San Francisco is a great city with lots to do. With its rich history in the trade and finance industry, over time it has become a prominent tourist stop on the west coast.
Developing this much popularity throughout history will naturally cause a city to develop a unique culture offering a great deal of interesting spots that can get lost in the clutter of chain restaurants and big businesses. If you ever visit, you’ll want to be sure to experience the whole spectrum of culture that San Francisco has to offer.
Visiting a new place can be daunting to say the least. You want to make the most of your trip, but can never be too sure you’re hitting all of the best spots. You spend some time researching, but you just wish you knew a local to fill you in on all of those hidden gems. The places that are the foundation of the city. The ones that give that true homegrown character.
On the other side of that, when you are a resident of a place for too long, you can grow numb to it and stop exploring the areas you haven’t ventured to. You’ve just fallen into your daily routine and haven’t paid attention to what’s around the other corner in quite some time. In the same way, it could be beneficial for the resident to travel alongside a tourist so that they have a renewed perspective on the city that they call home.
Whether you’re a tourist or a resident, there are definitely several spots in the San Francisco Bay area that you do not want to miss out on seeing. They are unique, beautiful, and sometimes a little whacky.
Read on to learn about 5 spots in San Francisco that you may not have known about.
1. The Wave Organ
The wave organ is an actual musical instrument built on the coast of the San Francisco Bay. In the 1980s, a couple of artists decided to take a ruined cemetery and turn it into a coastal music instrument that is actually played by the ocean. It constantly sounds different based on what level the tide is, but the best time of day to go is when the ocean is at its highest point.
2. Mosaic Steps on 16th Ave
These gorgeous steps were created by hundreds of local artists bringing life to something naturally quite dull and monotonous. Taking upwards of two years to finish, it has become a beloved mural by the locals. The stairs will take you up to Grand View Park which is the perfect place to take in a lovely view of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge.
3. Magowan’s Infinite Mirror Maze
This multicolored maze of mirrors will leave you confused and happy for the rest of the day. Illuminated completely by black lights, and painted from top to bottom, you could find yourself roaming these halls for hours. Literally, they let you stay in as long as you want. Unless you were to stumble upon it on a San Francisco billboard, you may have never known about this local staple for family fun.
4. Doughp
Do you like cookies? I bet you’ve eaten cookie dough before if you do. Well, someone has finally done it. A storefront dedicated solely to serving fresh edible cookie dough. They even serve them on cookie dough waffle cones. They are made completely without egg and have plenty of toppings to accommodate whatever flavors you might like. If you find yourself on, or near pier 39, this is definitely a must stop location.
5. Alamere Waterfalls
Last but not least; pitched up on Alamere Creek Beach, these stunning waterfalls rush down off of a cliff right into the ocean. Walking along this part of the beach during sunset is surely one of the more romantic things you will want to plan for your next night out with your significant other.
San Francisco definitely has plenty of places to go, things to do, and views to see for every type of person. However, whether you’re a resident or a visitor, don’t let the hidden gems fall through the cracks. Be sure to do the research and find those places that maybe are under the radar for most people. Those are the truly magical spots that make a city a place worth being in.
