What To See And Do In San Francisco

Are you going to San Francisco? We show you the sights, sounds and flavours.

FOOD A melting pot of cuisines, flavours, tastes, aromas and globe-spanning cooking styles, SF is nothing if not gastronomically mixed up, in a very good way. From the influences of Japan in J-town and Korea in K-town to the Latin vibes wafting through the Mission, the city is a seeming impossible crucible of creative culinary fireworks – a city that has to be eaten to be believed.

SHOPPING Union Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, Haight-Ashbury … whether it’s the treasure trove bookstores of North Beach and the Mission, or the exotic bits ?n? bobs of Chinatown, the entire city is awash with things you would happily burst a suitcase over, especially this time of year when you may be looking for the perfect something for that certain someone who has everything. dogearedbooks.com

CULTURE More galleries, more theatre, more gigs, more museums … Just when you think the Bay City has reached peak culture … oops, there it is: another gallery, museum, ‘space? opens up to add to the city’s seeming unquenchable thirst for all things artistic. This year’s most hotly-anticipated addition was the renovation of SFMOMA, replete with its Sn?hetta extension that has almost tripled gallery space. sfmoma.org

CINE WORSHIP Whether you want to channel Steve McQueen in Bullitt, Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine, Gene Hackman in The Conversation – or perhaps Kim Novak in Vertigo is who you wanna be – this is a perfect city in which to act out filmic fantasies. The best way to get you up close and personal with Frank Bullitt’s apartment, the house where Robin Williams? family lived in Mrs Doubtfire, and many more cool movie scenes, is to jump on a San Francisco movie tour bus. sanfranciscomovietours.com

ROAD TRIP Get your motor running, head out on the highway, looking for adventure, and whatever comes your way … SF is not just a gateway to wine country – Sonoma and Napa are on its doorstep – it’s also a perfect starting point for a road trip to Big Sur. Follow the three-hour route along rugged and windswept Highway One, while the majestic beauty of Northern California unfurls alongside.