However you feel about 2025, that year is ready to sunset and 2026 is waiting in the wings, ready to take center stage. With the new year’s arrival, it’s time to start making plans — lots of ’em — to eat and drink. Afterall, that’s what keeps the year feeling fun and bright. Here’s where Eater SF comes in. We’ve collected some of the most exciting winter restaurant openings on the horizon so you can mark it in your calendar and fire up the group chat when it’s time. Happy eating in 2026.
San Francisco, CA
How To Spend The Perfect Weekend In San Francisco
San Francisco is a city that seduces with fog-draped hills, vermilion bridges, and clattering cable cars ascending toward painted Victorians—perched like jewels above the glimmering bay. At Fisherman’s Wharf, barking sea lions sprawl beside barnacled WWII ships while golden-crusted sourdough crackles in century-old ovens. Glide across the Golden Gate into Sausalito, where sailboats bob beside art galleries and café terraces—or wander from the rusted cell blocks of Alcatraz to the kaleidoscopic pulse of Haight-Ashbury—where psychedelic murals and vintage storefronts still whisper stories of rebellion. Whether you’re sipping molten hot chocolate beneath ivy-cloaked brick at Ghirardelli Square or watching the skyline shimmer in a wintertime festival of light—this guide is your blueprint for the perfect San Francisco weekend.
Stroll the waterfront where sea lions bask and sourdough simmers.
Fishermans Wharf and F-Line Street Car
San Francisco Travel Association
Fisherman’s Wharf brims with maritime charm—San Francisco’s must-visit waterfront district. Wander past historic naval ships moored at Hyde Street Pier, watch playful sea lions lounge at Pier 39, or savor steaming clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls from Boudin Bakery & Café. The area buzzes with eccentric street performers and quirky attractions, such as Musée Mécanique—a nostalgic arcade museum located on Pier 45, housing over 300 coin-operated machines, ranging from antique music boxes to vintage pinball games and the famously eerie “Laffing Sal” (admission is free). Grab a crab cocktail, whirl around on the vintage carousel, or set sail on a scenic bay cruise beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, gliding past the city’s iconic skyline.
Read More:
Pedal across the Pacific’s most famous bridge.
Cycling the Golden Gate Bridge is a rite of passage—where panoramic bay views unfurl beneath soaring red arches. Glide past smoothie-sipping joggers while sailboats drift below, tracing a classic coastal route from the lively Marina District to the storybook charm of Sausalito.
Ride the rails of history and explore its beating heart.
San Francisco Cable Car
getty
Hop aboard a San Francisco cable car and hang tight as it climbs sky-high streets—passing painted Victorian homes and corner cafés spilling with jazz. With every clang of the bell and rumble of the tracks, you’re riding history in motion. At Nob Hill, jump off to explore the Cable Car Museum—home to the massive wheels and cables that power the system, vintage cars from the 1870s, and the original grip handles and brake shoes that made it all possible (tickets from $8 per person).
Read More:
Glide through the city in a car with no driver and no limits.
Waymo Taxi
San Francisco Travel Association
Exploring San Francisco in a Waymo driverless car adds a futuristic thrill to city sightseeing—gliding hands-free through vibrant neighborhoods as landmarks like Coit Tower, Lombard Street, and the Painted Ladies drift past your window. Cruise down Market Street—skimming past buzzing tech hubs—while your autonomous vehicle conquers steep hills and tight turns with uncanny precision.
Zigzag down the world’s crookedest street.
Lombard Street
San Francisco Travel Association
Twisting through lush gardens and steep inclines, Lombard Street is one of San Francisco’s most photographed landmarks. Descend its famously crooked path, flanked by cascading hydrangeas and storybook Edwardian homes, then watch cars zigzag cautiously through eight tight switchbacks while tourists crowd the sidewalks, snapping photos of the surreal descent.
Read More:
Step into America’s most infamous prison.
Shrouded in fog, Alcatraz Island offers one of San Francisco’s most haunting tours. Cross the bay by ferry as the infamous prison emerges, perched on its rocky outcrop. Wander through rusted cell blocks and narrow corridors, while an audio tour—voiced by former inmates and guards—immerses you in tales of escape attempts, isolation, and resilience.
Rise above the city in an Art Deco beacon.
Perched atop Telegraph Hill, Coit Tower crowns the skyline with its unmistakable fluted silhouette. Step inside to discover vivid 1930s murals portraying city life during the Great Depression, then ride the vintage elevator skyward for sweeping views from the Bay Bridge to the Golden Gate.
Read More:
Indulge in chocolate history beneath ivy-draped brick.
Ghirardelli Square Sundae
Freddie Paull
Once the beating heart of a 19th-century chocolate empire, Ghirardelli Square remains one of San Francisco’s most indulgent delights. Meander through red-brick courtyards where boutique shops and intimate cafés nestle beneath ivy-draped façades—all perfumed by the unmistakable scent of melted chocolate. Then, step into the historic Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop—where chocolatiers craft glossy bars and hand-pour truffles with precision—culminating in the legendary hot fudge sundae, served beneath vintage chandeliers.
Admire the city’s most iconic row of resilience.
The Painted Ladies are a postcard-perfect row of Victorian homes poised gracefully against the city skyline—adorned with ornate trim and jewel-toned, candy-colored façades. Built between the late 1800s and early 1900s, these architectural gems survived the 1906 earthquake and flourished as symbols of artistry and endurance.
Read More:
Let banjos and bluegrass echo through Golden Gate Park.
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
Jay Blakesberg
Set beneath towering eucalyptus trees, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival transforms Golden Gate Park into a haven of soulful harmonies. Having celebrated its 125th anniversary this year, the multi-day, entirely free event draws thousands of fans and dozens of artists every year—from folk icons to indie newcomers. Wander between stages, pick up Korean BBQ tacos, and settle into the festival’s laid-back vibe.
Step into the psychedelic pulse of the 1960s.
Tucked into San Francisco’s legendary Haight-Ashbury district, the newly opened Counterculture Museum invites you to relive the radical spirit of the 1960s—where psychedelic art, protest posters, and vintage vinyl trace a decade of rebellion, creativity, and cultural upheaval. Here, immersive exhibits—from a recreated crash pad to a blacklight poster workshop—unfold to the soundtrack of Jefferson Airplane.
Read More:
Wander through a rainforest beneath a living roof.
California Academy of Sciences
San Francisco Travel Association
Nestled within Golden Gate Park, the California Academy of Sciences is a living museum where science comes alive. Stroll beneath a towering rainforest dome, marvel at vibrant coral reef aquariums, and journey through the cosmos in the planetarium’s sweeping dome. Meanwhile, butterflies drift overhead, penguins shuffle behind glass, and the museum’s living roof flourishes with native plants from as far as Borneo and Madagascar.
Feel the crack of the bat echo across the bay.
Catch a heart-thumping baseball game at Oracle Park, where waterfront seats put you front and center as the San Francisco Giants take the field. The crack of the bat echoes across the stadium, sailboats bob in the bay, and the occasional foghorn cuts through the breeze—as you dig into a mountain of garlic fries and sip an ice-cold beer.
Read More:
Watch the city glow in a festival of light.
Illuminate SF Festival of Light
San Francisco Travel Association
When winter descends, San Francisco transforms into a luminous dreamscape during the Illuminate SF Festival of Light. From Market Street to the Mission, glowing sculptures, Point Cloud’s LED matrix, and shimmering projections turn city streets into open-air galleries—blending avant-garde art with cutting-edge technology in a kaleidoscope of color.
Frame the Golden Gate in sea spray and morning mist.
Cradled by rugged cliffs and rolling surf, Baker Beach offers one of San Francisco’s most iconic vistas—where the Golden Gate Bridge rises from the mist, its vermilion towers glowing against the horizon. Wander the windswept shoreline as waves break at your feet and Brandt’s cormorants wheel through the salt-laced air.
Read More:
Shop where street performers and couture collide.
Union Square, San Francisco
getty
In the heart of downtown, Union Square pulses with energy—where luxury storefronts, street performers, and the clang of cable cars converge in a sensory feast. Weave through crowds and flagship boutiques—Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Gucci—as the hum of live jazz drifts through the air. Pause for a croissant at Café de la Presse or a pour-over at Blue Bottle Coffee, framed by art galleries, historic hotels, and open-air cafés.
Hike through eucalyptus groves and coastal bluffs.
The Presidio offers a sensory-rich escape into San Francisco’s coastal wilderness—as one of the most visited national park sites in the U.S. Hike through eucalyptus groves scented with mint, beneath towering cypress trees where red-tailed hawks circle overhead. Trails weave past historic military outposts, hidden beaches, and earth-rooted art installations. From the shaded intimacy of Lovers’ Lane to the windswept drama of Batteries to Bluffs, each turn reveals California poppies clinging to cliffside trails.
Read More:
Enter a kaleidoscope of modern masterpieces.
SFMOMA
San Francisco Travel Association
Modern art pulses through downtown at SFMOMA—one of the largest contemporary art museums in the U.S. Seven floors showcase icons like Warhol, Kahlo, and Kusama, alongside immersive installations such as Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms and Olafur Eliasson’s One-way colour tunnel. The building itself—redesigned by Snøhetta—is a sculptural marvel. Don’t miss the Living Wall, a vertical garden of over 19,000 plants, or the rooftop sculpture garden, where monumental works by Alexander Calder and Ellsworth Kelly are framed by skyline views.
Pay homage to a house that rocked a generation.
Grateful Dead House
San Francisco Travel Association
Tucked along a quiet stretch of Ashbury Street, the Grateful Dead House remains a pilgrimage site for fans of the psychedelic era. This Victorian residence was the band’s communal home during the 1960s—when Haight-Ashbury pulsed as the heart of counterculture. Though privately owned and closed to the public, passersby often pause to snap photos. Nearby, murals, music shops, and vintage boutiques echo the house’s legacy—a living tribute to San Francisco’s imprint on rock history and the enduring ethos of peace, love, and rebellion.
Read More:
Let jazz spill into the streets at The Fillmore.
Fillmore Jazz Heritage Center
San Francisco Travel Association
Few venues carry the weight of musical history like The Fillmore. Once graced by legends—Hendrix, Miles Davis, Janis Joplin—it remains a sacred stage. Each summer, the Fillmore Jazz Festival—the largest free jazz festival on the West Coast—spills into the surrounding streets. Over 140 booths line the thoroughfare, offering hand-thrown ceramics, screen-printed apparel, vintage vinyl records, and artisanal jewelry. Drift through the crowd as the scent of smoky jerk chicken and grilled cheese mingles with fresh lumpia, vegan soul bowls, and small-batch kombucha.
Step beneath a soaring rotunda where art still echoes.
Aerial View of Palace of Fine Arts monument during dusk, San Francisco, California, USA.
getty
A domed relic of the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, the Palace of Fine Arts remains one of San Francisco’s most iconic survivors. Framed by a lagoon and Corinthian colonnades, its Beaux-Arts grandeur evokes that of ancient Rome. Originally built to celebrate artistic achievement, it now houses a 1,000-seat theatre hosting concerts, dance, and lectures—from Afro-Peruvian songstress Eva Ayllón to cultural luminaries like Malala Yousafzai. Across town, however, the Great American Music Hall will mark its 120th anniversary in 2027, a gilded symbol of rebirth after the 1906 earthquake.
Read More:
Discover the legacy of a dreamer inside the Presidio.
Walt Disney Family Museum Staircase
Walt Disney Family Museum
Inside the Presidio, the Walt Disney Family Museum invites you into the life and legacy of Walt Disney: think original sketches, rare home videos, the groundbreaking multi-plane camera, and a detailed miniature of Disneyland as Walt envisioned it. Meanwhile, rotating exhibitions spotlight iconic Disney artists such as Mary Blair and Eyvind Earle and showcase global animation styles, ranging from Japanese anime to European stop-motion.
Hike windswept cliffs where shipwrecks whisper.
Land’s End
San Francisco Travel Association
Waves crash below rugged cliffs as you hike Lands End—a coastal trail offering sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge. Part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the path winds through wind-sculpted cypress groves and leads to the haunting ruins of Sutro Baths. Well-marked and moderately accessible, the trail detours to pocket beaches like Mile Rock Beach and overlooks such as Eagle’s Point, where panoramic vistas reward the climb.
Read More:
Sip matcha beneath cherry blossoms and moss.
Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
San Francisco Travel Association
Step into serenity at the Japanese Tea Garden—the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States. Nestled within Golden Gate Park, it invites you to wander past koi-filled ponds, curved footbridges, and ornate pagodas. Sip ceremonial matcha in the open-air tea house, stroll beneath clouds of cherry blossoms each spring, or pause before the towering bronze Buddha, a quiet sentinel amid the maples and moss.
Watch wild sea lions bask in the heart of the city.
Sea Lions at Pier 39
getty
Pier 39 isn’t just about clam chowder and souvenir shops. The sea lions sprawled across the floating docks have become one of San Francisco’s most endearing—and unexpected—attractions. They began arriving after the 1989 earthquake and never left, favoring the marina’s wooden platforms over their former rocky haunts. Just steps away, the Sea Lion Center offers interactive exhibits on pinniped anatomy, rescue operations, and coastal ecosystems—plus high-powered viewing scopes for an even closer look. Their barking, flopping, and sun-drenched lounging captivate guests year-round: a rare opportunity to witness wild marine mammals up close, right in the heart of the city’s bustling waterfront.
Read More:
Let murals speak truth in the Mission District.
Murals in the Mission
San Francisco Travel Association
Color explodes across the walls of Clarion Alley—a narrow passage in the Mission District known for its ever-changing murals. Created in 1992 by the Clarion Alley Mural Project (CAMP), this community-driven initiative showcases public art that confronts issues of social, economic, racial, and environmental justice. These murals are more than decoration—they’re storytelling tools, political statements, and cultural archives amplifying voices often marginalized.
Wander through one of America’s last Japantowns.
San Francisco’s Japantown—also known as Nihonmachi—is one of only three remaining historic Japantowns in the United States. At its heart lies the Japantown Peace Plaza, anchored by the striking five-tiered Peace Pagoda—a gift from Osaka, Japan, in 1968. Surrounding it is the Japan Center Mall, home to Kinokuniya Bookstore, which offers a wide selection of Japanese literature and manga. Enjoy handmade mochi from Benkyodo Company—a beloved institution since 1906—or savor steaming bowls of ramen at local favorites like Marufuku. Each April, the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates Japanese traditions through taiko drumming, street food stalls, and artisan booths.
Read More:
Walk the rainbow where pride meets protest.
Rainbow crosswalks, legacy bars, and decades of activism have defined this iconic LGBTQ+ district—which has served as a global beacon of pride and resistance since the 1970s. Here, Harvey Milk’s camera shop—now a memorial at 575 Castro Street—became a hub for political organizing. Today, drag shows light up venues like Beaux, while rallies and Pride celebrations spill out into the streets.
Cross the city on foot from bay to bluffs.
Crosstown Trail
San Francisco Travel Association
From bay to headlands, the Crosstown Trail slices diagonally across San Francisco in a sweeping 17-mile arc. Beginning at Sunrise Point Fishing Pier, the route winds northwest through the city’s layered topography—ascending stairways, threading through hillside neighborhoods, and weaving across parks both iconic and obscure—before culminating at Lands End Lookout.
Read More:
Hear jazz legends echo through Hayes Valley.
SFJAZZ Center
San Francisco Travel Association
Jazz pulses through the walls of SFJAZZ Center, a state-of-the-art venue in Hayes Valley—and the first in the United States built solely for jazz performance and education. Since opening in 2013, it has hosted over 300 performances annually, including the flagship San Francisco Jazz Festival and the SFJAZZ Collective—an all-star ensemble that commissions new works and reimagines jazz masters. From stripped-down solo sets to genre-bending big band blowouts, the center champions improvisation, experimentation, and cultural dialogue—welcoming legends such as Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, and George Benson.
Taste tradition in North America’s oldest Chinatown.
Chinatown’s culinary story unfolds one bite at a time. On foot, you’ll trace the legacy of dim sum parlors, herbal apothecaries, family-run bakeries, and lantern-strung alleys. Sample hand-folded pork buns, fragrant mooncakes, and rare teas—while learning how this enclave shaped San Francisco’s Chinese American heritage. Meanwhile, architectural icons such as the Dragon Gate and the glowing Tin How Temple reflect centuries of resilience and artistry.
Read More:
Ascend a sculptural tower where continents converge.
de Young museum
San Francisco Travel Association
Nestled in Golden Gate Park, the de Young museum has welcomed visitors since 1895 with a collection that spans centuries and continents. Reimagined in 2005 by Herzog & de Meuron, its angular Hamon Tower rises above the treetops—offering panoramic views across the city’s skyline and the park’s canopy. Inside, galleries trace American art from the 17th century to the present, interwoven with African textiles, Oceanic carvings, and contemporary installations. Signature pieces? Georgia O’Keeffe’s desert blooms, Diego Rivera’s murals, and rotating exhibitions like Rose B. Simpson: LEXICON.
Experiment with perception on the waterfront.
Exploratorium
The Exploratorium
Founded in 1969 by physicist Frank Oppenheimer, the Exploratorium houses over 700 interactive exhibits exploring light, sound, environmental science, and the quirks of human behavior. Signature experiences include the Tactile Dome—a pitch-black maze navigated entirely by touch—and the ethereal Fog Bridge, which envelops visitors in drifting mist along the waterfront.
Read More:
Wander the ruins of a vanished aquatic empire.
Built in 1894 by Adolph Sutro, the Sutro Baths once stood as the world’s largest indoor swimming facility—featuring seven saltwater pools, slides, trapezes, and seating for 3,700 guests. Today, its concrete ruins remain a hauntingly beautiful site within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Explore tide pools, coastal trails, and dramatic ocean vistas, while signs recount the rise and fall of Sutro’s grand vision. Just steps away, the Lands End Lookout features interactive exhibits on coastal ecology and maritime history—plus a glass-walled café with views toward the Farallon Islands.
Step into a Victorian greenhouse where orchids bloom and pitcher plants bite.
Conservatory of Flowers
San Francisco Travel Association
Commanding attention at the eastern edge of Golden Gate Park, the Conservatory of Flowers is a luminous Victorian greenhouse completed in 1879—the oldest surviving structure in the park. Modeled after London’s Kew Gardens, its five climate-controlled galleries house over 1,700 plant species—including jewel-toned Paphiopedilum orchids, towering imperial philodendrons, and ancient cycads like Encephalartos ferox. The lowland tropics room evokes equatorial humidity with vibrant bromeliads and carnivorous pitcher plants. Outside, manicured lawns frame its gleaming white façade, which becomes a canvas for seasonal light projections, such as Photosynthesis.
Read More:
Sail past icons and under arches on a narrated bay cruise.
Golden Bay City Cruise
City Cruises San Francisco
Departing from Pier 43½ in Fisherman’s Wharf, the Golden Gate Bay Cruise has been a San Francisco staple since its debut at the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition. This one-hour narrated journey sails past the city’s historic waterfront, glides beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, and circles Alcatraz Island’s forbidding silhouette. A complimentary audio guide, available in 16 languages, illuminates the city’s maritime lore—from its Gold Rush boomtown days to modern icon status. Wildlife sightings? Expect harbor porpoises, sea lions, and more.
Trace the beat of rebellion in North Beach.
Beat Museum
San Francisco Travel Association
Tucked into North Beach’s literary heart, the Beat Museum honors the radical spirit of the postwar Beat Generation. Located at 540 Broadway, just steps from City Lights Bookstore, it brims with original manuscripts like Kerouac’s On the Road scroll facsimile, first editions of Howl and A Coney Island of the Mind, and personal letters between Neal Cassady and Allen Ginsberg. Artifacts include Kerouac’s jacket, Cassady’s wristwatch, and Ginsberg’s typewriter. Exhibits trace the Beats’ embrace of Eastern philosophy, jazz improvisation, and countercultural rebellion.
Read More:
Browse creaky floors where literary freedom still roars.
City Lights Bookstore
getty
Perched at 261 Columbus Avenue in North Beach, City Lights Bookstore has been a beacon of literary freedom since 1953. Co-founded by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin, it was the first all-paperback bookstore in the U.S., and later became a publisher of radical voices—including Ginsberg’s Howl, which sparked a landmark obscenity trial. Designated a San Francisco Historic Landmark in 2001, its creaky floors and handwritten signs evoke decades of countercultural ferment. Today, City Lights remains fiercely independent—curating progressive literature, poetry, and global fiction across three intimate levels.
Engage with art that interrogates identity and civic belonging.
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
San Francisco Travel Association
Located at 701 Mission Street in the heart of SoMa, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) has served as San Francisco’s leading incubator for socially engaged art since 1993. Designed by Fumihiko Maki and James Stewart Polshek—it presents year-round exhibitions, performances, and film screenings that spotlight local and international artists. Recent programming includes MAKIBAKA: A Living Legacy—honoring Filipino resistance movements—Bay Area Now, which explores urban transformation; and CROSSROADS at 14, a film series that interrogates memory, migration, and civic belonging.
Read More:
Spot shaggy giants grazing in the heart of the city.
Bison Paddock in Golden Gate Park
getty
Since 1891, the Bison Paddock in Golden Gate Park has offered an unexpected glimpse of the American frontier in the heart of San Francisco. Originally introduced by Park Superintendent John McLaren to help preserve a species nearing extinction, the first resident was a bull named Ben Harrison, shipped from Kansas conservationist C.J. Jones’ ranch. Today, the paddock—maintained by the San Francisco Zoo and Recreation & Parks Department—houses a small herd of American bison, North America’s largest land mammals. Best bit? You can spot them grazing near John F. Kennedy Drive, especially in the morning.
Taste the terroir beneath a historic clock tower.
Held three times a week beneath the iconic clock tower of San Francisco’s Ferry Building, the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market has connected city dwellers with sustainable growers since 1993. Saturdays brim with energy, drawing over 100 regional vendors and acclaimed Bay Area chefs in search of dry-farmed Early Girl tomatoes, grass-fed lamb from Sonoma, and triple-cream cow’s milk cheeses aged in Marin. On-site cooking demos by chefs from Zuni Café and State Bird Provisions showcase seasonal ingredients in action, while CUESA-led programs, such as Foodwise Kids and Foodwise Teens, invite the next generation to explore the roots of their food—hands in the soil.
Read More:
Explore Black culture through art, migration, and cosmic imagination.
Museum of the African Diaspora
Museum of the African Diaspora
Founded in 2005, the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) is one of the few U.S. institutions exclusively dedicated to celebrating Black cultures through contemporary art, history, and storytelling. Exhibitions span Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latinx, and African-American narratives—often exploring themes of migration, identity, and resilience. In 2025, MoAD marked its 20th anniversary with a major renovation and the launch of Unbound: Art, Blackness & the Universe—a cosmic exploration of Blackness through visual art.
Walk through a tunnel of sharks and swirling schools.
San Francisco’s Pier 39 in Fisherman’s Wharf
San Francisco Travel Association
Located at Pier 39 along the Embarcadero, the Aquarium of the Bay houses over 20,000 marine animals native to the Bay and nearby watersheds. Its signature feature—a 300-foot acrylic tunnel—immerses visitors in the underwater world of leopard sharks, bat rays, and swirling schools of anchovies. The Touch the Bay exhibit invites hands-on encounters with sea stars and anemones, while the River Otter habitat showcases playful North American river otters.
Read More:
Wander windswept dunes where art meets ecology.
Sunset Dunes
San Francisco Recreation and Parks
Sunset Dunes is San Francisco’s newest coastal park—a two-mile, 50-acre transformation of the Upper Great Highway between Lincoln Way and Sloat Boulevard. Opened in April 2025, it’s now the largest pedestrianization project in California history. Its evolving identity is shaped by native dune restoration led by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, large-scale public art like the windswept steel sculptures of “Shifting Shorelines,” and community rituals including sunrise yoga facing the Pacific and monthly habitat stewardship days where volunteers plant beach grass and remove invasive ice plant to protect nesting snowy plovers.
Shop vintage where counterculture still breathes.
Haight-Ashbury
San Francisco Travel Association
Thrift shopping in Haight-Ashbury offers a tactile connection to the neighborhood’s 1960s counterculture—where vintage isn’t a trend, it’s provenance. Held Over, founded in 1974 within a former bank, still stocks military surplus and authentic Levi’s from the era. Meanwhile, Wasteland curates designer resale with a punk edge—and Indigo Vintage Collective channels Gen Z flair through rotating local vendors. Love on Haight, a psychedelic boutique and nonprofit, reinvests its proceeds into housing and harm reduction for unhoused artists.
Read More:
Watch the skyline shimmer from across the bay.
Just beyond the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito offers one of the most cinematic vantage points of San Francisco’s skyline—especially at sunset, when the city’s silhouette ignites in gold against the bay. From the waterfront promenade along Bridgeway, you’ll spot the Transamerica Pyramid, Salesforce Tower, and the clustered high-rises of downtown shimmering across the water. As your ferry glides toward Sausalito, Alcatraz hovers mid-bay—and once ashore, settle in with a glass of wine at Barrel House Tavern as you watch the light fade over the city.
Step into gilded grandeur where opera meets history.
War Memorial Opera House
San Francisco Travel Association
The War Memorial Opera House is a Beaux-Arts masterpiece by architect Arthur Brown Jr., located at 301 Van Ness Avenue. This 3,146-seat landmark is home to the San Francisco Opera and Ballet, staging over 60 performances annually. Designated a California Historical Landmark, it also holds global significance as the site where the United Nations Charter was signed in 1945. Inside, gilded ceilings meet sweeping marble staircases, and glittering crystal chandeliers aplenty.
Read More:
Feast under string lights and swing by mini-golf.
SPARK Social San Francisco
Chris Weisler Studio LLC
SPARK Social SF is Mission Bay’s open-air playground for food lovers—featuring a rotating lineup of over 150 vendors throughout the year, offering everything from Korean BBQ and wood-fired pizza to vegan tacos and boba tea. Open seven days a week, it also includes a beer and sangria garden, rentable fire pits, and picnic-style tables built for feasting. Hidden gem? Across the street, Parklab Gardens hosts San Francisco’s only outdoor mini-golf course.
Hike twin summits where hawks soar and wildflowers bloom.
Twin Peaks
San Francisco Travel Association
Twin Peaks rises 922 feet above sea level, making it San Francisco’s second-highest point after Mount Davidson. Originally named Los Pechos de la Choca (“Breasts of the Maiden”) by Spanish settlers, the twin summits—Eureka and Noe—offer panoramic views of the Bay Area, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the downtown skyline. Hikers can join the Twin Peaks Trail—a 2-mile loop with a moderate 275-foot elevation gain, accessible from Clarendon Avenue or Twin Peaks Boulevard. Along the way, enjoy native wildflowers, coastal scrub, and occasional sightings of red-tailed hawks.
Read More:
Sip skyline spirits where fire pits glow and martinis tell tales.
Starlite Bar, San Francisco
Starlite
San Francisco’s rooftop bars offer a heady mix of skyline views and cocktail artistry—Starlite revives its legendary perch with Art Deco glam and DJ sets, while Cavaña pulses with Latin spirits and Bay Bridge vistas. Charmaine’s atop the Proper Hotel blends fire pits with fashion-forward crowds, and Bar Sprezzatura adds Venetian flair to a courtyard escape. For a deeper pour, the SF Martini Trail spans 23 bars citywide, honoring the city’s claim to the cocktail’s origin with inventive riffs like mezcal-gin hybrids and seaweed-infused vodka.
Learn More
For more San Francisco inspiration, head to sftravel.com.
More From Forbes:
With a loss against the Seattle Seahawks, the San Francisco 49ers officially lost the one seed and a chance at a bye week. They will be playing next week, but it’s not quite determined who they will play and when. A few games on Sunday will determine this.
Who the San Francisco 49ers will play in the Wild Card Round
The 49ers will either be the five or six seed. They will be the five if the Los Angeles Rams lose to the Arizona Cardinals. However, if the Rams beat the Cardinals, the 49ers will be the sixth seed in the NFC.
A few notable starters, such as Davante Adams and Kevin Dotso,n will be out, but Matthew Stafford is going to play, and he is competing for the MVP. Arizona has not won a game in a few months their front office would like to lose for draft pick purposes and they are heavy underdogs in this game.
The most likely outcome is that the Rams will be the fifth seed and they will get to face the NFC South winner. Meanwhile, the Bears will take on one of the Philadelphia Eagles or Chicago Bears. While the 49ers beat the Bears and lost to the Bucs, most fans would rather see the Bucs, so the 49ers will be rooting for the Cardinals, even if that is unlikely.
Chicago plays the Detroit Lions, and if they win, they will get the two-seed. That would mean that the Philadelphia Eagles will host the 49ers in the Wild Card Round. If the Bears lose and the Eagles win, the 49ers would head to Chicago to take on the Bears.
Then, if the Bears and Eagles lose, the 49ers would head to Philadelphia. Philadelphia is taking on the Washington Commanders, and they have not won in about as long as the Cardinals. They are also looking at starting Josh Johnson again this week, which should ensure one more loss.
So, with the Rams and Eagles being near locks to win, it will come down to the Bears. The Lions are not bottom dwellers like the other two, and we know Dan Campbell will play to beat the Bears.
Detroit is not quite a playoff team, but they can compete with any playoff team, so they could end up giving Chicago a run for their money. 49ers fans are going to want Detroit to show up and play well. While it is not easy to beat a team twice, with the second being in their home, they would like to avoid the Eagles, who have a defense that can compare to Seattle. We saw what happened against that type of defense.
Read More
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The last time the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks met in the regular season with the NFC West on the line, an epic battle came down to a single yard.
It was the last game of the 2019 season. Then-Niners linebacker Dre Greenlaw stopped Seahawks tight end Jacob Hollister short of the goal line as time expired, sending San Francisco to a 26-21 win and the NFC West division crown, the NFC’s No. 1 seed, a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. The 49ers would then go on a postseason run, but lose in Super Bowl LIV against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Six years later, a lot has changed for the 49ers and Seahawks — who square off again Saturday night at Levi’s Stadium (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — but not the stakes.
The Seahawks (13-3) enter the game in first place of the NFC West and on a six-game winning streak. A win or tie would lock them in for top spot in the division and the conference. They have an NFL-best 14-2 road record since 2024 under coach Mike Macdonald.
The 49ers (12-4) are also on a six-game winning streak — and a seventh would pull them even with the Seahawks in overall record. They’d claim the NFC West crown and No. 1 seed by virtue of a 2-0 record against Seattle.
49ers fans, players gearing up for major rivalry game against Seahawks airing on ABC7
Back in Week 1, the Niners went to Seattle and escaped with a win in the closing moments. Since then, these teams have taken decidedly different paths to the same destination.
Seattle has emerged as one of the league’s most complete teams, led by the second-best scoring defense in the NFL. The Niners have been the opposite, carving a path to the postseason on the strength of a high-octane offense that ranks fifth in offensive points per game and first since Week 9.
Add it all up and the expectation on both sides is for another classic that could come down to the final seconds, if not the final yard.
“We stole one up there, but I think they’re going to be ready for this one,” 49ers right tackle Colton McKivitz said. “It’s going to come down to that last couple of plays.”
ESPN’s NFL Nation 49ers reporter Nick Wagoner and Seahawks reporter Brady Henderson break down the matchup with the biggest questions heading into the game, key players and injury concerns for each team.
Can Seattle’s defense get to 49ers QB Brock Purdy?
It’s tempting to ask whether Sam Darnold and Seattle’s offense can finally play a clean game and kick their recent bad habit of slow starts, as they’ve failed to top nine points in the first half in six of their past seven games.
But the unstoppable-force-versus-immovable-object matchup on the other side of the ball is worth watching. No offense has been hotter of late than San Francisco’s (it has scored 40-plus points in each of the past two games), and maybe only one defense — Houston’s — has been better than Seattle’s all season. Macdonald’s unit is allowing the second-fewest points in the NFL at 17.3 per game.
Part of the formula has been relying on their dominant front four — led by 2026 Pro Bowlers Leonard Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence — to get to opposing quarterbacks without having to send an extra rusher, instead keeping one more defender in coverage. The Seahawks rank fifth in pressure rate (35.1%) and 27th in blitz rate (20.4%).
Their 44 sacks are eighth most in the NFL, though they’ve only recorded four over their past four games. That is partly due to how quickly Indianapolis Colts’Philip Rivers and Carolina Panthers’Bryce Young got rid of the ball.
Purdy, on the other hand, has averaged the second-longest time before a throw of any quarterback this season at 3.19 seconds. Williams, Lawrence & Co. will need to take advantage of the opportunities Purdy gives them to get home. If San Francisco has to start its backup left tackle, with 12-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams questionable with a hamstring injury, there should be a few.
Seattle’s key players to watch
QB Sam Darnold
The Seahawks are hoping that Darnold can regain the form he showed over the first two months of the season, when he led the NFL in Total QBR (78.2) through 10 weeks. The past seven have been an adventure. Darnold ranks 27th in Total QBR (37.3) since Week 11, committing 10 turnovers in that span. Which is not to say the Seahawks have been winning entirely in spite of him. Two weeks ago, for instance, he played a leading role in their epic comeback against the Rams, coming up clutch in the fourth quarter and overtime. Last week, he made several big-time throws on third down to help Seattle pull away from Carolina.
Darnold has up to $2.5 million worth of contract incentives that he can reach in this game, including $500,000 apiece for throwing three more touchdown passes and 150 more passing yards.
DB Nick Emmanwori
The rookie second-round pick played all of four snaps in the season opener against San Francisco before suffering an ankle injury that sidelined him for the next three games. Since returning, he has developed into an almost-every-down playmaker, a versatile weapon and one of the leading candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Emmanwori lit up the scouting combine with a 4.38 40-yard dash and a 43-inch vertical jump at 6-3 and 220 pounds. That blend of size and athleticism allows him to play all over the field — sometimes lining up on the line of scrimmage, or across from slot receivers. He’s an X factor that Seattle’s defense didn’t have the first time it faced the 49ers.
Stat to know
Wide receiverJaxon Smith-Njigbais having a historic season for the Seahawks. His 1,709 receiving yards and 113 receptions are franchise single-season records. He is 91 yards shy of becoming the seventh player in NFL history to record 1,800 receiving yards in a season.
Smith-Njigba is a downfield threat, leading the NFL in receptions and yards (683) on passes 20-plus yards downfield this season. His 974 yards on passes thrown outside the numbers this season is 222 more than the next-closest player.
Injury concerns
The Seahawks could be down to their third-string left tackle, undrafted rookie Amari Kight. They ruled out starter Charles Cross and have listed Josh Jones as questionable. Jones has filled in capably for Cross the past two games, but he suffered knee and ankle injuries against Carolina that kept him from practicing Tuesday and Wednesday before he returned Thursday as a limited participant.
The Seahawks’ defense will likely be without safety Coby Bryant, who’s doubtful with a knee injury that also sidelined him last week. The good news there is that Ty Okada has been an unsung hero this season while making nine starts for Julian Love and one last week for Bryant.
Another piece of good news for the Seahawks: Wide receiver and kick returner Rashid Shaheed cleared concussion protocol this week after leaving last week’s game against the Panthers.
Best thing I heard in the Seahawks’ locker room this week:
“We know they’re a good offense and we’re a good defense. Saturday is going to speak for itself. I’m not going to lip-box y’all to death about what we’re going to do or not. I’m just going to get out there … and play Saturday. Let us go, let our defense roll and let our pads do the talking Saturday night.” — defensive tackle Jarran Reed
Last time the Seahawks won the NFC’s No. 1 seed
It has happened three times in franchise history. Not coincidentally, those were the three times the Seahawks made the Super Bowl.
The most recent was in 2014, the year they came a yard away from claiming their second straight Lombardi Trophy. The Seahawks went 12-4 in the regular season before beating Carolina in the divisional round and then Green Bay in overtime in the NFC Championship Game, after they improbably erased a 12-point deficit in the final four minutes.
The Seahawks went into the final weekend of the 2019 season with a chance to claim the No. 1 seed with a win and some help. But by the time they kicked off against the 49ers, it was no longer in play for Seattle. So this will be the first time since 2014 in which the top seed will truly be on the line for the Seahawks in their regular-season finale. — Henderson
Will San Francisco’s defense step up and force turnovers?
Absent star defensive end Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner, the Niners’ defense has struggled mightily down the stretch, particularly when facing more efficient offenses. While Seattle’s defense is the better side of the ball, the offense has been no slouch despite some late-season hiccups.
But the Seahawks also have a penchant for giving the ball away. Seattle has 28 turnovers this season, second most in the NFL with Darnold responsible for a league-high 20 of those.
Those giveaways have become even more common in the past seven games, as Darnold has 10 turnovers in that span. It’s why a hot start that had Darnold — who spent the 2023 season with the 49ers as Purdy’s backup — in the MVP conversation has given way to observers wondering if he can do enough to guide an otherwise well-rounded team on a deep playoff run.
The Niners’ defense, meanwhile, has made its living this season off limiting explosive plays, forcing field goal attempts and coming up with the occasional fourth-down stop or red zone turnover.
Aside from that, though, there hasn’t been a whole lot of resistance from Robert Saleh’s patchwork unit. And taking the ball away is probably second only to pass rush in areas the Niners would like to improve defensively.
San Francisco is tied for 22nd in takeaways this season with 16 and has had none in seven of its 16 games. Coincidentally, it was a late-game forced fumble from Bosa that clinched San Francisco’s Week 1 win against Seattle.
There will be no Bosa to bail the Niners out this time. The numbers suggest Seattle will give someone else a chance to make that key play that could win the game, but it’s still fair to wonder who on the Niners’ defense will be the one to capitalize when that opportunity arises.
49ers’ key players to watch
QB Brock Purdy
There’s a case to be made that Purdy is playing the best ball of his still young career. Since returning from a toe injury in Week 11, Purdy has thrown 16 touchdowns with five interceptions and added three rushing scores. He’s not qualified because of time missed, but if he was, Purdy’s 77.8 QBR would lead the NFL.
Like Darnold, Purdy has had turnover troubles, and Seattle’s defense is a difficult challenge. But if he can take care of the ball, there should be opportunities for another big day.
CB Deommodore Lenoir
Lenoir has not shied away from trash-talking anyone but that’s especially true when it comes to the Seahawks. Lenoir has fully embraced this rivalry and even fired shots at Smith-Njigba, Seattle’s star wideout, in March. He doubled down on that this week, asking to shadow JSN on Saturday night.
“Man-to-man coverage, me and him,” Lenoir said. “That’s what I want.” The Niners are unlikely to grant that request because of how they’d have to change their defense elsewhere but, after sharing his thoughts, Lenoir will be in the crosshairs if and when Seattle targets him.
Stat to know
Running back Christian McCaffreyhas shown what makes him a dual threat in the passing and rushing games again this season. His 17 total touchdowns are tied for third most by a Niner in a season. He is on pace to average 50 rushing yards per game and 50 receiving YPG in a season for the third time in his career.
McCaffrey’s 116.4 career scrimmage YPG is the third most in NFL history (min. 100 games) after Hall of Famers Jim Brown (125.5) and Barry Sanders (118.9).
Against the Seahawks he can further cement himself in history. He needs five receptions to pass LaDainian Tomlinson (624) for the third-most catches by a running back in NFL history.And he needs four receptions to reach 100 for the season and become the first Niner since Terrell Owens in 2002 to hit the century mark.
Injury concerns
The Niners could be without left tackle Trent Williams because of a right hamstring injury. He’s listed as questionable, and though coach Kyle Shanahan said Williams has made “good progress,” Williams said “we’ll see” when asked if he will be available. Austen Pleasants, who fared well against Chicago last week, would make his first NFL start if Williams can’t play.
As for George Kittle, who sat out last week against the Chicago Bears with an ankle injury, he said he “absolutely” expects to play versus the Seahawks, but was officially listed as questionable.
Best thing I heard in the 49ers’ locker room this week:
“We never really thought that ‘Hey, man, we’ve got to go attack the No. 1 seed.’ It was always we’ve got to go take on whoever we’re playing on Sunday and win that game. And so, this is just where we’re at at the end of the year. We’re very grateful for that, to be in this opportunity and situation. But, we can talk all we want. We have to go do it at the end of the day.” — Purdy
Last time the 49ers won the NFC’s No. 1 seed
The 49ers surged to the NFC’s top seed in 2023 when they finished 12-5 and won the NFC West division. Including that year, each of the previous two times the Niners had the No. 1 seed under Shanahan they’ve advanced to the Super Bowl. — Wagoner
Copyright © 2026 ESPN Internet Ventures. All rights reserved.
Merchant Roots’s big move to SoMa gave the tasting menu restaurant a chance to spread its wings, with a space big enough to fit chef Ryan Shelton and his team’s big ambitions. Now the team is moving into new territory with the opening of Bar Orso, a cocktail lounge housed inside the Merchant space with just 12 seats to its name. Befitting the restaurant’s wild themed dinners, the bar is planned to be just as immersive, a “redwood forest dreamscape,” per a press release. There are 15 cocktails created for the bar, folding in elements like fernet made by the team, green tea cotton candy, plus small plates to nosh on, and visitors can stay for an hour or a five-course cocktail and food tasting menu. 1148 Mission Street, San Francisco
Opening: Late January 2026
Flour + Water continues the expansion of its pizza division with the opening of its latest F+W Pizza Shop location. This time, the team is making a big leap across the Bay Bridge, setting up East Bay headquarters in Uptown Oakland on 24th Street. The dough will come from the pizzeria flagship in North Beach, and the new shop will offer the company’s 13-inch pies, gluten-free Sicilian-style squares, and quick slices to-go. There will also be salads, antipasto, and soft serve, plus beer and wine to boot. 269 24th Street, Suite 100, Oakland
Chefs Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz, the couple behind Presidio gem Dalida, have embarked on their next project, and are just about ready to debut their new restaurant, dubbed Maria Isabel. This time they’re setting up in the Presidio Heights neighborhood, taking over the former Ella’s American Kitchen location on Presidio Avenue. The menu is based on chef Laura Ozyilmaz’s roots in Mexico’s Guerrero and Sinaloa, per a press release, utilizing seasonal California ingredients. 500 Presidio Avenue, San Francisco
Another restaurant is making the leap out of San Francisco, and this time it’s Marina favorite Causwells. But rather than the East Bay, chef Adam Rosenblum and restaurant partner Elmer Mejicanos are traveling down the Peninsula to Menlo Park, which has become a hotbed for new restaurant openings in the last two years. The new space is twice the size of the Marina location, and with it comes Causwells favorites, yes, but Rosenblum and Mejicanos will expand the food and drink menu a bit to match their ambitious new location. Springline, 550 Oak Grove, Menlo Park
Club Deluxe is a storied part of San Francisco’s jazz scene, first opening in 1978 and maintaining a live-music presence that lasted decades. It was with much sadness that the business officially shut down for good in April 2023, but now Club Deluxe is being lovingly resurrected by industry vets Jay Bordeleau and Christian Beaulieu. Renamed the DeLuxe, visitors can expect more live music, from both new and returning artists and bands. A new cocktail menu is also in the works, leaning toward takes on classic drinks. 1511 Haight Street, San Francisco
David Barzelay and Colleen Booth of Lazy Bear and True Laurel are readying their highly anticipated French restaurant JouJou, taking up space in the Design District. The a la carte menu is seafood-centric — “but not exclusively so,” a press release adds — with dishes such as a vichysoisse with caviar and a showy shellfish plateaux. The place also sounds like a stunner, with semi-circle booths in the main dining room, a raw bar with a view of the kitchen, a glass-enclosed patio featuring seating and the main bar, as well as a sunken area called the Rose Room. This is one to look out for. 1 Henry Adams Street, San Francisco
Meyhouse burst onto the Bay Area dining scene in August 2023, moving from pop-up status to full-on restaurant, sharing Turkish culture and cuisine with Palo Alto. Owners Omer Artun and Koray Altinsoy have been on a roll since then, quickly expanding into a second location in Sunnyvale, and even adding live jazz to the Palo Alto branch. Now the duo is set to expand their restaurant to the East Bay, adding a new outpost to City Center Bishop Ranch in San Ramon, both as a restaurant and jazz venue. Expect the same style of food with California produce and ingredients, just in a new part of the Bay. 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon
World3 minutes ago
Rubio vows to eliminate Hezbollah, Iran operations from Venezuela after Maduro capture
Politics9 minutes ago
Dan Bongino officially leaves FBI deputy director role after less than a year, returns to ‘civilian life’
Health15 minutes ago
Viral New Year reset routine is helping people adopt healthier habits
Sports21 minutes ago
Teenage MLB prospect Frank Cairone hospitalized after car crash
Technology27 minutes ago
OpenAI admits AI browsers face unsolvable prompt attacks
Florida1 year ago
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Connecticut2 years ago
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
Oregon2 years ago
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Virginia1 year ago
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Education2 years ago
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Politics9 minutes ago
Dan Bongino officially leaves FBI deputy director role after less than a year, returns to ‘civilian life’
World1 hour ago
Hundreds march in silence to honour Crans-Montana fire victims
News2 hours ago
Here’s a partial list of U.S. elected officials opposing Trump’s invasion of Venezuela
Videos4 hours ago
Crans Montana organises solemn march for the victims • FRANCE 24 English
Politics12 hours ago
Kamala Harris blasts Trump administration’s capture of Venezuela’s Maduro as ‘unlawful and unwise’
-
Entertainment1 week agoHow the Grinch went from a Yuletide bit player to a Christmas A-lister
-
Connecticut1 week agoSnow Accumulation Estimates Increase For CT: Here Are The County-By-County Projections
-
World7 days agoHamas builds new terror regime in Gaza, recruiting teens amid problematic election
-
Indianapolis, IN1 week agoIndianapolis Colts playoffs: Updated elimination scenario, AFC standings, playoff picture for Week 17
-
Southeast1 week agoTwo attorneys vanish during Florida fishing trip as ‘heartbroken’ wife pleads for help finding them
-
Business1 week agoGoogle is at last letting users swap out embarrassing Gmail addresses without losing their data
-
World1 week agoBest of 2025: Top five defining moments in the European Parliament
-
World1 week agoSnoop Dogg, Lainey Wilson, Huntr/x and Andrea Bocelli Deliver Christmas-Themed Halftime Show for Netflix’s NFL Lions-Vikings Telecast