San Francisco Travel Launches First-Ever 'Martini Trail' Featuring 23 Perfected Martinis

The San Francisco Travel Association has unveiled The San Francisco Martini Trail, a curated journey highlighting 23 standout martinis and local establishments in the City by the Bay.

Few drinks are more debated—or celebrated—than the martini. Its exact birthplace may be disputed, but San Francisco played a defining role in shaping its rise to global fame. Conceived in the Bay Area during the Gold Rush and refined in the city's pioneering saloon scene, the martini's simplicity captures San Francisco's spirit: refined yet unpretentious, endlessly reinvented, and impossible to forget.

“The Martini Trail is both a toast to San Francisco's history and a taste of its future. This is where the martini found its swagger and where it continues to be reinvented,” said Anna Marie Presutti, President and CEO of San Francisco Travel. “San Francisco is always raising the bar. We're thrilled to work with local businesses to celebrate the city's craft cocktail scene.”

The Martini Trail spans San Francisco's distinctive neighborhoods, from the Embarcadero to The Richmond. Featuring downtown institutions as well as chic newcomers, each stop celebrates the city's role in shaping cocktail culture one perfect pour at a time.

Curated by San Francisco–based food, drink, and travel writer Omar Mamoon—whose work has appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, The San Francisco Chronicle, and Esquire's “Best Bars” and “Best New Restaurants”—the 23 selections spotlight the creativity and range of San Francisco's bar scene.

“The list shines a light on just a fraction of the many bars and restaurants in San Francisco making excellent martinis,” said Mamoon. “The Martini Trail is just a starting point—use it as a fun way to explore the city and make your own trail, too. There's so much to uncover and explore in SF.”

In addition to the 23 standout martinis, The San Francisco Martini Trail website features Mamoon's favorite 11 establishments to drink a martini, plus details on the evolution of the iconic cocktail.

The 23 establishments highlighted on the San Francisco Martini Trail are:

· Absinthe

· Martuni's

· Balboa Café

· Osso Steakhouse

· Bar Iris

· Pearl 6101

· Bar Maritime

· Sam's Grill & Seafood Restaurant

· BIX

· Starlite

· Brazen Head

· Stookey's Club Moderne

· Californios

· Tadich Grill

· Club Waziema

· The Progress

· Hi Dive Bar

· True Laurel

· Holbrook House

· Wildhawk

· House of Prime Rib

· Zam Zam

· Lillie Coit's

San Francisco Travel held its launch event for the trail at Le Parc Bistrobar in the Galleria Park Hotel in homage to martini lore. The boutique hotel, formerly the Occidental Hotel, is where bartender Jerry Thomas is said to have popularized or created the Martinez, a martini precursor. The hotel celebrates its mixology roots with a daily Sipping Hour, serving complimentary gin martinis in the lobby to hotel guests.

explore The San Francisco Martini Trail and access an interactive map, visit sftravel.com/san-francisco-martini-trail.

San Francisco Celebrates The Grateful Dead's 60th Anniversary

San Francisco is marking the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead, celebrating the iconic band's profound influence on San Francisco and American culture with months of special events, concerts, exhibitions, and tributes citywide.

The celebration will reach a zenith August 1 to 3, when Dead & Company headlines three nights of historic performances at Golden Gate Park's Polo Field, supported by tribute bands playing throughout San Francisco and City Hall and other landmarks illuminated in tie-dye. Haight-Ashbury, the Grateful Dead's home during the transformative 1960s, will again become the colorful heart of festivities.

“From Haight-Ashbury to the Excelsior District where Jerry Garcia grew up, the Grateful Dead's influence is integral to our city's cultural fabric," said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. "Sixty years later, we proudly honor their legacy through concerts, community events, and celebrations, reflecting San Francisco's enduring spirit of creativity, connection, and musical innovation.”

Celebrating 60 Years of Musical History

Formed in San Francisco in 1965, the Grateful Dead redefined live music with improvisational performances blending rock, jazz, and blues. The band's legendary concerts drew millions of devoted fans, creating a global community of “Deadheads” bonded by shared musical experiences.

The 60th-anniversary festivities include:

Dead & Company at Golden Gate Park: Grateful Dead band members Mickey Hart, and Bobby Weir, joined by John Mayer, Jeff Chimenti, Oteil Burbridge and Jay Lane, headline three unique performances on August 1–3. Ticket sales start on May 28. Visit deadandcompany.com for details.

Jerry Day Celebration: The free, annual Jerry Day concert on August 2 commemorates Jerry Garcia's 82nd birthday and the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in McLaren Park. Performances feature Melvin Seals & JGB, Stu Allen & Mars Hotel, and Grahame Lesh, Elliott Peck, and Alex Jordan. The concert is followed by “Jerry Nite,” the official Jerry Day after-party that supports Jerry Day and the Excelsior District, Garcia's childhood neighborhood.

Jerry Garcia Street Sign Unveiling: A commemorative “Jerry Garcia Street” sign will be unveiled at Harrington Street, Garcia's childhood neighborhood, on August 1 at 11 a.m.

Haight Street Daydream: Haight-Ashbury merchants are hosting celebrations on June 21, July 19 and August 16, featuring live music, art showcases, special promotions, and vibrant street activities.

One for the Vault: Great American Music Hall will host a three-night tribute from August 1 to 3, celebrating the Grateful Dead's historic 1975 performance at the historic venue. The lineup features artists including Melvin Seals & JGB and AXIAL TILT 2025.

SF Giants' Jerry Garcia Tribute Night: On August 12, attendees at Oracle Park receive tie-dye jerseys, accompanied by a special pre-game performance from Moonalice.

Annual Haight-Ashbury Street Fair: On September 7, enjoy performances, art, community spirit, and a vibrant lineup that historically includes legendary artists.

Jerry Garcia in the Lower Mission: From October 29 – November 23, Magic Theatre premieres a musical exploration of Garcia's early years in the Mission District.

Dead-icated Stay: Hotel Zeppelin's package celebrating the 60th anniversary includes a suite equipped with a vintage record player, a handpicked vinyl albums, The ABCs of The Grateful Dead book, a pint of Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream, and a 10% discount on food and beverage from the hotel's restaurants, including at PLS (Peace, Love, Soul) and on Post.

The Counterculture Museum Opens

Opening at the end of May at the iconic corner of Haight and Ashbury, the Counterculture Museum is the first institution dedicated to preserving and interpreting the art, music, and activism of countercultural movements—from the Beat Generation to hippies and beyond. Co-founded by Estelle and Jerry Cimino, creators of the Beat Museum, the museum will serve as a cultural anchor point to the historic neighborhood and feature original artifacts and multimedia storytelling that bring to life the stories and people that shaped these movements.

The museum will open with a special exhibition on the San Francisco Oracle, an underground newspaper in San Francisco that explored hippie consciousness through interviews, articles, and commentary. Known for its vibrant, colorful layouts and psychedelic artwork, the newspaper was published in Haight-Ashbury, one block from the site of the Counterculture Museum. Though it only produced 12 issues, the newspaper captured the spirit of the counterculture movement and was heavily influential during, and in the lead-up to, the Summer of Love.

Visitors can also explore an exhibit displaying a rare recording of the Acid Test with the Grateful Dead. Recorded in 1966, the tape is one of the earliest recordings of the Grateful Dead and is a piece of a larger movement, led by author Ken Kesey, advocating for the use of the psychedelic drug, LSD.

Find more information on these and other events celebrating the Grateful Dead's 60th Anniversary here at sftravel.com.

Alcatraz Reopens For Indoor Tours After Yearlong Closure

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Alcatraz, the historic island prison off San Francisco, opened up Monday for a limited number of indoor tours, which had been off-limits for more than a year due to the pandemic.

Face masks and social distancing are still required at the island, which once housed Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly. Ferries to Alcatraz are operating at 25% capacity, carrying about 150 passengers instead of the usual 600.

Access to the infamous cell house will also be limited only to visitors who sign up for the audio tour in advance.

Safety modifications have been made throughout the island including social distancing markers, increased cleanings and hand sanitizing stations.

Food service will not be available on the ferries or on the island.

In August, the popular tourist destination opened to an outdoor-only experience, to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Alcatraz usually hosts up to 5,000 tourists a day. For now, that number will be reduced to about a thousand.