It’s summertime and visitors are coming. From the past to the parks to the arts, here are three SF originals – all free – to show off the city we love.
At San Francisco's newest golf course, you won't find plaid sweater vests and pastel khakis. The standard here is t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops. This spring, disc golf fanatics – or "Frisbyterians," as they're called 
– celebrated a new 18-hole course set deep in the old-growth trees and meandering footpaths of Golden Gate Park's Marx Meadow. Ideal for both beginners and more advanced disc jockeys, these links offer a new way for locals and out-of-towners alike to experience San Francisco's beloved natural treasure. Even if you've never played, don't be intimidated: just pack a Frisbee and practice yelling "Fore!" Before you know it, you'll be hooking and slicing – on purpose – like a pro. Be sure to download and print a scorecard and course map before you tee off. Fore! The disc golf course is located at Marx Grove in Golden Gate Park between Fulton and JFK Drive at 30th and 25th avenues. If you really want to impress your foursome, upgrade your arsenal with the 3-disc starter kit (including putter, mid-range and driver discs) available at Sports Basement. More information at San Francisco Disc Golf Club.
Are you ready to chase a trail of golden medallions throughout the city? The do-it-yourself Barbary Coast Trail will show summer guests a city that even old-timers don't know. On this casual walking tour, 170 
medallions set in the pavement lead you into the city's interesting and tumultuous past. You can begin the journey wherever you like, but the official start is the Old U.S. Mint Building in the heart of downtown. Over four flat and gently sloping miles, you'll hitch up at the old Pony Express Headquarters, discover the birthplace of the Gold Rush and uncover a few scandalous tidbits too. For example, the high-end shopping side street known as Maiden Lane used to be lined with wooden shanties housing ladies of the night. According to the map pamphlet that accompanies the trail, these denizens "often hung out of windows naked to the waist, and offered men one breast to touch for 10 cents, two for 15 cents." You won't find prices like that at today's Marc Jacobs and Yves St. Laurent! To complete this classic tour, you can ride a cable car from the finish at Aquatic Park back to the start at Hallidie Plaza.BONUS: Along the trail you'll pass some eminently edifying watering holes, such as the Old Ship and Caffe Trieste, where you and your guests can ponder the past over a pint of Anchor Steam or a frothy cappuccino.
We recommend picking up a printed guide to get the full Barbary Coast Trail experience. They are $9 and can be found at various bookstores in the city.
It's the city's biggest communal picnic – and it happens for 10 consecutive Sundays every summer. The Stern Grove Festival celebrates the arts outdoors with free performances set among sprawling lawns and towering eucalyptus trees. The festival kicks
off its 70th season next Sunday, June 17th, with Huey Lewis & the News, then showcases an eclectic line-up including jazz, opera, and ballet, not to mention world music from South Asia, Brazil and the Middle East. Make a day of your visit by bringing your own picnic (and drinks) and staking out a patch of lawn a few hours before the 2:00 p.m. start of the show. You can read, walk around the grove, laze in the sun and make new friends with your neighbors. It's a microcosm of San Francisco at its finest: great art in a gorgeous setting, a positive vibe, and a global mix of ages and races. Even if you've never heard of the performer when your guests are in town, just go!All shows take place in the 33-acre Sigmund Stern Grove at the corner of 19th Ave. and Sloat Blvd. To get there, your best bet is to take public transportation, as parking in the area is very limited. More information.