SF City Guides
SF’s Brand New Outdoor Movie Nights in Union Square
Brand New, Downtown San Francisco, Free Movie Screenings, Outdoorsy, San Francisco Free outdoor movies are back in Union Square for 2025, but with a new name. Starting August 16, 2025, a new series called Cinema on the Square will bring three nights of outdoor films to the plaza, filling the gap left by Sundown Cinema (which ended its 20-year run and won’t more...
China’s Biggest Hot Pot Chain “Haidilao” is Coming to Daly City
Brand New, Eat & Drink The Peninsula is getting a major new spot for hot pot. Haidilao, the largest hot pot chain in China, is opening its first Peninsula location inside Daly City’s Serramonte Center. The restaurant is known not just for its build-your-own hot pot experience and ultra-efficient service, but also for a quirky secret more...
Ultimate Guide to SF’s Grateful Dead Summer Takeover
Artsy Fartsy, Local Icons, San Francisco, Wow San Francisco is going full psychedelic to honor the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead, the iconic band born right here in 1965. In the lead-up to Dead & Company’s sold-out three-night run in Golden Gate Park (August 1-3), the city is paying tribute with art exhibits, live shows, and more...
SF City Hall Lights Up Tie-Dye for Grateful Dead (Aug. 3)
San Francisco, Wow Every evening at sunset, over 220 state-of-the-art LED lighting fixtures illuminate City Hall’s exterior. Normally, a soft white glow shows off the play of light and shadow on the full façade and dome. Frequently, special plaza façade lighting schemes honor or celebrate events, seasons, and holidays. In honor of Grateful Dead’s 60th Anniversary, more...
Rare Max Ernst Sculptures Hide Amongst Redwoods at SF’s Transamerica Pyramid
Artsy Fartsy, Downtown San Francisco, Outdoorsy, Parks & Beaches A small forest of redwoods in downtown San Francisco just got a lot weirder—in the best way. A new outdoor exhibition at the Transamerica Pyramid’s Redwood Park brings twelve fantastical bronze sculptures by legendary Surrealist Max Ernst into public view, many for the first time. Tucked between skyscrapers, the sculptures more...
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Unveils First of 2025 Lineup
Brand New, Fairs & Festivals, Festival Updates, Only in San Francisco, Parks & Beaches Hold onto your banjos! Hardly Strictly Bluegrass just dropped the first part of its 2025 lineup. The beloved (and completely free) San Francisco festival returns to Golden Gate Park, October 3-5, 2025, and they’ve got some real headliners to kick off the excitement. And in true Hardly Strictly fashion, this is more...
SF Unveils New Dead-Inspired Psychedelic Buses
Brand New, San Francisco, Transportation, Wow Muni is rolling out some serious Summer of Love vibes. Just in time for the Dead & Company shows in Golden Gate Park (August 1-3, 2025), SFMTA has wrapped two buses and one train in vibrant, psychedelic designs. The colorful vehicles – dubbed the “Psychedeli-bus” and the “Trippy Train” – are more...
SF’s Secret Garden Oasis, Kapwa Gardens, Closing After 5 Years
Downtown San Francisco, Goodbye, Housing After five years of serving as a vibrant outdoor gathering space in the heart of SoMa, San Francisco’s Kapwa Gardens is officially shutting down at the end of the month. Tucked into a transformed parking lot at 967 Mission Street, the Filipino-led garden opened in 2021 as a response to the more...
Free Parking in Golden Gate Park is Ending
Parks & Beaches, San Francisco, Transportation Say goodbye to one of the last free parking spots in San Francisco. The Board of Supervisors just voted to let the SFMTA begin charging for parking in Golden Gate Park starting January 1, 2027. This means popular destinations like the de Young, Cal Academy, and the Conservatory of Flowers more...
SF’s Iconic Drag Nightclub Oasis Closing At End of the Year
Goodbye, LGBTQ+, San Francisco Oasis, the longtime queer nightclub and cabaret space at 11th and Folsom, will close permanently on January 1, 2026, with its final event set for New Year’s Eve. Open since 2014, the club quickly became a nightlife fixture, known for over-the-top drag shows, campy theatrical productions, and big-name appearances from the more...
Free Roundtrip Rides on the San Francisco Bay Ferry
San Francisco, Transportation For a limited time, you can ride roundtrip on the San Francisco Bay Ferry for free. Just download the SF Bay Ferry app on iOS or Android and enter the promo code ferrygodmother at checkout to claim two free one-way rides, while supplies last. UPDATE: As of 7/22/25 as of 10:59am – more...
Pop Mart’s Viral “Labubu” Toy Store Coming to SF’s Union Square
Brand New, San Francisco Hyped Chinese toy shop Pop Mart store is heading to Union Square later this year, bringing one of the world’s fastest-growing toy brands to the heart of downtown San Francisco. Best known for its collectible vinyl figures like Labubu and Skullpanda, Pop Mart is a Chinese toy company that’s made a more...
Brand New Hello Kitty Cafe Opens in Bay Area
Brand New, Eat & Drink The Bay Area’s very first Hello Kitty Cafe has officially opened at Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, bringing a burst of pink and nostalgia to one of the region’s busiest malls. The themed cafe is part of the shopping center’s ongoing $1.1 billion expansion and is located near Bloomingdale’s, drawing more...
Bay Area Cult Fav “Zachary’s Pizza” Opening New East Bay Spot
Bay Area Favorites, East Bay, Eat & Drink Zachary’s Chicago Pizza is expanding with a new location planned for downtown Livermore. The East Bay-based chain is set to open its latest restaurant at 2470 First Street sometime this fall. The Livermore site will become the sixth location for the employee-owned company, which has steadily grown since opening its more...
Chava’s Closes After 24 Years Serving Homestyle Mexican Food in the Mission
Eat & Drink, Goodbye, San Francisco Chava’s Restaurant, a longstanding Mexican eatery in San Francisco’s Mission District, is closing its doors after 24 years. Located just off 24th Street on Mission, the restaurant stopped serving food earlier this month and will officially close on July 15. The closure follows years of economic challenges, including a slow more...
