San Francisco Local Legends Trail

The Northeast Corner

Fisherman’s Wharf, Russian Hill, Telegraph Hill, Chinatown, Jackson Square and Nob Hill sit next to each other, so these stories make a good day on foot.

1. The Sourdough Starter That Survived 1906, Fisherman’s Wharf

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapFisherman’s Wharf with Kids, Minus the Tourist TrapsBest Sourdough Bread in San Francisco: Where to Buy a LoafBoudin Bakery at Fisherman’s Wharf

2. Why It Is Called Cioppino, Fisherman’s Wharf

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapBest Dungeness Crab and Cioppino in San Francisco

3. “The Crookedest Street in the World”: Lombard vs Vermont

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapLombard Street (Crooked Block)

4. Coit Tower, the “Fire-Hose Nozzle”, Telegraph Hill

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapThe Best Views in San FranciscoCoit Tower

5. Where the Wild Parrots Came from, Telegraph Hill

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapChinatown and North Beach with Kids: A Walking Day

6. The Chinatown Tunnels That Never Were

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a map

7. Shanghaied Through a Trapdoor: The Barbary Coast

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a map

8. The Horses That Inspired the Cable Car, Nob Hill

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapMuni vs BART vs Cable Car: How to Get Around San FranciscoCable Car Museum

9. The Sea Lions of Pier 39

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapFisherman's Wharf with Kids, Minus the Tourist TrapsWhere to See Animals in San Francisco with KidsAquarium of the Bay

10. Laffing Sal, the Cackling Lady of Musée Mécanique

    Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapMusée Mécanique

11. Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista

    Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapCheap Date Nights in San Francisco (Under $50 for Two)

Golden Gate Park

Two stories, one park.

1. The White Lady of Stow Lake (Now Blue Heron Lake), Golden Gate Park

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapHalloween in San Francisco for Families (2026 Guide)

2. The Fortune Cookie, Japanese Tea Garden

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapA Full Day in Golden Gate Park with KidsJapanese Tea Garden

The North and West Edges

Farther apart; pair each with a visit.

1. The Lady in Black and the Pet Cemetery, Presidio

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapThe Presidio with Kids: A Complete Guide

2. The Museum on Top of a Cemetery: The Legion of Honor

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapLegion of Honor

3. The Ghost of Cell 14D, Alcatraz

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a map

4. Did the 1962 Alcatraz Escapees Make It?

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapThree Days in San Francisco: A First-Timer’s Guide

5. The Golden Gate Bridge: Painted End to End, and Orange by Accident?

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapThe Presidio with Kids: A Complete Guide

6. The Ghosts of the Sutro Baths, Lands End

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapSan Francisco Beaches and Waterfront Walks with KidsHalloween in San Francisco for Families (2026 Guide)

7. The Restaurant on Top of Sutro Tower

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapThe Local's Guide to San Francisco

The Mission and Cathedral Hill

1. The Grave of Carlotta Valdes, Mission Dolores

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a mapMission Dolores Park

2. Who Rolled the First Mission Burrito?

   Read the story and what’s trueBest Burrito in San Francisco: La Taqueria vs El Farolito

3. Miss Mary Lake of the Queen Anne Hotel, Cathedral Hill

   Read the story and what’s trueFind it on a map

All Over the City

1. Emperor Norton, His Bridge and His Dogs

   Read the story and what’s true

2. “The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent Was a Summer in San Francisco”

   Read the story and what’s trueSan Francisco Weather: Fog, Microclimates and What to Wear

3. The Seven Hills of San Francisco

   Read the story and what’s trueThe Best Views in San Francisco

4. “Earthquake Weather”

   Read the story and what’s trueNew to San Francisco? The Complete Guide to Settling In

5. Karl the Fog

   Read the story and what’s trueFog Check: What to Wear in San Francisco Today

6. Was the Martini Invented in San Francisco?

   Read the story and what’s trueThe Ultimate San Francisco Date Night Guide

7. Rice-A-Roni, “the San Francisco Treat”

   Read the story and what’s trueRiding Muni, BART and the Cable Cars with Kids