San Francisco Rock & Roll Travel Guide

San Francisco musicians Blag Dahlia (the Dwarves), Shayde Sartin (Sonny & the Sunsets, the Fresh & Onlys), and Sammy and Helene (the Okmoniks) take you on a rock and roll tour through San Francisco, sharing their favorite sights, restaurants, bars, record stores, clubs, and more. Respectively, they’ve lived in San Francisco for 30, 17, and 7 years.

DO

  • Step back in time with vintage arcade games and toothpick dioramas made by Alcatraz prisoners at Musée Mécanique (Pier 45), tucked amidst the touristy chaos of Fisherman’s Wharf.
  • Fill your pockets up with quarters for pinball-palooza at Free Gold Watch (1767 Waller Street), a silk-screening shop that’s home to dozens of machines.
  • Pull on your walking shoes and explore North Beach, Chinatown, the Mission, the Haight, the Richmond, the Sunset, and San Francisco’s other colorful neighborhoods.
  • Clamber around the ruins of the Sutro Baths (Point Lobos Ave) and dare to venture into the nearby Goonies– style cave.
  • Escape to the towering redwoods of Muir Woods (1 Muir Woods Road, Mill Valley).

EAT

  • Indian pizza at Zante Indian Pizza (3489 Mission Street)
  • Authentic German sausages, schnitzel, and more at Schmidt’s (2400 Folsom Street)
  • Organic California cuisine served until 1am at Nopa (560 Divisadero Street)
  • Artful sushi and Japanese fare at Tsunami (1306 Fulton Street)

SHOP

ROCK & ROLL

DRINK

FEATURED BAND PERFORMANCES (in order of appearance)

The Dwarves at Thee Parkside, San Francisco
Sonny & the Sunsets at Midsummer Studios, Emeryville
The Fresh & Onlys at The Chapel, San Francisco
The Okmoniks at Hemlock Tavern, San Francisco / Stork Club, Oakland / Thee Parkside, San Francisco

At Hemlock Tavern

Ultimate Painting
The Teutonics
Hard Left
The Ogres

At The Knockout

Nobunny
Vicky & the Vengents
The Atom Age
DJ Daniel Segura
DJ Russell Quan

At Thee Parkside

Giuda
Davila 666
Traditional Fools
King Tuff
Personal & the Pizzas
Mean Jeans
The Rantouls

At Bottom of the Hill

Gooch Palms
Guantanamo Baywatch