San Francisco is a city that has something to offer every type of visitor. Experience the city's history in the bustling downtown, old Victorian architecture, and various cultural districts, including Little Italy, the Mission and Chinatown. Although this city is known for its postcard image of cable cars and the Golden Gate bridge, don't stop there. San Francisco's location makes it ideal for outdoor activity.
Parks
Massive Golden Gate Park is beautiful to simply walk through, but offers an abundance of diverse attractions as well. Plan ahead by checking the weather, as San Francisco can offer sunny skies one minute and rolling fog the next. As you walk, skate or bike through the park, stop at the de Young Museum, the Japanese Tea Garden or read a book on Hippie Hill next to the historic Haight/Ashbury district. Be prepared to spend a whole day here, unless the weather takes a turn on you.
Hiking
A less well-known outdoor activity, hiking the Presidio trails in San Francisco is a combination of all of this city's best assets: hills, trees, ocean views, and panoramic views of the city. You can walk, bike, skate and even jog these trails, stopping to take a contemplative look at the amazing views when the moment strikes you. Keep in mind these trails also have access for visitors with disabilities.
Muir Woods is outside of San Francisco, about 12 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge. These dark, quiet trails are home to hundreds of majestic redwoods, preserved as a National Monument. The hike on these trails is leisurely and relaxing. Have a picnic at the front of the park before entering, as you cannot take food onto the trails and risk attracting animals. Give yourself about an hour and a half to complete the walk with a slow, casual pace.
Biking
Critical Mass is a bike awareness event that happens every Friday in San Francisco. Riders who travel mainly or completely by bike in their every day lives choose to ride together through the streets of San Francisco to alert drivers of their presence and promote bike safety. When visiting San Francisco, ship or rent a bike to join the event. Get a workout on the hilly streets of San Francisco, take a tour of some of the most popular downtown areas and help the city become more bike and environmentally friendly in the process. Visit SFCritical Mass.org to check out meeting places and schedules for Critical Mass.
Paddling
You have an ocean and an estuary to choose from in the San Francisco Bay Area. Rent a kayak or take a tour and paddle to Angel Island, an extremely popular destination for sea kayaking. Once at Angel Island, paddle around it and explore the coves. Check the weather ahead of time to avoid getting caught in the rain.
Fishing
When in San Francisco, you can choose to fish from piers, in lakes or creeks, or deep sea fishing from a boat. Neighboring the San Francisco Bay Area is the Delta, where fishing is a daily activity and way of life. Enjoy a rich diversity of fish and birds as you cast out to catch anything from bass, to catfish to large salmon, depending on your location.
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