The seat of counterculture during the 60s hippy era of flower power and the summer of love, there are echoes of the hippy movement’s cultural influence all over San Francisco. If you want to catch the mood of peace and love, follow our top tips for hippy enlightenment.
As Scott McKenzie sang in the 1967 hit “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)”, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair…
Spread peace and love (or if not, just the sign will do…)
…but they’ll be able to tell you’re out-of-towners if you overdo it.
You should hang out at places like The Upper Haight…
Considerably gentrified since it became the focus for the Summer of Love in 1967, The Upper Haight retains its bohemian flavour with its psychedelic houses, head shops and record stores, but this once drop out neighbourhood became a mecca for disaffected youths attracted by the promise of hippy, hairy utopia, fuelled by the commercialisation of local bands The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, but which quickly deteriorated into overcrowded communes filled by vacant eyed drop outs, culminating in a Height-based mock funeral signalling the end of the hippy era in 1967. Far out man.
…and Golden Gate Park
Site of the ‘Human Be In’ at the height of the hippy movement and a prelude to 1967’s Summer of Love, Golden Gate Park is host to three miles of botanic gardens, windmills and, er Janis Joplin tree, said to have “just enough branches for a girl and her guitar,” it has been a popular spot for hippies ever since the Summer of Love. Peace out.
By Ken Kennedy
