Things to Do in Pacific Heights (What’s it Like Living in Pacific Heights)

Want to know what it's actually like living in one of the most famous neighborhoods in all of San Francisco? You've probably heard of Pacific Heights, a neighborhood known for its jaw-dropping views and record-setting real estate, home to billionaires, C-suite executives, politicians, and other titans of tech and industry. We've seen the houses, we've heard about the crazy real estate prices in the neighborhood. We hear hype about this neighborhood nonstop, including from me. But what's it like to actually live there? What do people do on a day-to-day basis? What's available there? This is Austin Klar, your lawyer turned real estate agent in San Francisco and Marin County. And in this video, I'm breaking down what an actual day in Pacific Heights might look like if you lived here. Where to get coffee, where to go to the gym, where to get groceries, what activities are available for people to do on a day-to-day basis, like parks, museums, and shopping, go-to dinner spots, where you can see movies in the neighborhood, where to get great dessert, how to envision what it's like here beyond just the breathtaking views, the glamorous real estate, and the insane price tags that come with it. And like, full disclaimer, these are going to be a lot of my favorite spots, but there are plenty of other places to eat and things to do. So if you have other recommendations beyond what I'm talking about, definitely drop them them in a comment because I would love to hear them. Now let's get right to it and start right at the beginning, the morning routine. So I get up between 5 and 5:30 every single day. I'm a morning person, and the first thing I do in the morning is work out. Nobody's bothering me at 5:30 or 6 in the morning for work on most days, so I can get that out of the way without any distractions. And I know I'm so tired by the end of the day that if I put it off to the afternoon or the evening after the work day, it's not going to happen. So I have to get it done first thing in the morning. Now one of the downsides of living in Pacific Heights is that there's not really a full-on gym in the neighborhood itself. There are like more specialty workout places like Pilates studios and yoga studios. So if that's what you're electing to do on a day-to-day basis, you have that immediately available all over the neighborhood. But as far as like full-on, full-service gyms go, you have to actually leave the neighborhood to get that. But that doesn't necessarily mean you're going that far. Depending on what part of Pacific Heights you're living in, it might actually only be 1 or 3 blocks away, or just a minute to 5 minutes drive. So it's really not a huge inconvenience. Just don't expect to like roll out of bed and walk a block to get to, you know, your workout destination unless you live in like very specific parts of Pac Heights. The gym that I go to and a lot of my friends and clients go to who live in Pac Heights is the Equinox on Union Street in Cow Hollow, which is the neighborhood immediately north of Pacific Heights. It's actually a pretty cool building. It's an old Art Deco movie theater that was converted into a gym. And that's actually a common theme with old Art Deco buildings and movie theaters in San Francisco. And I really like it. Nice. They open at 5 AM during the week, so it fits with my work schedule. And I specifically went with Equinox over other potential gyms in the area, which I'll talk about in a second, because Equinox has locations all over the country. So when I'm traveling, in particular when I go home back to Orange County and visit friends and family, they have locations all over Orange County, so it's easy to get a workout in without having to pay extra fees to get into those other gyms. Now obviously Equinox is not the most cost-effective option. There are less expensive options in the area. Crunch Fitness on Union Street is a less expensive alternative. It's on the east side of Cow Hollow. So if you live on the east side of Pac Heights, it's going to be a lot closer to get to Crunch Fitness than it will be if you're living on the west side of Pac Heights. Equinox is closer to the west side of Pac Heights. Another option is the Jewish Community Center in Presidio Heights, which is the neighborhood immediately west of Pacific Heights. More expensive than Crunch, less expensive than Equinox, and the facilities are still really, really nice. Downside there compared to Equinox, there aren't JCCs like all over the country that you can get memberships to by having a membership at this JCC, at least not as many as Equinox has all over the country. And if you don't want to work out in a gym, actually living in Pacific Heights is a really good option for that because of the outdoor space that's available to you that's really conducive to working out. Sometimes I might want to go on a run, and I hate running on the treadmill, so I won't do that in a gym. I'm going to do that outside. And my favorite run route living in Pacific Heights is actually through the Presidio. The Presidio is a 1,500-acre national park that borders Pacific Heights. It has amazing views of the water, of the city, and it's just a really peaceful, like, woodsy area. I start at the top of the Presidio and run down the hill through the forest, and it dumps you out right near the northern waterfront in the marina, which is entirely flat, so it's really great for running. The downside of that route is that eventually you need to get back up the hill into Pacific Heights, so it is definitely a workout. Another outdoor option I see a lot is people working out at the Lyon Street Steps. It's a landing at the edge of Billionaires Row in Pacific Heights, which is a 3-block stretch between the— Visidero Street and Lyon Street on Broadway.. It has incredible north-facing views right next to the entrance to the Presidio, and a lot of people work out at the landing at the very top. They either like run or walk up and down the stairs. I've seen people working out with trainers there, doing free weights, jump roping, whatever it is. It's really popular on the weekends. Beautiful place to work out outside. So there are a lot of different options in Pacific Heights beyond just like what you might think of for a gym between like the yoga studios, Pilates studios, and all the outdoor options available to you for working out. Now, immediately after I'm done working out, whether I'm at the gym or I've just gone on a run through the Presidio, whatever it is, I grab coffee and I do that before I shower and change. And my go-to spot is Equator at Fort Mason, right next to the Marina neighborhood. I like cold brew and they have, I think, the best cold brew in the city. I also really like to drive over there. Fort Mason is a former military base that's been turned into a giant, like, indoor-outdoor exposition center. So they hold, like, food festivals there, night markets, art markets. There are great restaurants there and it's right on the water so you can you can see Alcatraz, you could see the bay, you could see the Golden Gate Bridge. It's a great spot. And like I said, I like Cold Brew, and that's just my go-to spot for cold brew in the city. But there are a ton of other coffee options in and immediately surrounding Pacific Heights. Immediately in the area on Fillmore Street, there's a Blue Bottle, there's a Peet's, there's a Starbucks, all of those on Fillmore Street. So no matter like what your big brand coffee destination is, there are those options. Another smaller shop I like is Wrecking Ball Coffee on Union Street in Cow Hollow. There are also a bunch of like small bodegas and grocery stores that serve great coffee in area. So a ton of options for you for coffee, probably walking distance from your house or within a minute or two drive. As Quoted in Presidio Heights is another good one for coffee. I also love the food at As Quoted as well, so it's actually a go-to breakfast spot for me. It's all gluten-free, but the food is actually really good. They just added breakfast burritos to their menu. It's one of my favorite breakfast burritos in the city. If I didn't tell you it was gluten-free, you'd have no idea it was actually gluten-free. It's awesome. Another go-to breakfast spot for me when I'm not cooking at home is Rose's Cafe on Union Street. Really casual brunch spot. Great outdoor seating with heaters, so like you can do it even on colder mornings. If I really want to go all out for breakfast, their breakfast pizza is amazing. Definitely a heavy breakfast, not really a light breakfast type place. They do have some like less heavy options like hashes or salads or sandwiches, but if I'm going there, it's going to be a decadent breakfast. And if you're not in the mood for savory, you want something sweet, then there's no better option than B Patisserie on California Street. By far one of the most popular bakeries in all of San Francisco. Almost always lines are far out the door. They have one of my favorite chocolate chip cookies in the city, but they have a ton of other stuff there beyond just cookies. Another spot I like to go to for breakfast is Jane on Fillmore. They serve pastries, breakfast sandwiches, wraps, salads, walkable from my house in less than 10 minutes. Can get coffee there too in the morning if you want. Usually gets pretty busy later in the morning and for lunch. And the last spot I go to with probably too much frequency is Mama's Luncheonette on Union Street. It's a very limited menu and you only really go there if you're in the mood for a very heavy breakfast. They serve these giant breakfast burritos with brisket and tater tots. They're awesome. They also serve breakfast sandwiches there. There are a few other options there too, but generally speaking, pretty heavy food. By the way, if you want to learn more about what it's like living in Pacific Heights, the pros and cons of the neighborhood, or what different home types cost in the neighborhood, or if you want to go on walking tours of the neighborhood and learn more about the architecture, I've got videos on all of that stuff. I'll link them in the description below. And if you're curious about what's been going on with the housing market in Pacific Heights or in any other neighborhood of San Francisco, reach out to me. I was a lawyer at one of the biggest law firms in the world before getting into real estate, and I've help numerous people relocate here from all over the country. I'd be happy to be a resource for you. I'll put my contact info in the description below. Reach out anytime. And if you like videos like this about different neighborhoods and lifestyles in San Francisco, current events, new developments, and all things San Francisco real estate, subscribe to my channel because I make videos about that stuff every single week. Now back to what day-to-day living is like in Pacific Heights. I just got done listing a bunch of places I would go get breakfast out, but if I'm in the mood to cook at home, which I do quite often, where would I go get groceries? If you want to go the healthier route or you just don't want to eat out, there are plenty plenty of places to get groceries in Pac Heights. It has one of the best collections of different style grocery stores of any neighborhood in San Francisco. In Pac Heights itself, you've got a Whole Foods on the east side on the corner of Franklin and California Streets. You've also got a Mollie Stone's on Fillmore and California. We're in the center of Pac Heights. I shop here probably the most because I live, you know, just a few blocks away on the west side of Pac Heights. So closer to me than Whole Foods. I can walk to Mollie Stone's from my house if I want to. Problem is it's just like way more expensive than Whole Foods and not sure the convenience is really worth it. If you have other options close to you, definitely take advantage of them before going to Molly Stone's. It's just super expensive. Within just a few minutes drive of almost anywhere you're going to live in Pac Heights, you've got other big name grocery stores. There's a Safeway in the Marina. There's a Trader Joe's in Richmond. There's Cal Mart and Brian's at Laurel Village in the Laurel Heights neighborhood. Brian's is where I go if I'm cooking something that deserves great meat, like if I'm cooking a steak or if I need sushi-grade fish. They have an incredible butcher there with a ton of different options and cuts of meat that aren't available at other grocery stores. I would say it's pretty much on par with Molly Stone's price-wise, but their selection of meat is a next level up. Kmart also has a great selection of meat and is a little bit less expensive than Brian's. So if you can find that cut of meat that you want at Kmart, get it at Kmart and not at Brian's. And then aside from those like bigger name grocery stores, there are bodegas like scattered throughout the neighborhood. I'm a block away, for example, from this place called Crystal Wonderful. It's a small little corner store. If I happen to forget something at the grocery store, I can just run over to the bodega and grab something super fast like olive oil or paper towels or something like that. It's basically my morning. By the time like 10 or 11 AM rolls around, my fiancée and I have already gone to the gym. We've got coffee, we've got breakfast, we've done our grocery shopping for the day, and we have pretty much the rest of the morning and afternoon to do whatever we want. And one of my favorite things to do in the afternoons, one of the biggest perks of living in Pac Heights, is wandering the great parks that we have in the area. I've already mentioned the Presidio as a great place to go on a run, but there's so much to do in the Presidio beyond just running. A 1,500-acre park, so imagine how much they fit into that space. They have a golf course there, they have tennis courts there, pickleball courts, open green space for picnics, baseball field, multiple playgrounds if you have kids. There are flat green areas where the Presidio hosts food trucks. There's a newer addition to the Presidio toward the waterfront called Presidio Tunnel Tops, which has awesome views, and a new park that they just opened connected to the Tunnel Tops called Outpost Meadow. They're building a new food hall there that's supposed to open within the next year. So much to do at the Presidio. There are other great parks in the neighborhood too, closer to the west side of Pac Heights, you have Alta Plaza Park, which is, you know, a terraced park on the south side with great views of the city. And once you get to the top, there's kind of flat space with tennis courts, basketball court, children's playground, open green space for like picnics and just lounging around when the weather's nice. On the east side of the neighborhood, you have kind of a similar park, Lafayette Park, which is, you know, sort of a hillside park, at least on the south side, and then more flat as you get farther up onto the north side of the park, surrounded by some of the most amazing architecture in the city. When I need breaks during the day from like work, I'll go and walk over to Alta Plaza Park. I'm a block from Alta Plaza Park, uh, just a great way to decompress a little bit, listen to music, listen to podcasts, especially when the weather's nice. There are a lot of other ways to spend an afternoon as well if you're not feeling the park or if the weather's not nice. The shopping available in Pac Heights is awesome. I love decorating, I love interior design and home goods, and Sacramento Street in Pacific Heights is one of the go-to destinations in the city for that kind of shopping. They have some great chain retail there like Hudson Grace, Serena and Lily. They have lot of like one-off boutique stores, antique shops, vintage stores, all walkable too. It's like a relatively flat area, so you could easily spend a few hours walking around going in and out of all these stores if that's what you're into on a particular afternoon. I've definitely spent my fair share of afternoons there. I probably shop at Hudson Grace more than any of them. I think they have the best selection of coffee table books of any of these stores that I just talked about. I also like clothing shopping, and the spot to do that in Pac Heights is on Fillmore Street. Paige is my favorite jeans brand. They have a store on Fillmore. There's a Rag Bone on Fillmore. There's Frame on Fillmore. They have other boutiques as well with like more women's clothing. They have athleisure stores like Lululemon and Athleta. There are home goods stores too, like Aesop, Lalabo, Diptyque, Byredo, just a ton of options on Fillmore. And outside of Pacific Heights, a ton of places to shop and run your errands. I already talked about Union Street in addition to multiple gyms. They have a great collection of stores on Union Street and a few blocks down from there, Chestnut Street in the Marina, similarly great collection of shopping restaurants, other things to do. And if you're really in the mood to spend some money and you want to go like super high end, you can get to Union Square from Pacific Heights in less than 15 minutes drive. So really easy to go like shopping at Neiman's or Loro Piana, Brunello Cucinelli, Goyard. Any of these like super high end stores have outposts in Union Square and it's really convenient to get to from Pacific Heights. People actually think Union Square is dead and like, yes, it's, it's definitely taken a hit since the onset of the pandemic. Retail vacancies there are higher than in other parts of San Francisco., but there are a ton of great pop-ups there, free concerts, movie nights, and a lot of new retail actually coming into the area. So, you know, definitely a place that you'd spend some downtime if you've lived in the area, and it's actually a lot more happening than people think who don't live here. There are also non-shopping related activities to do in Pacific Heights. For example, like architecture walks. One of the best parts of living in Pac Heights is the architecture, and there are hosted tours that will take you to places like Billionaires Row where you can learn about the history of all these different incredible houses. There are multiple museums like the Automobile Museum on the east side of the city with a lot of like older, more classic cars. There's the Haas-Lilienthal Mansion on the east side of the neighborhood, which is a giant Victorian built in the 1880s that's been open to the public as a museum for about 60 years. So you can see a lot of like original furniture, artifacts, and learn a lot of great history about the house and the area. So plenty to do if you live in Pac Heights, from like exploring parks to shopping to like more cultural type activities. And all around all these things that I've mentioned, the shopping, the parks, the museums, there's great food all over the place. A ton of casual spots worth checking out on Fillmore, like Showcase, which is a great French spot, Rome, which is a great burger spot, La Mediterranea or Troia for Mediterranean food. Jane, which I talked about for breakfast, also serves good lunch food. The Snug has good cocktails. They serve tater tots. Can't go wrong with that. There are Vietnamese places, Italian places. There's so much variety. There are also great bars in the area. Harry's Bar is a great sports bar. Palmer's, a great cocktail bar. Palmer's has been under renovation for a while, so hopefully they open soon. It's a great bar, so check it out. out next time they reopen. There are also a ton of casual spots in Cow Hollow and the Marina, all of which are just a few minutes drive away if you live in Pac Heights. Souvla and Blue Barn are probably what I go to the most in the Marina. Souvla serves gyros and salads, great baklava frozen yogurt. Blue Barn makes great salads and sandwiches. They also serve tater tots and chicken tenders, which are delicious. Mama's Luncheonette, again, a go-to lunch spot. The line is always absurd for lunch, not as much for brunch. Breakfast but absurd for lunch. One of the most famous chicken Caesar wraps in the entire city, and it's worth the wait. Around the corner from Mama's on Union Street, there's a Joyride Pizza, there's Casara Osteria, there's Brixton. There's so many casual spots on Union, so like you can easily spend an afternoon shopping and eating your way through the area. Same on Fillmore, same on Chestnut. And there are great things to do in the evenings as well. I love movies and go to the movies pretty frequently. The Vogue Theater, for example, is like an old-school single-screen movie theater on Sacramento Street on the border of Pacific and Presidio Heights. That's a great spot for date night, and there are a ton of great restaurants around there. Spruce, for example, which is one of my favorite restaurants in the city, is within walking distance of the theater. The dining room is super fancy and the food is awesome, but I actually prefer eating in like the lounge bar area, a little bit more casual. And they serve one of the best burgers in the city and one of the best chocolate chip cookies in the neighborhood. I think second to B Patisserie, but very close. Sociale, which is a really good Italian spot, is also nearby, basically across the street from Bruce. It's got a really cute courtyard and it's shielded from the elements by the buildings around it, so really great environment for like an intimate evening dinner date. Sorrelle, which is a Michelin-star restaurant, also not far from the Vogue Theatre. Routier, which is a more casual French spot on Divisadero and California, also just a few minutes walk away from the theater. Really great vibe, beautiful bar. Another movie theater nearby is the Kabuki Theatre in Japantown, which is basically immediately south of Pacific Traficante. They play a lot more newer movies. It's a much larger theater, multi-screen theater, so they play a lot of like what is actually currently out that's new, whereas the Vogue is going to be a mix of newer and more classic movies. There's also the Presidio Theater in the marina. It's an older, smaller theater similar to the Vogue Theater, and you've got a ton of great restaurants around there. For dinner, I'd throw A16 into the mix— great Italian food, some of the best pizza dough I've had in the city— and Mama Noko, which is one of my favorite sushi restaurants in the area. Bottom line, whether it's like breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, dessert, whatever it is, you have so many options within just a few minutes walk or drive, no matter where you live in Pacific Heights. And that's one of the main reasons why living in Pacific Heights is as expensive as it is. Yes, the homes are incredible from an architectural perspective, the views are amazing, but the amenities, the things to do, the walkability, the parks, the shops, the restaurants, that is what makes it so expensive. Whatever you need on a day-to-day basis, it is at your fingertips, at your doorstep, living in Pacific Heights. If you want to learn more about how much it actually costs to live in Pacific Heights, from these gigantic mansions down to one-bedroom condos, I've got a separate video all about that that I'll link in the description below. Go check it out. And if you have other questions about the neighborhood or any other neighborhood in San Francisco, I've lived in the city for over 13 years. I'd be happy to be a resource for you. I'll put my contact info in the description below. Reach out anytime. And if you like videos just like this, or you want to learn more about current events, new developments, or all things San Francisco real estate, make sure to subscribe to my channel because I make videos about that stuff every single week. I hope you enjoyed the video, and I'll see you in the next one.