By Sabah Karimi
North
beach was once the home of historic "Little Italy" of California, but has changed dramatically over the years as more cultures have filtered into the area. However, North Beach still hosts a number of Italian festivals and performances throughout the year, and you can find many tours and trails to explore throughout this historic area. If you're a gourmet food lover, enjoy an evening of jazz or just want to explore some historic sites and attractions outside of the business district of
San Francisco, you'll find a variety of things to do in North Beach.
Visit Liguria Bakery
This authentic Italian bakery has been baking up an age-old recipe for focaccia bread since 1911 and offers a variety of traditional baked goods to accompany your lunch or dinner. Head here to round up freshly made loaves of Italian bread, dinner rolls and other baked goods any time of day. The bakery is located at 1700 Stockton; call (415) 421-3786 for more information.
Climb Coit Tower
This historic landmark is open every day and you can go up the elevator to reach the vista point and see the city from a fresh perspective. Take a self-guided tour of the surrounding area with a walking tour, then head up the elevator with a guide to learn about the history of the tower, the murals and the legends of this popular site. Coit Tower is at 1 Telegraph Hill Boulevard; call (415) 362-0808 or for more information.
Explore the Beat Museum
If you're a fan of the Beat Generation entertainment era, don't miss the collection of photographs, artifacts and collectibles housed at this fun and entertaining museum. You'll see autographed works from Jack Kerouac, a signed picture of Lawrence Ferlinghetti and the rarest copy of the book "Howl in the World" here. The museum is at 540 Broadway and is open from Tuesday through Sunday each week. Call (415) 399-9626 or visit the Beat Museum website (see Resources) for more information.
Enjoy a Picnic in Telegraph Hill
This hill is at the east end of Lombard Street and offers some of the best views of the city. Take a driving or walking tour of the area to see the beautiful gardens, old mansions and other estate properties in the neighborhood, then settle in at an area park for a picnic. Telegraph Hill is surrounded by Filbert, Kearny and Sansome Streets near the center of North Beach. Visit the Telegraph Hill Dwellers website (see Resources) to learn more about the area.
Shop at City Lights Bookstore
This historic bookstore is a designated city landmark and was founded by Lawrence Ferlinghetti. The tri-level store features dozens of antique books, rare copies of magazines and comic books, novels, local magazines and newspapers. The venue also hosts a number of literary events throughout the year, and the store stays open until midnight each night. You'll find it at 261 Columbus Avenue in North Beach; call (415) 362-8193 or visit the City Lights website (see Resources) for more information.
Resources
About the Author:
Sabah Karimi is a professional web and print copywriter with an educational background in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. She writes in several niches including travel, fashion, beauty, health, fitness, lifestyle and small business. Karimi received a Top Content Creator Award from Demand Studios in 2009.
