I am an unabashed fan of all things San Francisco. When I landed here in the City By The Bay over a decade ago, I knew I had found my home.
With Knowledge invading my home this year, I have frequently been asked about how to experience The City. I'll do my best to give you a few tips here - if you want more, please feel free to find me at #Know14.
Let's start with our name. This incredible city is not to be called "San Fran" or "Frisco". No-one calls San Francisco those names except tourists. Knowledge is being held in "San Francisco" or "The City". Trust me on this or feel free to read more here.
So, now that you have landed here in The City, you are probably looking for some real SF experiences. Here are some of my recommendations for how to #Know14 like a real San Franciscan.
Go see the Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Point. Everyone wants to see the GGB when they come to The City. Did you know that at the base of the bridge there is a Civil War fort? You can do a tour of the fort for free and climb to the roof and get an incredible view of the bridge. On the way to Fort Point you will pass the Marina Green and Crissy Field, a place that locals hangout and exercise (and where you can find me running a few times a week). If you walk all the way to the fence under the base of the GGB you'll find Hooper's Hands. Real SF runners know to tap them before they turn around.
For those that want to experience a bit more nature, you can go hiking at Lands End and the Sutro Baths. It would be a shame to come west and not see the Pacific Ocean. There are some fabulous hikes here that offer stunning views of the GGB and Marin Headlands. If you hike down a bit you can get to the ocean and may even find a hidden rock maze...
Beyond stunning scenery, San Francisco is a great place to do shopping. You can stay downtown and shop at The Metreon, The San Francisco Center and Union Square, but locals do not really shop in those locations. We shop in our neighborhoods drinking coffee from Blue Bottle, The Grove or The Roastery. If you have time, take a stroll on Union Street (between Gough and Steiner), Chestnut Street (between Fillmore and Pierce) or Hayes St (between Gough and Octavia). You'll find lots of local spots in these neighborhoods. Hint: the closing night party at Fort Mason (which also sports incredible views) is walking distance from both Chestnut St and Union St where you will find many local restaurants and bars.
Another fun place to go shop is the Ferry Building. This location offers great shopping, local food and fun people watching. You can walk to the Ferry Building in about 15 minutes from #Know14. If you go here, make sure you walk to the back and check out the views of the Bay.
If you have the time and are a sports fan, a visit to the best baseball stadium in the US is practically required. Luckily, the SF Giants are in town against the NL West rival San Diego Padres (and as you may know ServiceNow was started in San Diego, so there is a rivalry here...). Go to a game and get the Gilroy Garlic Fries and a local beer. Root for the boys in orange and black and you will fit in like a native (just make sure you take off your #Know14 badge).
It would be impossible to write about The City without mentioning our world-class food and restaurants. Truthfully, I could literally write an entire book on this topic alone, so let me just briefly mention a few places that locals go. Some of these are real local spots, some are a bit more trendy and pricey:
American: One Market, Salt House, Town Hall
Asian: The Slanted Door, Out the Door, OSHA Thai, House of Nanking, Henry's Hunan, Ozumo
French: Boulevard, Frances, La Folie
Ice Cream: Bi-Rite Creamery, Fraiche, Humphry Slocombe
Italian: Cotogna, SPQR, Delfina
Pastries: Tartine, b. patisserie
