What a long strange trip it… continues to be.
Much of the lore from quintessential psychedelic rock group, Grateful Dead, stems from its countercultural roots in the hippie haven of San Francisco. Indeed, even folks who only know “Touch of Grey” will go see the “Grateful Dead house” in Haight-Ashbury.
Given their deep roots around the area, there are plenty of ways to celebrate and experience the band’s unique history—whether you’re a life-long Deadhead or only dabbling in the world of tie-dye and dancing bears and skeletons.
From spinning in a field to “Sugar Magnolia” to cruising the inevitable pop-up marketplace (aka Shakedown Street) in search of the perfect grilled cheese or pipe carved from a megalodon tooth, here is our guide to the best places to vibe out and celebrate this pivotal California group in all its iterations.
Deadheads Celebrate 60th Anniversary
The Grateful Dead hasn’t performed since the summer of 1995—that’s when Jerry Garcia, the group’s central figure, passed away at the age of 53. The Dead’s essence and legacy remain strong, however, especially at various locations around the Bay Area.
This summer, the next-generation outfit Dead & Company—cofounded by Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart, along with teen heartthrob-turned-jam-shredder John Mayer and other players—will return to that home turf on Aug. 1–3 with a massive concert in Golden Gate Park to “celebrate 60 years of the Grateful Dead’s music.”
For many, these concerts will represent a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage. For San Francisco, it’s a chance to throw a monthlong jamboree celebrating the city that fostered the rise of Deadheads, the band’s loyal fanbase. Deadheads no doubt will start arriving as early as July 31 for the three-night pre-festival The Heart of Town at Pier 48, led by Grahame Lesh—son of the late Dead bassist Phil Lesh—and featuring a wide range of jam, jazz, and Americana acts.
The Grateful Dead House on Haight-Ashbury
The “Grateful Dead house” at 710 Ashbury Street, a block and a half south of Haight Street, is where the band—with the exception of Mickey Hart—all bunked from 1966 to 1968. The Victorian home, which dates to around 1900, was big enough for the whole gang and even allowed pals like Neal Cassady and Janis Joplin (who at one point was the girlfriend of early member Ron “Pigpen” McKernan) to find a frequent perch.
Go and take a picture, but play it cool—it’s a private residence now, carved up into several apartments. (Fun fact: One guy who lived in the basement for a time claimed in 2020 that he used to play in a Dead cover band.)
Grateful Dead Places to Check Out in Haight-Ashbury
After you’ve paid your respects to the house of the Dead, head over to the unofficial neighborhood visitor’s center, aptly titled Welcome to Haight-Asbury. Located in the historic Doonan-Larson building, this souvenir shop is all heart, showcasing local artists' wares, from mugs to t-shirts to history books, in hopes of preserving San Francisco’s unique cultural identity. The boutique also provides great tour recommendations, copies of local zine Haight Street Voice, and a fantastic map of the neighborhood which points out the past homes of Jimi Hendrix, Graham Nash, Sid Vicious, and Marilyn Monroe.
Next, you just gotta poke around the Psychedelic SF Art Gallery. Filled with colorful works from a constantly rotating collection of artists, this vibrant shop is ready to awaken your consciousness with bold pieces and the occasional live jam session right on the sidewalk.
For great shopping be sure to browse Wasteland, an enormous vintage clothing and consignment shop; Relic Vintage (“goin’ where the climate suits my clothes”); Loved to Death, a boutique specializing in crystals, taxidermy, and skeletons (“rat cat alley, roll them bones”); and Love on Haight, a brightly colored tie-dye shop that’ll keep you covered in the Dead’s unofficial uniform.
There’s also the Ben & Jerry’s on the corner of Haight and Ashbury, and if you were ever going to gorge on some Cherry Garcia, this is the place.
You are also pretty close to Amoeba Records, because you probably should get Aoxamoxoa on vinyl already, you certainly stream it enough.
Hotels for Grateful Dead Fans
For a place to stay, you couldn’t do any better than Hotel Zeppelin, a few blocks off Union Square. The centrally located boutique hotel has always been focused on the city’s rock ‘n’ roll heritage, but it’s going full Wall of Sound for the big 60th. Their “Dead-Icated Stay” offers special rates on suites with ready-to-go in-room record players, a curated collection of discs, and late-night access to all the Cherry Garcia you could crave.
Lovers of all music should check out the Music City Hotel and Hostel in Nob Hill, which offers private karaoke rooms, rehearsal studio space, and a calendar filled with live performances.
See Live Music Where the Dead Played
Much of the Dead’s early magic came from being part of the wider San Francisco scene, and you can still see shows at many of those storied venues, even if some have different names today. No still-active club (RIP Winterland Ballroom and Fillmore West) showcased these groups like The Matrix, at 3138 Fillmore Street in Cow Hollow. Indeed, the Jefferson Airplane’s Marty Balin was a co-owner of the joint, which is part of why it became so legendary so quickly.
In addition to the Dead and the Airplane, groups like Big Brother and the Holding Company, Quicksilver Messenger Service, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Hot Tuna, and visiting groups like The Doors and the Velvet Underground played there. The Matrix closed decades ago, but it reopened in 2018 as White Rabbit, a club, restaurant, and music venue that, by virtue of its name alone, honors its heritage.
There’s also the Great American Music Hall, where the live album One from the Vault was recorded, which Rolling Stone marked as one of the top 20 live shows from the Dead. The concert hall, beloved for its rococo-style boxes and elaborate ceiling, is still hosting rock shows today, and is known to schedule a fair amount of Dead tribute bands, from Jerry’s Middle Finger to Steely Dead (a group that combines the Dead with Steely Dan).
The Fillmore West—the venue where the Dead recorded the famed 1969 live album Live/Dead—is no more, but you can still catch shows at The Fillmore, where the Dead performed at least 20 times in their early days. Today the 1912 venue hosts acts such as They Might Be Giants and Jason Mraz.
Deadhead Spots in Silicon Valley and Santa Cruz
For the serious scholars who want to take a drive out of town, you can head to UC Santa Cruz and book time with the Grateful Dead Archive, a treasure trove consisting of thousands of audio recordings, papers, framed artwork, decorated fan envelopes (old school Heads who got tickets through the mail know what this is all about), and so much more. Anyone who ignored their mother’s requests to throw out their old concert flyers and fanzines will feel a little victorious here.
While in Santa Cruz, stop in at one of the original locations of Verve Coffee, which is offering a Grateful Dead Morning Brew.
On the way down, consider popping into the newly opened Bar Loretta in Silicon Valley’s Menlo Park. The bar, formerly Magoo’s Pizza Parlor, was where the band the Warlocks—who later became the Dead—played their first gig. A plaque outside commemorates the historic performance along with themed cocktails and a recurring Wednesday night playlist that’s nothing but the Dead.
The town of Palo Alto is another key part of Dead history as well. Jerry Garcia used to work at Dana Morgan’s Music Store on Bryant St. in downtown Palo Alto, and on New Year’s Eve 1963 he met Bob Weir there. While the store is long gone (a mattress store stands there now), there’s a plaque outside on the sidewalk. The Dead also played many shows during the 1980s at Frost Amphitheatre at Stanford University.
Pay your respects at the nearby Alta Mesa Memorial Park, where original Grateful Dead organist and harmonica player Mckerna was laid to rest after his untimely death in 1973. (Apple founder Steve Jobs is also interred here.)
Planning Your Next Musical Adventure in California
Looking for more music-inspired bucket list items to cross off the list? Check out our rock ‘n’ roll road trip, the best places to see live shows in California, and eight amazing historic music venues.