5 Easy Ways to Spend a Rainy Day in San Francisco

This weeklong precipitation parade might have you feeling a little stir-crazy. While San Francisco is gorgeous in the rain, its offerings are predominantly outdoors. Maybe you’re unaccustomed to exploring on rainy days. If you’re from here, there’s a good chance you don’t even own a raincoat. Ignore your friends from the Pacific Northwest who tell you, “This is nothing.” You’re a Californian. Good weather is your birthright. 

You’re not stuck at home unless you want to be. There’s still much to see and do in San Francisco when winter weather descends. Here’s five low-cost, low-impact activities off the top of my head. One of these options even involves food!

You know how you’re always saying, “There’s an exhibit I’ve been meaning to check out?” This is the time! Pop an edible and visit one of San Francisco’s many quality museums, all reachable by Muni. It’s better than staring at the interminable greyness outside until you’re scared into turning on your lights, and more stimulating. Also, museums are often found indoors, where there’s very little chance of getting rained on. 

Of the 54 museums on this list, many offer free admission. Even big names like SFMOMA or the de Young offer free admission from time to time. The de Young admits Bay Area residents free with proof of residency every Saturday. Free admission for the general public is the first Tuesday of every month. SFMOMA also offers free visits to Bay Area residents every first Thursday. If you are a Medi-Cal and/or EBT recipient, SFMOMA will admit you free of charge as part of a program called Museums For All. 

Another underrated gem of a museum is the Legion of Honor, whose tranquil atmosphere only complements their thought-provoking exhibits. A great option if you’re looking to avoid crowds. 

Already delicious on its own, the healing power of phở is made most apparent when it rains. The relief is palpable, craveable. You can’t beat the rib-sticking warmth of a fresh, fragrant bowl, how it steams your chilly nose back to health. Steeped in basil leaves, the herbal vapor is a medicine you weren’t aware you needed. 

I’m lucky to live in the Tenderloin. The food here is phenomenal, voluminous, usually affordable, and rarely sampled by tourists who fear anything west of Union Square. Real ones know this is where to go for phở. Phở Tân Hòa on Jones just south of O’Farrell Street is my default. They are, like most legit spots, cash-only. 

Outside of the Tenderloin, I love Kevin’s Noodle House. I know, I know, it’s far from the only good phở spot. And it’s my bad for not having ventured very deep into the Sunset. But should you find yourself on the southeast end of Golden Gate Park, you’re not far from delicious, affordable phở.

If phở isn’t your thing, try another SF dining institution like Tommy’s Joynt, the Old Clam House, or Hang Ah Tea Room. 

Despite every commercial attempt to wring the sincerity from San Francisco’s resident artists, a creative community remains. The city’s independent film fans form a branch of that community. You will find them at everyone’s favorite independent theater, The Roxie. With the attached Little Roxie, this theater holds down 16th Street’s mid-2000s hipster vibe for which we’re all nostalgic. I saw Architecton there with my partner and I swear I followed half the audience’s Tumblr pages at one point.

Another indie cinemahouse I appreciate is the Vogue Theater at Presidio and Sacramento. The first show I saw there was a live DJ set of phonographic records from the late 19th & early 20th centuries. A knowledgeable gentleman played hits from the era on an authentic Victor, with its cartoonishly huge, morning glory-shaped funnel aimed directly at the crowd. The audience was as enthused as the Victor operator, likewise fixed on the honey-amber glow of nostalgia. I can’t remember what film we sat for afterward, its effect was that bewildering. 

It’s been a minute since I last tried stand-up (Milk Bar on Haight was still open), but I’m a fan. A resurgent interest in stand-up comedy has been happening for awhile now. I feel it’s getting big because we’re increasingly aware of how technology deceives us and we’re craving authenticity. Our media is so over-produced and unrealistic, but when it’s you and a microphone live, onstage, there is no hiding. Good comedy is smart and daring, but more importantly, it requires readiness to perform badly. You acknowledge it (never dwell), and move on. Think you can handle it?

Attention fellow queerfolk! Every Tuesday night at Strut on Castro (you know exactly where, you slut), they host a queer-only open mic. This is a broader open-mic night in that performers of all genres are invited to share a 5-minute piece. Whether you’re a comedian, a poet, a folk singer, or a fire juggler with eyes painted on your tits, everyone gets five minutes. 7:30 PM. Free!

Wednesday night, head over to Mayes Oyster House on Polk Street for their weekly drop-in sets. You get five minutes to do your set, which if you haven’t gone up, is waaay longer than it sounds. If you’re a pro or feeling particularly ballsy, you get an additional two minutes and three seconds with your drink purchase. Hosted by comedian Danny Dechi. 7 PM. Free admission!

This and every Thursday night, drop by the BAR On Dolores for their popular weekly open mic, 8 PM. At 8:30, it’s batter-up at The Natural, where comics green and seasoned perform in batting cages not far from Oracle Park. 

Question Mark Tavern draws a respectable crowd for their Friday night open-mic sessions. This South-of-Market bar isn’t hard to get to either, tucked into Harriet Street near Bryant and 6th. It’s also, you guessed it, free admission. They extended Happy Hour thirty minutes into the show, so if you aren’t laughing yet, you’ll get there. 

Or, get your giggle on as an audience member at one of SF’s many standup comedy nights. One I use as a human antidepressant is Mirthquake, a quality show run by talented local comedians. They put together a hell of a show and manage to do it every Monday at Abbey Tavern on Geary and 4th Ave. They keep the rotation fresh and exciting with great guest spots and good material to boot. Their show is and will remain free until Ireland is free of British rule. Mondays at 8 PM. 

San Francisco’s only true piano bar, Martuni’s is a sacred institution. This isn’t karaoke. This is a legitimate performance space, where for a few minutes of song, anyone can be a star. It’s where my favorite adult film actor Jonah Wheeler shares his musical abilities with us when he visits SF. It’s also where I nearly passed out because I did a few bumps among friends but didn’t eat first. 

Martuni’s hot-green neon signage promises a sultry, dim-lit interior, boasting red velvet curtains and snazzy bartenders illuminated from below. Indeed it delivers. What a grand setting in which to find yourself in awe of San Francisco’s bursting, unseen talent. Martuni’s attracts performers from all over and just around the corner. Come for a dirty martini and racy singalong. You never know—Kesha might show up and drop a reportedly stunning Patsy Cline cover. 

There you have it. I’m off to make soup while the power’s still on. If none of these ideas tickle your fancy, you’re probably a morning person and I don’t care to know you. Here’s a checklist that’s more your vibe, courtesy of SF Standard.