The top 14 sights I visited and re-visited in 2022

December's always a good time to reflect on the past year and see how much you've learned, seen, and done. In this post, I'm sharing 14 places I visited or re-visited over the past year to motivate you to get you out there and explore during this holiday season or in 2023. 

January: Sausalito stairways.

Did you know there are some 40 stairways in Sausalito? While most visitors don't leave the Bridgeway promenade with Sausalito's shops and restaurants, there's much more to this bayside town. Climb into the hills to see epic stairways — some with amazing views. Here is a map of many of them, and here are photos of many of them. 

February 2022: Labyrinth above Rodeo Beach

Rodeo Beach is a favorite destination for our family. There's an extensive network of trails here, but until February of this 2022, I had yet to visit to Tennessee Point, where I saw the Tennessee Point Labyrinth. Here are some directions on how to get here. 

March 2022: Wildflowers at Fort Scott

Fort Scott is one of my favorite spots in the Presidio, and it's overlooked compared to the Presidio Main Post. I highly recommend visiting Dragonfly Creek and the stairways around the YMCA tennis courts. I visited this area in March of this year only to discover it was blanketed with gorgeous yellow oxalis. It was a perfect time to visit — and I had the place mostly to myself, too.

April: Bring Your Own Big Wheel

Held on Easter Sunday every year, this event is a tradition for my family. Bring a big wheel bike and careen down Vermont Street in Potrero Hill, the curviest street in the city. It's not too dangerous — on a Big Wheel you're just a few inches off the ground, and the event organizers line the street with bales of hay to protect you from crashing into concrete curbs lining the street. Many people wear costumes for this event, and have kids-only runs for the little ones who want to participate.

May: Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets Door

I was prepping for a tour in Fisherman's Wharf, Russian Hill, and North Beach in May. As I wandered around, I found this amazing door on Leavenworth between Bay and North Point. For those in the know, it's inspired by Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. You can read more about the door here.

June: Twin Peaks during Pride Month

I love seeing the giant pink triangle go up on top of Twin Peaks every year. For almost 30 years, volunteers have installed, maintained, and dismantled this symbol of pride on one of SF's highest peaks. While the triangle looks great from afar, I recommend heading up to the Twin Peaks overlook to see what it looks like up close.

July: Presidio Tunnel Tops

In July, Presidio Tunnel Tops park opened. This 14-acre park is one of two new areas of the Presidio to be opened to the public this year. Battery Bluff is the other that opened in April of this year. There is something here for everyone: food trucks, a campfire for ranger talks, a playground, a full slate of activities, a pedestrian connection to Crissy Field, and gorgeous bay and bridge views.

August: Bay Bridge Bike Path

If you're a cyclist, you'll definitely want to check out the Bay Bridge bike path if you haven't done so already. You can get here from West Oakland BART or from the new Treasure Island Ferry. The views are fantastic, and there were only a few people here when we went.

September: Burnside Stairway

What was formerly a nondescript stairway in Glen Park just a few blocks from Glen Canyon Park is now a gorgeous mural designed and executed by the Twin Walls Mural Company. Phase I of this project was celebrated on September 17. The next phase of this stairway is to add tiles to the stairway. 

September: Prayerbook Cross

It's easy to walk by this cross and not even know it's here. Across the street from Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park, look for a sign for Prayerbook Cross and take the short path to the top of the hill. The Celtic cross was placed here in 1894 for the Midwinter International Exposition. You can learn more about the cross here. 

October: JFK Promenade

The JFK Promenade is a 1.5-mile stretch of the major thoroughfare that is closed to cars and open to pedestrians and cyclists. There are little free libraries, food trucks, musical groups, and art! Definitely a great place to check out.

October: Dolo Drip Stairway

The Dolo Drip stairway mysteriously appeared on the Sanchez Steps earlier this year, and I checked it out in October. This splash of color is a fun addition to the neighborhood. Go check it out if you're up for climbing a steep hill.

 

October: Hilltop Park

The Bayview neighborhood has countless spots to visit, and one of my favorites is Hilltop Park. There you'll find a great playground with epic concrete slides, a skatepark, and a giant sundial. 

 

November: Francisco Park

This park opened this year after decades of closure. Now it boasts a wheelchair and stroller-accessible wood walkway from the northern side, a large lawn, a dog run, a playground, and views for days.