San Francisco is a city composed of neighborhoods as diverse as the visitors who frequent them, and each is chockablock with points of interest, dining and drinking dens, and just the right mood to match your preferred date-night style.
Whether you want to browse vintage vinyl shops and catch a jazz show or dive into a classic bowl of clam chowder and take a cable car ride, the City by the Bay has you and your bae covered.
As always, check for travel restrictions and closures before planning your trip.
The Strictly Romance-Seeking Couple
The vast and lush Golden Gate Park hides several spots made for hand-in-hand strolls and covert cuddling, including the tranquil Japanese Tea Garden and the flower-filled Shakespeare Garden.
In walkable North Beach, Café Jacqueline has been SF’s special-occasion institution for decades, and the tiny bistro’s namesake, Jacqueline, still whips up savory and sweet soufflés for two.
For a truly magical date night, world-renowned mentalist Jay Alexander ignites sparks and good conversations at his cozy Marrakech Magic Theater, where the show begins in a romantic, Moroccan-style speakeasy.
The Sightseeing Couple
A visit to famed Fisherman’s Wharf for hot clam chowder in a sourdough bowl is satisfying any time of year. If a boozier warmup is in order, the nearby Buena Vista Cafe (simply “the BV” to locals) is known for its Irish coffee and the white-jacketed bartenders who pour hundreds a day.
Outside the café’s doors, San Francisco’s iconic clanging cable cars turn around for their trip over the city’s famous hills. Hop on the Powell–Hyde line and head downtown to The View Lounge, located on the 39th floor of San Francisco Marriott Marquis, for a drink with an extraordinary view of the city skyline.
Or head to Crissy Field, where you can catch a glimpse of the entire span of the Golden Gate Bridge. Hint: It’s not a bad place to lay out a blanket and catch the sunset, either.
The Music-Loving Couple
If vinyl still thrills, browse pre-loved records in the Lower Haight neighborhood (down the hill and a little east of Haight-Ashbury) at the petit Groove Merchant Records for vintage classics or Vinyl Dreams for house, disco and techno tunes.
Grab a beer and shoot some pool at the super-casual and cash-only The Page, or go for polished craft cocktails and live jazz at Mr. Tipple’s Recording Studio, a current club with an old soul.
Not far from Lower Haight, The Independent, with its diverse lineup of live performers, never disappoints. An added bonus? The venue is surrounded by popular NoPa neighborhood restaurants, including Che Fico and Bar Crudo.
The Stylin’, See-and-Be-Seen Couple
In and around Union Square is where luxury brands live, whether in multilevel department stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue or stand-alone boutiques such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Tiffany’s and Hermès.
The elegant Rotunda at Neiman Marcus is where to dine in style beneath a gorgeous glass dome built in 1896. For a post-shop aperitif, Leo’s Oyster Bar has Instagram-worthy decor and a decadent menu of oysters and Champagne.
Dinner reservations at three-Michelin-star Atelier Crenn are coveted and hard to come by. Luckily, San Francisco isn’t short on other options, such as SPQR, just down Fillmore Street, which is also loaded with fashionable shops.
The Outdoorsy Couple
San Francisco’s natural beauty is on full display along the Lands End Trail, which winds roughly 3.5 miles between Sutro Baths and the Golden Gate Bridge. It has some steep ups and downs, but the rewards include achieving your daily step count as well as bridge, ocean and clifftop views. A few marked detours along the trail include Lands End Point Labyrinth and Mile Rock Beach.
The wide and windy Ocean Beach is also popular for sandy strolls, but beware: The currents are notoriously strong.
Recover with your boo at Beach Chalet Restaurant in a historic Spanish-revival building with tables facing the mighty Pacific Ocean. Its more casual Park Chalet restaurant in the back has indoor-outdoor seating and house-brewed beers.
The Hipster Couple
The beachy vibes of San Francisco’s Outer Sunset district are attracting the cool kids these days thanks to favorite hangouts such as Palm City, which serves big hoagies (the co-owner has Philly roots) alongside wines by the glass.
Just steps from Ocean Beach, Hook Fish Co. is a sustainable seafood spot for tasty oysters, ceviche and amazing grilled fish tacos.
While in the area, gift yourself a visit to Black Bird Bookstore & Café and General Store, two separate shops with a similar eye for highly curated inventories of books, clothing, jewelry and household items you won’t find elsewhere.
The Artsy Couple
SF MOMA‘s collection of renowned modern and contemporary works keeps connoisseurs returning, as does the full calendar at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, where performance art, film and exhibits from a broad creative community are celebrated.
When art appreciation stokes your appetite, beeline it for a Detroit-style pie at Joyride Pizza; it’s made on homemade focaccia and served by the slice, too.
The parks, walls and alleyways of the Mission District are home to colorful and historic murals, which you can easily discover on your own. Or sign up for an informative tour from Precita Eyes Muralists, and then grab tacos from nearby neighborhood mainstay, La Taqueria.
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