Lost in the Right Direction

California / San Francisco Bay Area 

With its rich history and unique culture, San Francisco is a city everyone should visit. It also has great food and nightlife.

Itineraries

Eat & Drink

China Live

If I ate at one Chinese restaurant in San Francisco for the rest of my life, this would be it. Upscale with phenomenal food and cocktails, you can’t go wrong with your order.

Hog Island Oysters

Eat at an out door picnic area right on Tomales Bay. Order your oysters from the bar or buy and shuck / cook your own. It’s a gorgeous setting with really great food. Reservations are a must and can be hard to come by – so book early.

SF Restaurant and Bar scene

We’re natives of the area, so we can’t possibly recommend just one San Francisco restaurant or bar. Instead we prefer to list our favorites here.

Anaba Wines

An extremely beautiful winery in Sonoma. Sit out on the terrace and absorb the fantastic scenery while tasting some truly exceptional wines. We particularly recommend the viognier and the pinot noir varieties.

Seven Hills

Our favorite Italian restaurant in San Francisco, Seven Hills offers up incredible, locally sourced Italian fare. Their handmade pastas are a can’t miss.

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Linden Room

Probably the best cocktails in San Francisco, the Linden Room is a tiny bar serving up inventive drinks in Hayes Valley. The staff is always friendly, but arrive early because the small space fills up fast.

Spruce

Michelin-starred but unpretentious, Spruce is a perfect mix of seasonal, American inspired fine dining with really excellent food.

Bourbon & Branch

One of San Francisco’s best cocktail bars, Bourbon & Branch is designed to give visitors an authentic speakeasy experience. You’ll need to plan ahead and make a reservation to get the full experience, though the bar also offers the Library, a more casual room that doesn’t require reservations. If you’re interested in the speakeasy experience, […]

Edgewood Tahoe

Edgewood Tahoe, a upscale Alpine lodge, offers a bistro and a restaurant with a deck that offers sweeping views Lake Tahoe. Perched right on the lake, you watch the sun set while enjoying great food and cocktails. While it sits on a golf course, we can forgive it that for its views and ambience.

Marlowe

Think locally sourced upscale California cuisine. This small restaurant has one of the best burgers in town, but you can’t go wrong with anything on their menu (a favorite of mine is the polenta). Also a fantastic place for brunch.

Grgich Hills Estate

A fantastic, though upscale, Napa winery. It’s worth the trip because it boasts the best chardonnay in the world (it actually beat France in a blind tasting competition in 1976, putting Napa on the world’s map).

Leopold’s

Looking for Austrian food in San Francisco? Look no further than Leopold’s. Yes, the waitstaff may be wearing dirndls, but this restaurant offers some seriously incredible food (and 2 liter boots of beer). Our favorites include the kasespatzle, wiener schnitzel and bacon wrapped trout.

Arlequin Wine Merchant

A fantastic wine bar in the heart of Hayes Valley where you can order wine by the glass or buy a bottle form the wine shop and they’ll open it for you. Enjoy your wine in their bistro-light lit courtyard while listening to frequent live-music. You can order food from the attached restaurant Arbor for […]

ROOH SF

We love Indian food and ROOH knows how to turn it upscale. The menu changes regularly (depending on what’s in season), though the dahi puri, butter chicken, and whatever fish they are offering are always excellent. Pick a cocktail off of their cocktail wheel to complete your meal.

The Slanted Door

This fantastic restaurant, situated in the Ferry Building, offers sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay. The food is Vietnamese fusion relying heavily on Californian-grown ingredients. The cocktails are also wonderful. It books out weeks ahead so make sure to make reservations.

Spark Social SF

Are you looking to get off the tourist path? Head to Spark Social in Mission Bay for a green space filled with food trucks and picnic tables. Usually sunny (a nice place to escape the SF fog), Spark is our go-to for an afternoon or evening out with our friends. You’ll find food trucks of […]

Tartine Bakery

If you’re into baking, you’ve probably heard of Tartine. This is San Francisco’s famous bakery, making delicious breads, pastries, and cakes. There is no seating, so grab your breakfast or lunch and head to sunny Dolores Park for a picnic.

True Laurel

While it’s mostly a cocktail bar, True Laurel also offers up elevated small plates and works great for a meal. It’s the sister bar to Lazy Bear (the Michelin starred restaurant). Their cocktails are out of this world good and it’s my favorite cocktail bar in San Francisco.

Dogpatch Saloon

Yes, this bar does in fact love dogs, but it also offers up some of the best classic cocktails in the city. Established in 1912, the cozy interior is still a favorite hang of colorful locals.

Dragon Beaux

This is an excellent choice for Dim Sum (effectively Chinese brunch) in the Richmond. A good choice if you’re planning a day in Golden Gate Park. It gets busy, especially on the weekends, so we recommend making reservations ahead.

The Tipsy Pig

Another one of our go-to’s, the Tipsy Pig in Cow Hollow does comfort food right. While the inside can be loud, bring a coat and enjoy their lovely back patio seating. We can’t get enough of their fried chicken sliders. This is also a great place for reasonably priced cocktails.

Wilson & Wilson

If you can look past the conceit of the theme, you’ll be treated to an amazing experience and some of the town’s best and most creative cocktails. We recommend trying the flight of three cocktails (but beware–they don’t serve food).

Tony’s Pizza Napoletana

This is the best pizza restaurant in San Francisco – pretty much hands down. Located right off Washington Square Park in North Beach, everything about Tony’s is good: ambience, food, service. Yes, the famous margherita pizza is good, but the honey pie is out of this world.

ANINA

Upscale cocktail lounge in Hayes Valley.

Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe

This North Beach cafe is settled right across the street from Washington Square Park. It’s been in this area since the early seventies when North Beach was a primarily Italian neighborhood. It continues to be a family business today, offering wonderful paninis, coffee, and fantastic “house camparis”

Begoni Bistro Dim Sum & Wok

The perfect place to get dim sum right in the heart of China Town. If you’re looking for an authentic dim sum experience look no further. They do accept reservations (important as dim sum is very popular weekend mornings).

Schug Carneros Estate Winery

A fun winery on a hill above Sonoma also offering spectacular views. It has a pleasant tasting room as well as a cool wine tour through their cellars. They offer really great Pinot Noirs.

La Mar Cocina Peruana

We’ve been going to La Mar for years and this Peruvian restaurant never disappoints. Located conveniently on the Embarcadero, you can gaze out at the water of the Bay while dining. Don’t miss the ceviche, California causas, or lomo saltado. Also a place for excellent cocktails.

Mission Rock Resort

A fantastic place, right on the water, to enjoy seafood (especially oysters). Go at happy hour when they have great deals.

Che Fico

An absolutely fantastic Italian restaurant with seasonally offered dishes including wood-fired pizza, pasta, and mains.

The Fly Trap

This delightful bistro has delicious Californian cuisine, with a good selection of small plates as well as full-size entrees. It also serves creative cocktails and offers great wine and beer lists.

Kokkari Estiatorio

When I get asked to recommend a restaurant for a nice dinner out in San Francisco, without hesitation I recommend Kokkari. This is a modern Greek restaurant with excellent ambience and service (and some of the best lamb you’ll ever taste).

Kirkwood Inn

Built in 1864 this log cabin restaurant offers fantastic food in a beautiful setting.

Vesuvio Cafe

Have you ever wanted to drink where Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg did? Of course you do! Head to Vesuvio Cafe, the art deco hang out spot of the beat poets. Don’t miss a visit to famed City Lights Bookstore next door.

Oxbow Public Market

This place in downtown Napa is a true market. Offering a variety of restaurants and shops you can graze your way through Northern California fare. Some of the best places to eat include Kitchen Door and Hog Island Oyster Co. Grab a local sour beer at the Fieldwork Brewing Company, coffee at Ritual Coffee, and ice cream from Three Twins.

Café de la Presse

A 1920s style French dining cafe near Union Square caddy corner to China’s town Dragon’s Gate entrance, offering casual indoor and outdoor seating and a great array of French food options. A nice place to stop for espresso and breakfast.

Z & Y Restaurant

A very solid Chinese restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. Our go-to when we order take out, but also a nice place to dine in.

The Big Four

This historic bar has a very old-time San Francisco bar. Step in and you’ll be transported to the late 19th/early 20th century when big names like Huntington, Crocker, Hopkins, and Stanford ran the city. The inside is cozy and swanky, and the bartenders turn out fantastic classics and wonderful new creations.

R & G Lounge

Another very solid Chinese restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. Great for take out or also a nice place to dine in.

Cowgirl creamery

This creamery offers artisan organic cheeses. They have a store in the San Francisco Ferry building but the actual creamery is in Point Reyes Station and has tastings and a deli and offers picnic supplies.

Summers Estate Winery

This is a very friendly winery with good wines. Still family owned, it has a very pleasant atmosphere.  Reservations are required, though very easy to book online.  Set in beautiful Calistoga it’s the quintessential laid back Napa winery. They also have great picnic areas and bocce ball that you can play while you taste!

Station House Cafe

This is a great pic in Point Reyes Station. It’s a casual place with great food highlighting local ingredients and a fun cocktail list. The vibe is cozy.

Souvla

This is my favorite place if you’re wanting a quick bite in the city. Souvla, a fast-casual Greek restaurant, has spots peppered throughout San Francisco and offers with incredible salads and sandwiches. Get their chicken salad and greek frozen yogurt – trust me.

The Buena Vista

You really shouldn’t visit San Francisco without a stop at The Buena Vista Cafe, home of the original Irish coffee. The story goes that in 1952, Jack Koeppler, the then owner of the Buena Vista, challenged international travel writer Stanton Delaplane to help him recreate the famous “Irish Coffee” served at the Shannon Airport in […]

Tonga Room

This is a very strange place – in the basement of the Fairmont Hotel exists this bar… A full pirate ship where a loud band plays surrounded by water and small tables where you can enjoy sugary tiki drinks. It’s a can’t miss stop.

See

Golden Gate Bridge

You can’t miss this iconic site. This is the signature site of the city built in 1937 and connects San Francisco to the North and Marin highlands. Some good places to see it from: the beach near Ghirardelli square, Fort Point, or in Marin at Vista Point.

Alcatraz

The Rock (now a National Park) was a famous federal prison where the worst of the worst criminals were kept. It was said when lavish parties in the 1920s occurred on the mainland, the prisoners could hear it from their cells way out at sea. The tour includes a cruise from San Francisco and audio tour of the cell blocks that’s great.

Chinatown

The largest outside of Asia, and the oldest in north America, San Francisco’s Chinatown dates back to the Gold Rush of the mid-19th century. Yes, it’s touristy but get off of Grant and it really is an interesting neighborhood to explore.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Fantastic aquarium in an old cannery building on Monterey Bay. This is our favorite aquarium in the world.

San Francisco Cable Cars

For 150 years these wooden cars have been trundling up and down San Francisco’s hills. Riding them is a great way to get around and should not be missed.

Emerald Bay

Emerald Bay gives you quite possibly the prettiest view of Lake Tahoe anywhere. Granite Cliffs loom above the cove with teal and emerald water. Fannette Island is what you’ll see sitting in the park’s center.

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Ferry Building

Originally the transport terminus for ferries from across the bay, it now still has some cruises leaving from its pier but is predominantly an artisan food hall. Wander up and down the hall where vendors offer mushrooms, cheese, olive oil, ice cream, coffee, and much more as well as artisan craftwork.

City Lights Booksellers

A famous independent bookstore in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood. Its three stories offer art, poetry, and books.

Legion of Honor

One of the two main fine arts museums in San Francisco. Located ear the Lands End walk, this museum offers an eclectic collection from old world masters to Impressionists to contemporary artists as well as a rotating exhibit. It also has great views over the Golden Gate and a lovely cafe.

de Young Museum

One of the two fine arts museums in San Francisco, the de Young Museum houses a variety of artists with a constant rotating special exhibit. The copper building is slowly oxidizing to green in the park and sports a tall tower (free to go to the top) that gives a 360-degree view of the city.

Exploratorium

Perhaps our favorite science museum anywhere, the exploratorium focuses on “hands on” interactive activities. Located right on the wharf in San Francisco in a 9-acre glass walled building, it’s easy to spend hours here.

California Academy of Sciences

Rainforest, aquarium, planetarium, and natural history museum—all under one living roof. This LEED-certified green museum has more than 40,000 creatures living under it’s natural roof.

Coit Tower

Soaring 210 feet above the summit of San Francisco’s Telegraph Hill, Coit Tower is a monument to honor the city’s firefighters. The interior boasts striking WPA murals, and it offers incredible views of the city and the surrounding San Francisco Bay Area.

Japanese Tea Garden

This is the oldest public Japanese garden in the US, first planted in 1894. On the 5 acres you can experience flower gardens, cherry blossoms, maple leaves, bonsai, and pretty bridges to cross.

Hyde Street Pier Maritime Museum

The Maritime Museum offers a huge collection of historic ships that can be toured. Located in the Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood, you’ll get to explore the Pacific Coast’s maritime history.

Ghirardelli Square

Located near Pier 39 and Fisherman’s wharf, this square boasts shops, a chocolate store, and ice cream at a converted former chocolate factory. Pro tip: just walking into the ice cream shop or candy store gets you a free pice of Ghirardelli chocolate, but actually sitting down with a sundae is worth it.

Union Square

This is the central shopping square in San Francisco and offers a great plaza for people watching and a coffee in the summer and an ice skating rink in the winter.

Pier 39

A series of shops and restaurants with a resident sea lion population. It’s a bustling spot and things feel kitschy, but the sea lions are well worth the stop.

Conservatory of Flowers

A Victorian greenhouse from 1878 set in Golden Gate Park houses an amazing array of plants including rare orchids, lilies, and tropical varietals.

Fisherman’s Wharf

Fisherman’s Wharf beginning at Pier 39 has been around since the gold rush and have remained a bustling port of entry to the city. Today you can find a bunch of fresh seafood and the the famous clam chowder at Boudin. Grab a bite from one of the vendors.

Do

Winnemucca Lake loop hike

This great loop hike starts about 40 minutes south of South Lake Tahoe (near Kirkwood). It starts at around 8100 feet and climbs to about 9500 (1272 foot elevation gain, about 5 miles).

San Francisco Giants

If you’re in San Francisco during baseball season, go see a Giants game! The team plays at AT&T Park, one of the most beautiful ballparks in the country nestled against the bay in China Basin.

Pope Beach

Pope beach is one of the most easily accessible and fun beaches in South Lake Tahoe. There’s always room and offers great swimming. It’s within walking distance of some bars and restaurants if you get hungry.

Rombauer Winery

Rombauer chardonnay is my (and many Californians) favorite. They have a very pretty tasting room off the Silverado Trail. Wind up the trail and to their tasting room. The views are lovely.

The Potholes

Start at Silver Lake (about 40 miles south of Tahoe – near Kirkwood). Park at the Silver Lake dam, cross highway 88 and walk north along either side of the creek an easy 1/2 mile or so to a series of roman bath-like pools carved out of the granite and filled with water from the stream that flows down from Silver Lake.

Heavenly Gondola Ride

This is the kind of gondola you ride up a mountain on. Grab it at Heavenly Ski resort and soar up the slopes. You’ll get panoramic views of Lake Tahoe at the top.

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Lands End walk

This is one of the prettiest walks in San Francisco that begins at the Ocean Beach, winds past the historic Sutro Baths and offers sweeping and iconic views of the Golden Gate Bridge – 3.4 miles in total.