The Golden Gate Bridge, standing on the Golden Gate Strait in San Francisco, California, USA, is one of the world's famous bridges and a miracle of modern bridge engineering
Trip Ideas

10 Cool Things to Do in San Francisco Now

There are plenty of iconic attractions that draw crowds to the Bay Area, from climbing Coit Tower to scooting up winding hills on SF's famous trolleys. But if you've been there, done that, check out these new restaurants, bars, museums, shops (and ice cream stops!).

See recent posts by Kathryn O'Shea-Evans

Trip Ideas outdoor metropolitan area tower block skyscraper metropolis City urban area landmark cityscape Downtown building Architecture human settlement skyline neighbourhood residential area facade headquarters
Trip Ideas indoor floor room sport venue people tourist attraction interior design museum exhibition shopping mall several

Photos courtesy of SFMOMA/Henrik Kam

1

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

After three solid years of revamping by lauded Norway-based design firm Snøhetta, the Museum of Modern Art reopened as the SFMOMA. Its 45,000 square feet of public art is free to enter, and there's an entire floor devoted to the Pritzger Center for Photography, with 17,800 images (including some as old as photography itself). An exhibit on pop, minimal, and figurative art starring Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein is ongoing.

Bedroom at San Francisco Proper Hotel
Living room at San Francisco Proper Hotel
Lobby at the San Francisco Proper Hotel
2

San Francisco Proper Hotel

Interior designer Kelly Wearstler's bold, bohemian aesthetic is all over this Mid-Market newcomer, and it's become one of the hottest new spots in town to stay and socialize. Villon, the property's salon-style lobby restaurant, is loved for its seasonal American plates, while the rooftop cocktail lounge Charmaine's is a year-round meeting place thanks to its fire pits, city views, and stiff, creative cocktails like the Mister Bigglesworth (Lot 40 rye, mezcal, apple molé, and orange bitters).

Trip Ideas indoor floor ceiling bakery interior design real estate retail counter flooring Kitchen furniture
Trip Ideas ice cream dessert floor food gelato dairy product frozen dessert flavor dondurma ingredient cream animal source foods

right by Allison Jones and left by Leela Cyd

Trip Ideas food wooden fruit vegetarian food sliced arranged

Photos courtesy of Salt & Straw/Allison Jones

3

Salt & Straw

Portlandia’s most delicious edible export now has a Bay Area location in Pacific Heights. Among the many locavore ice cream flavors, we love the Chocolate Gooey Brownie, Mt. Tam Cheese with Toasted Acme Bread, and Feve's Chocolate Cinnamon Toast Crunch. If you don't want to wait in line for a fresh scoop, grab a pint from the freezer and proceed straight to checkout.

RELATED: 10 Incredible San Francisco Hotels We Love

Trip Ideas xiaolongbao dish momo dumpling dim sum food chinese food cuisine baozi mongolian food dim sim buuz asian food mandu tibetan food
Trip Ideas table plate floor indoor food black dish cuisine wooden dessert recipe comfort food breakfast commodity
Trip Ideas food dish plate cuisine bowl asian food meal lunch chinese food american chinese cuisine recipe vegetarian food meat vegetable
Hotels Trip Ideas indoor table ceiling floor interior design exhibition counter Bar furniture Island

Photos courtesy of China Live

4

China Live

The Chinese answer to Eataly, China Live is a 30,000-square-foot foodie emporium that houses multiple restaurants including Eight Tables by James Beard Award-winning executive chef George Chen; inventive bars like Bar Central, where locals flock for Marin Kombucha; and a clean-lined marketplace that’s full of edible Chinese imports (look no further for the most interesting soy sauce selection in the city).

Trip Ideas floor wooden wood furniture table stone
Trip Ideas indoor floor interior design retail
Trip Ideas indoor room interior design Living Lobby loft ceiling daylighting flooring furniture

Photos courtesy of Hero Shop/Elizabeth Lippman

5

Hero Shop

Founded by former Vogue fashion news editor Emily Holt, Hero Shop has clothing racks worthy of the pages of, well, Vogue. The brands on offer include both the usual stylish suspects (Jonathan Adler; Le Labo) and lesser-known names like Bella Freud, a London-based clothing designer who is the great-granddaughter of that Freud. Keep an eye on their website for upcoming events such as DIY Tie-Dye day.

Trip Ideas cake chocolate sweet food indoor dessert plate plant pastry slice decorated baked frozen dessert baked goods german chocolate cake baking sachertorte chocolate spread torte several sliced
Trip Ideas lollipop nail
Trip Ideas outdoor person ice cream dondurma food gelato dairy product fast food flavor hand sign

Photos courtesy of Garden Creamery, right by @lovewithfood, main by Anastasiia Sapoon

6

Garden Creamery

When Hawaiian Erin Lang moved to SF, she became obsessed with making frozen treats. It turned into a calling: she now serves up highly 'grammable popsicles and ice cream sandwiches (like the raspberry mousse dipped in white chocolate and topped with rainbow sprinkles) from both the Garden Creamery food truck and her first brick-and-mortar on 20th Street.

RELATED: 8 Great Day Trips from San Francisco

Trip Ideas window indoor counter brunch Drink table distilled beverage interior design several dining table
Trip Ideas font calligraphy brand
Trip Ideas food meal dish plate brunch cuisine vegetarian food container vegetable appetizer breakfast tableware recipe lunch full breakfast plastic dinner different meat variety several

Photos courtesy of The Riddler/Kassie Borreson

7

The Riddler

The female-owned champagne bar The Riddler has made sipping bubbly even more glamorous and fun, with tufted black leather booths and a gilded gold ceiling that gives everyone a fresh-from-a-facial glow. We love that the menu is both high (Veuve Clicquot rosé from Reims, France) and low (the popcorn is serve yourself, and on the house).

Trip Ideas food table plate indoor fried food dish fries hamburger junk food fast food french fries buffalo burger sandwich side dish salmon burger cuisine pulled pork cheeseburger veggie burger american food slider finger food meal brunch breakfast sandwich breakfast cemita appetizer beef on weck lunch vegetarian food snack food piece de resistance
Trip Ideas table indoor ceiling restaurant room scene interior design function hall café furniture set several
Trip Ideas table food plate indoor wooden dish cuisine appetizer meal vegetarian food brunch breakfast dessert slice recipe wood sliced

Photos courtesy of Finn Town Tavern/Lara Hata

8

Finn Town Tavern

One of the hottest spaces for rent in San Francisco: Finn Town, on Market Street, where all-American comfort food is the order du jour for whatever you're celebrating. Expect crowdpleasers like Dungeness crab “tots,” short rib sloppy joe’s, and even a “Friendsgiving” plate complete with herbed turkey in Grand Marnier cranberry sauce and leg confit stuffing.

RELATED: Hidden SF: 7 Non-Touristy Things to Do in the City by the Bay

The Castro Fountain in San Francisco
9

The Castro Fountain

Deco-inspired bakeshop Castro Fountain looks straight out of a Wes Anderson movie set—and has waiters in bow ties to boot. Our favorite throwback ice cream flavor is hands down the huckleberry and brown sugar buttermilk, but even the vegan offerings are spot on (try the guava sorbet).

Everdeen rooftop bar at the Virgin Hotel in San Francisco
10

Everdene

Who doesn't love a rooftop cocktail bar? Everdene is the cherry on top of Richard Branson's hipper-than-thou Virgin Hotels San Francisco, a 12th-story aerie with lots of spaces to sit or stand—the bar is where to see and be seen—and enjoy concoctions like Atomic Blonde (gin, sweet vermouth, lillet blanc, and bitters) and snacks including tuna tostadas, pumpkin hummus, and fish tacos. It can get breezy at night, but that's what heat lamps and rocking DJs are for, right?

Want more?

Comments

comments

All products are independently selected by our writers and editors. If you buy something through our links, Jetsetter may earn an affiliate commission.