Little Known Places in San Francisco
66Not for the average tourist
Sometimes being the traditional tourist can get old. When you visit a city, it is nice to see the popular sights, but sometimes it is nice to get off the beaten track. San Francisco is a beautiful city. It has many traditional touristy stops, but the lesser known gems can be just as fun.
If you need a nice relaxing afternoon, try spending some time in Huntington Park. The park is located on California Street between Taylor and The Flood Mansion/ Pacific Union Club at Mason. The park was originally a cemetery and then a mansion that was destroyed in the 1906 fire. On a sunny afternoon, you can sit there for hours, people-watch, and enjoy the sights in the park. The park is situated at the top of a hill looking down into the Union Square area. It is great view of the city. You also have great views of Grace Cathedral and the Fairmount Hotel.
Another must see is the San Francisco Vampire Tour. The tour meets up at Huntington Park (Taylor and California) on Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00. "Mina Harker" will guide you through history of Nob Hill with a little bit of a twist. You can find more information on the tour at the official website .
Riding the cable car is one of those things every tourist wants to do. That means the lines for the cars going to Fisherman's Wharf are insanely long. Plus if you do not pick it up at the starting point, there might not be room for you to get on later. However, they are not the only game in town. There is the California line. It starts in the Financial District and goes down California to Van Ness. The car goes through Chinatown, and past Huntington Park. You can still ride the cable car without the crowds!
If you are hungry, there are many places to eat in Union Square. One of the less promoted is the Pinecrest Diner. It is located at the corner at Geary and Mason. Pinecrest is the typical diner, complete with the brown Formica tables and vinyl seats. However, it has excellent food and the prices aren't gouging. The diner also has a great window that faces out on to Mason. If you sit in one of the booths along that wall, you can people watch as you eat.
The Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf are great places to go, but sometimes a little break from the crowd is nice. Try some of these places, and do some searching on your own. You might find some other great gems in the city.
joshua 23 months ago
right across the street from pinecrest diner is cafe mason... it fits the same bill as pinecrest diner. prices were great, service was fast, and the presentation of my meal was awesome... I had the portobello, poached eggs on english muffin with hollandaise sauce, fresh fruit, fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and coffee.