San Francisco Travel Blog

San Francisco’s Mediterranean climate is mild (the temperature nearly always hovers between 55 – 75 degrees F year-round), but when the fog invades, be prepared for the massive chill down. Most prominent in the summer months, the natural air-conditioning is both loved and hated by locals. Yes, we...

Perched atop Nob Hill, Huntington Park  is not usually listed on a visitor’s agenda, but it should be. Resplendent Grace Cathedral flanks the west side of the park. Go up close to check out its impressively detailed Ghiberti doors (modern replicas and one of the few copies of Lorenzo Ghiberti’s...

I’ve had quite a few friends from my hometown of Boston cruise through the city recently. One of my favorite things to do with out-of-town guests is show off San Francisco’s eclectic mix of cuisine and cocktails. No knock on Boston at all (and I say that having just spent the majority of a week gorging...

Can you imagine bobcats, quail and rabbits roaming the land that is now Japantown? It’s true, Japantown (also referred to as Nihonmachi or Little Osaka) was once sandy and barren. The Japanese first arrived in San Francisco in the 1860′s. They initially settled in Chinatown and SOMA, but...

Indie electronica group Starfucker (often abbreviated “STRFKR” for those afraid of bad words) turned Speedway Meadow into one giant dance party last weekend with their upbeat, fun, and layered performance on the Twin Peaks stage at Outside Lands. Composed of Joshua Hodges, Shawn Glassford, and Keil...

The Painted Ladies in San Francisco gained international super-stardom from their appearance in over 70 movies, TV programs, and ads, most notably in the opening credits of the famed TV sitcom Full House. Built between 1892 and 1896 by developer Matthew Kavanaugh, the Victorian houses are characterized...

There were a few moments at Outside Lands – while I was grooving to Collie Buddz, ecstatically fist-pumping with Major Lazer, rocking out hysterically with Muse, and bouncing off the wall to Deadmau5 – that I looked up, realized where I was (outside, under a full moon, among crazy tall trees, in...

In 2007, somebody gave me Arcade Fire’s Neon Bible album. I played it a few times, and then tossed it aside. A few months later, I gave it another good listen. Still, I didn’t understand all of the hoopla surrounding the band. Fast forward four years. While taking tequila shots at my friend’s birthday...

The Golden Gate Bridge may be San Francisco’s icon, but we love our Bay Bridge just as much. Hard to believe the Financial District, teeming with traffic, suits, and skyscrapers, resides just behind the photographer in this peaceful scene. Opened to traffic on November 12, 1936, the Bay Bridge...

One of my friends loves to go see bands whose names are totally obscure and often ridiculous. Ever in search of music-loving, concert-going partners, her Facebook posts often sound something like this: Does anybody want to go see Eating Cheese While Watching the Grass Grow? or Last night’s Dirty Stapler...