Active Pursuits

Half the fun in San Francisco takes place outdoors. If you're not in the mood to trek it, there are other things to do that allow you to enjoy the surroundings.

Ballooning

Although you must drive an hour to get to the tour site, hot-air ballooning over the Wine Country is an ethereal experience. Adventures Aloft, PO Box 2500, Vintage 1870, Yountville, CA 94599 (tel. 800/944-4408 or 707/944-4400; www.nvaloft.com), is Napa Valley's oldest hot-air balloon company, staffed with full-time professional pilots. Groups are small, and each flight lasts about an hour. The cost of $225 per person (children $190) includes a post-adventure champagne brunch and a framed "first-flight" certificate. Flights launch daily at sunrise (weather permitting).

Beaches

Most days it's too chilly to hang out at the beach, but when the fog evaporates and the wind dies down, one of the best ways to spend the day is ocean-side in the city. On any truly hot day, thousands flock to the beach to worship the sun, build sand castles, and throw a ball around. Without a wet suit, swimming is a fiercely cold endeavor and is not recommended. In any case, dip at your own risk -- there are no lifeguards on duty and San Francisco's waters are cold and have strong undertows. On the South Bay, Baker Beach is ideal for picnicking, sunning, walking, or fishing against the backdrop of the Golden Gate (though pollution makes your catch not necessarily worthy of eating).

Ocean Beach, at the end of Golden Gate Park, on the westernmost side of the city, is San Francisco's largest beach -- 4 miles long. Just offshore, at the northern end of the beach, in front of Cliff House, are the jagged Seal Rocks, inhabited by various shorebirds and a large colony of barking sea lions (bring binoculars for a close-up view). To the left, Kelly's Cove is one of the more challenging surf spots in town. Ocean Beach is ideal for strolling or sunning, but don't swim here -- tides are tricky, and each year bathers drown in the rough surf.

Stop by Ocean Beach bus terminal at the corner of Cabrillo and La Playa streets to learn about San Francisco's history in local artist Ray Beldner's whimsically historical sculpture garden. Then hike up the hill to explore Cliff House and the ruins of the Sutro Baths. These baths, once able to accommodate 24,000 bathers, were lost to fire in 1966.

Biking

The San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department maintains two city-designated bike routes. One winds 7 1/2 miles through Golden Gate Park to Lake Merced; the other traverses the city, starting in the south, and continues over the Golden Gate Bridge. These routes are not dedicated to bicyclists, who must exercise caution to avoid crashing into pedestrians. Helmets are recommended for adults and required by law for kids 17 and under. A bike map is available from the San Francisco Visitor Information Center, at Powell and Mason streets, for $3, and from bicycle shops all around town.

Ocean Beach has a public walk- and bikeway that stretches along 5 waterfront blocks of the Great Highway between Noriega and Santiago streets. It's an easy ride from Cliff House or Golden Gate Park.

Avenue Cyclery, 756 Stanyan St., at Waller Street, in the Haight (tel. 415/387-3155), rents bikes for $8 per hour or $30 per day. It's open daily, April through September from 10am to 7pm and October through March from 10am to 6pm. For cruising Fisherman's Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge, your best bet is Blazing Saddles (tel. 415/202-8888; www.blazingsaddles.com), which has five locations around Fisherman's Wharf. Bikes rent for $28 per day, including maps, locks, and helmets; tandem bikes are available as well.

Boating

At the Golden Gate Park Boat House (tel. 415/752-0347) on Stow Lake, the park's largest body of water, you can rent a rowboat or pedal boat by the hour and steer over to Strawberry Hill, a large, round island in the middle of the lake, for lunch. There's usually a line on weekends. The boathouse is open daily from 10am to 4pm, weather permitting.

Cass' Marina, 1702 Bridgeway, Sausalito (tel. 800/472-4595 or 415/332-6789; www.cassmarina.com), is a certified sailing school that rents sailboats measuring 22 to 38 feet. Sail to the Golden Gate Bridge on your own or with a licensed skipper. In addition, large sailing yachts leave from Sausalito on a regularly scheduled basis. Call or check the website for schedules, prices, and availability of sailboats. The marina is open Wednesday through Monday from 9am to sunset.

A whale of a Tale -- Not many people outside of California know about the Farallon Islands, nor do many people get to visit up close. The entire Gulf of Farallones National Marine Sanctuary is off-limits to civilians so visitors must gaze from the deck of a fishing or whale-watching boat if they want a peek firsthand.

This veteran eco-tourism company offers trips out to the desolate outcropping of rock off the coast of San Francisco that is home to birds, sea lions, seals, dolphins, and the ever-present great white shark. Typically on the search for migrating gray, humpback, or blue whales, expeditions leave from Gas House Cove Marina at Fort Mason and pass underneath the majestic Golden Gate Bridge on the 27-mile trip out to the islands. Captain Jim Robertson has a crew of trained naturalists that accompany each voyage and will stop the Outer Limits catamaran at the first sign of water spouts on the 6- to 8-hour weekend trips.

For more information, call tel. 415/331-6267 or visit www.sfbaywhalewatching.com.

City Stair Climbing

Many health clubs have stair-climbing machines and step classes, but in San Francisco, you need only go outside. The following city stair climbs will give you not only a good workout, but seriously stunning neighborhood, city, and bay views as well. Check www.sisterbetty.org/stairways for more ideas.

Filbert Street Steps, between Sansome Street and Telegraph Hill, are a particular challenge. Scaling the sheer eastern face of Telegraph Hill, this 377-step climb winds through verdant flower gardens and charming 19th-century cottages. Napier Lane, a narrow, wooden plank walkway, leads to Montgomery Street. Turn right and follow the path to the end of the cul-de-sac, where another stairway continues to Telegraph's panoramic summit and Coit Tower.

The Lyon Street Steps, between Green Street and Broadway, were built in 1916. This historic stairway street contains four steep sets of stairs totaling 288 steps. Begin at Green Street and climb all the way up, past manicured hedges and flower gardens, to an iron gate that opens into the Presidio. A block east, on Baker Street, another set of 369 steps descends to Green Street.

Get Your Blood Pumping -- When Eric Kipp, a certified yogi, conceptualized his wildly popular concept of Hiking Yoga, he aimed to bring tourists and locals alike out and about for some fresh air, intense cardio, and fantastic city views. Kipp's 90-minute urban treks, which take place several times a day, most days of the week, depart from the clock tower at the Ferry Building and wind their way up to Coit Tower and around Telegraph Hill. Routes vary, but the formula is always the same: Participants enjoy intense and fast-paced hill hiking -- this is no leisurely walk in the park -- while stopping at four stations throughout the city for a series of yoga poses. The program, which originated in San Francisco in 2007, was such a hit, Kipp has now taken it to more than a dozen cities. For information or a schedule of hikes, visit www.hikingyoga.com or call tel. 415/261-3641. Reservations are required, and each session costs $20. Package deals are available.

Fishing

Berkeley Marina Sports Center, 225 University Ave., Berkeley (tel. 510/237-3474; www.berkeleysportfishing.com), offers daily trips for ling cod, rock fish, and many other types of game fish year-round; trips for salmon run April through October. Fishing equipment is available; the cost, including boat ride and bait, is about $95 per person. Reservations are required, as are licenses for adults. One-day licenses can be purchased for $12 before departure. Find out the latest on the season by contacting their hotline at tel. 510/486-8300 (press 3). Excursions run daily from 6am to 3:30pm. Fish are cleaned, filleted, and bagged on the return trip for a small fee (free for salmon fishing).

Golf

San Francisco has a few beautiful golf courses. One of the most lavish is the Presidio Golf Course (tel. 415/561-4661; www.presidiogolf.com). Greens fees are $125 for nonresidents Monday to Thursday; $145 Friday to Sunday. Twilight rates drop to $85 and $93, respectively, and then to $49 after 3pm for everyone. Carts are included.

There are also two decent municipal courses in town. The 18-hole Harding Park, Skyline Boulevard at Harding Road (tel. 415/664-4690; www.harding-park.com), charges greens fees of $135 per person Monday through Thursday, $155 Friday through Sunday. Opened in 1925, it was completely overhauled in 2002, and the new Harding has been getting rave reviews ever since. In 2004, it was named by Golf magazine as the number-two best municipal golf course in America; in 2009 it hosted the President's Cup. The course, which skirts the shores of Lake Merced, is a 6,743-yard, par-72. You can also play the easier Fleming executive 9. The 18-hole Lincoln Park Golf Course, 34th Avenue and Clement Street (tel. 415/221-9911; www.lincolnparkgc.com), charges greens fees of $34 per person Monday through Thursday, $38 Friday through Sunday, with rates decreasing after 4pm in summer, 2pm in winter. It's San Francisco's prettiest municipal course, with terrific views and fairways lined with Monterey cypress and pine trees. The 5,181-yard layout plays to par 68, and the 17th hole has a glistening ocean view. This is the oldest course in the city and one of the oldest in the West. It's open daily at daybreak.

Handball

The city's best handball courts are in Golden Gate Park, opposite Seventh Avenue, south of Middle Drive East. Courts are available free, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Parks

In addition to Golden Gate Park and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco boasts more than 2,000 acres of parkland, most of which is perfect for picnicking or throwing around a Frisbee.

Smaller city parks include Buena Vista Park (Haight St. btw. Baker and Central sts.), which affords fine views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the area around it and is also a favored lounging ground for gay trysts; Ina Coolbrith Park (Taylor St. btw. Vallejo and Green sts.), offering views of the Bay Bridge and Alcatraz; and Sigmund Stern Grove (19th Ave. and Sloat Blvd.) in the Sunset District, which is the site of a famous free summer music festival.

One of my personal favorites is Lincoln Park, a 270-acre green space on the northwestern side of the city at Clement Street and 34th Avenue. The Legion of Honor is here, as is a scenic 18-hole municipal golf course. But the best things about this park are the 200-foot cliffs that overlook the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay. To get to the park, take bus no. 38 from Union Square to 33rd and Geary streets, and then walk a few blocks.

Running

The Bay to Breakers Foot Race (tel. 415/359-2800; www.ingbaytobreakers.com) is an annual 7 1/2-mile run from downtown to Ocean Beach. About 80,000 entrants take part in it, one of San Francisco's trademark events. Costumed participants and hordes of spectators add to the fun. The event is held on the third Sunday of May.

The San Francisco Marathon takes place annually at the end of July or first weekend in August. For more information, visit www.thesfmarathon.com (tel. 888/958-6668).

Great jogging paths include the entire expanse of Golden Gate Park, the shoreline along the Marina, and the Embarcadero.

Tennis

The San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department (tel. 415/753-7001) maintains more than 132 courts throughout the city. Almost all are available free, on a first-come, first-served basis. An additional 21 courts are available in Golden Gate Park, which cost $5 for 90 minutes during weekdays and $10 on weekends. Check the website for details on rules for reserving courts (www.parks.sfgov.org).

Walking & Hiking

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area offers plenty of opportunities. One incredible walk (or bike ride) is along the Golden Gate Promenade, from Aquatic Park to the Golden Gate Bridge. The 3.5-mile paved trail heads along the northern edge of the Presidio out to Fort Point, passing the marina, Crissy Field's restored wetlands, a small beach, and plenty of athletic locals. You can also hike the Coastal Trail all the way from the Fort Point area to Cliff House. The park service maintains several other trails in the city. For more information or to pick up a map of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, stop by the park service headquarters at Fort Mason; enter on Franklin Street (tel. 415/561-4700).

Although most people drive to this spectacular vantage point, a more rejuvenating way to experience Twin Peaks is to walk up from the back roads of U.C. Medical Center (off Parnassus Ave.) or from either of the two roads that lead to the top (off Woodside or Clarendon aves.). The best time to trek is early morning, when the city is quiet, the air is crisp, and sightseers haven't crowded the parking lot. Keep an eye out for cars, however, because there's no real hiking trail, and be sure to walk beyond the lot and up to the highest vantage point.

Urban Renewal

• Kabuki Springs & Spa, 1750 Geary Blvd. (tel. 415/922-6000; www.kabukisprings.com), the Japan Center's most famous tenant, was once an authentic, traditional Japanese bathhouse. The Joie de Vivre hotel group bought and renovated it, however, and it's now more of a Pan-Asian spa with a focus on wellness. The deep ceramic communal tubs -- at a very affordable $22 to $25 per person -- private baths, and shiatsu massages remain. The spa is open from 10am to 9:45pm daily; joining the baths is an array of massages and ayurvedic treatments, body scrubs, wraps, and facials, which cost from $60 to $150.

• Spa Radiance, 3011 Fillmore St. (tel. 415/346-6281; www.sparadiance.com), is an utterly San Francisco spa experience due to its unassuming Victorian surroundings and its wonderfully luxurious treatments such as facials, body treatments, massages, manicures, pedicures, Brazilian waxing, spray-tanning, and makeup application by in-house artists.

• A more posh and modern experience is yours at International Orange, 2044 Fillmore St., second floor (tel. 888/894-8811; www.internationalorange.com). The self-described spa yoga lounge offers just what it says in a chic white-on-white space on the boutique-shopping stretch of Fillmore Street. They've also got a great selection of clothing and face and body products, including one of my personal favorites, locally made In Fiore body balms.

• In the St. Regis Hotel, Remède Spa, 125 Third St. (tel. 415/284-4060; www.remede.com), has two whole floors dedicated to melting away all your cares, worries, kinks, and knots -- not to mention primping. Expect wonderful massage, facials, manis and pedis, waxes, and more. A few doors down in the W Hotel is the city's outpost of New York's Bliss Spa, 181 Third St., fourth floor (tel. 415/281-0990; www.blissworld.com). The hip version to St. Regis's chic, it offers a similar spa menu, including wedding specialties.

• Opened in 2003, Tru, 750 Kearny St. (tel. 415/399-9700; www.truspa.com), is a sleek, modern-day spa with options that go way beyond your average hot stone massage. Signature treatments include oxygen facials and the world's only tropical rainforest water treatment room -- a full-immersion experience involving steam, tropical rainstorms, and a 100-gallon-a-minute waterfall. It's located inside the Hilton Hotel, between Union Square and the Financial District.