Walking. Everybody does it. Lots of people even like it. Even me. Why it's never mentioned when you read about the outdoor industry I'm not sure. It would make all those depressing statistics seem a whole lot better. I mean, isn't hiking just walking in a non-urban setting? If you live in the Bay Area and have never taken one of the SF Public library's
free walking tours, you're missing one of the best way's to spend a San Francisco morning outdoors. For over 25 years the walking tours have delighted residents and tourists alike. I know I'm talking walking here, but there is seriously no better way to spend a morning with a visiting relative or friend, or even by yourself learning about one of the most fabulous cities in the world. We're talking authentic San Francisco here. Tours with names like
Scalawag and Sin Sites,
Bawdy & Naughty,
Rising Steel: Two Centuries of San Francisco Architecture as well as the more mundane, but just as interesting
Gold Rush City,
Pacific Heights Mansions,
Art Deco Marina,
Earthquake and Fire Walk. There are over 50 tours to choose from. I've taken the Pacific Heights Mansions tour about 20 times and never tire of it. Especially since my memory is so bad that I forget everything after an hour and each tour is brand new to me. Some more info about the
San Francisco City Guides as they're called:
-
City Guides, founded in 1978 (see History
page for details), is a non-profit organization with more than 200
trained volunteers who lead FREE history and architectural walking
tours in San Francisco. We are sponsored by the San Francisco Public Library and are a project of the Tides Center. Join us for a walk along the streets, sidewalks, and byways of America’s most beautiful — and fascinating — city!
- City Guides volunteers research, develop, organize, and lead free
walking tours that focus on the architecture, history, legends, and
lore of San Francisco. Walks last from 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
- Tours are offered 52 weeks a year, rain or shine. Approximately 30 different walks are offered each month.
