When it comes to comedy clubs, the question to ask isn't "What?" or "Where?" it's "Who?" In any case, Cobb's Comedy Club has you covered. In its 25th year, the North Beach venue plays host to the finest funny men and women working today. From Jerry Seinfeld and Dave Chappelle to Ellen DeGeneres and Margaret Cho, Cobb's rotating cast of headliners are Leno and Letterman regulars, many with a comedy series of their own. Let's put it this way: a celebrated stand-up doesn't step foot out of SFO without first making an appearance on this stage. If you're hungry for more than laughter, the 400-seat venue offers a full dinner menu of classic American pub food, like crispy fried calamari, marinated chicken sandwiches, and of course, a Cobb's chopped salad. Just remember to come thirsty: with a two-beverage minimum, they mean business. Sobreity is no laughing matter.

As a non-collecting institution, the Contemporary Jewish Museum's ever-changing exhibition program embraces a range of artistic disciplines. From Andy Warhol's pantheon of Jewish portraits to a retrospective of Where the Wild Things Are author Maurice Sendak's career, each presentation is timely and relevant, fostering a dialogue between museum-goers of all faiths. Partnering with national and international cultural institutions, the Museum showcases contemporary art, historical objects, film and music, literary readings, and other live performances that pertain to Judaism as both a religion and culture. Founded in 1984, the Contemporary Jewish Museum opened its doors as the "Jewish Community Museum" in San Francisco's Financial District with a goal of introducing audiences of all backgrounds to contemporary perspectives on Jewish culture, history, art and ideas. After much success, ten years later, the Museum hired acclaimed Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind — who won the competition to reconstruct Manhattan's World Trade Center site — to re-envision a 1907 landmark in SoMa as its new home. Reopened in 2008 with a vibrant blue metallic steel roof surging from a Beaux Arts brick façade, the dynamic 63,000-square-foot structure marries historical and contemporary architecture. Steps away from the SFMOMA and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, it's a can't-miss for culture vultures.

Ask anyone where the latest in San Francisco cuisine, music, performance, and most importantly art resides and they will tell you at the famously dynamic 111 Minna Gallery in SOMA.  Gallery by day and dance floor by night, this gallery changes every six weeks to embrace the latest in local, national, and international urban art. With gallery space that easily converts itself into spaces for as little as 50 and up to 500 people, including the bar and dance floor, 111 Minna is the cities go-to for the hottest events.  And they’re here to showcase anything and everything in the world of art.  With Emily the Strange creator Rob Reiner’s exhibit, San Francisco’s Poet Laureate Diane DePrima readings, World-Renowned DJ Vinroc, and even the EAT street food pop-up restaurant every Monday night, nothing is off topic, too outlandish, or out of range for 111 Minna’s creative initiative.

If you think of Asian Art as just orchids, bamboo, and cast iron teapots, you haven’t been to the Asian Art Museum in the Civic Center – and you need to go! Not only does the museum have priceless artifacts like the oldest Chinese gilt-bronze Buddha in the world (photographed in textbooks everywhere), but they offer some pretty cool interactive programs such as yoga inspired by the sculpture poses, storytelling for the kids (“How Ganesha Got His Elephant Head”), and learning the art of Japanese Tea Ceremonies. The museum even has exhibitions for the night owls with their Thursday night after-hours parties called MATCHA.  Observe the Shaolin Temple monks demonstrate some high-kicking kung fu while you listen to Shanghai Jazz.  Always changing and never a dull moment, this Asian Art Museum will keep you exploring  over 6,000 years of history.

Glowing like a beacon over the Castro District, The Castro Theatre marquee is not only a symbol of the city’s gay rights movement (as featured in the Oscar-winning film Milk), but the city's favorite venue to connect with the community in a way that is colorful and meaningful.  For decades San Franciscans have come together in this lavishly decorated historic theatre for live and screen performances, even participating in cult films such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Little Mermaid sing-alongs, Dionne Warwick concerts, and every single film festival that comes to town. The Castro Theatre is old-fashioned and intimate, right down to the original brass ticket booth out front that's big enough for only one vendor.  Inside, the Spanish-Oriental influence is apparent in the scraffito wall murals, but the gold art deco details make it familiar.  The 1,400 red velvet seats throughout the main floor, mezzanine, and balcony are new, along with the PA, sound, and lighting systems, but have stylishly retained their early-century charm. The theatre also functions in the mainstream, as each month it features top box office movies.  Some recent favorites have been the star-studded Nine and Milk, which ran for almost two months.