Nudging: Do something touristy

By Judith Alex, Guest Nudger

I have been living in San Francisco for 32 years. I love to explore this beautiful city and feel like there isn’t much new stuff for me to discover. Just before the pandemic hit, my hiking pal and I did the Crosstown Trail (17 miles from Candlestick Point to Lands End) in one day. It was epic! We walked through so many neighborhoods that I had never seen before. So when I picked “Do something touristy”, I thought “What am I going to do that I haven’t done already?”

My first thought was that there is no way I am doing Fisherman Wharf. Done it a million times. Then there are my favorites: walking Crissy Field, walking all over Golden Gate Park, visiting a museum, shopping at the Ferry Building. But those are tried and true. I wanted to do something new and different. Fortuitously, while I was thinking about this Nudge, Peter Hartlaub of the San Francisco Chronicle published an article: “32 San Francisco things everyone should do in 2022.”

“Ride the 39 Coit Muni line end to end” really caught my attention. Ah-ha! I have never done that before, and it is in a part of town I rarely visit.

Note to Nudgers: We don’t need to travel to a big city to do something touristy. In addition to googling for places of interest nearby, you might ask your local librarian or someone at city hall for tips. See if your town has a historical society—they’ll certainly have suggestions. There might be a historical landmark, a building featuring interesting architecture, a specialized museum, or an interesting statue in a park. Or maybe you go find your town’s Best View or Best Fudge. Have fun! —Kathleen