The Sand Ladder steps from the north end of Baker Beach emerge on the California Coastal Trail that runs alongside Lincoln Boulevard. Heading north on this trail for approximately 1 mile will lead to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. Read more...
A cast stone sculpture of British nurse Florence Nightingale stands outside Laguna Honda Hospital in Twin Peaks, San Francisco. Nightingale is widely credited as being one of the pioneers of modern nursing. A plaque on the statue reads: In memory of Florence Nightingale, ‘The Founder of Professional Nursing’. Designed and created by the late David Edstrom. Dedicated National Hospital Day, Read more...
The two peaks of Twin Peaks are the North peak, known as Eureka Peak, and the taller South peak, which is called Noe Peak. Standing at 922 feet, Noe Peak is the second tallest hill in San Francisco after Mount Davidson. Read more...
Sutro Tower is a prominent three-pronged TV and radio antenna tower in San Francisco. Located near Mount Sutro on one of the city’s highest points, the red and white metal tower was San Francisco’s tallest structure from completion in 1973 until the Salesforce Tower was finished in 2017. Read more...
The lighthouse on Alcatraz Island is still operational with its light beacon rotating once every five seconds as a navigational aid for shipping in San Francisco Bay. It has been automated since November 22nd, 1963, the same year the island’s penitentiary closed. Read more...
In San Francisco, street parking at a broken or inoperable parking meter is permitted for the posted time limit or 4 hours, whichever is shorter. Read more...
Prepayment can be made at San Francisco street parking meters before their designated operating time from 4:30 am, except at Port meters near the waterfront. Most San Francisco parking meters operate from 9 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday. The prepaid time begins when the meter starts operating and parking prior to that is free of charge. Read more...
The accuracy of the Ingleside sundial in San Francisco varies throughout the year. Its longitudinal location means it runs anything up to 24 minutes behind Pacific Standard Time for most of the year, being slowest around February 11th. Ignoring the hour difference caused by daylight saving time, the Ingleside sundial is within a minute or so of clock time from Read more...
The Burning Man festival started as a gathering held on San Francisco’s Baker Beach to mark the 1986 summer solstice. On June 22nd, 1986, Larry Harvey and Jerry James burned a 9-foot wooden human effigy they built at the northern end of Baker Beach, in the presence of a small group of friends. While the beach was already a place Read more...
Rob Hill Campground, the only campsite within the city of San Francisco, is situated in a forested area of the Presidio above Baker Beach. This group campsite is open seasonally between April 1 and October 31, and has restrooms but no showers, no RV camping and no hookups. Advance credit card reservations are required and the maximum stay is three Read more...
The Filbert Steps up Telegraph Hill start near Filbert and Sansome Streets, east of Levi’s Plaza, where you’ll see signs for “Stairs to Coit Tower”. The stairway continues after crossing Montgomery Street, eventually emerging on Telegraph Hill Boulevard near Coit Tower. Read more...
During a free performance by U2 to 20,000 people in San Francisco’s Justin Herman Plaza on November 11th, 1987, lead singer Bono spray painted “Stop The Traffic” and “Rock N Roll” on the Vaillancourt Fountain. Footage of the act can be seen in the band’s 1988 concert film, Rattle and Hum. Read more...
The fire hydrant at 20th and Church Streets in San Francisco is painted gold in recognition of its role in providing water to extinguish fires after the 1906 earthquake. The hydrant, located near the southwest corner of Mission Dolores Park, is said to have continued supplying water after others had run dry, helping to save many local structures from fire Read more...
San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge never gets repainted from end to end. Instead there is continual program of spot painting and corrosion repair undertaken by a dedicated maintenance team. Read more...
Cupid’s Span is a sculpture in San Francisco created by husband-and-wife artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Installed in November 2002 in Rincon Park on the Embarcadero, against the backdrop of the Bay Bridge, the 60-foot-high sculpture depicts a bow and arrow partially embedded in the ground and is thought to represent Cupid’s arrow. Read more...
The Caltrain commuter rail line terminates in San Francisco at 4th and King Street Caltrain Station where there are connections to Muni bus lines, E Embarcadero historic streetcar and Muni light rail services. Read more...
Stand at a brown and white Cable Car Stop sign. As the cable car approaches, raise your hand to signal the driver to stop. Pay the conductor after boarding (with $20 notes or less) if you don’t already have a ticket or pass. If the cable car does not stop, it is likely full. Between 8 am and 5 pm, Read more...
In-person help at the San Francisco IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) is available by appointment only, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm Monday to Friday. To make an appointment call 844-545-5640. The TAC is located in the south lobby of the Phillip Burton Federal Building at 450 Golden Gate Avenue (between Polk Street and Larkin Street) and government-issued photo ID Read more...
Presidio Golf Course is a public 18-hole course with driving range, practice facility and a public clubhouse with restaurant and golf shop. Tee time reservations may be made online or by phone and discounts are offered to residents of San Francisco and Northern California. Note that the separate Tudor-style clubhouse fronting onto the 9th green is a private members facility Read more...