Hidden San Francisco

A Guide to Lost Landscapes, Unsung Heroes, and Radical Histories

The 'alt' guidebook to San Francisco, complete with walking and cycling routes

'A dissenter's guidebook' - Peter Booth Wiley, author of The National Trust Guide to San Francisco

'Scores of sparkling vignettes illuminate the city with the torch of social criticism and the sharp lens of a local sage' - Richard Walker, author of Pictures of a Gone City

San Francisco is an iconic city. But beyond the picture postcards of the Golden Gate Bridge, the city’s most interesting and radical history is waiting to be uncovered.

Hidden San Francisco is a guidebook like no other. Structured around the four major themes of ecology, labor, transit, and dissent, Chris Carlsson peels back the layers of the city’s history to reveal a storied past: behind old walls and gleaming glass facades lurk former industries, secret music and poetry venues, forgotten terrorist bombings, and much more. Carlsson also delves into the Bay Area’s long prehistory, examining the lives of its indigenous inhabitants before the 1849 Gold Rush changed everything.

This second edition includes new tours on the wild and natural parts of San Francisco that most tourists never visit, from Glen Canyon to Sutro Forest. There is also a new introduction examining the impact of the pandemic, as well as a mini-history of tech in the city, from the Gold Rush to AI.

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.