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The icy waters of the Bay are an option only if you’re a polar bear or an indomitable surfer. Most visitors will want to head for a pool – try the Embarcadero YMCA.

The Bay Area is replete with magnificent hiking trails for every type of nature-lover. Land’s End offers some wild terrain to scramble over (see A Two-Hour Hike Around Land’s End), and Mount Tamalpais is criss-crossed with trails. But just scaling the city’s hills is enough hiking for most people.

Golden Gate Park and in-line skaters make a perfect match, especially on Sundays, when the main street in the park is closed to cars. Or try the path that runs along Marina Green for smoothly paved surfaces that come with awesome views.

Skateboard ramps are wherever you make them in this city – along Market Street in the Financial District, in one of the dozens of parks, or on any plaza. Protection against the inevitable vagaries of flying around on wheels means you should gear up with a helmet, knee and elbow pads, and gloves.

Now that Crissy Field’s restoration is complete, the Golden Gate Promenade (see Alioto’s) is an inspiring run. And, of course, Golden Gate Park offers endless opportunities for jogging. If organized running is your thing, try the Bay to Breakers or the San Francisco Marathon.

Free public tennis courts abound in the city. Contact the Recreation and Park Department for the one nearest you. Golden Gate Park has 21 courts, for which a small fee is charged, but you can book in advance. Most public outdoor courts are open from sunrise to sunset. Indoor courts are the purview of private tennis clubs, with membership required.

The Lincoln Park 18-hole course overlooks Land’s End, and Golden Gate Park has a challenging 9-hole course. The newest addition to the scene, the Presidio Golf Course, is considered one of the country’s best.

Sailing, rowing and kayaking are all great here, although far from a cakewalk on the Bay’s unpredictable waters and sometimes ferocious prevailing winds. Play it nice and easy by taking a boat out on Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park (see Stow Lake and Strawberry Hill).

Surfing here requires great fortitude and is not for beginners. The same goes for windsurfing on the Bay’s wild waters. Hang-gliding can be tackled by novices, but only under the guidance of an expert.

Although the hills’ amazing grades overwhelm all but those with legs of steel, bicycling is very big in San Francisco. Rent bikes from City Cycle.