Here in San Francisco, it comes as no surprise that there are a million ways to get from here to there. We're a bustling and constantly on-the-go city—and you bet we're proud of it! But while math teaches us that the fastest way to get from where you are to where you're going is a straight line, can't we all agree that's a little boring?

Some might argue that route-mapping apps are so ever-present and inescapable that they turn could-be adventures into a purely functional, time-saving routine. We dare you to answer: how many times do you look up directions on the reg? Does it not default to fastest route, assuming that's what you want? And does that not steal a bit of surprise and joy from the journey itself?

In partnership with Sanpellegrino® Sparkling Fruit Beverages and their Delightways app, we challenged ourselves to slow down a little bit, without a pre-charted path or ultimate destination—to discover the (semi) hidden beauties and local gems of one of our most beloved neighborhoods: The Inner Richmond. We checked out a potentially haunted place, learned the secret history of fortune cookies, and fell in love with a Swedish Princess (Cake). And to help avoid what could be your next "stare at the ground and get where you're going" walk, we curated a little insider's neighborhood guide, charting our trip and (hopefully!) inspiring a little joy. So the next time you're visiting, why not look up, look around, and seek out a few new experiences along the way to wherever you may be going.

The Richmond District, roughly defined as the area north of Golden Gate Park, south of the Presidio, and comprised of about 360 square blocks in the western half of San Francisco, is a primarily residential area named for the home of one of the early landholders in this part of the city, Australian art dealer George Turner Marsh. Marsh thought the place resembled his hometown of Richmond, a suburb of Melbourne, so he built Richmond House—and the name stuck. It's an often foggy and windswept part of town that feels like a true neighborhood, and despite a few businesses like High Treason (see below) that bring a whiff of a new guard, it feels like it will be untouched by gentrification for a long time to come—or at least until the city manages to build a subway out here.

The Neptune Society Columbarium
The section of the Inner Richmond off the northeast corner of Golden Gate Park, roughly around what's now Laurel Heights, was once the nexus of the city's cemeteries in the 19th Century—home to four distinct establishments with two that catered fraternal organizations, the Masons and the Odd Fellows. But in the early 20th century, following the Great Earthquake of 1906, the city relegated all burials and cremations to the south of the city, and all burial plots here were removed and relocated in a grim process of mass-graving. One of the last vestiges of this era is a grand, domed, neoclassical columbarium that rises from the center of the Odd Fellows' cemetery, which stood abandoned for most of the last century. Tucked at the end of a cul-de-sac, it was fully restored and re-established as a columbarium (a place for urns and cremains) by the Neptune Society in the 1980's.

Green Apple Books
Founded in 1967 by 25-year-old Richard Savoy, a book-loving Army vet with little business experience, Green Apple Books is one of those rare neighborhood bookstores that has thrived over the decades, grown to ten times its original size, and sadly outlived much of its competition around town—new-and-used stores like this do continue to turn profits elsewhere in SF, though not at the scale of Green Apple. It's appropriate that a book business should survive in one of the colder, foggier, and more contemplative parts of town, and the place is dense and wildly varied with its categories—think Powell's in Portland, just more manageable in scale. Over a decade ago, they acquired a next-door record store, so there's a music section for audiophiles, and there's always good deals to be found in the sidewalk bargain bins. As for the funny looking mascot out front, Mergatroid, he was a Punchinello carved by a sign maker Savoy hired in the '70s, and passersby like to put hats on him.

High Treason
It's one of the few new businesses to join the neighborhood in what seems like decades, and it's one that feels like it was transplanted straight from the hipper Mission. High Treason boasts 45 international wines by the glass as well as a concise but serviceable food menu to boot. The place was recently opened by two local restaurant industry vets, former Quince and Meadowood guy Michael Ireland and former Gary Danko guy Jon Vuong, who both set out to create a bright and pleasant space where they themselves would want to kick back and sip some Marsanne or Brunelllo di Montalcino. There's rotating art on the walls, as well as an always-rotating turntable—like well known hip kid coffee destination Four Barrel in the Mission, they only spin vinyl. But the vibe is anything but pretentious here, with super helpful staff, lots of reasonably priced glasses, and an inviting glow about the place that's aided by some big skylights down the center of the room.

The Japanese Tea Garden
Perhaps one of the most unique and transporting hidden gems on the Richmond side of Golden Gate Park is the elaborate, five-acre Japanese garden and tea house designed and improved upon by landscape architect Makoto Hagiwara. What began as part of a world's fair—a "Japanese Village" constructed for the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition—ultimately became a passion project for Hagiwara. Today, it remains a magical spot with its pagodas and koi ponds and manicured bonsai. The most elaborate and beloved of the large park's concession areas sells pots of tea and dishes of rice crackers—the garden and tea house are open daily with slightly longer hours in the summer. Also, there's a funny connection between Hagiwara and the creation of the first American fortune cookies, as we know them today. A similar but savory, miso-based fortune cookie had been made in Japan for a long time, and Hagiwara commissioned a Japantown baker and confectioner Benkyodo (which is still there) to create a sweeter version for American palates, leading to the vanilla-based recipe we know today. So even though the cookies became a traditional dessert in Chinese restaurants in the US, we have Japan to thank for their creation. To this day, fortune cookies are included with the bowls of snacks at Hagiwara's tea garden, in recognition of this legacy.

Schubert's Bakery
Possibly the oldest continually operating business in the neighborhood is Schubert's, which started life over on Fillmore Street 105 years ago and moved to the Inner Richmond in the 1940's under original owner, German baker Oswald R. Schubert. The place is now in its fourth generation of owners, and Ralph and Lutz Wenzel took Schubert's tradition of creating perfectly pretty, traditional cakes and pastries and added some modern techniques and a few new greatest hits—including an excellent version of the endlessly popular Swedish Princess Cake, with just the right ratio of custard filling, raspberry, marzipan, and cake. With reasonable prices and beautiful products, it's a destination spot that can be misguidedly overlooked in these days of everything "artisan."

Feeling like having a little adventure? We thought so! Go ahead—we hope you're ready to smell the garden flowers, not just figuratively, but literally. And alongside our friends at Sanpellegrino® Sparkling Fruit Beverages, we encourage you to discover The Life Deliziosa™—the joy of wandering and the art of serendipity. Want to add a breath of fresh air to your journeys to come? Discover Delightways today—it's a curated journey-finding app full of local haunts and hidden gems that encourages you to rediscover the art of wandering—right here, at home in San Francisco. Delighways helps you live The Life Deliziosa™, reminding you that delight is not only in the destination, but in the moments of joy we find along the way.

If you've got a destination, take a chance on something new and discover the most delightful way there. Keep cool with a refreshing Sanpellegrino® Sparkling Fruit Beverage and find your joy in the journey today.

This post is a sponsored collaboration between Sanpellegrino® Sparkling Fruit Beverages and Gothamist staff.

(Jay Barmann/SFist)