San Francisco is a compact city—just seven miles long—but it’s filled with unique ways to play. As you explore the city’s famous landmarks and its distinctive neighborhoods, you’ll also find immersive ways to experience it that go way beyond simple photo ops.
Explore the 金门大桥
The “International Orange” steel icon offers a colorful backdrop for classic San Francisco social media posts, but it also offers its own invitation to play. Bike or walk the two miles across the bridge—check out this 免费徒步游—then make a day of it by hiking, 探索, and picnicking in the neighboring Golden Gate Recreation Area. That’s where you’ll find the beach activities at Crissy Field，游戏空间 Presidio Tunnel Tops, and the selfie-friendly Yoda Fountain.
Go along for the ride
San Francisco’s mass transit system makes it easy to explore the breadth of the city, and hopping on the various forms of transportation creates countless opportunities for fun. Start downtown with the famed 缆车 (watch them make their big turnaround at the corner of Powell and Market) then keep 探索 on San Francisco’s streetcars, which can take you to 渔人码头, Haight-Ashbury, and beyond. Take a few ferries, too, to visit 阿尔卡特拉斯岛 or 金银岛, the man-made island just off the Bay Bridge.
Hop a ferry to 天使岛
天使岛—the entirety of which is included in a state park—is home to Mt. Livermore and boasts a unique history as a military base, 检疫站, and immigration gateway. Take the history in and hike to the summit of Mt. Livermore for 360-degree views of the city and the bay. 在…停留 阿尔戈诺酒店, located steps from 渔人码头, comes with an unusual perk: The hotel offers ferry excursions to 天使岛.
Embrace the elevation gain
San Francisco is one the hilliest cities in the world, which makes for both good workouts and incredible views. Walk up the famously steep and crooked 朗伯德街 for jaw-dropping views of the city and the bay. 上升或下降 五彩缤纷的楼梯 around town—like the beautifully painted Lincoln Steps, where you can get a view of both Salesforce Tower and the 金门大桥. Then catch a thrill on the city’s unique hillside slides—like the concrete Seward Street Slides in Noe Valley or the 40-foot Esmerelda Slides in Bernal Heights.
Visit a hands-on museum
San Francisco is home to a number of interactive museums, like the 探索, comprised of both indoor and outdoor exhibits that invite you to create your own colored shadows or to shout into a giant tube to learn about the speed of sound. Make time, too, for the California Academy of Sciences—a combination natural history museum, aquarium, and planetarium. 在免费的时候 缆车博物馆, meanwhile, you can see the giant mechanisms that still operate the trolley today, and at the 顺丰铁路博物馆 (also free), you can take the wheel of a 1911 streetcar replica.
Embark on a foodie tasting tour
Where does one even begin in San Francisco, one of the top foodie towns in the world? An excellent spot is the Ferry Building Marketplace, which offers a greatest-hits selection of Bay Area delights under one roof. Come hungry: You’ll find the Napa-style comfort foods of Gott’s Roadside, the heavenly mollusks of Hog Island Oyster Company, and the renowned Neapolitan pizza at A16 La Pala. For dessert, check out Recchiuti Confections, Grande Crêperie, and the ice cream at Humphry Slocombe.