San Francisco's most visited museums offer FREE admission on the first Tuesday of every month. Take advantage of Free Museum Tuesdays at:

Cartoon Art Museum
The Cartoon Art Museum is the only museum in the western United States dedicated to preserving and exhibiting cartoon art in all its forms. In addition to housing approximately 6,000 pieces of original art, the museum also has an extensive research library and a classroom for cartoon art classes and workshops. As a bonus, the museum has one of the best bookstores in the city with a vast collection of interesting and eclectic coffee table books.

Conservatory of Flowers
Located in Golden Gate Park, the Conservatory of Flowers boasts almost 2,000 plant species in five immersive galleries. From tropical flowers to giant water lilies, the conservatory is a lush and diverse living museum for all ages.

de Young Museum
Founded in 1895 in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, the de Young boasts a state-of-the-art new facility that integrates art, architecture, and the natural landscape in one multi-faceted destination. The museum showcases collections of American art from the 17th through the 20th centuries, and art of the native Americas, Africa, and the Pacific. Admission fees to special exhibits still apply.

Museum of Craft and Folk Art
As the only folk art museum in Northern California, the museum is known for a rich offering of focused and unique exhibitions of traditional and contemporary folk art and craft from around the world, demonstrating how folk art, contemporary craft, and fine art are all part of the same continuum.

Palace of the Legion of Honor
Built to commemorate Californian soldiers who died in World War I, the Legion of Honor is a beautiful Beaux-arts building located in San Francisco's Lincoln Park. Displaying an impressive collection of 4,000 years worth of ancient and European art in an unforgettable setting overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, the Legion is also home to an early cast of Rodin's famous "Thinker" sculpture. Admission fees to special exhibits still apply.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Located in downtown San Francisco, SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th century art. Opened in 1935 to "explore compelling expressions of visual culture," the permanent collection comprises more than 25,000 works of modern and contemporary art, including photography, painting, sculpture, media arts, architecture, and design. Admission fees to special exhibits still apply.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
YBCA presents contemporary art from the Bay Area and around the world that reflects the profound issues and ideas of our time, expands the boundaries of artistic practice, and celebrates the diversity of human experience and expression.

Join a Park Ranger for a leisurely 1.3-kilometer (0.8-mile) tour and introduction to the history and culture of the Coast Miwok people.

The walk ends at Kule Loklo (meaning "Bear Valley"), a replica Miwok village.

A secret jewel of the Bay Area, Point Bonita is still an active lighthouse maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. Discover Point Bonita's wild landscape, geology, and fascinating history.

The lighthouse is reached by a half-mile trail, with a tunnel that is open only on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, from 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. Point Bonita docents are on hand along the trail, and the setting offers breathtaking views.

Set in the tiny town of San Gregorio near Pescadero, the San Gregorio General Store is more than an old-time shop selling both practical and whimsical goods in an historic building. It's also a saloon serving 18 kinds of tequila, and a popular gathering place for both locals and those just passing through.

On weekends, the General Store hosts free, live music performances. See their website for a schedule of upcoming shows.

California State Parks docents offer free, half-hour guided history walks around the grounds of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (except on rainy days).

No reservations necessary. 

Midtown Stomp offers swing dancing every Friday and Wednesday night at Sacramento's Eastern Star Ballroom and Firehouse 5 (respectively). Join the beginning swing dancing lesson from 8-9 p.m., and then keep dancing until midnight!

Lessons are social with rotating partners -- you don't need a partner to join. Dance the Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, Charleston, Balboa, and many other fun, vintage dances.

Blue Blanket Improv presents a laugh-out-loud, high-energy, fun-for-the-whole-family comedy theater experience unparalleled on the coast! Bring a friend or several and enjoy a night of laughs.

Performing in outdoor venues around the Bay Area -- from beaches to parks to anywhere they can hang their eponymous blanket -- Blue Blanket Improv is committed to inspiring laughter in others, bringing theater to those who might not attend otherwise, and giving back to the community.

For more than 20 years sea music enthusiasts have gathered at San Francisco's Hyde Street Pier on the historic tall ships C. A. Thayer and Balclutha to sing chanteys and other sea songs.

This free event, which takes place the first Saturday of every month, has garnered a loyal following, drawing 80 to 200 people monthly.

Hear California history come alive with chanteys that describe the perils of San Francisco's Barbary Coast, the dangers of rounding Cape Horn, cruel ship officers, the joys and curse of drink, and hopes for riches during the Gold Rush.

Be sure to bring a mug for complimentary apple cider!

Reservations required; call (415) 561-7171.

Held every second Sunday of the month, the Sacramento Antique Faire is a meeting place for hundreds of antique dealers from throughout Northern California.

Come paw through furniture, textiles, architectural pieces, jewelry, cultural pieces, china, glassware, garden accessories, rugs, art, collectibles, and more.

While you're hunting for your one-of-a-kind treasure, fortify yourself with the variety of offerings from the numerous food vendors at the Faire.

The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco offers free admission to all visitors on the first Sunday of every month.

One of the largest museums in the Western world devoted exclusively to Asian art, the Asian Art Museum collection spans 6,000 years of history and includes 17,000 objects, from tiny jades to monumental sculptures, paintings, porcelains and ceramics, lacquers, textiles, furniture, arms and armor, puppets, and basketry.

The collection galleries are divided into seven geographic regions: South Asia; the Persian World and West Asia; Southeast Asia; the Himalayas and the Tibetan Buddhist World; China; Korea; and Japan. Winding through all the galleries are three major themes: the development of Buddhism; trade and cultural exchange; and local beliefs and practices.

San Francisco's Exploratorium offers free admission to the public on the first Wednesday of every month.

Housed within the walls of the Palace of Fine Arts in the Marina District, the Exploratorium boasts more than 400 interactive science, art, and human perception exhibits for kids of all ages.

Also offering public presentations such as hands-on workshops, lectures, performances, films, and other special events, the museum aims to create a culture of learning through innovative environments, programs, and tools that help people nurture their curiosity about the world around them.

Vipassana, or mindfulness meditation, was first taught by the Buddha 2,500 years ago. In this style of meditation, widespread today in Southeast Asia and increasingly popular in the West, one learns to watch what arises without judgment or reaction.

In so doing, the mind can become clear and steady, and we begin to see things as they really are, without the distortion of our hopes, fears and confusion. Some apply mindfulness to reduce stress and control pain, and many find the practice a help with daily life, but the Buddha's purpose was clear: this way of seeing leads to freedom from suffering.

Coastside Vipassana meets at the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel on Wednesday evenings, for meditation and a dhamma talk from a visiting teacher. Everyone is welcome -- the merely curious, the earnest beginner, or the dedicated practitioner.

During the tense years from 1953 to 1979, the United States Army built and operated a total of 280 Nike missile firing batteries in the United States, emplaced as the last line of defense against Soviet bombers. Today, site SF-88 in the Marin Headlands has been turned into a museum, and is the only restored Nike missile site in the country.

Visit SF-88 and see the tools of the Cold War up close. The site is open Wednesday through Friday, 12:30 - 3:30 p.m., with guided walks beginning every hour. There is also an "open house" on the first Saturday of every month, 12:30 - 3:30 p.m., with volunteer docents and Nike veterans on hand.

Cetrella Bistro and Cafe offers seasonal Mediterranean cuisine and an award-winning wine collection, and routinely garners some of the best restaurant reviews on the Coastside.

If the Bistro menu is beyond your budget, try dropping into the bar for a drink and live jazz music, presented every Friday and Saturday night. As the San Francisco Chronicle notes, "Cetrella is celebrated for its well-crafted dishes and extensive wine list. But it offers just as delectable and intoxicating fare when it comes to music. Cetrella has become an invaluable venue for Northern California jazz and blues singers." The restaurant closes occasionally for private events; please check their music schedule for details.  

A bar menu featuring small plates, wood oven pizzas, and a few entrees is also available.

Join your guide Henry for an extensive walk through the streets (and over the hills) of San Francisco.

Enjoy the sights of the city as you wander through neighborhoods such as Russian Hill, Nob Hill, Chinatown, North Beach, and Telegraph Hill. See Lombard Street, Coit Tower, and some of the oldest homes and hidden gardens in the city.

This event is open to all guests at our three San Francisco hostels. Please sign up in advance.

Most Thursday nights, the California Academy of Sciences opens its doors after hours for NightLife.

Adults have a chance to explore the museum at night in a whole new light, as they dance to some of San Francisco's most popular DJs, enjoy food and cocktails, and mingle while perusing the Academy's world-class exhibits and getting up close and personal with aquarium critters.

Take in some knowledge with your libations -- each week features provocative science programming and a few surprises.

Guests at our three San Francisco hostels even get a 15 percent discount on admission to NightLife (as well as general admission) if you order tickets in advance. More info on how to get that discount is found here.

The Station House Cafe in Point Reyes Station has been serving the West Marin community since 1974. Offering American cuisine, the cafe uses fresh organic and sustainable ingredients, supporting local farmers and harvesting from their own gardens.

Many a Friday and Sunday evening (beginning at 6:30 and 5 pm, respectively) the cafe hosts live music, including blues and bluegrass acts such as Paul Knight and Friends, Doug Adamz and the Trio Bravo, and the New Copasetics.

Check the cafe's schedule to see who's playing this week.

The only children's museum in the U.S. to be located in a national park, the Bay Area Discovery Museum is a one-of-a-kind indoor and outdoor children's museum nestled at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The first Wednesday of the month, admission is free to the museum. Bring the family down to explore the 7.5-acre, indoor-outdoor environment that harmonizes nature and nurture.

Check out permanent exhibits such as Lookout Cove, which includes a shipwreck with clues to dig up and discover, and the San Francisco Bay Hall, a playful simulation of the Bay Area with an "underwater" tunnel, 300-gallon sea star tank, a fishing boat, a model of Fisherman's Wharf, and a play shipping port.

San Francisco City Guides offer free historical and architectural walking tours of San Francisco's most famous (or, in some cases, infamous) districts, as well as some of its more hidden neighborhoods.

Approximately 30 different walks are offered each month, year-round, rain or shine. Walkers meet at the place and time designated in the current tour schedule. No reservations are required.

Motorheads far and wide rev up to come to Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay for Harbor Nights, a coastal car and motorcycle show held on the first Thursday of the month at Princeton Seafood Company.

Owners of classic cars, trucks, tricked-out motorcycles, and hot rods show off their pride and joy while providing a glimpse of early automotive and motorcycle technology. Chat with the owners to learn about the process that went into each machine, as many of them have taken years to create or restore. Just be careful not to drool -- it's bad for the paint.

Join State Parks docents for a guided nature walk through Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve. Part of Pescadero State Beach, the marsh is the only extensive wetland along the coast of the San Francisco peninsula, and includes a complex of several habitats.

More than 200 species of birds have been recorded in the marsh, including more than 60 that nest there, among them the Great Blue Heron. Species in the marsh listed under the Endangered Species Act include the San Francisco garter snake, California red-legged frog, tidewater goby, steelhead trout, and Coho salmon.

Pie Ranch is a complex place with a simple mission: to teach people where their food comes from.

A hands-on farm and food system education center, Pie Ranch is located on a 14-acre plot of land above the historic Steele Ranch. Using the ever-popular dessert pie as a model, the ranch teaches visitors -- many of them urban youth -- about the full cycle of food production. The farm grows or raises almost every element needed for the pie, including wheat for pie crusts, berries for filling, bees for honey, goats for milk, and chickens for eggs.

With a place like this, the best way to experience it is to get your hands dirty, which visitors can do every third Saturday of the month when Pie Ranch hosts a community work day, guided ranch tour, potluck dinner, and barn dance.

Join in the celebration as farmers, volunteers, and "food system change makers" gather to work throughout the afternoon, then let their hair down once the evening comes around.

Bring something to share at the potluck, then swing to the sounds of the County Line Pickers, accompanied by a live dance caller. You don't need to volunteer during the day in order to join the party at night, but volunteers do get a discount on dance admission!

The ranch's Roadside Barn Farm Stand is also open seasonally on weekends, for folks who just want a peek at the farm and to purchase its goods, which include handmade pies, fresh local produce, and eggs from the ranch's free-range hens

The Downtown Sacramento Partnership offers a variety of walking tours designed to introduce visitors to the people, places, and events that shaped California history. At least one walk is offered daily (except most Saturdays), and topics range from art and architecture to cultural, religious, and urban history.

Current scheduled walks include:

• Old Sacramento Speakeasy Tour, special 2-hour tour runs only the third Saturday of the month
• Rock and Roll History and Pub Crawl, special summer tour runs every Friday, May - August
• Kids Meet the City, a tour of California history especially for kids
• Tales of the Central City, an overview of early Sacramento history
• Structural Stories, local examples of historical architecture styles
• Art Is All Around Us, a tour of Sacramento's collection of art in public places
• Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, about K Street commerce, growth, and redevelopment
• The Art of Terra Cotta, an architecture tour featuring local clay artisan Gladding McBean

Tours are $10 and leave from within a short walk of the Sacramento Hostel.

Reservations are required; call (916) 442-8575 or email dsp@downtownsac.org.

Long closed to public access, Battery Townsley in the Marin Headlands has been refurbished and is now open to visitors the first Sunday of the month.

Come explore this labyrinthine fortification, and learn about San Francisco's most extensive -- and most secret -- World War II military fortification.

From 1940 to 1948, it mounted two massive battleship guns and housed more than 100 soldiers in an extensive network of underground tunnels; during the Cold War, it was used as an underground research facility.

Battery Townsley is reached via a moderately strenuous hike up the Coastal Trail, approximately one half-mile north of the Rodeo Beach parking lot.

The Half Moon Bay Brewing Company is a casual oceanfront restaurant and brewpub in Half Moon Bay, located on Pillar Point Harbor (just half a mile from the world-famous Maverick's surf break).

Friday - Sunday each week, local bands perform live at the Brewing Company, bringing sounds to the shore from jazz and blues to world beat and reggae. Bands perform Friday and Saturday nights from 7-10 p.m., and Sundays from 5-9 p.m.

So, relax like the locals do, with a pint of locally brewed beer, some live music, and a seat near one of the pub's patio firepits, beside the Pacific.

Wander through the lush gardens and along the grand avenues of the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery, the resting place of many remarkable Californians. Established in 1849 and designed to resemble a Victorian garden, the City Cemetery is an outdoor museum recording California history from the Gold Rush Era through today.

Docents provide free guided walking tours every other Saturday; go here for a list of upcoming tours. You can also take a self-guided tour during regular hours.

Housed in a restored barn in Point Reyes Station, the Cowgirl Creamery has been making handcrafted, farmstead cheese in small batches since 1997. Nationally recognized for its artisan quality, the Creamery offers cheese-making demonstration and tasting at its ecologically conscious facilities on Fridays at 11:30 a.m.

Foodies and dairy junkies won't want to miss the chance to go behind the scenes, where the Creamery makes about 3,000 pounds of cheese per week. Peek through a viewing window and watch how they make the goods, and learn about the cheese-making process in a 60-minute presentation. The class ends with a tasting of Cowgirl Creamery cheeses.

Afterwards, peruse the cheese counter to which features more than 200 of America's and Europe's most prized producers, or check out the selection of local produce and other goodies.

Reservations for the class are strongly recommended; call (415) 663-9335 or book your tour online.

The Torch Club is known as one of the best blues clubs in Sacramento, and features bands from all over the Bay Area as well as some national acts. They've recently been called "the center of the blues in Sacramento" by the Sacramento Bee.

Every Sunday during happy hour they have a blues jam with no cover charge.

Open every day, San Francisco's Ferry Building Marketplace is a foodie mecca, offering fresh organic produce, gourmet treats, and fine dining. With a focus on small, regional food producers -- and many eateries and small businesses owned by well-known top chefs -- you can sample local artisan cheeses, chocolates, breads, and more.

Most Saturday mornings, celebrated Bay Area chefs stop in to demonstrate ways to prepare the sustainable, seasonable goods found in the Farmers' Market. Visitors can watch these experts in action, taste their creations, and leave with recipes to try themselves at home. Programs sometimes include interviews with farmers, food artisans, or other Farmers' Market vendors.

See the CUESA's website for a full event schedule.

The Coastside Farmers Market offers an abundance of locally grown and/or produced vegetables, fruits, organic products, gourmet cheese, herbs, seafood, organic coffee, desserts, and wines, available right from the people who produce them.

This is the perfect spot to sample the coastside's agricultural bounty, grab fixings for a picnic, or stock up on groceries for your hostel stay.

The Farmers Market is held on Wednesdays in Pacifica from 2:30 - 6:30 p.m. and on Saturdays in Half Moon Bay from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., May through December.

On Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, the Heart of the City Farmers Market sets up shop in United Nations Plaza near City Hall, bringing locally grown produce, fresh flowers, and artisan goods to the city's Civic Center.

Stock up on goodies to cook up back at the hostel, or snacks to bring along on your travels.

The Westminster Presbyterian Church on Capitol Park hosts free noontime concerts every Wednesday. Musicians include pianists, cellists, violinists, guitarists, and more.

For a full schedule of concerts, visit the series website.

Join us on Friday evenings to sample California wine and cheeses at the San Francisco Downtown Hostel.

Meet and mingle with fellow travelers, whet your appetite for San Francisco’s nightlife, then hit the town together, or settle in to plan your next day's adventure.

This event is open to all guests (ages 21 and older) at our three San Francisco hostels.

The Fort Mason Center Farmers Market is one of many year-round farmers markets around the city -- but it's the closest to the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel, just a short walk away through Fort Mason.

The market features 50 local farm and prepared food stalls, including vendors selling fresh and/or organic produce, farmstead cheese, fish, meat, eggs, and fresh baked goods.

No trip to San Francisco would be complete without tacos! 

Anthony will be dishing up this California Mexican classic in the hostel lobby. They're just $1 while they last!

This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco City Center Hostel. Please sign up in advance.

Join us -- and your fellow hostellers -- for a pasta dinner before the Thursday night pub crawl.

It's $5 but the first two volunteer cooks eat free (so get there early!) Meet your dorm neighbors and plan your weekend in San Francisco over some tasty pasta. Then head out for our weekly pub crawl with a stomach full of carbs to soak up all that booze! 

This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco Downtown Hostel. No signup is required.

Put on your drinking shoes, grab your ID (gotta be 21!), and join Jesse and Mel for our weekly pub crawl.

Sip some brew (or a cosmo? tequila?) at five of the best bars along Polk Street, near our City Center and Downtown hostels. Meet a bunch of other travelers and enjoy a night out in SF!

This event is open to all guests at our three San Francisco hostels.

Off the Grid is a regular gathering of San Francisco street food vendors -- or, as they describe it, "a roaming mobile food extravaganza!"

This is a great chance to sample unusual and gourmet foods at cheap prices, and enjoy a little al fresco dining. Korean tacos, jambalaya, empanadas, onigiri, BBQ ribs, dim sum -- you'll be amazed at the tasty treats that can be made and sold from the back of a truck.

Regularly participating vendors include local favorites like Chairman Bao Bun Truck, Creme Brulee Cart, Curry Up Now, Gobba Gobba Hey, Hapa SF, and Kung Fu Tacos.

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Off the Grid sets up shop in Civic Center's UN Plaza (next to the Asian Art Museum), just four blocks from the San Francisco City Center Hostel.

Wednesdays, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., the trucks visit the intersection of 5th and Minna streets, just south of Market Street and five blocks from the San Francisco Downtown Hostel.

Fridays, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., you'll find them in Civic Center Plaza (directly in front of City Hall), also just four blocks from the San Francisco City Center Hostel.

Join docent Warren Riley for an illustrated talk about the history of the lighthouses of San Francisco Bay and their critical role in the growth of California.

Following the discovery of gold in 1848, the Bay Area experienced one of the most explosive population expansions in modern history.

During the latter half of that century, the men and women of the lighthouse service, aided by their light and fog signals, directed hundreds of ships to safe passage through the Golden Gate and often provided lifesaving services. These services played a critical role in the growth of a new state. 

Reservations can be made by calling (415) 331-1540.

Take advantage of "Pay What You Wish Day" every Sunday morning at the Crocker Art Museum. 

Established in 1885 and expanded in 2010, the Crocker Art Museum is one of Northern California's largest and best museums of regional artists. The collection spans from the 10th century to contemporary periods and includes a stunning collection of European master drawings and a notable selection of contemporary California art. Museum programs include touring exhibitions, educational programs, public tours, and concerts.

Located in San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood, the Haas-Lilienthal House is a beautifully restored Queen Anne-style Victorian built in 1886.

It's the only intact private home of the period that's open regularly as a museum in San Francisco, complete with authentic furniture and artifacts, elaborate wooden gables, a circular corner tower, and detailed ornamentation.

Tours of this house museum are offered year-round on Sundays from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., and on Wednesdays and Saturdays from noon - 3 p.m. Tours leave every 20 to 30 minutes and last about one hour. All visits to the house must be guided. Reservations are not required.

Open 365 days a year, The Old Princeton Landing is Princeton-by-the-Sea's nightspot for live music, dancing, and pool. Artists of all stripes -- from rock-a-billy bands to hip-hop artists -- take to the stage on Friday and Saturday nights, often with a minimal cover change. 

Local Acoustic Night features talent from the coastside and beyond on the first Wednesday of every month. Check out 30-minute sets ranging from acoustic blues to funk, rock, and live poetry.

There's no cover charge, but it's open only to people ages 21 and up.

See how families lived during early ranching and Mexican Rancho days at Wilder Ranch State Park's Living History Demonstration and Ranch Tour!

Hands-on activities and demonstrations include draft horse wagon rides, hand-made tortillas and salsa, branding and horseshoe demonstrations, chuck wagon-style cooking, roping skills, and lawn games.

Picnic on the lawn while taking a break from the day's events, then check out the rest of the State Park and cultural preserve, including a heritage garden and farm animal area, historic ranch buildings, Ben Lomond Mountain, and Wilder Ranch State Beach. Call (831) 426-0505 for weekend scheduled activities.

Point Reyes Seashore is one of the most biologically diverse places on earth -- nearly 20 percent of the state's flowering plant species are represented on the peninsula and over 45 percent of the bird species in North America have been sighted here.

While you're visiting, help preserve our beautiful park!

The bi-monthly restoration team of volunteers meets in front of the Bear Valley Visitor Center at 9 a.m. on the second and last Sunday of each month. Drop-ins are welcome.

The crew will visit some of the most beautiful areas in the park and help eradicate invasive plant species encroaching upon rare, native habitat. You'll learn about invasive plant ecology and the flora and fauna of Point Reyes National Seashore -- and work up a sweat removing the nonnative European beachgrass, iceplant, and other invasive species.

Bring lunch, water, and sturdy shoes. Gloves and tools are provided. Contact Ellen Hamingson at 415-464-5196 or by email for more information, and call in advance to confirm the workday (occasionally the team travels to another park).

Check out the bounty of produce grown in Northern California at one of the state's largest farmers markets, held each Sunday, all year round, in the Marin Civic Center parking lot. There's no better way to shop local!

During peak summer season, you'll find more than 200 local farmers, artisans, and food vendors selling everything from oranges to tamales, fresh cheese to creative jams to locally made pottery.

Come for lunch, shop for dinner, or for graze the booths for a mid-morning snack of free samples!

Head down to Pillar Point Harbor on the first Thursday of every month to discuss fresh views on American politics over a cold beer at the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company. Each night offers a different topic of discussion as well as interesting guest speakers.

Not only is this a great place to learn different perspectives about politics in the U.S., it's also a way to give back! Ten percent of the proceeds from all dinner sales for the evening are donated to the Cabrillo Education Foundation.

Every Thursday, the Crocker Art Museum hosts "Thursdays 'til 9," when they're open after hours to feature film, music, conversation, cocktails, and more.

Each Thursday evening offers an engaging encounter with art, ideas, and people.

The Sacramento Hostel shows free movies every Wednesday night in the TV lounge, located in the basement of this historic Gold Rush-era mansion. The TV room is complete with several comfy couches and a 52-inch flat-screen TV.

We'll cook up some free popcorn and start playing the week's film at 7:30 p.m. All our guests are invited to come down and hang out!

If you're not visiting on a Wednesday, you can still get your film fix at the hostel -- guests can borrow DVDs from our free film library to use in the TV room or on their laptops.

Any Tuesday night, gather up a few hostel friends, pick out an awesome quiz team name, and head down to the Fox and Goose Pub to test your brain power!

The trivia quiz includes four rounds of eight questions -- with plenty of time in between to order a round or two.

Know every European capitol city? Lyrics to a few obscure Paula Abdul hits? You'll be a quiz all-star.

Tuesdays, head to MiX Downtown for their weekly jazz night! At 6 p.m., the music kicks off in the rooftop lounge with the club's own "Singing Saxtress," Ava Lamert, followed by a different jazz musican each week.

Happy hour specials run til 7 p.m., and the week's featured band plays until 9 p.m. It's also Taco Tuesday, so help yourself to $2 chicken tacos from 4-10 p.m.!

Join Mel and your fellow hostellers for a bike ride over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, and a ferry ride back to the city.

The first stop is one of our bike rental partners, where we'll pick up bikes and helmets. Then we'll hit the road for a relaxing ride over the iconic Golden Gate Bridge -- an incredible experience for anyone!

From the bayside town of Sausalito, we'll take the ferry back to the city -- it's a mini bay-cruise past Alcatraz with great views of San Francisco the whole way.

Join us for a free movie screening in our awesome new theater-style TV lounge!

Grab a snack at Cafe Franco upstairs, and come hang with us for the film.

This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel.

Hiding beneath Sacramento’s sidewalks is a network of underground walkways and spaces created when the city raised its streets to prevent flooding in the 1860s.

This hour-long seasonal tour, offered by the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation, takes you into the underground, revealing the once-first-floor doorways and windows that now lead into basements, brick retaining walls protecting buildings from the elevated roadways, and secret spaces once used for tiny underground shops.

Tours are offered Monday through Wednesday at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m., and Thursdays through Sundays every half hour from 10:30 a.m. till 3 p.m

Tickets can be purchased online, in person at the Sacramento History Museum, or over the phone by calling (916) 808-7059.

Several other tours also depart from the history museum, including an architecture tour and one focused on the Gold Rush. These tours cost $7.

The Sausalito Farmers Market offers an abundance of locally grown and/or produced vegetables, fruits, organic products, gourmet cheese, herbs, seafood, meats, organic coffee, desserts, and wines, available right from the people who produce them.

This is the perfect spot to sample Marin County's agricultural bounty, grab fixings for a picnic, or stock up on groceries for your hostel stay.

The Farmers Market is held year-round at Dunphy Park. 

Neighboring the Pillar Point Harbor, Sam's Chowder House is one of Half Moon Bay's most picturesque bars and seafood restaurants. This beachside spot boasts beautiful ocean views, from both the dining room and spacious outdoor patios.

Aside from serving food, Sam's presents live local music on Fridays from 5-9 p.m. (inside in the bar area), Saturdays from 4-8 p.m. (outside), and Sundays from 1-5 p.m. (outside). For a list of scheduled performers, visit samschowderhouse.com/news/music.html.

The regular menu prices will considerably lighten your wallet, but for the cost of a beer or cocktail you can stop in to hear the sounds and soak up the surroundings. Grab some fresh shellfish appetizers to share at the seafood bar on the patio, and lounge in Adirondack chairs while admiring the seaside sunset.

Open 365 days a year, The Old Princeton Landing is Princeton-by-the-Sea's nightspot for live music, dancing, and pool. Artists of all stripes -- from rock-a-billy bands to hip-hop artists -- take to the stage on Friday and Saturday nights, often with a minimal cover change.

On Tuesday nights, head down to the Landing, pony up $5, and battle the locals for cash and bragging rights in the weekly pool tournament. Sign-up is at 7 p.m., the tournament starts at 7:30.

Many San Francisco visitors have a trip to Napa somewhere on their itinerary. Wine Country, after all, is one highlight of the California experience.

But vino isn’t the only beverage to sample around here -- we'd hate to see you leave this fine city without tasting some of the locally brewed beer!

So head to the Downtown Hostel's second-floor lounge on Tuesday evenings, for light snacks and a rotating sampling of beer from local breweries like Lagunitas, Anchor Steam, Trumer Pils, and Speakeasy.

This event is open to all guests (ages 21 and over) at our three San Francisco hostels.

Join State Parks docents for a guided nature walk through Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve. Part of Pescadero State Beach, the marsh is the only extensive wetland along the coast of the San Francisco peninsula, and includes a complex of several habitats.

More than 200 species of birds have been recorded in the marsh, including more than 60 that nest there, among them the Great Blue Heron. Species in the marsh listed under the Endangered Species Act include the San Francisco garter snake, California red-legged frog, tidewater goby, steelhead trout, and Coho salmon.

Experience the Point Reyes Lighthouse as many keepers have over the years, watching as the lighthouse's beacon shines over the sea.

This popular ranger-led tour is available on Thursday to Monday, from mid-April through December. Start times vary depending on sunset. The Lighthouse Visitor Center is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday - Monday, year-round.

Space is limited. Call (415) 669-1534 after 10 a.m. on the day of the tour, for tour schedule and reservations.

Jesse takes you on a bike ride from Downtown San Francisco, across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and back.

Stops include the Ferry Building, Fisherman's Wharf, Aquatic Park, Fort Mason, Crissy Field, The Palace of Fine Arts and the Golden Gate Bridge.

This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco Downtown Hostel.

Join Anthony, our resident "tea master," as he shares various Chinese teas, explains their health benefits, some fun historical facts, and reveals some of the mysticism in San Francisco tea culture.

This is a great opportunity to meet fellow hostellers, relax, and enjoy the warmth of amazing teas!

This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco City Center Hostel.

It's Mardi Gras all year long at the City Center Hostel!

Enjoy a warm and delicious New Orleans-style meal, while listening to jazz and folk tunes from The South! San Francisco has a great history and connection to New Orleans and Her food.

This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco City Center Hostel.

Join us for a movie night showing of The Rock and enjoy FREE pizza. (The best kind of pizza, really).

This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco Downtown Hostel.

Join your fellow hostellers for a trip to one of San Francisco's oldest and most captivating neighborhoods: Chinatown.

Though it's only a few blocks away from our Downtown Hostel, Chinatown is another world unto itself, bustling with shops and buzzing with people. Explore hidden alleyways, sip various Chinese teas, see mysterious historic temples, and visit the famous San Francisco Fortune Cookie Factory.

This event is open to all guests at our three San Francisco hostels. Please sign up in advance.

Our lobby at the City Center Hostel transforms into an old fashioned movie house every week! On Sunday and Wednesday nights, zombie-walk down to the hostel cafe for our Midnight Movie Macabre!

Check out this week's campy '70s-'90s horror flick, projected onto a 6-foot-wide screen in Ivy's Place, and pretend to shield your eyes from the cheesy gore of The Lost Boys, Scream, or Tales From the Crypt, to name a few possibilities. Even better, we'll have popcorn, cookies, and soda -- all for free!

This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco City Center Hostel.

This fantastic walking tour with our volunteer, Dave, is pretty fast-paced, so get those walking shoes ready for a historic stroll (or power walk) through San Francisco.

Explore the city's most interesting hoods, like Downtown, Nob Hill and the Financial District at a swift and spritely pace. 

This event is open to all guests at our three San Francisco hostels.

Experience the Mission District like a true San Francisco local. Stop at Zeitgeist for a beer, hit up a thrift store where clothes are sold by the pound, check out the murals, eat at a taqueria, see the oldest building in San Francisco (hint, it's the mission), and end up in the best local park in the city, Dolores Park.

This event is open to all guests at our three San Francisco hostels.

The Pescadero Opera Society presents its ninth season of opera, food, friends, and community. 

The Pescadero Opera Society brings films of professional operas to opera lovers in Pescadero. This festive event combines potluck meals and kindred spirits. The film screenings begin with a potluck and socializing from noon to 2 p.m., when the opera begins. There is typically explication, commentary, and ample opportunity for visitors to learn about each opera.

So far, they've screened "Carmen," "Amahl and the Night Visitors" and "La Traviata" to name a few popular operas. On occassion, they even host live opera nights with local sopranos. Subscribe to their yahoo group to get the latest information. 

Sample the bounty of California's harvests straight from local farms at the weekly Farmers Markets near the hostel, May - October.

Tuesdays, it's in Roosevelt Park, 8 blocks from the hostel.

Wednesdays, it's at Cesar Chavez Plaza, 1 block from the hostel.

Thursdays, it's on the Capitol Mall at 6th Street, 9 blocks from the hostel.

Saturday, it's on Folsom and Sunrise Blvd. 

Sunday, it's on 8th and W Street (under the freeway).

Certified Farmers Markets are an effort to re-establish the traditional link between farmers and consumers in California, by creating places where genuine farmers sell products they grow themselves directly to the public.

At these markets, farmers can offer field- and tree-ripened fruits and vegetables which are too delicate for the packing and shipping process of traditional food distribution systems. In addition, consumers are assured of obtaining only California-grown fruits and vegetables, fresh and in season, at a good price.

The Angel Island Company in Angel Island State Park has partnered with Lagunitas Brewing Co. and Hog Island Oyster Co. to present this series of summer weekend live music performances on the deck at the Cove Cantina, overlooking Ayala Cove near the island's ferry dock.

Saturdays and Sundays, the music is free, the beer is cold, and the oysters are fresh and delicious!

While you're there, explore the park, the former U.S. Immigration Station, and other historical sites on foot, by bike ($10/hour or $35/day rental), by shuttle ($5) or by tram ($13.50). There's plenty of hiking on the island, in addition to several secluded beaches.

At the Immigration Station, take a self-guided tour (daily) or opt for the guided experience ($7, offered Wednesdays - Sundays), and imagine what it was like for the many immigrants who were once detained here en route to California.

There's no direct ferry service from Sausalito to Angel Island -- drive out to Tiburon and take the Angel Island Tiburon Ferry from there ($13.50 round trip for adults), or get take the ferry (or drive) from Sausalito to San Francisco and catch the Blue and Gold Fleet boat from either Pier 41 or the SF Ferry Building ($16 round trip for adults).

Join Yoga to the People teacher certified instructor, Lauren, for a morning vinyasa yoga class. Relax and de-stress after a long day of sightseeing. Mats are provided on a first come, first serve basis. Meet in the common room.

This event is open to all 3 San Francisco hostels.

On the second Saturday of each month, galleries in Sacramento stay open for a Sacramento Art Walk late into the evening, allowing people to walk from gallery to gallery, viewing, experiencing, and discovering local art and meeting artists. 

While galleries all over Sacramento participate, most are clustered in Midtown, Downtown, and along Del Paso Boulevard in the Uptown Art District. These areas support thriving arts communities, and the venues' close proximity, walkable streets, interesting boutiques, and many restaurants make for an enjoyable, leisurely walk. Download this map to find the exact location of all the participating galleries. 

Located in the coastal wilderness of the Marin Headlands in historic Fort Barry, the Headlands Center for the Arts provides artists' residencies and public programs that aim to create a nurturing environment for the development of new artistic work and ideas.

Just three times per year, the Center offers a free Open House, inviting visitors behind the studio doors of its renowned Artist in Residence program to witness the creative process of writers, musicians, dancers, choreographers, and visual artists of all kinds.

Come listen to fiction and non-fiction readings, discuss works-in-progress with artists, and see musical and dance performances, while exploring the Center's historic buildings.

The bite of autumn is in the air, the leaves are changing their colors… time to pick out that perfect pumpkin from a real patch!

The entire month of October, Nicasio Valley Farms -- a locally owned, certified organic farm -- celebrates harvest season at their pumpkin patch. Bring the little ones to pick out their own future jack-o-lantern, and then enjoy family friendly activities ranging from the traditional (hay rides and mazes) to the more modern (bouncy houses and slides). Farm animals, a produce stand, and educational exhibits and activities round out the festivities.

The bite of autumn is in the air, the leaves are changing their colors… time to pick out that perfect pumpkin from a real patch!

The entire month of October, Nicasio Valley Farms -- a locally owned, certified organic farm -- celebrates harvest season at their pumpkin patch. Bring the little ones to pick out their own future jack-o-lantern, and then enjoy family friendly activities ranging from the traditional (hay rides and mazes) to the more modern (bouncy houses and slides). Farm animals, a produce stand, and educational exhibits and activities round out the festivities.

San Francisco's Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA) annually hosts a thematic exhibition of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) altars -- both traditional and modern -- running October through November.

On November 2, the center holds a reception for the exhibition, celebrating this year's theme "La Muerte en Plan Pages/ Death on the Installment Plan," an attempt to "guide some of those souls that have lost their way in the journey, support the souls who have lingered, and to nurture the spirits beginning their returns back to the spirit realm."

The celebration includes a sugar skull demonstration, performances by Danza Azteca and Pan de Muertos, mask making, face painting, and more.

San Francisco's American Indian Film Festival is one of the nation's most prominent outlets for Native American films.

Since its beginning in 1975, the festival has encouraged Native and non-Native filmmakers to bring to the broader media culture the Native voices, viewpoints, and stories that have been historically excluded from mainstream media. It aims to develop Indian and non-Indian audiences for this work, and to advocate tirelessly for authentic representations of Indians in the media.
 
Now in its 37th year, this nine-day festival premieres more than 70 new feature films, documentaries, shorts, PSAs, and music videos by and about American Indian and Canadian First Nation communities.

The largest and most diverse green living event in the country, the Green Festival celebrates the positive impact of sustainable living, eco/organic products for personal health and wellness, and the importance of critical initiatives such as recycling, global citizenship, and renewable energy.

Now in its 34th year, the Celebration of Craftswomen offers a unique opportunity to find one-of-a-kind holiday gifts, fine crafts, and contemporary art all made by women.

The show features the work of 300 female artists (150 different artists during each of the fair's two weekends) including luxury personal care items, home accessories, fine paper, books and frames, dining wares, lighting, photography, and paintings. Complimenting the work will be live music, gourmet food, and a silent auction.

A multi-cultural celebration, San Francisco's Pier 39 Holiday Tree Lighting features Bay Area musical groups performing seasonal favorites from around the world.

Head to Ghirardelli Square for their annual tree lighting ceremony, a special event that has become a tradition for many San Francisco families.

This year's festivities include live music, strolling holiday carolers, children's entertainment, and a visit from Santa.

Be sure to be there at 5:30 p.m., when the majestic, 35-foot Christmas tree is lit up to ring in the holiday season.

New Italian Cinema is an eight-day festival dedicated to celebrating the rich cinematic tradition of Italy and to bringing to Bay Area audiences the country's newest directors and films.

The mainstay of New Italian Cinema is the competitive section featuring seven films by emerging directors. You can find the full festival lineup here.

The legacy of hostelling in Northern California is thriving in Point Reyes, the location of HI-USA Golden Gate Council’s oldest hostel. Opened in 1972 as the Laguna Ranch Hostel, the Point Reyes Hostel is proud to celebrate 40 years of welcoming visitors to the Point Reyes National Seashore.

Join us in commemorating this milestone and become a part of Point Reyes Hostel history. On Sunday, November 4, from 12-3 p.m., we’re hosting a lunch and open house, with beer from West Marin’s own Lagunitas brewery and wine from Point Reyes Vineyards. Hostel staff will provide musical entertainment, and we’ll share memories from former hostel managers and staff. After the party, anyone who wants to continue the festivities can join us for a two-mile hike and a bonfire on Limantour Beach. 

The Point Reyes Hostel holds a special place in the history of the Golden Gate Council — it was the Council’s first permanent, year-round hostel, and it represents the collective efforts of many dedicated volunteers. After the Council took possession of the old ranch buildings from the National Park Service, volunteers spent 18 months clearing weeds, landscaping, painting, putting up bunk beds, renovating the kitchen and bathrooms, and turning the horse barn into a bunkhouse.

The ranch was successfully converted into a beautiful hostel that hosted 900 guests during its first year of operation! Today, 40 years later, the Point Reyes Hostel is visited annually by 10,000 travelers from all over the country and the world. Help us ring in our anniversary as we celebrate our past and commit to many more years of hostelling in Point Reyes.

The 40th anniversary party is free and open to the public; please RSVP by November 1, by calling (415) 575-1500. If you can’t attend the event, check out our video tour which includes the hostel’s new building, built to LEED Silver standards.

Come out to the Dance Palace Community Center in Point Reyes Station for a community Day of the Dead celebration.

For over 3,000 years, the indigenous people who lived in Mexico, the Southwest, and California have celebrated a ritual honoring the dead. Over time, this ritual became known as Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. It is a celebration of life -- a time to share the memories of those who have impacted your life through arts and crafts, music, stories, and food. Festivities also include participatory art workshops and a troop of Aztec dancers.

For the latest and greatest installment of Travel Tavern, our quarterly meet-up series, head to Public Works in the Mission for a night of travel-themed improv showdowns!

To celebrate the spirit of footloose travel, two troupes — 15 Minutes and Chinese Ballroom — will dazzle the audience with their off-the-cuff, travel-themed skits. Audience participation is encouraged at every stage of the game — we’ll select the place, the characters, and the situation, and our improv actors will interpret the scene. Audience applause is the barometer for winning, so come prepared to cheer! 

Watch as the teams battle it out to win a fabulous prize, and, as always, come early and stay late to mingle with fellow travel enthusiasts and share your own travel stories. You can also join in the competitive fun and spin our prize wheel for a chance to win a free hostel stay or other prizes.

Doors open at 7 p.m., with the performance beginning at 8 p.m. Come early to have a cocktail, spin the prize wheel, and catch up with our travel community. 

Improv Troupes:

• 15 Minutes is not your grandma’s improv group unless your grandma is a hilarious weirdo with a penchant for bawdy jokes and toilet humor. Actually, if you have a grandma like that she should come have a beer with us. Performing in and around the Bay Area since 2004, 15 Minutes has well surpassed its titular 15 minutes of fame. Our show is a no-holds-barred mix of long-form improv comedy and general idiocy. I bet you’ll like it, or at least your awesome grandma will.

• Chinese Ballroom is a San Francisco-based comedy improv team that specializes in both short-form and long-form improv. Their performances have taken them from the illustrious Dave’s Livingroom, to such venues as the Exit Theater, the Exit Cafe, Stage Werx, Big Umbrella Art Studio, G3, and Diablo Actors Ensemble in Walnut Creek. They also perform regularly at the Phoenix Theater Annex in downtown San Francisco, and just celebrated their fourth anniversary.

Getting There

Public Works is at 161 Erie Street (off Mission Street, between 14th and Duboce)

BART: To 16th Street station and walk 2 blocks north.
MUNI: 14 or 49 to 14th Street, or 22 or 33 to 16th and Mission.
PARKING: Street parking is free after 6 p.m.; there’s a paid lot on 14th between Mission and Valencia.

Co-presented by our friends at Meet Plan Go!

Though Sacramento's winter temperatures rarely drop below freezing, the city maintains an outdoor ice rink near the Westfield Shopping Plaza from November - January.

Grab a hat and mittens, rent some skates, and test out your skills -- you don't need to be a Michelle Kwan or Wayne Gretzky to have a blast!

The Harvest Festival Original Art and Craft Show is celebrating it's 40th year of showcasing the works of hundreds of artisans and crafters! 

Stopping at Sacramento's Cal Expo Fairgrounds in November, the festival offers three days of fun, food, entertainment, and handmade arts and crafts.

The California Indian Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair is held at the California State Indian Museum in Sacramento, and showcases the work of California-based Native American artists.

Enjoy browsing through jewelry, basketry, soapstone and elk horn carvings, hand-painted gourds, ornaments, and much more, as you select those just-right gifts for the holidays.

The California Indian Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair is held at the California State Indian Museum in Sacramento, and showcases the work of California-based Native American artists.

Enjoy browsing through jewelry, basketry, soapstone and elk horn carvings, hand-painted gourds, ornaments, and much more, as you select those just-right gifts for the holidays.

Join us for a special, lovingly prepared meal by our activities coordinator, Anthony Jones. Anthony will make a homemade Indian vegetarian meal for only $1.00 on the first and third Sunday evenings of the month. 

This activity was inspired by the Hare Krishna movement in the 1960's, where San Franciscans were invited to join in a meatless meal with song, dance, and incense. The Hare Krishna's were a counter-hippie movement and helped expose the West to Indian culture and Eastern mysticism.

This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco City Center Hostel.

Join fellow hostellers on an outing to witness the world famous Glide Memorial Church choir, as they present music that ranges from gospel to rock.

Guests will learn about the social programs and advocacy this organization specializes in. All faiths, all people welcome!

This event is open to guests of all three San Francisco hostels. 

Hey kids -- don't forget to eat before you drink! Join us for a hearty, pre-pub crawl pasta dinner at the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel. 

Meet your dorm neighbors and plan your weekend in San Francisco over some tasty pasta. Then head out for our weekly pub crawl! 

This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel. No signup is required.

Come show your support for Community Walls this fall and see the wonderful outcome of our partnership with the Mission Beacon Center. 

This fall, we began a new community partnership with the Mission Beacon Center, an after-school program housed within Everett Middle School in the Mission District.  The youth were excited to have a new art program as one of their after-school activity options and participated with great enthusiasm. 

They have completed two large-scale collaborative paintings that center around what these students see as important San Francisco values: peace, bravery, wisdom and being non-judgmental.

As artistic programs become more and more scarce, Community Walls provides an opportunity for youth to expand their knowledge about their communities and gain new artistic skills through specialized projects that culminate with a final mural project.
 
Come celebrate the artistic achievement of these young people! Their reception will be held on Friday, November 9, at 4:00 p.m. at the Fisherman's Wharf Hostel.

Snacks will be served at the reception; hostellers and members of the community are always invited!

Two buck chuck is for amateurs -- the greatest thing about visiting Northern California is the abundance of amazing (and cheap) wine!

Head to La Nebbia Winery in Half Moon Bay (about 9 miles from the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel) during their Bottle and Cork Days and for just five dollars fill a 750 ml bottle with delicious wine -- all you have to do is bring the bottle and the lovely staff at La Nebbia will fill and cork it for you. 

While you're there, enjoy a flight tasting, a picnic outside on their beautiful grounds, or a game of bocce. It's a great stop along scenic route 92 and a great bargain. They pour different wines every month; in November the wines are Chardonnay and Sangiovese.

Come get your fill (there's no limit!) and savor an edible souvenir from your travels to the coast! 

Dare to tread the San Andreas Fault where the earth's crust shifted and moved 5 meters (16 feet) in 1906!

Meet a Point Reyes National Seashore ranger at the start of the Earthquake Trail for this easy one-kilometer (0.6 miles) walk.

Join Marin Headlands docent Jane Haley on an easy walk to Rodeo Lagoon to learn about the birds that take shelter in the Headlands from the winter storms.

Appropriate for ages 8 and up. Reservations required; call (415) 331-1540.

Experience the Point Bonita Lighthouse during a magical season!

This guided walk begins at sunset and ends with the full moon rising over the Point Bonita Lighthouse, which is perched dramatically at the mouth of the San Francisco Bay. This is a truly one-of-a-kind experience for visitors to the Marin Headlands.

The 15th Annual Sacramento Arts Festival features 225 of America's best contemporary craftspeople and fine artists offering more than 15,000 original works.

The event has become not only the premier art and craft show in Sacramento, but is also developing into one of the top art festivals in the county.

The festival, unlike many other fairs, is strictly juried with exhibitors selected for the originality and quality of their work. And festival visitors have the exciting opportunity to meet and talk with these talented artists and craftspeople about how they make their unique items.

The festival also includes live music and tasty food! So come prepared to dine, shop, and be entertained! The Main Stage entertainment includes the GG Amos Blues Band, the Kurt Ribak Jazz Quartet, Dirk K, jazz soloist and Scott Meltzer & Katrine Spang-Hansen, and comedy jugglers.

The Lower Polk Art Walk is a great opportunity to experience the vibrant, artistic community of the neighborhood.

It's also growing like crazy! Every month in 2012 a new gallery has opened its doors in the neighborhood; so crawl around Polk and experience the bourgeoning art scene happening in the backyard of the City Center Hostel. 

The San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostels wants you to get to know TCHO (pronounced "choh" with a silent "t"). TCHO is artisan chocolate made on Pier 17 in San Francisco, and it's also one of several tasty treats that you can sample at our bi-monthly SF Treats tasting. We'll also serve a sample of handmade granola, our city's famous sourdough bread, and many other confections and savory edibles.    

There is a vibrant, local food scene in San Francisco with a lot of small businesses churning out handmade and artisanal products; come enjoy a rotating selection of some of our finest sweets and treats, and get to know your dorm mates and future pub crawlers! 

This event is open only to guests of the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel.