Bay City Roller

Big burritos, hot shopping spots, beautiful views and even the Painted Ladies. It’s all waiting for San Francisco tourists, and a Springfield girl guides you through her trip tips.

After spending two weeks in San Francisco last August (the won’t-leave-your-house-because-
you-can’t-stand-the-two-seconds-of-no-air-
conditioning-between-it-and-the-car time of year for most of the country) and wearing sweaters and jeans during my visit, I realized just how unique the City by the Bay really is. Besides the weather, it’s each individual neighborhood with its quirks and beauties that make up such an interesting metropolis. From hippies and counterculture to great food and even better wine, San Francisco seems to have everything a truly great city should have—well, except for the regular occurrence of sunshine, but eventually you get used to it.

Big Burritos, Little Boutiques

It was dark when I arrived, but not so dark that I couldn’t see the fog rolling in—the fog that I would come to embrace as one of the city’s many charms, mysteriously hiding the tops of landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge until it was ready to roll on out and let the sun shine for a little while. The next day brought the first of a few encounters with one of San Fran’s favorite ways to dine: burritos in the Mission. The epitome of a hole-in-the-wall, a burrito joint in the gritty-yet-trendy Mission district sells some of the biggest and best burritos you’ve ever had. There are plenty to choose from; I recommend Taqueria Cancun (2288 Mission St., 415-252-9560), where you can eat your Mexican deliciousness (try the burrito al pastor, or marinated pork) at picnic-style tables and listen to music from the flashing jukebox, all under the watchful eye of a colorful shrine to the Virgin Mary. The Mission is a lively neighborhood with a mix of up-and-coming restaurants, cheap, random-goods stores, and funky clothing and home-décor boutiques, making shopping the perfect way to walk off the food you just inhaled. Hit Sunhee Moon (3167 16th St., 415-355-1800, sunheemoon.com) for simple, chic women’s clothing and Monument (572 Valencia St., 415-861-9800) for fantastic furniture and décor items that manage to look both vintage and modern. The shop I couldn’t get enough of, however, was Candy Store (3153 16th St., 415-863-8143, candystore-sf.com), where actual confections line just one wall. The rest is cute and eclectic stuff from clothing to dishes to stationary.

Quirky Eateries

When you finally feel like you’re ready to eat again, take note that the Mission is a stomping ground for in-the-know restaurateurs and their hip eateries, like Medjool (2522 Mission St., 415-550-9055, medjoolsf.com), Cha Cha Cha (2327 Mission St., 415-648-0504) and Foreign Cinema (2534 Mission St., 415-648-7600, foreigncinema.com). I found the posh industrial atmosphere of Foreign Cinema particularly inviting, with its tall windows and huge fireplace in the center of the dining room. The California-Mediterranean menu brings in local foodies, but it’s the trademark feature—foreign films projected onto the side of a building in the enclosed outdoor patio—that bring in the crowds to this hidden locale.

Go Vintage

My second day in the city brought a delicious dim sum brunch at downtown Chinese hotspot Yank Sing (One Rincon Center, 101 Spear St., 415-957-9300, yanksing.com) and an afternoon spent walking around another gritty district, this one much more well-known: Haight Ashbury. At first, the Gap, McDonald’s and Ben & Jerry’s sightings (Ben & Jerry’s being right below the apartment where the Grateful Dead lived, no less) lead me to believe that Haight has sold out and become just another crowded tourist attraction full of mainstream chains. But don’t worry, the eccentricities are still there. For every expensive clothing boutique with cute girls coming in and out of its doors is a pipe shop showing off its colorful merchandise in the window. People-watching is an art form here, and it can be done for hours. Haight is also the place to be for vintage-lovers. The Wasteland (1660 Haight St., 415-863-3150) is famous for its reasonably priced, somewhat extreme clothing that you might find just perfect for Halloween, but that the customer behind you is planning on wearing on her next date. For a slightly more elegant vintage experience, with the prices to match, try La Rosa (1711 Haight St., 415-668-3744) for retro tuxedos and great shoes. For the latest fashion trends, Behind the Post Office (1510 Haight St., 415-861-2507) is a tiny shop that offers well-made clothing, designer denim and friendly service to boot. My traveler’s budget, however, led me to Ideele (1600 Haight St., 415-431-8836), where the clothing is just as stylish but much easier on the Visa.

The California Wine Experience

The Marina District on the north end of the peninsula is one of San Francisco’s poshest addresses, and the California Wine Merchant (2113 Chestnut St., 415-567-0646, californiawinemerchant.com) is a chic wine bar and retail shop where you can brush up on your California wine knowledge. The prices are high, but wine is practically a religion in San Fran, so just go with it. Another great wine shop I came across is Arlequin Wine Merchant (384A Hayes St., 415-863-1104) in the revamped Hayes Valley district. The selection and service are very good, and there’s a delightful little patio in the back.

Photo Ops

For the best view in the city, wait for the sun to come out and race to the top of Twin Peaks. A winding road leads to a lookout point that, if you’re lucky enough to have some sun, will give your camera a workout with the fantastic views of the city and bay. Other tourist attractions that are worth the price of admission are the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park and Alcatraz Island. The de Young’s collection of fine art includes work from around the world by artists such as Mary Cassatt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Diego Rivera and John Singer Sargent. But the highlight is the ninth-floor observation deck in the de Young tower, which has a nice view of Golden Gate Park below. Stroll through the Japanese Tea Garden or the San Francisco Botanical Gardens after your museum visit.

Blend In With the Crowd

The majority of the fanny pack-and-foldout-map crowd congregates around Pier 39 (pier39.com), Fisherman’s Wharf (fishermanswharf.org) and Ghirardelli Square (900 North Point St., 415-775-5500, ghirardellisq.com). These places can be fun. Make sure to catch all the sea lions lounging about on the docks below the pier, but be prepared to battle crowds. The Ferry Building (415-693-0996, ferrybuildingmarketplace.com) on the Embarcadero is a beautiful old building that houses the famous San Francisco Farmer’s Market outside on its plaza. Inside, the old, arched building is lined with restaurants and specialty food shops; Hog Island Oyster Company has a great happy hour and a nice view of the Bay Bridge. I also found a great happy-hour spot at Pier 23 Café (The Embarcadero, 415-362-5125, pier23cafe.com), just a few piers up from the Ferry Building (well, 23 to be exact). The outdoor deck and Bob Marley music will turn a warm afternoon in San Fran into quite a party.