So, you’ve done all the major attractions, climbed every hill, walked every stairway, even crossed every hidden gem off your list. What else could you possibly do in San Francisco? Have you thought about these 10 surprising things below? From flying high on a trapeze to getting high on chocolate, these fun-filled, off-the-beaten-path activities will definitely add some spice to your West Coast life.
- Go to Circus School
Mimi S./Yelp There are actually a few spots in San Francisco where you can swing from a trapeze, hang from a rope, learn to juggle, or fly high on a trampoline, most notably the Circus Center and next-door neighbor AcroSports right near Kezar Stadium.
- Play An Intense Game of Disc Golf
Lizzy L./Yelp Hidden inside the expansive Golden Gate Park, in Marx Meadow between 25th and 30th avenues, is an 18-hole disc golf course, an especially tricky course given all the trees you need to dodge.
- Book a Chocolate Walking Tour
Dandelion Chocolate So, you’ve probably been to Ghirardelli Square more times than you’d like to admit just to get that free square of chocolate, but did you know there were so many other incredible chocolate makers in San Francisco that entire walking tours have been started to celebrate the “food of the gods?” Check out Gourmet Walks’ Original San Francisco Gourmet Chocolate Tour to literally get a taste of some of San Francisco’s sweetest spots.
- Take In a Drag Show Over Sunday Brunch
The Starlight Room/Yelp Every Sunday, the Starlight Room at the Sir Frances Drake Hotel near Union Square hosts its Sunday’s A Drag brunch, featuring song-and-dance routines from some of the sharpest-dressed drag queens and transgender performers around.
- Have Afternoon Tea at the Palace Hotel
Palace Hotel Live like a royal, if just for a Saturday afternoon, at San Francisco’s oldest surviving hotel. At the Palace’s Signature Tea celebration, you’ll be served “delicate” tea sandwiches, homemade scones, and a variety of teas, all on fine china, in the opulent Garden Court.
- Pay Money to Eat in the Dark
Karhee L./Yelp At Opaque, you can dine on a fancy prix-fixe meal, served by blind waiters, completely in the dark. This means you can truly focus on every note and nuance of what dances on your tongue. No need to see what you’re eating, right?!
- Laugh and Cry At “You’re Going To Die”
You’re Going To Die/Facebook This monthly open-mic event held at The Lost Church in the Mission is all about death—but it isn’t meant to be morbid. We couldn’t sum up the experience any better than how they describe it on their website: “Bringing people creatively into the conversation of death and dying, while helping to inspire & empower them out of the context of unabashedly confronting loss & mortality.”
- Take a Tour of the San Francisco Armory
Sanfranman59/Wikimedia Commons Located at Mission and 14th Streets is a historical building that’s certainly seen some crazy things. The San Francisco Armory was originally built as an armory and arsenal for the United States National Guard in 1912. Since, it’s been used for scenes in The Empire Strikes Back, as a rehearsal spot for the San Francisco Opera, and currently, as the home for Kink.com (we’ll let you figure out what their business is all about).
- Challenge Your Friends to a Round of Mini-Golf or Maybe Some Ping-Pong
SPiN Head to the Mission for some indoor mini-golf at Urban Putt and then make your way to SoMa for a serious game of table tennis at the Susan Sarandon-owned SPiN, a “ping-pong social club.” And since you’ll build up quite an appetite with such intense activity, both spots also offer some fantastic food.
- Go Nude At Baker Beach!
Ingrid Taylar/Flickr Or maybe you’ve already thought about doing this?!
And if that wasn’t enough things to do in San Francisco, check out the 10 weirdest places you can possibly go in San Francisco.
Mimi S./Yelp
There are actually a few spots in San Francisco where you can swing from a trapeze, hang from a rope, learn to juggle, or fly high on a trampoline, most notably the Circus Center and next-door neighbor AcroSports right near Kezar Stadium.
Lizzy L./Yelp
Hidden inside the expansive Golden Gate Park, in Marx Meadow between 25th and 30th avenues, is an 18-hole disc golf course, an especially tricky course given all the trees you need to dodge.
Dandelion Chocolate
So, you’ve probably been to Ghirardelli Square more times than you’d like to admit just to get that free square of chocolate, but did you know there were so many other incredible chocolate makers in San Francisco that entire walking tours have been started to celebrate the “food of the gods?” Check out Gourmet Walks’ Original San Francisco Gourmet Chocolate Tour to literally get a taste of some of San Francisco’s sweetest spots.
The Starlight Room/Yelp
Every Sunday, the Starlight Room at the Sir Frances Drake Hotel near Union Square hosts its Sunday’s A Drag brunch, featuring song-and-dance routines from some of the sharpest-dressed drag queens and transgender performers around.
Palace Hotel
Live like a royal, if just for a Saturday afternoon, at San Francisco’s oldest surviving hotel. At the Palace’s Signature Tea celebration, you’ll be served “delicate” tea sandwiches, homemade scones, and a variety of teas, all on fine china, in the opulent Garden Court.
Karhee L./Yelp
At Opaque, you can dine on a fancy prix-fixe meal, served by blind waiters, completely in the dark. This means you can truly focus on every note and nuance of what dances on your tongue. No need to see what you’re eating, right?!
You’re Going To Die/Facebook
This monthly open-mic event held at The Lost Church in the Mission is all about death—but it isn’t meant to be morbid. We couldn’t sum up the experience any better than how they describe it on their website: “Bringing people creatively into the conversation of death and dying, while helping to inspire & empower them out of the context of unabashedly confronting loss & mortality.”
Sanfranman59/Wikimedia Commons
Located at Mission and 14th Streets is a historical building that’s certainly seen some crazy things. The San Francisco Armory was originally built as an armory and arsenal for the United States National Guard in 1912. Since, it’s been used for scenes in The Empire Strikes Back, as a rehearsal spot for the San Francisco Opera, and currently, as the home for Kink.com (we’ll let you figure out what their business is all about).
SPiN
Head to the Mission for some indoor mini-golf at Urban Putt and then make your way to SoMa for a serious game of table tennis at the Susan Sarandon-owned SPiN, a “ping-pong social club.” And since you’ll build up quite an appetite with such intense activity, both spots also offer some fantastic food.
Ingrid Taylar/Flickr
Or maybe you’ve already thought about doing this?!
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