With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we’ve rounded up three San Francisco walks for working off that extra slice of pie. Grab your friends and family for some classic turkey trots.
Impress out-of-town guests by leading them on a short walk to one of San Francisco's best lookouts, with a hidden stairway to boot! Starting in the Twin Peaks residential neighborhood, wander up the Pemberton Stairs, a charming three-platform passageway festooned with overhanging trees and lush gardens. At the top, continue on to Twin Peaks Boulevard for a .75-mile final climb, taking you to Twin Peaks. The most popular vista point is usually filled with tourists and buses, but you can escape the crowds by climbing the wooden stairs to one of Twin Peaks' true bald summits. The panorama is even better from here. Do the hokey pokey and turn yourself around to views of the region's biggest scene- stealers: the Pacific, the Bay, three bridges, Mount Diablo, Mount Tam and the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The Pemberton Stairs can be found at the corner of Clayton St. and Corbett Ave. in Twin Peaks (map). At the top of the stairs, turn right on Crown Terrace and walk a few minutes to Clarendon Ave./Twin Peaks Blvd. Make a left and another immediate left onto Twin Peaks Blvd. Follow this all the way up. Walk up one of Twin Peaks' true summits, which are south of the radio towers. Return the way you came. Dog-friendly!
To residents of Glen Park, its namesake open space is a fantastic little slice of wilderness that doesn't see many out-of-neighborhood visitors, let alone out-of- towners. Eucalyptus groves, wooden bridges, rocky outcroppings, and soaring red-tail hawks make it a surprising nature preserve within city limits. Begin by walking through the eucalyptus trees on the canyon floor, passing picnic tables and plenty of dog walkers. The trail eventually ascends to a rocky outcropping with good views. For an even better perspective, continue traversing to the highest point in the park where the canyon sprawls below and Twin Peaks pops into the background. Simply Glendid!
BONUS: Central Glen Park is just as charming the park. From the park's tennis courts, head down Chenery Street three blocks to Diamond Street. Grab a golden-brown crepe and hot chocolate at Higher Grounds Coffee House (691 Chenery St.).
Start near the Glen Park Recreation Center at the corner of O'Shaughnessy Blvd. and Bosworth St. Walk north on the main trail, taking the left fork through a eucalyptus grove. Continue along a wooden boardwalk and up to the rocky outcropping. Keep traversing up the canyon to the high point before returning back down. Dog-friendly!
Take in three Golden Gate Park classics on a walk through the heart of the park. Start at Strybing Arboretum's main entrance at 9thAvenue and Lincoln Way. There's construction happening on some of the arboretum, but many of the aroma-filled garden paths remain open; meander through the Great Meadow, continue past geraniums and rosemary plants in the Garden of Fragrance, and keep going along the boardwalks in the recently renovated Ancient Plant Garden. Head into the nearby Japanese Tea Garden where speckles of fall color are still hanging onto the Japanese maples and cherry trees. Cross tiny bridges (pictured), pass peaceful sculptures, and take a break at the teahouse. Afterwards walk a few minutes to Stow Lake, the park's biggest and a quiet oasis for a row or paddle boat excursion around its shore. For a side trip, cross the bridge to Strawberry Hill in the middle of the lake and hike to the top for great views all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge. Good as golden.
Start at the arboretum's main entrance on 9thAve. and Lincoln Way. Exit the arboretum at the Friends Gate on the north side. Cross Martin Luther King Dr. and head over to the Japanese Tea Garden; it's $7 to enter, $5 for San Francisco residents. To reach Stow Lake, exit the garden, turn right, and turn right again on Martin Luther King Dr. Take a paved path that goes behind the Japanese Tea Garden––look for the sign to JFK Dr. and the Conservatory of Flowers. Bear left at the big tree and climb the stairs up to Stow Lake. Return the way you came. The arboretum and the Japanese Tea Garden don't allow dogs.
The Yoga Journal Conference is coming to San Francisco, Jan. 28 to Feb. 1; Weekend Sherpa subscribers save $95 with Promo Code: SF32 if you register by Monday, Nov. 23.
Grab your friends and your mat—five days of yoga with the world's most famous instructors is coming to San Francisco! Choose from over 100 classes led by 40 master teachers from around the world. Whether it's your first time striking a pose, or you're a downward-facing-dog pro, release the week's stress with a Friday-evening celebration: a Vinyassa yoga workshop led by Seane Corn with musician Michael Franti culminating in an off-the-grid dance jam. Then flow into the weekend with a variety of yoga classes (Ashtanga, Forrest, Hatha and more) from world-renowned instructors like Dharma Mittra (master of the no-hands headstand) Ana Forrest, and Gary Kraftsow. Wander the Yoga Marketplace—filled with eco-stylish apparel and sustainable products from all over the globe—and discover the keys to a healthy, balanced lifestyle from speakers, workshops, and panels. The Saturday Night Ignites dance party keeps you moving, with Donna De Lory, MC Yogi, DJ Dragonfly and Shiva Rea.
TIP: Say "Om" and save. Weekend Sherpa subscribers can register online and save $95 off the Main Conference (use Promo Code: SF32) by Monday, Nov. 23.