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In 1967, the Haight-Ashbury was ground zero for the Summer of Love and the psychedelic San Francisco sound, and the area’s history has been intertwined with music ever since.

With online music driving a stake into the heart of corporate chain stores worldwide, innovative and independent retailers have thrived, and none more than the Taj Mahal of music stores, Amoeba Music. Anchoring the western terminus of Haight Street, in a cavernous former bowling alley, Amoeba offers seemingly endless new and used CDs, vinyl, and DVDs, intelligently categorized by genre, with extensive selections of hip-hop, electronica, jazz, rock, folk, and experimental music.

But Amoeba is more than a record shop. They offer great deals on used discs, plus listening stations, incredibly knowledgeable staff, vintage posters, and frequent in-store performances and signings by artists.

Up and down Haight Street you can see people carrying their telltale bright yellow bags, but Amoeba isn’t the only game in town. Five blocks east on Haight are Recycled Records (1377 Haight Street; tel: 415-626-4075; [map] C1), with a fine selection of used and rare items, and Ceiba Records (1364 Haight Street; tel: 415-437-9598; [map] D1), a record store/boutique celebrating fashion, music, jewelry, and art.

Lower Haight offers even more variety – Groove Merchant (687 Haight Street; tel: 415-252-5766; [map] G1) is a DJ paradise, while Jack’s Record Cellar (254 Scott Street; tel: 415-431-3047; [map] G2) has the greatest collection of vintage vinyl in the city.

Amoeba Music; 1855 Haight Street; tel: 415-831-1200; www.amoeba.com; [map] A1

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One of the underappreciated treasures of Haight Street is gorgeous Buena Vista Park, a peaceful retreat in the center of the city.

The oldest park in San Francisco (dating from 1867) is on a steep hill that peaks at 575ft (175m), and covers 37 acres (15 hectares). The summit, with its outstanding views, became popular with both visitors and residents, and during the 1906 earthquake people gathered here for five days to watch the city burn.

Thanks to the forestation efforts of John McLaren, the Scottish horticulturist who also supervised the planning and development of Golden Gate Park, secluded passageways wend through thick foliage and trees to the top.

The park has weathered some turbulent times over the years. During the Summer of Love, it became a haven for drug-dealing; in later years it was known as a gay cruising area. But since the late 1980s, the park has been cleaned up, a playground was built, and the tennis courts revamped.

Today, Buena Vista is populated with dogs and their owners, urban hikers and canoodling couples. On a foggy morning, the park takes on a mysterious beauty, like a landscape in a Tolkien story. You are rewarded for climbing to the park’s summit by views that live up to its name, particularly its northern prospects of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands.

Buena Vista Park; [map] H4, E1

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Haight Street is legendary for its rollicking nightlife, with bars for every taste – from the highfalutin Alembic to the lowbrow Toronado, and plenty more in between.

The Alembic (no. 1725; tel: 415-666-0822) suffers from an identity crisis: it likes to think it’s a velvet- rope nightclub in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, but if you do get past the hostess, they have impressive cocktails and a creative food menu, while Toronado (no. 547; tel: 415-863-2276), on the other end of the street, is known for its vast beer selection and a decidedly more laidback vibe.

Holding up the middle on Haight Street are two solid Irish bars, Martin Macks (no. 1568; tel: 415-861-1586) and Danny Coyle’s (no. 668; tel: 415-558-8375). Sparrow Bar and Kitchen (no. 1640; tel: 415-622-6137) offers homey seasonal fare and an outdoor patio in back. The Zam Zam Room (no. 1633; tel: 415-861-2545), formerly known for its Martini-only policy and persnickety owner, is now a groovy low-lit bar with top-drawer cocktails and Persian-accented decor. Hobson’s Choice (no. 1601; tel: 415-621-5859) has a Victorian parlor feel, potent punch, and a cozy upstairs nook. Magnolia (no. 1398; tel: 415-864-7468) is a gastropub and brewery with good beer specials. Locals’ favorite dive the Gold Cane (no. 1569; tel: 415-626-1112) has a patio for smokers. There is a great jukebox and a pool table at loungey Murio’s (no. 1811; tel: 415-752-2971). Gay bar Trax (no. 1437; tel: 415-864-4213) is friendly, dark, and offers cheap drink specials. Funky Noc Noc (no. 557; tel: 415-861-5811) is known for nightly DJs and surrealist decor but doesn’t have a license to serve hard liquor – beer, wine, and sake cocktails only. Sporty Mad Dog in the Fog (no. 530; tel: 415-626-7279) with an overabundance of blaring televisions, teems with an international crowd of soccer supporters, and Molotov’s (no. 582; tel: 415-558-8019) is the place to go for tattooed hipsters, punk rock, a pool table, and pinball. And this is just the bar scene.

For something extra with your cocktail, there are a few eclectic options on the Haight. Shabby-chic Club Deluxe (no. 1511; tel: 415-552-6949) has a retro Rat Pack vibe and draws a hip, stylish crowd. Deluxe hosts a monthly comedy night that has attracted some big names in alternative comedy. They also offer live music in the small lounge area, typically jazz, swing, and bossa nova. And for a taste of vaudeville, check out Little Minsky’s monthly burlesque variety show.

One of the best north of Market Street dance clubs is Milk Bar (no. 1840; tel: 415-387-6455), with a different scene every night of the week including local bands, DJs spinning everything from dubstep to dancehall, and comedy some nights.

Lastly, Nickie’s (no. 466; tel: 415-255-0300) mixes it up with DJ nights, live traditional Irish music, and a weekly pub quiz.

Haight Street; [map] A1–H1

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There is definitely a San Francisco style. The weather – cool mornings, warm afternoons, and chilly nights – dictates that dressing in layers and accessorizing with scarves and hats is often the way to stay comfortable while looking good. As San Franciscans are expert recyclers (it is the law here), there is a tendency to mix new pieces with vintage or thrift-store finds, creating signature styles.

If you are looking to add something new to your wardrobe, why not look for something old? Haight Street has a trove of vintage and thrift stores. Here are a few places to jumpstart a thrift-shopping spree.

Crossroads Trading Co. (no. 1519) sells on-trend clothing in excellent condition. Think dark-colored skinny jeans, men’s graphic tees and romantic floral dresses. Organized by era, color, and theme, Held Over (no. 1543) makes it easier to find 1970s hip huggers or cocktail dresses from the 1950s. The constantly rotating inventory at Buffalo Exchange (no. 1555) includes designer labels, vintage items, jeans, leather, current basics, brand-new merchandise, and accessories. Follow the pulsing tunes into hipper-than-thou Wasteland (no. 1660) for motorcycle jackets, cashmere, preppy classics, faux, and fur. Elegant La Rosa Vintage Boutique (no. 1711) is an upscale vintage shop specializing in dresses and formal wear.

Haight Street; [map] B1–C1

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Lots of people passed through the upper Haight during the wild days and nights of the late 1960s, and some made lasting impressions. Don some fringing and sandals, put a flower in your hair, and follow in the footsteps of the musicians and other notables associated with this area.

Start at the cradle of the counterculture, the famous corner of Haight and Ashbury, and head west to 1524 Haight Street ([map] C1) to see guitar virtuoso Jimi Hendrix’s crash pad. Reverse direction, walk back to Ashbury Street, and turn right to no. 635 ([map] C1), Janis Joplin’s best-known residence (another of Joplin’s homes is nearby on 122 Lyon Street). On the next block, the big Victorian at no. 710 ([map] C1), just south of Waller Street, was occupied by members of the Grateful Dead early in their careers. Across the street at no. 719 is the former headquarters of the notorious Hells Angels motorcycle club.

Walk up the block to Frederick Street, turn left, then proceed one half-block to Delmar Street and take a left. No. 32 ([map] G4) is where Sid Vicious non-fatally overdosed after the last Sex Pistols show. Return south up the hill to Frederick, proceed east to Masonic Avenue (one block past Ashbury) and turn left. At no. 1235 ([map] C1) is the Symbionese Liberation Army safe-house, where heiress, actress, and abductee Patty Hearst was hidden. Turn and head up Masonic, back to Frederick, and turn left, go one block, and then turn left again onto Buena Vista West. At no. 731 ([map] G4) Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young fame once lived, and several owners later, Bobby McFerrin too.

Not in the immediate vicinity but northeast of Haight Street, at 616 Page Street ([map] H2) between Fillmore and Steiner, was the headquarters of Charles Manson and the Manson Family.

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Haight Street is a late night kind of place, so it is not surprising that early mornings are generally mellow. But by about 10 or 11am, last night’s partiers begin to rouse, hungover and hungry. Fortunately there are plenty of options for strong coffee and greasy fare. Some places even serve breakfast all day. Weekends can be crowded at brunch, but you could always get up early to beat the crowd. Or not.

Closet-sized Pork Store Café (no. 1451; tel: 415-864-6981) has lots of creative egg specialties and some healthy options. It gets packed, though – there are often lines out the door. 1428 Patio Café and Crepery (no. 1428; tel: 415-864-8484) does all the standard breakfast faves as well as delicious crepes,large salads, and entrees, plus they have a nice back patio. The Grind (no. 783; tel: 415-864-0955) on mid-Haight has decadent breakfast choices like buttermilk pancakes with Nutella, and both indoor and outdoor seating. Kate’s Kitchen (no. 471; tel: 415-626-3984) offers breakfast with a southern twist in a funky ambience. Try the French toast orgy, heaped with fruit and yogurt.

Slightly off Haight, Café du Soleil (200 Fillmore Street; tel: 415-934-8637) is a sunny, family-owned French cafe offering fresh-baked pastries, homemade granola, Sunday brunch specials, outdoor tables, and a congenial atmosphere.

Haight Street; [map] C1–H1

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The ultramodern building with the copper facade in Golden Gate Park belongs to the de Young, one of the city’s great fine art museums, showcasing American art from the 17th–20th centuries and native works from the Americas, Africa, and the Pacific. The cutting-edge building opened in 2005, replacing the museum’s former home that was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Copper was chosen for the building’s ‘skin’ due to its changeable quality – as it oxidizes it will assume a rich patina that will blend gracefully into the leafy park setting.

Try to schedule your visit to the de Young on Friday evening, when the museum stays open late and offers a variety of interdisciplinary arts programs with changing themes. The festive atmosphere includes live music, dance, poetry, films, tours, and lectures. Hands-on art-making activities are available for children and adults. The cafe and a cocktail bar are open for dinner and drinks, with a special Friday night menu. Regular admission prices apply if you want to visit the de Young’s galleries, but the special events are free.

The permanent collection is worth a look, to see John Singer Sargent’s paintings, priceless murals from Teotihuacan, a carved Eskimo mask, and a Makonde helmet mask from Mozambique.

De Young Museum; 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive; tel: 415-750-3600; http://deyoung.famsf.org; Tue–Sun 9.30am–5.15pm, mid-Jan–Nov Fri until 8.45pm; Fri night programs free; [map] E5

Tower and cafe

If you don’t have time for a proper visit to the galleries at the de Young, stop by and take the elevator to the top of the observation tower. It is free, and the 360-degree view from this vantage point in the middle of the park is fantastic. Or lunch at the de Young Café, an acclaimed restaurant with a ‘farm to fork’ philosophy – all ingredients are sourced within 150 miles of the kitchen.

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For a lovely way to spend a few hours, make your way to the Boathouse at Stow Lake and relax on a tranquil lake in the pristine surrounds of Golden Gate Park.

Off John F. Kennedy Drive, west of the de Young Museum (for more information, click here) and behind the Japanese Tea Garden (for more information, click here), you will happen upon the Rustic Bridge that leads up to Strawberry Hill, an island in the middle of the lake. The short hike offers views of a waterfall, the Chinese pavilion (a gift from Taipei that was shipped in several thousand pieces and assembled in 1981), and the city from the top.

The Boathouse is on the northwest corner of the lake. Here you can picnic, feed the ducks, or rent bicycles or boats for a leisurely cruise. The newly renovated café offers burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, and pastries as well as the Stow Lake classic – pink popcorn. Paddling around the lake beneath graceful arched stone bridges is a pleasant way to enjoy the park that could be either romantic or a treat for children, depending on what you are after.

If you are up for more adventure, continue west in the park past Lindley Meadow to Spreckels Lake. Stop and watch hobbyists launch little model yachts in the placid water. Just beyond is the Buffalo Paddock, where a herd of American bison roam, a living memorial to the Wild West. Catching these magnificent beasts silhouetted by fog is an unforgettable image.

The Boathouse at Stow Lake; Stow Lake Drive in Golden Gate Park; tel: 415-752-0347; http://stowlakeboathouse.com; Mon–Thu 11am–5pm; Fri-Sun 11am–6pm; [map] D5

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The southeast corner of Golden Gate Park is devoted to play – and kids and adults alike can get their groove on here.

Near the park entrance at Haight and Stanyan streets is a sunny, southern-facing slope known as Hippie Hill, actually part of Sharon Meadow. This has been a gathering spot for a freeform improvisational drum circle for decades. People of all ages, races, and backgrounds drop in with percussion instruments for an unstructured jam. You are likely to see hippie girls dancing, homeless people joining the fun, folks playing Frisbee, and sunbathers soaking up rays to the backdrop of beats as the smell of marijuana permeates the air. Sharon Meadow has been an important gathering space for musicians since the Summer of Love in 1967, and remains part of the hippie scene.

Nearby, a delightful 1912 carrousel, carved with a colorful menagerie of animals, is part of the Koret Children’s Quarter that was completely overhauled in 2007. The new playground has two sets of play structures for children of different ages, a sand area, and a water feature. Slippery concrete slides built into the hillside are a remnant from the original playground – for maximum thrill they are best used with cardboard.

Locals’ tip: fans of concrete slides will have a blast hurtling down the Seward Street slides, a little known and difficult-to-find spot at Douglass and Seward streets in the Castro (Seward is between 19th and 20th streets, [map] H3).

Hippie Hill and Koret Children’s Corner; Golden Gate Park; [map] F4

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The newest museum on the block, the California Academy of Sciences opened in 2008 in a masterpiece of sustainable architecture that was 10 years in the making. The wait was worth it. With an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum, and even a rainforest, the cutting-edge project is topped by an extraordinary ‘living roof’ seeded with a canopy of native plants that provide a habitat for wildlife.

Venture inside and be wowed by the natural world that unfolds around you. The aquarium itself is home to nearly 40,000 live animals from around the globe. Come nose-to-jaw with a phenomenal albino alligator as it slithers around in an underwater swamp exhibit.

On the first floor, head upward through the rainforest exhibit that ascends four stories on a spiraling ramp, allowing you to get up close to bats from Borneo, chameleons from Madagascar, and free-flying Costa Rican birds and butterflies all housed beneath a glass dome.

Once you emerge from the humid rainforest, head to the planetarium and space out in the most accurate and interactive digital universe ever created. Shows have included tours of the universe, supernova explosions, and NASA feeds.

If all this science gets you hungry, the Academy Café offers a multicultural menu of paninis, spring rolls, and tacos, and the Moss Room is a fine-dining restaurant featuring California and Mediterranean cuisine.

California Academy of Sciences; 55 Music Concourse Drive in Golden Gate Park; tel: 415-379-8000; www.calacademy.org; Mon–Sat 9.30am–5pm, Sun 11am–5pm; [map] E5

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In a city of awe-inspiring vistas, the ultimate money shot goes to the mind-blowing view from Twin Peaks.

Close to the geographical center of San Francisco, Twin Peaks is named for the two summits that at 922ft (281m) are the second-highest peaks after Mount Davidson to the south. There is no public transportation to the top, and the signage to get there is spotty, but the view at the end is worth persevering for – encompassing Mount Diablo to the east, the bay and entire downtown skyline, and a sliver of the Pacific to the northwest.

Nearby you’ll find some other worthy treks with stunning views. Tank Hill, accessed from a small staircase off Twin Peaks Boulevard near Crown Terrace to the south, or at the top of Stanyan Street just beyond Belgrave Avenue to the north, is a rocky outcrop of undeveloped land that once contained a drinking-water storage tank. Small paths among fields of wildflowers lead to the circular imprint of the former tank. This is a cool hike from upper Haight or Cole Valley.

East of Tank Hill on Corona Heights, another magnificent view awaits. Here you will discover a community garden, a children’s playground, and a 60ft (18m) sheer rock wall. Uphill toward the peak, corkscrew around hills that open up to barbecue pits, tennis courts, and breathtaking vistas.

The Randall Museum sits atop this lofty crest and focuses on arts, crafts, sciences, and natural history for children. Exhibits include live animals, an interactive discovery zone, and a fascinating transparent Plexiglas beehive.

Twin Peaks; [map] G3

Tank Hill; [map] G4

Corona Heights; [map] H4

Randall Museum; 199 Museum Way; tel: 415-554-9600; www.randallmuseum.org; Tue–Sat 10am–5pm; free; [map] H4

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Golden Gate Park is not only San Francisco’s playground but also an urban oasis. At just over 1,000 acres (405 hectares), it is home to nine lakes, two waterfalls, 200 species of birds, and 10 gardens.

Cloistered behind high wooden walls and a Shinto gate is the most celebrated of these gardens, the lushly sculpted and meticulously designed Japanese Tea Garden. Within this Zen sanctuary are flowering cherry, maple, and bonsai trees, a round moon bridge arching over goldfish ponds, bronze Buddhas, elaborately carved pagodas, stone pathways, and sculptures hidden in little nooks.

Take a leisurely wander through the garden, stopping to rest on stone benches and admire the plants and flowers, many imported from Japan. Then head to the tea house and choose from a variety of teas including green, oolong, and jasmine while nibbling Japanese cookies.

East of the Japanese Tea Garden, close to the park’s Stanyan Street entrance, is the Conservatory of Flowers. The whitewashed wood and glass greenhouse is a Victorian confection filled with rare, exotic plants and tropical flowers. Rainbow-colored light dapples the interior through stained glass.

The Conservatory features four permanent galleries – aquatic plants, highland tropics, lowland tropics, and potted plants – each painstakingly cared for by nursery specialists. Plants are rotated into the galleries as they bloom, so visitors will always see the plants in the collection at their peak.

Past special exhibits include topics like butterflies and carnivorous plants. The adjacent dahlia garden is truly a wonder in late summer and fall.

Across the park to the south, the magnificent San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum houses more than 8,000 species of plants, separated by climate and country of origin, from New Zealand to Chile, and connected by a looped boardwalk path. Stroll around the world through a redwood grove, a primitive plant collection, a Mesoamerican cloud garden, and among Cape Province aloes and Peruvian lilies. Make sure to breathe deeply in the garden of fragrance, designed for the visually impaired, and pay a visit to the celestial Japanese moon-viewing garden. There are also amazing succulents, a butterfly garden, and a California natives section.

Daily guided tours are free, and you can call ahead to reserve tours with a specific focus.

Japanese Tea Garden; 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive; tel: 415-666-3232; http://japaneseteagardensf.com; daily Mar–Oct 9am–6pm, Nov–Feb 9am–4.45pm; free before 10am; [map] E5

Conservatory of Flowers; 100 John F. Kennedy Drive; tel: 415-831-2090; www.conservatoryofflowers.org; Tue–Sun 10am–4pm; [map] F5

San Francisco Botanical Garden; 1199 9th Avenue; tel: 415-661-1316; www.sfbotanicalgarden.org; Mon–Fri 7:30am–4pm, Sat–Sun and holidays 10am–5pm; [map] E4

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Golden Gate Park offers lots of opportunities for recreation – tennis courts, a baseball field, jogging paths, and even a polo field. But why not try something a little more adventurous, yet not too strenuous?

Archery is the ultimate leisure sport. You don’t work up a sweat, so you stay looking fresh, but it improves concentration, coordination, and form. It can be social or it can be solo. Best of all, you can enjoy a day outdoors in the park.

Tucked away in the northwest corner of Golden Gate Park behind the Dutch Windmill is the small Golden Gate Archery Range, with a line of hay bales. It is free to use, but you need to rent equipment. Fortunately, two nearby shops can provide you with everything you need. The San Francisco Archery Pro Shop will suit you up in the necessary gear – bow, arrows, and targets – and give lessons. They will even accompany you to the range. Cupid’s Gate Archery rents super high-end gear and gives private lessons on safety and shooting instruction. They also host a Saturday archery clinic.

If even a spot of archery is too fast-paced for you, then a leisurely game of lawn bowling might be more your speed. Take a lesson from a seasoned member of the San Francisco Lawn Bowling Club at noon on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and try your skills on the bowling green.

Golden Gate Archery Range; 47th Avenue near Fulton Street; tel: 415-496-5269

San Francisco Archery Pro Shop; 3795 Balboa Street; tel: 415-751-2776; http://sfarcheryshop.com; [map] B5

Cupid’s Gate Archery; 944 47th Avenue; tel: 415-336-6512; www.cupidsgatearchery.com; [map] A5

San Francisco Lawn Bowling Club; near Sharon Meadow; tel: 415-487-8787; [map] F4

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On the edge of Golden Gate Park, near the shores of the Pacific, the Beach Chalet is one of a precious few places in the city where you can sit down for a meal, a drink, and a view of the ocean.

In a landmark building that blends the Art Deco and Arts and Crafts styles of the 1930s, the Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant sits above a visitor’s center that showcases wood-carvings, mosaics, and historic murals that capture the flavor of San Francisco during that period.

Here you can gaze out over the crashing surf of Ocean Beach while sipping ale from the on-premises brewery. The menu is a mix of pub food and fine dining, with an emphasis on seafood. It’s popular with the brunch crowd, who come for classic fare with a few twists, like crab Benedict and a Monte Cristo sandwich.

If you can’t score a window seat, check out the Park Chalet, the sister restaurant in back facing Golden Gate Park. Here you can feast on small plates, delicious salads, and pizzas. Eat and drink inside, on the patio or the lawn, while listening to free live surf music, family concerts, or jam bands on weekend afternoons; $1 oysters at Happy Hour; and Taco Tuesdays with margaritas.

Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant and Park Chalet Coastal Beer Garden; 1000 Great Highway at Ocean Beach; tel: 415-386-8439; www.beachchalet.com/#coastal-seafood-brewery and www.parkchalet.com/#park-chalet; daily B, Br, L, & D; [map] A5

Bay to breakers

The zany Bay to Breakers footrace on the third Sunday of May begins at the Embarcadero and ends at the Great Highway near Ocean Beach. Costumes are encouraged, alcohol is tolerated (just don’t flaunt it), and nudity is expected. Serious runners join gorilla suits, 10-people-long centipedes, and themed floats for 7.5 miles (12km) across the city, creating a moving metaphor for San Francisco.