Exploring California's Lost Coast
Biking through the redwood forests and sleepy villages on California’s longest stretch of undeveloped shoreline, writer Bruce Kirkby learns that the Lost Coast is worth finding.
Photo: Lewis Sommer
“The Rock” has served as a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison and a federal prison and is now a national... Read more
If you’re downtown around happy hour, have a cocktail here. Located in the beautifully kept Yerba Buena Gardens, B Bar has a front wall... Read more
Bars
You can’t leave town without having the crispy chicken skins with sea laver, lemon and chili at Bar Tartine, an elegant offshoot of... Read more
Restaurants
Brewtruc, San Francisco’s first bar on wheels thanks to 12 taps and a sound system, is where fans of craft brewers like Mill Valley... Read more
Bars
The Clift, located two blocks from Union Square, is almost a hundred years old, but with its Philippe Starck re-design, you’d never... Read more
Photo: Livia Labate
Delica rf-1 is a Japanese delicatessen offering healthy bento boxes and salads in the Ferry Building. Try the spicy burdock-root salad or... Read more
Restaurants
Photo: Dosa
Traditional South Indian dishes made with local, organic, sustainable and seasonal ingredients. The wine list is paired with the bold, exotic,... Read more
Restaurants
Photo: Amir Brown
Start the day with the delicious whole-wheat cinnamon pancakes at Dottie’s True Blue Café, where the vibe is comfy and the staff... Read more
Restaurants
The interior of San Francisco’s commuter ferry terminal gained an assortment of eateries and shops dedicated to all things culinary... Read more
Crack open a Dungeness crab that was pulled off a boat a few metres away, order a bowl of cioppino (Italian seafood soup) or grab some clam... Read more
They took “dinner and a movie” and turned it into a fine-dining experience. Each night at dusk a film begins in their covered... Read more
Restaurants | Arts & Culture
The art gallery’s in your iPod thanks to podcast tours of this contemporary collection. Local artists explain their inspirations and... Read more
Photo: Cesar Rubio
This centrally located boutique hotel is a great value in the financial district. Enjoy the urban garden terrace on the third floor, which... Read more
Near Fisherman’s Wharf, Gary Danko is one of San Francisco’s finest dining establishments. See the seared sea scallops with zucchini-basil... Read more
Restaurants
From SFO you can take the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) downtown for less than $10. Trains come about every 20 minutes and the trip takes less than a half hour.
Photo: Phillip H. Coblentz
The rectangular 1,017-acre park is similar in shape to Central Park in New York City but is 20 percent larger. Best traversed by bicycle,... Read more
Photo: Cary Mosier
The menu at Gracias Madre is sourced from the vegan restaurant’s organic farm, located an hour east of the city. Tuck into fresh tortillas... Read more
Restaurants
Photo: Anthony Abuzeide
This hip hotel sits right in the heart of the city and has suites decorated by both Kathy Griffin and Jerry Garcia (if you’re into that... Read more
Photo: Cesar Rubio
Located in the Embarcadero, this boutique hotel offers staggering views of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. You’ll love being welcomed... Read more
This gorgeous 19-story hotel was built on the original site of railroad tycoon Mark Hopkins’ home. Completed in 1926, the hotel sits... Read more
There’s no such thing as a small fry at Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen in San Francisco, where the fry menu lets you pick your... Read more
Restaurants
Along with its five other outposts in Latin America, La Mar elevates Peruvian-style seafood, and specifically ceviche, to haute cuisine. The... Read more
With over 26,000 works and strong holdings in photography, painting, sculpture, architecture and media arts, SFMOMA presents key examples... Read more
Built as a bank in 1926, this beautiful hotel pays tribute to Florentine Renaissance architecture. Decorated with Italian marble, rich fabrics... Read more
A quaint wine bar in the posh Cow Hollow neighbourhood, boasting an extensive selection of Italian wines, quaint outdoor patio, great menu... Read more
An innovative take on modern sushi in the SoMa district. Their signature dish, marinated black cod, always makes for blissful diners. They... Read more
Parked in the Tenderloin, this mid-century motor inn has grit and style to spare, drawing rock ’n’ rollers like the Killers. Hole... Read more
Buses run throughout the city and are an easy way to jump from one neighbourhood to another. A $20 3-Day Passport provides unlimited use of all city-run buses, cable cars and trolleys. They can be purchased at several locations (including the information booth at the airport baggage claim).
With 20-foot ceilings made from old bourbon barrel staves, this bar is the perfect backdrop to sample some expertly crafted concoctions. Try... Read more
Bars
Pull up a stool at San Francisco’s tiniest wine bar, which doubles as a flower store, and take your pick from 60 small-run California... Read more
Bars | Shops
Photo: Kathrin Miller
Come to this dive-y bar for well-priced drinks, like the zesty ginger beer-and-Brazilian rum. Eclectic yet cozy, the space is lined with wooden... Read more
Bars
Photo: Bob Ecker
One of baseball’s oldest teams, the Giants, moved to San Francisco in 1957 from New York City, and they have some of the game’s... Read more
Photo: Markham Johnson
Guests at the reasonably priced Sir Francis Drake are greeted by doormen in beefeater uniforms. Its Starlight Room is also a throwback (the... Read more
Photo: Franky Frankeny
Chef Mark Sullivan was named one of “America’s Best New Chefs” by Food & Wine Magazine in 2002. Expect a decadent menu,... Read more
Restaurants
This is where hungry bar-crawlers come for a cheap eat, which just happens to be the best darn burrito in town. Order the carnitas, and make... Read more
Restaurants
Taxis are ubiquitous but can be difficult to hail during events and peak commuter hours. They are the preferred method for quick and easy transportation. Tipping a few dollars above the fare is expected. Save a few taxi switchboards on your cell phone.
Luxor: 415-282-4141
Yellow: 415-333-3333
Veterans: 415-552-1300
Atop Nob Hill, 10 minutes away from the Presidio, the original Fairmont San Francisco is a grand and classic hotel.
Built in the 1920s as the Huntington Apartments, the property was converted into a hotel a short time later, resulting in suites far larger... Read more
This landmark hotel mixes old-school charm – the bartender remembers your drink and your name – with high-tech amenities. (Rooms... Read more
This gem in San Francisco’s North Beach neighbourhood serves home-style Italian dishes. Every great meal should begin with their peperoni... Read more
Restaurants
Home to galleries, designer clothing stores, cafés, clubs and lounges. There’s everything you could imagine swiping your plastic... Read more
Biking through the redwood forests and sleepy villages on California’s longest stretch of undeveloped shoreline, writer Bruce Kirkby learns that the Lost Coast is worth finding.
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