Enough with this cold weather, have you seen the weather report for this weekend? The temperature is rising back up to a very normal 64. This is the one point in the year when San Francisco is finally warmer than the surrounding ‘burbs, so we suggest you head on over here and soak up the sun in these sure-to-be-sunshiny spots (the rule of thumb is pick a south-facing locale):
Botanical Garden
Tucked inside of Golden Gate Park, a collection of geographically-themed gardens sits on 55-acres. This peaceful and beautiful space is brimming with unclouded, grassy picnic areas as well as various paths for meandering. Magnolias are currently in bloom among the 8,000 different types of plants from around the world.
Revolution Café
This cash-only establishment has prime sun-drenched seating on one badass block. Sip on a Belgian beer (they carry Affligem) or one of their $5 drafts, and nosh on their yummy café fare of sandwiches, salads, breakfast, and snacks. They also sell Kombucha, coffees, wine and Soju cocktails. Live music (blues or classical) starts after the sun goes down. 3248 22nd Street @ Bartlett.
Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach is the true love of SF surfers and while Baker seems to get most of the city’s love, Ocean is really an underrated treasure. It’s not uncommon to be able to walk barefoot in January on its fine, gray sand and you’ll likely have a vast expanse for your self. Head south (towards where Judah intersects) to nestle in a sand dune, where there is wind protection and perfectly warm, sun-kissed habitats.
Photo courtesy of city data
Velo Rouge Café
Snag a corner seat on McAllister and Arguello and you may end up wasting away the afternoon. A certified green café and popular with bicyclists (it’s on a major bike lane thoroughfare), the food is delicious and happy hour occurs 3 – 5 p.m. on Sundays, so you can catch the last rays of the day and save a few bucks. 798 Arguello.
Front lawn of the Conservatory of Flowers
This is a great spot for lounging with a blanket and a book, especially on the slope in front of the statue. Witness everyone from joggers to open top tour buses to bikers to strolling, picture-taking tourists. If facing the statue, choose a place as far to the right as the sun will stay there the longest.
South Park
If you end up downtown, seek refuge from the concrete jungle in South Park. During the week, it's filled with lunching professionals, but the weekend leaves it quiet and mellow. The sun saturates the western side of the park so grab a coffee or panini from Caffe Centro and relax on one of the many benches, tables, or the lawn. Between 2nd & 3rd and Brannan & Bryant.
Where's your favorite place to soak up the sun?
