The City by the Bay
first. everything else negotiable.
- Golden Gate Bridge Crissy Field to Fort Point pairing
- Ferry Building + Embarcadero marketplace browse, walk to Pier 7 for photos
- North Beach City Lights Books, Washington Square
- Mission Dolores Park late afternoon into sunset
- Dinner anchor La Taqueria or Taqueria El Farolito, then dessert at b. Patisserie or Dandelion
- Day 1 Golden Gate Bridge, Lands End to Sutro Baths, Outer Sunset food, Ocean Beach sunset
- Day 2 Japanese Tea Garden, de Young tower, Ferry Building loop, North Beach dinner
- One reservation Zuni Café or State Bird Provisions
- One viewpoint Twin Peaks for panorama or Bernal Heights for calmer climb
- Alcatraz night tour, book early
- Coit Tower area stair walks and bay views
- Chinatown lanes bakeries and side streets, then North Beach crossover
- Mission loop Clarion Alley, Dolores Park, burrito anchor
- Golden Gate Park Tea Garden, Conservatory of Flowers, Academy of Sciences optional
- One splurge meal Rich Table, NOPA, or omakase
- Escapes Muir Woods + Sausalito, Point Reyes, Napa or Sonoma with 2 tastings
- Quarter depth Hayes Valley cafés, Inner Sunset, Richmond, Noe Valley
- Food arcs one taqueria, one seafood counter, one izakaya, one dim sum, one pizza legend
- Slow slots Golden Gate Park extra day, Embarcadero long walk, museum afternoon
- Golden Gate Bridge walk or bike across, best pairing is Crissy Field to Fort Point
- Lands End to Sutro Baths coastal trail with cliff views and ruins
- Alcatraz night tours, book early
- Painted Ladies at Alamo Square skyline plus Victorian row shot
- Ferry Building + Embarcadero marketplace browse, waterfront walk to Pier 7 for photos
- North Beach + Chinatown City Lights Books, Washington Square, Chinatown lanes
- The Mission Clarion Alley murals, Dolores Park late afternoon
- Golden Gate Park Japanese Tea Garden, de Young tower, Academy of Sciences, Conservatory of Flowers
- Hayes Valley shopping and cafés, compact loop
- Twin Peaks big panorama, windy, bring layers
- Bernal Heights Park calmer viewpoint, short hike
- Coit Tower area stair walks and bay views
- Ocean Beach at sunset pair with Outer Sunset food
SF staples
- La Taqueria Mission burrito
- Taqueria El Farolito Mission super burrito
- Swan Oyster Depot seafood counter classic
- Sotto Mare cioppino
- Zuni Café roast chicken, iconic room
- House of Prime Rib old school prime rib experience
Modern reservations
- State Bird Provisions small plates, high energy
- NOPA strong all around
- Rich Table ingredient forward
Asian anchors
- Rintaro Japanese izakaya
- Z and Y Sichuan
- Dragon Beaux dim sum
- San Tung Korean wings
Sushi
- Wako Richmond, high end omakase
- Ju-Ni NoPA, high end omakase
- Friends Only Union Square area, high end omakase
- Saru Sushi Bar Noe Valley, local regular
- Akiko's SoMa, reliable weeknight
- Ebisu Inner Sunset, reliable weeknight
Pizza
- Tony's Pizza Napoletana North Beach
- Pizzeria Delfina Mission, Pacific Heights
- Flour + Water Pizzeria North Beach
- Jules Lower Haight
- Square Pie Guys SoMa, Ghirardelli Square
- Golden Boy Pizza North Beach
- Outta Sight Pizza Tenderloin, Chinatown
Bakeries and dessert
- b. Patisserie pastries
- Arsicault croissants
- Tartine bread and breakfast
- Dandelion Chocolate single origin
- Bi-Rite Creamery ice cream
- Mitchell's classic ice cream
Speakeasies and hidden bars
Tenderloin
- Bourbon & Branch Jones St, password entry, reservation driven, Prohibition theme
- Wilson & Wilson inside Bourbon & Branch, smaller room, rarer spirits, reservation only
North Beach
- Cold Drinks Bar hidden cocktail bar, high polish
Polk Gulch and Lower Nob Hill
- Blind Pig Speakeasy Lounge strong cocktail program, date night lane
Other hidden bar picks
- The Pawn Shop
- Lore
- Left Door
- The Felix
Cocktail lounges with local pull
Union Square
- Pacific Cocktail Haven (PCH) consistent top tier cocktails
Mission
- ABV neighborhood bar, serious cocktails
- True Laurel modern cocktail bar, high craft
- Trick Dog creative rotating menus, strong local scene
Hayes Valley
- Smuggler's Cove tiki institution, rum depth
- Muir Woods + Sausalito redwoods then waterfront lunch
- Point Reyes coastal drive, oysters, lighthouse
- Napa or Sonoma keep it to 2 tastings
- Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Japantown, parade weekend and festival dates mid to late April
- SFFILM Festival late April into early May
- Oracle Park catch a Giants home game if the schedule lines up
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