173 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.

Added by mbison

San Francisco, California

Secret Tiled Staircase

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

rebeccaclara

Added by rebeccaclara

San Francisco, California

Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze

A psychedelic labyrinth on the San Francisco bay.

GuttersnipeRebecca

Added by GuttersnipeRebecca

San Francisco, California

Seward Street Slides

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

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

San Francisco, California

Albion Castle

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

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

San Francisco, California

Alcatraz Island

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

AllisonEng

Added by AllisonEng

San Francisco, California

Labyrinth at Land’s End

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

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

San Francisco, California

Audium-Theatre of Sound-Sculptured Space

The only theatre in the world constructed specifically for sound movement.

See All 173 Things to Do in San Francisco See All 173 Places

Unique
Food & Drink
in San Francisco

It's It

Gastro Obscura

It's It

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

Gastro Obscura

rachelrummel

Added by rachelrummel

Sourdough Starter

Gastro Obscura

Ingredients & Condiments

Sourdough Starter

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

Gastro Obscura

Ike Allen

Added by Ike Allen

Hangtown Fry

Gastro Obscura

Hangtown Fry

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

Gastro Obscura

samirpatel

Added by samirpatel

Soylent

Gastro Obscura

Soylent

One fantasy food's journey from sci-fi vegan steak to silver screen cannibalism to actual meal replacement.

Gastro Obscura

rachelrummel

Added by rachelrummel

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

Atlas Obscura Trips

Moonlit Ghost Towns: Night Photography in Death Valley

Nov 11–16, 2019

Atlas Obscura Trips

Moonlit Ghost Towns: Night Photography in Death Valley

Tim Cook

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Stories
About San Francisco

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

Abandoned Gold Rush ships in San Francisco Bay, 1849.

A Century Ago, Wood-Eating Worms Devastated San Francisco Bay

The battle against them is still being waged today.

by Matthew Taub

October 15, 2018

A late-in-life photo of Mary Jane Rathbun.

Remembering 'Brownie Mary,' San Francisco's Marijuana Pioneer

She baked thousands of pot brownies for AIDS patients.

A view of the plaza in front of the Burger King.

Why a San Francisco Burger King Blasts Classical Music Day and Night

It's not meant to be pleasant.

A dynamite blasts in front of the damaged City Hall.

Lost Footage Filmed After the 1906 San Francisco Quake Finally Gets a Premiere

The scenes, shown in a silent-film museum, provide a new glimpse of the earthquake's aftermath.

by Christina Ayele Djossa

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