza.com/ | http://www.patxispizza.com/
Muracci’s (Japanese Curry, downtown)
This is the only place on this list that isn’t the best I’ve ever had. But, unless you want to fly to Tokyo, this is the best you’re going to get. This downtown eatery has 9 seats, so you’ll be taking your curry to go, cowboy. Japanese curry is different than other curry you’ve had and it’s AMAZING. If you’re at a loss for what to get, get the pork katsu curry (breaded pork over rice with rich curry sauce). I’m not going to say anything else. I don’t want to spoil the moment.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/muraccis-japanese-curry-and-grill-san-francisco