Activities
Cycling
There are a number of places to rent bikes for riding in the city – two of the best-known are Blazing Saddles and Bay City Bike. Riding across the Golden Gate Bridge and down to Sausalito and Tiburon is a popular and easy route, especially if you choose to take the ferry back to the city. If you decide to ride back, it’s a pretty steep climb from Sausalito to the bridge. On the Golden Gate Bridge, bikes use the western sidewalk on weekends and the eastern sidewalk on weekdays (pedestrians are only allowed on the eastern side). The sidewalk can get crowded with both serious and casual cyclists. Be prepared for strong winds, especially around the towers.
If you are comfortable riding in an urban environment, San Francisco’s compact size makes biking a convenient way to get around. To avoid the worst of the hills, take “The Wiggle,” a zig-zagging route that can get you across town on mostly flat streets. The rental companies provide maps and tips.
City Hikes
Filled with hidden stairways and rewarding hilltop views, San Francisco is a great place for an urban hike. Here are a few of our favorites: The Greenwich and Filbert Street steps, which climb the western side of Telegraph Hill up to Coit Tower, offer panoramic vistas, peeks into flower-filled gardens, and perhaps a glimpse of the famous wild parrots. (This hike is best planned for daytime, as some muggings have been reported here after dark.) At Land’s End, on the northwestern edge of the city, a scenic trail leads from Sutro Baths along the coast to the posh Seacliff neighborhood in the Outer Richmond. This trail offers great views of the Marin headlands and Golden Gate Bridge – for views of both the bridge and the city skyline, take a stroll along Crissy Field in the Presidio out to historic Fort Point, or better yet, take a walk across the span itself. (Bring layers – it gets very windy.) The Golden Gate Bridge is 1.7 miles long, but a shorter walk to one of the towers is still very worthwhile. Park at Fort Point and take the path up from the parking lot, or park in one of the Vista Points at each end of the bridge (the north lot is free; the south lot on the city side has metered parking).
Boat Cruises
One of the best ways to enjoy San Francisco is out on the water. The Blue and Gold Fleet offers narrated sightseeing cruises along the waterfront and under the Golden Gate Bridge – you can also take a high-speed tour on their RocketBoat, or take their ferry services to the charming (if touristy) bayside towns of Sausalito and Tiburon for shopping/dining or to Angel Island for hiking/biking. The venerable Red and White Fleet offers a narrated one-hour Bay Cruise, a 90-minute Explorer Cruise, and a two-hour Sunset Cruise. Most cruises leave from Fisherman's Wharf – from the Ferry Building, you can take the Blue and Gold Fleet to Tiburon or Golden Gate Ferry to Sausalito. If you’d like to enjoy a casual or formal meal while you take in the scenery, Hornblower offers a range of dining cruises.
Sailboat Charters
With its strong currents, high winds, busy shipping lanes, and fog, the San Francisco Bay is a challenging place to sail. Unless you’re highly experienced, we recommend chartering a sailboat with a professional captain instead. A variety of local companies offer private or group charters.
Angel Island
The largest island in San Francisco Bay has been a U.S Army post, an immigration station, an internment camp and a missile site. Today Angel Island State Park is mostly wilderness, offering a range of hiking, biking and camping opportunities. The island is accessible by commercial ferry and private boat. Bikes can be rented seasonally at the Cove Cafe – Segway and tram tours are also available. Hikers can take the surfaced perimeter road or the moderately strenuous trail to the summit of Mt. Livermore. There are 11 environmental camping sites including an ADA site, 9 numbered camping sites, and a kayak-accessible site.
Kayaking
Kayaking along the edge of the Bay offers a whole new perspective on the local scenery. Both private rentals and guided trips are available; routes depend on the experience level of the paddlers. For kayaking along the San Francisco waterfront, go to City Kayak at Pier 40 in South Beach Harbor. In Sausalito, Sea Trek rents single or double kayaks and stand-up paddle boards.
AT&T Park
Home of the 2010 World Series champion San Francisco Giants, this ballpark is arguably one of the best in the county, offering spectacular views of the Bay. If you don’t have a ticket, pedestrians can watch up to three innings of the game for free at the Portwalk, just beyond the outfield wall. Or even better, rent a kayak and experience the game from McCovey Cove, where you can chase down “Splash Hits” with other waterborne spectators.
Surfing and Swimming
When the Beach Boys sang about surfing in California, they weren’t talking about San Francisco. There is excellent surfing here, but the Pacific Ocean in Northern California is cold and can get very rough. Ocean Beach is the most popular surfing spot within the city – wetsuits are essential. Great White Shark sightings are not uncommon along the coast, and occasional attacks on surfers and sea kayakers do occur.
Crissy Field is a favorite place for kitesurfing and windsurfing, but the strong currents and shipping traffic mean only experienced boardsailors should try it. Other popular but less challenging areas include Candlestick Point and Berkeley Marina.
While some visitors will find the Pacific waters too cold for swimming, Stinson Beach, Baker Beach and Crissy Field fill up with picnickers and beachcombers on sunny days. Don’t forget to use plenty of sunblock – the sun is strong even when the wind is chilly.