75 THINGS TO ADD TO YOUR SAN FRANCISCO BUCKET LIST

Since moving to San Francisco, I have come to discover so many wonderful things about this city that I get to call home. I love stumbling upon new hidden gems and sharing them with you all! Let's face it: whether you're visiting for the first time or you've lived here all your life, there are constantly new experiences to be had. So in honor of my one year anniversary of moving to the Bay Area, I've compiled the ultimate list of my favorite sights to see, food to eat and places to play in the City by the Bay!

SAN FRANCISCO'S GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

What are you waiting for? 
Start checking these SF-only experiences off your San Francisco Bucket List! 

EXPLORE

THE PAINTED LADIES IN ALAMO SQUARE

1. Walk, bike or drive across the Golden Gate Bridge
2. Make your way down Lombard Street — it's the crookedest street in the world!
3. Ride a cable car (and hang outside with the wind in your hair for the full experience!)
4. See the Giants play at AT&T Park
5. Have a picnic in Alamo Square in front of the Painted Ladies
6. Take a tour of Alcatraz (and be sure to buy tickets in advance!) 
7. Discover the historical ruins of Sutro Baths (bonus points if you catch the sunset at this once-public bathhouse!)
8. Explore the oldest Japanese Tea Garden in the US inside Golden Gate Park
9. Shop 'til you drop in Union Square
10. Wave to the sea lions on Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf
11. Spend an afternoon eating your way through the Ferry Building, overlooking the Bay Bridge (and catch the Farmer's Market if you can)
12. Admire the stunning Palace of Fine Arts
13. Trot up and down the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps
14. Get a scoop of ice cream from Bi-Rite Creamery, pack a picnic or uncork a bottle of wine and park yourself at Dolores Park for the afternoon (all the cool kids are doing it)
15. See the fifth largest dome in the world inside San Francisco City Hall
16. Get a 360-degree view of the city from Coit Tower
17. Check out the latest exhibitions at the SFMOMA
18. Take a photo against the murals in Clarion Alley
19. Spend a few hours walking around the largest Chinatown outside of Asia
20. Fly a kite at Crissy Field with the GGB in the background

HIKE

VIEW FROM THE TOP OF TWIN PEAKS

21. Walk the labyrinth at Land's End
22. Trek down to Kirby Cove and play on the lovely swing with a view of the GGB
23. Catch a spectacular postcard view of the city from Twin Peaks
24. Swing from the top of Bernal Heights (another amazing sunset spot)
25. Reach the highest point in the city from Mt. Davidson
26. Walk through Lovers' Lane at the Presidio
27. See sweeping city views from various trails at Corona Heights Park
28. Take the Marshall's Beach Coastal Trail and enjoy sunset on the beach with a view of the GGB
29. Summit Mission Peak (but only if you're prepared to hike a full six-mile round-trip ascent -- approx 2-5 hours)

CAFFEINATE

PHILZ COFFEE IN SAN FRANCISCO

30. Choose from an array of beans at Philz Coffee (every cup is made to order, creating the best drip coffee in the city — aka, no lattes here!)
31. Have the smoothest latte of your life at Four Barrel Coffee (all the deets are here)
32. Order an affogato at Sightglass Coffee
33. Set up a cupping (the coffee equivalent of wine tasting) at Flywheel Coffee
34. Snap a photo for the Insta at Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters with their pineapple wallpaper
35. Sip your cup of Blue Bottle Coffee with a fresh liege waffle on the side (Ferry Building location)
36. Get a fancy espresso drink at Mazarine Coffee and order a trendy toast to go with it!

Check out this post for the Best Coffee Shops in San Francisco. 

EAT, DRINK & BE MERRY

THE FAMOUS CRUFFIN AT MR. HOLMES BAKEHOUSE

37. Find a fresh twist on a classic pastry at Craftsman & Wolves
38. Get an Acai Bowl at Bowl’d Acai (I always order the OG with PB!)
39. Put your name down at Plow (and wait an hour) for brunch bliss
40. Order the prettiest toast at Mazarine Coffee
41. Treat yo'self to a morning bun at the original Tartine Bakery or its newer and larger establishment, Tartine Manufactory.
42. Line up for a Cruffin at Mr. Holmes Bakehouse (here's how)
43. Brunch at San Francisco’s favorite (and most famous) little restaurant, Mama’s on Washington Square
44. Get in touch with your southern side at Brenda’s French Soul Food

45. Order your clam chowder in a bread bowl at Boudin Bakery & Café
46. Eat a burrito at La Taqueria in the Mission
47. Get the Tea Leaf Salad at Burma Superstar (but my go-to is the Chili Lamb)
48. Spice it up with any Indian-Pakistani biryani or curry dish at Pakwan
49. Try the tacos at Tacolicious
50. Savor the stone pot at Blackwood
51. Get deep dish at Little Star Pizza
52. Excite your taste buds at Lers Ros Thai
53. Slurp a bowl of ramen at Marufuku in Japantown
54. Eat at the world's nicest Taco Bell located in Pacifica — it’s known for its breathtaking view of the ocean

55. Slurp $1 oysters with a glass of rosé during Waterbar's Happy Hour
56. Sip a cocktail at The View (at the Marriott) or the Top of the Mark (at the InterContinental) with two of the best views of the city
57. Get a pitcher to go with your Mexican street food at El Techo's outdoor rooftop patio
58. Cozy up with an Irish Coffee at Buena Vista Café — they brought it to America!
59. Get swanky at Limited Edition for a speakeasy-vibe and classy cocktails

60. Indulge in an ice cream sundae at Ghirardelli Square
61. Get your Papua New Guinea S'more torched-to-order at Dandelion Chocolate
62. Bite into the warm and delicious cookies at Anthony's Cookies
63. Come to Souvla for the gyro, but stay for the Greek soft-serve topped with Baklava crumbs
64. Get a cream puff at Beard Papa's (I wrote all about it here)
65. Create the most 'grammable concoction at The Baked Bear
66. Pretend you're in Paris at Chantal Guillon Macarons
67. Watch your ice cream come to life with liquid nitrogen at Smitten (click here for 10 more of my favorite ice cream spots).

DAY TRIPS

MCWAY FALLS IN BIG SUR, CALIFORNIA

68. Visit Muir Woods for a look at the majestic redwood trees (arrive early to avoid the parking fiasco)
69. Take a ferry to Sausalito for the day to enjoy waterfront dining, Lappert's Ice Cream and stunning sunset views
70. Go wine tasting in the picturesque Wine Country (Sonoma and Napa are just a couple hours' drive from the city) or take a dreamy sunrise hot air balloon ride over Napa Valley (Learn how to book a hot air balloon tour here)
71. Discover an artsy shipwreck, walk through a cypress tree tunnel and explore an old lighthouse in Point Reyes (Here’s the perfect itinerary for a day in Point Reyes)
72. Play on the beaches all day and roast s'mores at the Ritz-Carlton all night in Half Moon Bay
73. Drive to Santa Cruz for quaint cafes, world-class surfing or self-amusement on the Boardwalk
74. Take the Caltrain to Palo Alto for a tour of Stanford's beautiful campus, a pic with the Facebook "Like" Button or some seriously good food (Zareen’s Oren's Hummus, CREAM or Umami Burger to name a few)
75. Drive down the PCH to Big Sur (check out all the best stops in Big Sur here)

Did I miss your favorite thing to do in San Francisco?
Share with me in the comments below!

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA