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Our List of Favorite Things To Do In San Francisco

Over the 20 happy years we have been in business, we have compiled a long list of the best things to do and see in San Francisco on a backpacker budget. Up till now, this information was only available in the hostel in the "Book of Love". However, we are now in the process of moving this information into the 21st century and putting it all online. Please be patient while we continue to make this website the most valuable resource for backpackers visiting San Francisco.

Once you make a booking, you may login and add your favorite things to do in San Francisco.

Today, Julia from Germany  sent us a message asking about the idea of buying a car at the beginning of her trip and then selling it at the end. This is a concept I used to see hostel travelers doing on a regular basis a number of years back. Hostel bulletin boards frequently had handwritten posters with cars for sale and travelers who wanted to buy cars. For some reason travelers don't seem to be doing this as much anymore. So kudos to Julia for reviving an old idea.

Posted by Darren on February 1, 2012 - 9:37pm

Laura here - with a recipe that will feed 10 people for less than $20 at your San Francisco Hostel, or any hostel for that matter. This is something that I made in college(University of Michigan- Go Blue!!!!)- a very long time ago and still make today. It is very yummy warm or cold- so you can eat it right away- or if there are leftovers, they are super good the next day with the dressing all soaked in and garlicy. Here goes- this is my first attempt at recipe
blogging

WARM CHICKEN AND RICE SALAD

Posted by Laura on January 2, 2012 - 4:11pm

Amoeba Music is an independent record chain, and its store on Haight Street, which opened in 1997, is especially notable for its size. It's in a former bowling alley and stocks CDs and vinyl and even audio cassettes, all both new and used. They also stock movies, video games, music-related posters and artwork and Amoeba merchandise. The staff are all music-retail veterans, lots of whom are also musicians, and their aim is to provide a place for music-lovers to engage with music, a community of artists and listeners to counteract the corporate chains.

Posted by Nicci Cloke on December 11, 2011 - 3:40pm

One of our favourite bars - cheap beer, a piano and a great atmosphere. Specs was one of the haunts of the Beat Generation back in the day. Also check out Vesuvios, right across the street.

 

Posted by Nicci Cloke on December 1, 2011 - 2:35pm

The Mission is a great area and worth exploring all over, but Valencia is a good place to start. If you take the BART to 16th and Mission, Valencia is one block up the hill. There are tons of restaurants there (highly recommended are Sunflower Vietnamese Restaurant at 506 (get the lemongrass chicken!) and Mission Cheese at 736), bars and some great thrift stores.  You might also want to check out 826 Valencia, the flagship location for Dave Eggers 'creative writing scheme for kids which is now nationwide. The front is a pirate store and lots of fun to wander around.

Posted by Nicci Cloke on December 1, 2011 - 2:33pm

Lombard Street is about a twenty minute walk away from our hostel, close to the North Beach area of San Francisco. It's famous for being the 'crookedest street' and has a one block section with eight hairpin turns. It's a nice walk to get up there - you can even take in Chinatown along the way, and busy Columbus Street with the amazing City Lights bookstore [link to relevant article]. Bear in mind that the section of the street leading up to the crookedest section is made up of pretty steep hills, so you'll need some energy!

Posted by Nicci Cloke on December 1, 2011 - 2:31pm

If you fancy taking an epic walk from the hostel to the Golden Gate Bridge (and it can be done!), a great spot to hit is Crissy Field, a little beachy area on the approach to the bridge itself. You can get great views of the bridge, of Alcatraz and of the city behind you, and it's just a generally beautiful spot - favoured especially by joggers and dog-walkers. You'll probably be tired from the walk so far, so take a seat and enjoy the scenery for a little while...

Posted by Nicci Cloke on December 1, 2011 - 1:31pm

Right on our doorstep at 261 Colombus, City Lights is a fantastic place to while away a few hours. Founded in 1953, it's an independent bookstore still strongly influenced by the Beat's legacy.

Posted by Nicci Cloke on December 1, 2011 - 1:27pm

Alcatraz Island is one of San Francisco's most iconic sights and if you can, you really should make the time to visit. Catching a ferry from Pier 33, the journey across the one mile stretch of water takes about ten minutes, and 'the Rock' looms up ahead, looking suitably ominous.

Posted by Nicci Cloke on December 1, 2011 - 12:56pm

A must for all museum and learning lovers, the California Academy of Sciences is in Golden Gate Park (if you take the bus from Market St, close to the hostel, you'll get to drive all the way down and check out Haight) and it's well worth a visit. Among the exhibits there's a four storey rainforest, where you can explore the plants and wildlife all the way up from the ground to the canopy, and a huge aquarium with areas from all over the world (including an albino alligator!). There's also an exhibit dedicated to Africa (Africa has penguins - who knew??).

Posted by Nicci Cloke on December 1, 2011 - 12:50pm
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