2017-12-18 04:17:58
The going rate for a two-bedroom apartment in San Francisco may be astronomical, but that doesn’t mean the city isn’t bursting with inexpensive options for fun. Here are a few only-in-San Francisco ways to have a great time for under $10. CHILL LIKE A LOCAL Golden Gate Park is the most famous rectangle of green space, but Dolores Park on the Mission/ Castro border is a real San Franciscan’s backyard. A recent renovation repaired grass and added spiffy new restrooms, so the city views, picnicking, and people-watching are as good as ever. FUN FACT: On the southwest corner of the park (Church and 20th Streets), there’s a gold-painted fire hydrant with an incredible history. It was the only functioning hydrant following the 1906 earthquake and is credited with saving much of the nearby historic neighborhood. There’s a plaque commemorating the feat and every year on the anniversary of the earthquake it gets a new coat of paint. LOCAL TIP: Although waits can be lengthy on sunny afternoons, salted caramel ice cream from the nearby Bi-Rite Creamery is a sweet (and inexpensive) accessory for a sunny afternoon. BLOOMS GALORE Originally opened in 1879, the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park is home to rare tropical orchids, among hundreds of other interesting species. Admission to the stunning steel-and-glass structure (definite photo opportunity) is only $8 for adults, and there are a range of free events and programs as well. LOCAL TIP: While you’re at Golden Gate Park, drop by the Herschell-Spillman Carousel — another Instagram-worthy monument. Originally built in 1914, it features 62 rideable animals along with panels covered by Bay Area landscapes. Rides are $1 for kids 6-12 and $2 for adults. TO THE SUMMIT While it’s easy enough to drive or take a tour bus up Twin Peaks Boulevard — a curving road featured in limitless car commercials — hiking to the top from the city below is even more fun. (Hint: Just keep walking uphill.) Starting from the transit-friendly intersection of 17th, Castro and Market streets, architectural curios and charming, dead-end lanes dot the hillsides. Once you’ve reached Twin Peaks’ 922-foot vista point, your reward is a stunning view of downtown, straight up Market Street, that stretches across seven counties of California. LOCAL TIP: Need another hill to climb? Head to Buena Vista Park, where a trail from Buena Vista Avenue and Haight Street leads to panoramic city views. CAMERA OBSCURA Way above Ocean Beach and next to the famed Cliff House, is a curio listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The “Giant Camera” (technically a camera obscura) is open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily, and for $3 viewers can get a 360-degree “live feed” of the environs, courtesy of a technology developed by Leonardo da Vinci. FUN FACT: The “Giant Camera” was built in 1946 and was originally part of Playland on the Beach, an amusement park that no longer exists. CHEAP EATS ON CLEMENT Chinatown is a singular sensation, no doubt. But if you want to eat like a local, head to the Richmond District. The lively stretch of Clement Street between Arguello Boulevard and 26th Avenue is bursting with inexpensive Asian eateries from dumplings to Burmese salads to Korean barbecue. SLIDE AND SEEK Located on a quiet, block-long side street above the Castro, these dual chutes at Seward Mini Park aren’t the easiest things to find, but no other San Francisco mini-park will turn you into a six-year-old adrenaline junkie. The slides are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day but Monday. LOCAL TIP: Bring your own cardboard to slide down on and a handful of sand dropped ahead of you will speed you along. LOCAL TIP: Stop into Good Luck Dim Sum (736 Clement) for delicious pork shu mai, or steamed buns at Wing Lee Bakery (503 Clement).
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