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Ask HN: What to buy/visit when in SF?
9 points by Hapa on June 27, 2022 | hide | past | favorite | 13 comments
Hi, I am in a SF for a week from europe and I thinking what can I find only or mostly in SF, including non expensive experiences, something bit less known.

I am interested in practical things related to tech, everyday and health. So: - darn tough socks - cabin backpack like minaal, aer travel or similar - supplements - magic mind, cocoavia - maybe some tech like oura ring (which is much cheaper here) - try Cafe X, go to The Interval at Long Now

Any recommendation are highly appreciated thanks



Do the Land's End / Sutro Baths trail. Amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/land-s-end-tra...


Hi, I am not from there but:

  * Boudin's Bakery (Sourdough bread) We went to the one near Fishermans wharf.
  * The Ghirardelli factory is near there too (Chocolate).
Touristy things:

  * the five sisters
  * Coit tower
  * Lombard Street
  * Chinatown
  * Streetcars
  * Goldengate Park
  * Goldengate Bridge
  * Alcatraz


Boudin is junk, no local would eat there. there are so many better local bakeries. Gharardelli, Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf, and Union Square are touristy. There's nothing you can't buy there that you can't find online.

Do bring a jacket so you don't end up surprised by the weather.

Alcatraz and Chinatown and Golden Gate Park are interesting/pretty enough.

Better ideas... Eat some dim sum or a burrito. Rent a car and go to Muir Woods. or kayak and oysters in Pt Reyes. Or wander around Stanford/Cal campus. or drive to Yosemite or Tahoe. or go wine tasting and inner tubing in Guerneville. Or find a concert (jambase, songkick...) or baseball game. or take the ferry to sausalito or angel island. or Exploratorium or MoMA or other museum. or aquarium in Monterey and beach in Carmel. or go to the exploratorium. or try the Church of John Coltrane. or the Church of 8 Wheels. go sailing. lots of world-class dinner options. find random happenings on funcheapsf. etc.

Just don't go to those touristy places, yuk.

Source - am local yokel.


Ah, thanks. Note to OP, most of these are outside the city proper. I am from the Vancouver area so the weather there never bothers me ;).


"Boudin's Bakery" is this the one where their Sourdough Starter, over 150 years old, is so valuable that it is taken from store to store in a Armored Van?


A taqueria! San Francisco is renowned for its outstanding burritos and other taqueria cuisine.

Fivethirtyeight.com’s exhaustive Burrito Bracket settled on La Taqueria on Mission at 25th Street as America’s best burrito.

However, I’d personally recommend heading a block north to El Farolito for their extraordinary Super Quesadilla Suiza al Pastor.

Better yet, try a variety!


https://g.page/serranos21st?share

A favorite, cheap Pizza place, kind of out of the way but worth it.

https://goo.gl/maps/WBzhhzCeM7nkX4fP7

24 hour donut shop/sort of bakery type place. Another cheap and easy place to swing by.


I've never seen anyone actually use CafeX. Would recommend you check one out physically if interested but try a coffee chain that originated here. Some big ones are Philz and Blue Bottle.

Minaal isn't SF based but a lot of other ones are just as an FYI. Some I know are Peak Design, Dsptch, Aer, Triple Aught, Mission Workshop.


Amoeba Music in the Haight, although CDs and DVDs (and the neighborhood in general) may be archaic.


Golden gate park, twin peaks, and walk across the golden gate. Bernal heights, noe valley for very SF experience.


* The Wave Organ in the Marina

* Mechanics Institute Tour

* Seward Street Slides

Buy Pepper Spray. (Kidding...sort of..)


See’s Candy


A crackpipe or some used needles.

I’d also welcome you to perform the locals’ favorite activity:

Walk into a store and grab $900 worth of items and just walk out with them.




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