Here's where San Francisco slips into a different self. Just south of Golden Gate Park, all the way west, the once-overlooked Outer Sunset neighborhood drops the tech hustle for an easy-breathing beach village vibe. We sent a photographer on a sunny stroll a few weeks back. Here's what she found.
“I had the pleasure of heading over to the beach on a beautifully clear day to watch what was going to be a great sunset. Before I hit the sand, I walked along my favorite strip of the Outer Sunset with my dog to stop by Woods Outbound. They have one of my favorite beers in the city, a honey beer that’s light and sweet, with one of their amazing mushroom empanadas. I drank my beer, then took my empanada to-go, while walking past Monk’s Surf Shop and through the colorful neighborhoods right off Judah street.”
“It’s typical this time of day to see surfer’s - barefoot and already in their wetsuits - heading towards the beach for their sunset waves. As we walked along the streets I snapped a few photos of the houses passing driveways with old cars that send you back decades.”
“As I made my way over to the beach to join the surfers, I threw the ball for my dog Maggie and let her run alongside the incoming waves. The colors that night were beautiful and made the beach walk even more enjoyable!”
“As I headed back to my car I grabbed dinner - 2 fish tacos - from one of my favorite spots, Hook Fish, and loaded Maggie back into the car as the sky was painted with pink and blue hues. It was the perfect night for a sunset beach walk.”
About the Photographer
Emma McConnell is a southern-raised, San Francisco-based photographer passionate about capturing life in all its forms; the beautiful, mundane, thought-provoking, and everything in between. Emma's work spans across various genres (lifestyle to portrait to landscape) and film photography is her preferred medium.
Explore the Neighborhood
From morning coffee runs to golden hour shopping swings, here's a list of favorite local stops for your time in these sand-dusted streets.
Coffee
Trouble Coffee, 4033 Judah St
All Day Cafe
Outerlands, 4001 Judah St
Bread
Devil's Teeth Baking Company, 3876 Noriega St
Fish Market
Hook Fish Co, 4542 Irving St
Bar
The Riptide, 3639 Taraval St
Discoveries
General Store, 4035 Judah St
Surf
Mollusk, 4500 Irving St
Books
Black Bird Books, 4541 Irving St