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The 2010 Big To-Do SF: 100 Things To Do Before You Die

Whether you're a tourist or a native, we promise you'll never be bored in San Francisco with this list. We tackle 10 neighborhoods below. (For an updated list, check out our latest 2012 Big To Do!)

 

1. Listen to your friends’ first gig at Hotel Utah. (SoMa)

2. Walk under the waterfall at Yerba Buena Gardens. (SoMa)

3. Shop for urban menswear at Rolo. (SoMa)

4. Be a woman among men and go dancing at the Stud. (SoMa)

5. Feather your nest at 411 Vermont Street (Obsolete, Blackman Cruz, Therien & Co.). (SoMa).

6. Have some watermelon wheat beer at 21st Amendment. (SoMa)

7. Rush the sales at Jeremys. (SoMa)

8. Meet your match over a glass of wine at District. (SoMa)

9. Soak in the art and some Blue Bottle on the new SFMOMA rooftop. (SoMa)

10. Have a quiet moment in the Contemporary Jewish Museum plaza. (SoMa)

11.Pick up some Italian roast at Graffeo Coffee. (Northbeach)

12. Remind yourself that Tommaso’s old-school pizzas are still some of the best. (Northbeach)

13. Attend a reading at City Lights. (Northbeach)

14. Grab the perfect gift for your girlfriend at Eden & Eden. (Northbeach)

15. Light a candle in memory of someone special at Sts. Peter and Paul Church. (Northbeach)

16. Have pumpkin ravioli at L’Osteria. (Northbeach)

17. Catch a show at Bimbo’s. (Northbeach)

18. Take a seat at the counter for a meatball sandwich at Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store. (Northbeach)

19. Climb the Filbert Street and Greenwich Street steps. (Northbeach)

20. Don’t miss the Coit Tower murals. (Northbeach)

21. Use the general password (“books”) to drop into the library at Bourbon & Branch. (Tenderloin)

22. Do dinner and view a show from the balcony at the Great American Music Hall. (Tenderloin)

23. See what’s on display at the Shooting Gallery. (Tenderloin)

24. Hang out in the smokers’ cage at Rye. (Tenderloin)

25. Grab a Vietnamese sandwich from Saigon Sandwiches. (Tenderloin)

26. Sing and clap on Sunday morning at Glide Memorial. (Tenderloin)

27. Get a lap dance at Mitchell Brothers O’Farrell Theatre. (Tenderloin)

28.Shop for cool kicks at Huf Shoes. (Tenderloin)

29. Then cross the street and have dinner at tiny Canteen. (Tenderloin)

30. Watch naan being pulled straight from the tandoor at Shalimar. (Tenderloin)

31. Do dinner at A16 and a movie at the Presidio Theatre. (Marina)

32. Load up a Let’s Be Frank grass-fed dog with devil sauce. (Marina)

33. Fly a kite at Crissy Field. (Marina)

34. Be a lady who lunches at Balboa Café (but get the burger). (Marina)

35. Get hit on at the MatrixFillmore. (Marina)

36. Find a deal at My Rommate’s Closet. (Marina)

37. Make friends with someone that owns a sailboat. (Marina)

38. Conduct an ethereally quiet wee-hours grocery run to Marina Safeway. (Marina)

39. Have a beer on the back patio of the Tipsy Pig. (Marina)

40. Follow up a run through the Presidio with a hearty brunch at Rose’s Café.

41. Reserve a private karaoke room at Doremi Music Studio (and cross your fingers for “Sweet Caroline”). (Pac Heights)

42. Find a drop-dead, Aussie-designed dress at Elizabeth Charles. (Pac Heights)

43. Check out the southern view from the top of Alta Plaza Park. (Pac Heights)

44. Get a taste of the Mission at Pizzeria Delfina. (Pac Heights)

45. Grab a free poster after a show at the Fillmore. (Pac Heights)

46. Take your laptop to the Grove and pretend to work. (Pac Heights)

47. Get naked at Kabuki Springs & Spa. (Pac Heights)

48. Indulge in an almond croissant from the original Boulangerie Bay Bread. (Pac Heights)

49. Check out the adorable puppies and kitties up for adoption at Pets Unlimited. (Pac Heights)

50. See how many times you can jog the Lyon Street Steps. (Pac Heights) 

51. Choose from the 50 selections on tap at Toronado and pair it with a beer sausage from Rosamunde. (Haight) 

52.Time yourself at Kezar Stadium’s track. (Haight) 

53. Play fetch with the dog at Buena Vista Park. (Haight) 

54. Order an old-fashioned at the Alembic. (Haight) 

55. Get a T-shirt designed by local artist Sam Flores at Upper Playground. (Haight) 

56. Have barbecue and sake at Memphis Minnie’s. (Haight) 

57. Catch an indie flick at the Red Vic. (Haight) 

58. Take advantage of happy hour at Uva Enoteca. (Haight) 

59. Shop for quality vintage wear at Held Over. (Haight) 

60. Be a tourist and snap a pic of yourself at the convergence of Haight and Ashbury streets. (Haight) 

61. Find love over fixed gears and coffee at Ritual Roasters. (Mission) 

62. Drink rosé at Dolores Park. (Mission) 

63. Buy a heap of cheap avocados at Casa Lucas. (Mission) 

64. Shop for emerging artists on a minigallery hop at Creativity Explored, Needles + Pens, Adobe Books, Michael Rosenthal and Jack Hanley. (Mission) 

65. Drink a cheap, 16-ounce margarita at the Latin American Club. (Mission) 

66. Wake up to a bowl of bread pudding at Tartine Bakery. (Mission) 

67. Ogle the midcentury chandeliers at Monument. (Mission) 

68. Have a breakfast of huevos rancheros at Los Jarritos. (Mission)

69. Buy something beautiful at the Bell Jar. (Mission)

70. People-watch on a warm afternoon at the Revolution Café. (Mission)>

71. Check out a gay-fabulous flick at Castro Theatre. (Castro)

72. Wait in line for a Superman sandwich with dirty sauce at Ike’s Place. Follow with Tums. (Castro)

73. Sit at the piano and sing along with the boys at Martuni’s (yes, this is technically next door in the Mission, but only geographically). (Castro)

74. Spend Sunday trying to keep count of the all-you-can-drink-for-$6 mimosas at Lime. (Castro)

75. Shop for feather boas and tool belts at Cliff’s Variety. (Castro)

76. Strike a pose at Friday’s happy-hour dance party at Badlands. (Castro)

77. Catch a concert at Café Du Nord (or a little acoustic at the adjacent Swedish American Hall). (Castro)

78. Have a 3 a.m. post-clubbing breakfast at Bagdad Café. (Castro)

79. Pick up some social criticism at A Different Light Bookstore. (Castro)

80. Hook up over coffee at Café Flore. (Castro)

81. Watch the surfers at Kelly’s Cove. (Richmond)

82. Browse the art books at Park Life. (Richmond)

83. See a double feature at the 4 Star Theatre. (Richmond)

84. Be thankful for Green Apple Books, the ultimate independent bookstore. (Richmond)

85. Pick out a fish from the tank for dinner at New May Wah market. (Richmond)

86. Have a bowl of ramen and listen to the Shitones at Halu. (Richmond)

87. Jockey for position at Pizzetta 211. (Richmond)

88. Drop in on a seisiún (a kind of Irish open jam session) at the Plough & Stars. (Richmond)

89. Bike the length of Golden Gate Park on Sunday when JFK Drive is closed to cars. (Richmond)

90. Check out the natural wonders at the California Academy of Sciences, or the latest exhibit at the de Young. (Richmond)

91. Rent an obscure European film from Le Video before video stores are extinct. (Sunset)

92. Order a Rotten Robby at The Pizza Place on Noriega. (Sunset)

93. Build a fire at Ocean Beach. (Sunset)

94. Read the Sunday Times and have blueberry pancakes at Park Chow. (Sunset)

95. Go with a big group for dumplings and beer at San Tung. (Sunset)

96. Buy a custom silk-screened T-shirt at Mollusk Surf Shop. (Sunset)

97. Snack on Nick’s fried fish tacos at Underdogs. (Sunset)

98.Get freshly roasted coffee at Henry’s House of Coffee. (Sunset)

99.Pick up some magic tricks at Misdirections. (Sunset)

100. Take a couple of kids to the SF Zoo. (Sunset)

#56=food poisoning.

This website describe the situation of the tourism management of San Francisco in America.

This list is stupid.

As someone who lived in San Francisco for 10 years, I would never recommend this list to a visitor or a newcomer. Way too commercial, wanna-be-trendy - quite in line with the oveall smug attitude of 7x7 magazine. Whenever I get a hold of a copy, I always wonder how this magazine survives given its pomposity. Now I understand - it all about soft advertisement it incorporates in its articles and research.

Did #73 13+ years ago. Went with old co workers from Cobb's Comedy Club for my 22nd bday. Sat with the guy at the piano and got picked on. A great night. I will never forget it!

Wow. This list starts poorly -- what if I don't have a musician friend, no Utah gigs for me, I guess I'm screwed -- and goes downhill from there.

No Twin Peaks view (as others have noted)? Nothing about cable cars, or the Palace of Fine Arts, or Baker Beach? Taking in the view of the Golden Gate Bridge from below, at Fort Point?

Nothing on rambling about the Sutro Baths ruins, or visiting Cliff House (no matter how shmaltzy, it's a lot more San Francisco that most of the trendoid boutiques on the 7x7 list). And what about hang-gliding at Fort Funston (yes, you 7x7 types, Fort Funston is actually part of S.F. too!)

If this is an indication of the quality of 7x7's lists, maybe I'll skip the ones about the best burgers / burritos / etc. and stick to Yelp!

This is a list for the softest, yuppiest pretentious idiots. So the good idea would be to get all these people together that love this list and feed them gerbil poison.

yea this is a very stupid list. i'd be broke if i did all these.
not so bad really, all my favorite (free) secret spots were left off this li$t.

This list is way too commercial...wouldn't recommend it to visiting family or friends as a guide. Sad commentary on what is unique about our city.

I read this as I'm actually visiting San Fran (from UK) in 2 months time, so although they are commercial listings, I have noted some down and appreciate the comment about Twin Peaks, which looks a must.

ezydog harness review

new bucket.

Recommend Tartine Bakery.

SF Local
truth about abs review
ab circle pro reviews

This list is just one giant advertisement for the places, services and establishments they list. Wonder what their revenue was from hitting up these places for a mention in this article?

not trying to hate (although I'm about to) but why isn't going to Twin Peaks to look at the city during the day and night not on this list? This list looks seriously sponsored which like most paid for content tends to be shit.

who would want to buy anything from the pretentious store, Bell Jar??????

One hundred and first thing to do: Never read anything thrown up by 7X7.com again.

Are you really a local? Have you lived here more than twenty minutes? "Northbeach" is two words: "North Beach"

As pretentious and stupid a list as I've seen.

#31 do you use spell check you might think about it....for those best property guests...

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How about visit the Tactile Dome at the Exploratorium, and then head over for aural pleasures at The Audium. Two must-do SF experiences.

this list is partially things to do before you die
...in the 90s
...if you live in the marina and tourist the rest of the city

seriously! who shops at rolo anymore?

that is mainly a list of stores.

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Not exactly a representative list of San Francisco's MANY neighborhoods. 100 to-do's from just 10 neighborhoods... Apparently there is nothing uniquely San Francisco to do in the Bayview, Potrero/Dogpatch, Mission Bay, Vis Valley, Bernal, Glen Park... etc.

#31 FYI:

1. A16 is completely overrated. Place is one of the loudest in the city and their food has been on a steep decline ever since their Beard winner left for NYC, failed at the restaurant he left for, only to find himself wrapping burritos at one of the Chipotle test kitchens there. (Added that last part because it is a fact.)
2. Presidio Theatre is about the worst place to see a movie in the bay area; audio and screens are terrible, and nostalgia can't make up for paying a bunch of money to have a bad movie experience.

*I'm a concierge at arguably the best property in SF. Normally I wouldn't bring the hammer down but both of those places are 2 spots in the Marina I warm my guests about...regardless of what the AMEX platinum desk tells them.