Walks to do now and in the New Year

In these long months of the pandemic, we continue to hear from people about how much walking means to them right now. 

We’ve seen this on our streets with so many people walking – especially on new car-free and low-traffic spaces like the Great Highway, JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park, Twin Peaks, Shelley Drive in McLaren Park, and the 50+ miles of Slow Streets (share your love for Slow Streets with your Supervisor!).

As we face more restrictions and closures to prevent the spread of Covid, walking continues to be a way to support our physical and mental health. It’s also a way to break up the day, to feel connected to our neighborhoods and nature, and see new sides of the city we call home.

I want to reshare Walk SF’s many ideas for walks, short and long, from a series of blogs earlier this year:

• Seeing your neighborhood with fresh eyes: fresh inspiration for your daily walk
• Off-the-beaten-path walks for every district in San Francisco
• Fun family walks to do in your neighborhood during shelter-in-place
• Five ideas for solo walks in any neighborhood
• Ideas and inspiration for walking in San Francisco during shelter-in-place

It’s also not too late to get (or give as a gift) Peak2Peak. San Francisco Chronicle reporters Heather Knight and Peter Hartlaub did this year’s route – and loved it so much they decided it will be an annual #TotalSF tradition! The route is designed to do it either as two 6.5-mile hikes or one 13-mile adventure.

And if you haven’t read about Alexandra Kenin, who’s hiking every staircase in San Francisco, check this out!

As always, a huge thanks to the Walk SF expert volunteers who created the 2020 Peak2Peak route and contributed to the blogs above.