The San Francisco epicenter of the Beat generation is nestled between a number of historic spots in North Beach. Budding writers might start a morning over a cappuccino at a nearby café, tinker with a few dog-eared pages of a manuscript, and then meet up for a pint with the poets at Vesuvio.
Head over to any of these spots to participate in some of the best people watching in the city while enjoying a piece of history—you may even find yourself sitting next to some of the lesser-known artists of that era. If you’re looking for a laugh, pick up tickets to Cobb’s Comedy Club—a local staple where many famous Bay Area comics got their start.
As you walk around the neighborhood, don’t be alarmed by the squawking overhead, that’s just the famous parrots of Telegraph Hill—birds released by their owners decades ago that now tour the city en mass.
