New to SF? Riders love this driver’s must-see recs

Evan Atkinson, who's been driving with Lyft since 2014, has a tip for his out-of-town passengers. Before he drops them off by Fisherman's Wharf, he always recommends they take a quick detour to famously crooked Lombard Street. "That's one of my favorite hacks," he says. "If you're willing to take three extra minutes, we'll drive by, take a photo, and you won't have to come all the way back here."

Before 2014, Evan was a site coordinator for the San Francisco YMCA. When he learned about Lyft, he bought a car and applied. "Almost 12 years later, and I've never looked for another job," he says. "It just kind of fit."

He appreciates the flexibility and the chance to get to know his city. He's learned about new restaurant openings from the owners themselves, important community news, and "all the gossip and the drama."

Driving with Lyft also allows him the freedom to travel. He makes it a point to visit two or three countries every year-most recently Poland. So far, he's been to 17 total, including Mexico, England, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, and India. "I'm my own boss," he says. I'll just throw a metaphorical dart at a map, and I'm good to go."

Evan's love of travel is a big part of the reason he feels passionate about playing tour guide for visitors to San Francisco. "I hope I can be a small part in helping them have a beautiful experience." That, and his love for the city itself. "The reason San Francisco is so iconic comes from its long history of acceptance for the 'freaks and weirdos' of the world," he says. "If the world rejects you, you're welcome here."

While he's not one to force chit-chat on his passengers, if he can glean that they're in town for some sightseeing, he'll check in to see if they're open to suggestions.

Unless they're die-hard Full (or Fuller) House fans, he'll gently recommend a pivot from the original house to Haight-Ashbury, which is full of similar grand Victorians but was also the birthplace of the counterculture movement and home to everyone from the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin to Charles Manson. Instead of only architecture-gazing, they can check out the history and the hippie vibes that remain.

The Golden Gate Bridge is beautiful, but once you walk across it, there's not a lot to do besides more hiking. If that's not the main goal, he'll suggest a ferry ride to Sausalito, where visitors can enjoy views of the bridge from the water and grab lunch in the cute town directly north of San Francisco.

The Mission District is also high on his list. Named after Mission San Francisco de Asis, the sixth mission built in California by Father Junípero Serra, the Latin neighborhood is packed with boutiques, Mexican restaurants, and art and culture, including vibrant murals. One of his favorite stops is Balmy Alley, a block-long alley covered in murals that constantly change.

Another favorite? Chinatown, which he admits is a "tourist trap," but, as the oldest Chinatown in North America and one of the largest outside of Asia, it's filled with the history of Chinese immigration. "When you're strolling the main tourist drag, Grant Avenue, you'll see silly souvenir shops, but you'll also be immersed in Chinese immigrant history." And one block over, on Stockton Street, visitors can check out the markets and restaurants that really serve the local population, he says.

The animated driver also likes to share his favorite park (Buena Vista), unexpected surprises (the parrots that live in the city), and fun facts (the sunken ships under San Francisco's streets). But the thing he likes best is when he makes a suggestion that lands. "I'll say, 'Given your time constraints, you might want to do this instead.' And when they say, 'That sounds great,' it makes me really happy."