180 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in San Francisco - Atlas Obscura

Unusual
Attractions
in San Francisco

San Francisco, California

The Wave Organ

A huge musical instrument played by the ocean.

San Francisco, California

Secret Tiled Staircase

An artsy hidden staircase leads to breathtaking views of San Francisco.

San Francisco, California

Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze

A psychedelic labyrinth on the San Francisco bay.

San Francisco, California

Seward Street Slides

Bring your own cardboard to the slippery slopes of concrete hidden in a neighborhood park.

San Francisco, California

Albion Castle

A 140-year-old castle with underground caves hidden in San Francisco.

San Francisco, California

Alcatraz Island

In all of the 29 years it was in operation, no prisoners ever escaped successfully... or so they claim.

San Francisco, California

Loved to Death

This shop specializes in oddities and Victorian-inspired wonders.

San Francisco, California

Labyrinth at Land’s End

A winding path built in secret on the edge of the continent.

See All 180 Things to Do in San Francisco See All 180 Places

Unique
Food & Drink
in San Francisco

It's It

This classic San Franciscan ice cream sandwich is it, isn't it?

Sourdough Starter

A century-old organism creates some of the world's best bread.

Hangtown Fry

This bacon-and-oyster omelet was a status symbol during the California Gold Rush.

Steam Beer

The unique style born out of the California Gold Rush blends the crispness of a lager with the flavor of an ale.

See all 5 things to eat in San Francisco See all 5 things to eat in San Francisco

Atlas Obscura Trips

Desert Canvas: Art of Joshua Tree and the Mojave

Join us as we venture deep into the High Desert, glimpsing massive sculptures, revitalizing domes, and fluorescent painted mountains along the way.

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Stories
About San Francisco

A baker makes fortune cookies at Hougyokudo in Kyoto, Japan.

The Japanese Bakeries Still Selling Fortune Cookies

Although widely considered Chinese American, the well-known treat was invented in Japan.

October 11, 2019

Golden Gate Park is a leading candidate.

S.F. Marks the Spot for Buried Treasure

A fantasy author's 37-year-old cache may soon be unearthed in one of the city's 220 parks. But which one?

by Shoshi Parks

September 20, 2019

<em>Prost!</em>

In San Francisco, an East German Restaurant Is a Portal to the Past

Familiar foods such as "cold dog" offer former Eastern Bloc residents a taste of their youth.

by Laura Kiniry

September 17, 2019

These prefab pieces of type cast as solid units (“logotypes”) allowed a restaurant to assemble a menu without requiring access to a typesetter.

A California Type Foundry Is Keeping Vintage Printing Alive

“It’s a really neat feeling to help people be able to print from hot metal.”

by Glenn Fleishman

August 28, 2019

A design for the rebooted Doggie Diner that Atchley hopes to build.

The Quest to Revive the Bay Area's Fabled Doggie Diners

One man is determined to get these giant dachshunds smiling down on customers once more.

by Matthew Taub

Dozens of people zip around the rink with smiles on their faces, dancing to Michael Jackson.

At the Church of 8 Wheels, Roller-Skating Fans' Prayers Have Been Answered

This former house of worship in San Francisco is now a hotspot for skaters of all ages.

by Santi Elijah Holley

February 25, 2019

Whoa, what's up with that?

What the Heck Was That Squiggle in the Sky?

No, it's not a chemtrail. Or space junk. Or aliens.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

December 20, 2018

Masks for Ars Minerva's production of <em>Ifigenia</em>.

A San Francisco Troupe Is Spicing Up Forgotten Baroque Operas

Expect sequins, aerialists, and LGBTQ love triangles.

by Samantha London

November 14, 2018

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