How to find cool things to do in San Francisco

San Francisco always has events going on, from concerts to symphonies to protests to gallery openings to charity races. It would be exceptionally hard to keep track of all of these goings on if it weren't for the great selection of resources made available to the public -and all for free.
If you live in the Bay Area or are just visiting for a short while, it always helps to keep an eye on the upcoming events in the city to make sure you don't miss the opportunity to check out a happening you are really into.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. The two local weekly papers in San Francisco always have an extensive listing of upcoming events, best of all, both are free both in the city and on the web. The San Francisco Bay Guardian has listings of upcoming political events and protests; theater shows; concerts; films; club happenings and other events that fail to fit in these categories. The SF Weekly has listings of concerts; movies; art gallery events; book-related happenings; museum exhibits; gay and lesbian meetings; theater shows and other events submitted to their publication.

2. San Francisco City Guides provide free local tours of the city. These friendly residents are also very happy to help you answer any questions you have about the city, including what activities they may recommend doing during your trip.
   
   The main City Guide booth is located at:
   100 Larkin St
   San Francisco, CA 94102
   [phone]
   
   www.sfcityguides.org

3. If you're looking to see what bands are in town, the best resource available is an extensive collection of Bay Area shows put together weekly by Steve Koepke and known simply as 'The List.' The list can be found in an easily accessible html version by visiting foopee.com and clicking on punk shows -note that the list is not limited to punk music though.

4. SFStation.com is a comprehensive website with listings all types of activities in the Bay Area. Here you can find upcoming events, top-rated restaurants, local band profiles, and more. This site check help you find just about anything related to shopping, eating or events.

5. Yelp.com is a great resource of reviews from cities across the globe. They started out of San Francisco though, so their listings here are some of the best. If you're looking for upcoming events, you can check the forums and then take a look at the reviews of the location it is held at.
   One great thing about Yelp is that you may avoid good events ruined by the venue. Even if you heard about the event from one of the other sources listed here, you can still check its location on Yelp to make sure it's worth your time.