17 Things To Do In San Francisco If You're In A Rut
Tired of the same burritos and hikes? Here's how to shake up your weekends.
1. Relive your childhood roller skating days at the Church of 8 Wheels.
Where: 554 Fillmore at Fell (Lower Haight)
Get your sk8rboi on at this renovated church. In addition to public skating hours, lessons are offered every Saturday at 1 p.m.
2. Laugh your face off at a Neo-Futurists show.
Where: SAFEhouse for the Arts, 1 Grove St. (Civic Center)
Every Friday and Saturday, this hilarious and talented group of actors attempt to get through 30 mini-plays in 60 minutes.
3. Have brunch at the gorgeous Palace Hotel.
Where: 2 New Montgomery St. (Soma)
This beautiful hotel, established in 1875, also serves up a fancypants brunch on Sunday afternoons. (It's a bit pricey, and you have to make a reservation, but it's the perfect special occasion splurge.)
4. Tour a fortune cookie factory in Chinatown.
Where: 56 Ross Alley
See where the, well, cookies get made at Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. Entrance is free, but it's nice to tip. Bonus: you get free defective cookie samples.
5. Learn to make fresh mozzarella, vertical terrarriums, soy candles, and more at Workshop.
Where: 1798 McAllister St. (Nopa)
Get your hipster DIYer hat on at Workshop, where for about $60 you can learn to make anything from craft cocktails to soap. Beware: you just might discover your next favorite hobby.
6. Go for a very '60s spin on the Magic Bus.
Where: Departs from Union Square
Hop on this whimsical tour bus for a tour of San Francisco's rich hippie history, including a mystical "LSD trip" and a stop at Hippie Hill. Also perfect for when you have out-of-town guests.
7. Take a rowboat or paddleboat for a spin around Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park.
Where: 50 Stow Lake (near the longitude of 19th Ave.)
For $21.50/hour (row boats) or $27/hour (paddle boats), you can cruise around the lake and under some cool bridges. There's also a small café on site in case you're jonesing for a snack afterwards.
8. Have a cocktail overlooking one of the nicest views in the city.
Where: 780 Mission St. (Downtown)
Head to the tippy top floor of the 39-story Marriott Marquis and sip an Old-Fashioned as you gaze out at skyscrapers. (The drinks are a bit pricey, obviously, but well worth it.)
9. Check out PUG SUNDAY at Alta Plaza Park.
Where: Alta Plaza Park (Jackson & Steiner)
It's the first Sunday of the month from 1-4, and like, why do you even need convincing to go?
10. Rent inline skates and go rollerblading through Golden Gate Park with the wind in your hair.
Where: Golden Gate Park Bike & Skate, 3038 Fulton St.
Contrary to what some very uncool people might say, rollerblading is still very hip and on-trend and a great way to see the park.
11. Learn to work the trapeze at the Circus Center.
Where: 755 Frederick St. (Inner Sunset)
Want to try your hand at flying trapeze, aerial, acrobatics, trampoline, or juggling? You can get an intro pack of five beginner classes for $99. (There's also a "clown conservatory" at the center, if you're one of those people who's not terrified of clowns.)
12. Walk the labyrinth at Grace Cathedral.
Where: 1100 California St. (Nob Hill)
A gorgeous Episcopal church, Grace Cathedral features both an indoor and outdoor labyrinth. The outdoor one is available 24/7; indoors, you can stop by from 6 – 8 pm on the second Friday of each month for a special candlelit meditation service.
13. Summon up your inner daredevil and go hang gliding over Fort Funston.
Where: Fort Funston (you know where it is).
At Big Air Hang Gliding, you can soar (in tandem) over the ocean with a GoPro in tow. Just pray for a clear day!
14. Or even scarier, come face-to-face with creepy mechanical dolls at the Musée Mécanique.
Where: Pier 45 (Fisherman's Wharf)
For a super fun date idea: Play vintage arcade games for about 50 cents a pop and gawk at old electronics in the free museum.
15. Spend an afternoon at the Tenderloin Museum.
Where: 398 Eddy
Discover the oft-forgotten history of one of SF's most iconic neighborhoods, including the Blackhawk Jazz Club, the Wally Heider Studios and LGBT landmarks.
16. Go on a Sea Forager Tour and get hands on with SF's sustainable fishing industry.
Where: Marina
Led by San Francisco native and passionate fishmonger Kirk Lombard, you'll learn how to catch crabs, fish for eel with a poke pole, identify edible seaweeds and cast a Hawaiian fishing net.
17. Paddle around downtown courtesy of City Kayak.
Where: Pier 40 (south of the Ferry Building)
Rent a kayak, canoe, surfski, or stand-up paddleboard at this downtown outpost. (Pro tip: sign up for a twilight kayak tour!)