Walking Date Ideas in San Francisco

Begin at the Lands End Lookout near Ocean Beach and follow the coastal trail through the Outer Richmond. Along the way you pass the Sutro Baths ruins and Sutro Heights gardens, the USS San Francisco memorial overlook, and the West Fort Miley batteries picnic area.

The Golden Gate Bridge comes into view at the far end of the walk.

Follow the mostly flat bayfront at Crissy Field, a former military airfield on the Presidio shore with Golden Gate Bridge views. The walk is 3.44 miles round trip, starting from the Golden Gate Promenade at the east end or from the Presidio Tunnel Tops.

Stop at the Warming Hut near the bridge for a Crissy Mocha or Equator coffee, with bay-view seating inside. It is open daily from 9am to 5pm, and the paid lot sits behind the building.

Cross the Golden Gate Bridge on foot. The crossing is 1.7 miles and takes about 45 to 60 minutes one way. Plan your timing around daylight, since pedestrians are allowed from sunrise until sunset each day.

Hendrik Point on the far side gives you a skyline view back across the water. Free City Guides walking tours run on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Wander the Embarcadero waterfront past the Ferry Building shops and restaurants, then walk out over the bay on Pier 14. Pier 7 and Rincon Park are farther along the water. If your feet give out, hop in a pedicab built for two.

For a coastal walk with dramatic views, especially at sunset, try the Presidio's Batteries to Bluffs Trail. The pedestrian-only trail covers 0.7 miles in about 14 minutes and includes 470 stairs. Trailheads sit off Lincoln Boulevard at Baker Beach and at Golden Gate Overlook.

Bluffs rise above the rocky shore, and the route passes seeps and springs on the way to Battery Crosby. Baker Beach has free parking, and a side path drops down to Marshall's Beach. Dogs are not allowed.

Stroll hand in hand along Lovers Lane, a Presidio trail made for exactly that. It runs 0.6 miles through eucalyptus forest, starting near Presidio Gate or at Presidio Boulevard and Barnard Avenue.

Walk across Andy Goldsworthy's Wood Line, a zigzag of felled trunks, and look for the brick footbridge in MacArthur Meadow.

Head up Nob Hill in the evening, past Grace Cathedral and into Huntington Park. The park has fountains and statues, and Grace Cathedral has stained glass, labyrinths, and docent tours. Chinatown is a couple of blocks beyond.

A romantic outing at Fisherman's Wharf starts with a stroll down the Pier 43 Promenade, which is free. The bayfront walk has views of the bay and Alcatraz, and the Pier 43 Arch makes a photo spot.

Coit Tower sits at the top of the Filbert Steps, which begin on Sansome Street two blocks from the Embarcadero and wind up Telegraph Hill. It is about 400 stairs to Telegraph Hill Boulevard and about 100 more to the tower.

Gardens, Napier Lane, and the Grace Marchant Gardens plaque line the way, with bay and Bay Bridge views at Montgomery Street. The tower is open daily from 10am to 5pm, and a ticket costs $11 for adults, bought on site. Parking on Telegraph Hill is very limited, so arriving on foot makes sense.

Reach 360-degree views on the 0.7-mile trail network that climbs both of the Twin Peaks, with a 922-foot summit. Expect strong winds at the top.

Most visitors drive to the north peak lot, and street parking is off Crestline Drive. The park is open from 5am to midnight.