Jamie Ferrell, Author at Secret San Francisco

Hi there! I grew up in Santa Cruz and graduated from UC Berkeley in 2018 with an English major and Spanish minor. After teaching ESL for a few years, I joined the Secret Media Network as a Staff Writer. I love to write about California history, hidden gems, museum exhibitions, and local wildlife.

The San Francisco Zoo Is Hosting One Of Its Elusive Free Admission Days This Week — Here’s What To Know

Did you know that the San Francisco Zoo periodically offers free admission to San Francisco residents? If you happen to catch one of these elusive events, you can save yourself the usual SF resident price of $26. This...

Culture Things To Do

The Nation’s Oldest Italian Heritage Parade Dates Back To 1868 In San Francisco — Here’s What To Know For Its 157th Rendition

San Francisco's vibrant Italian community will come out in droves this October to celebrate the . Festivities include a bazaar all weekend long, and of course, the Italian Heritage Parade on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. This...

Tickets For The 2028 L.A. Olympics Go On Sale Sooner Than You Think — Here’s What To Know Before The End Of The Year

The 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics — known as LA28 — will arrive here in California before we know it. Make sure you save the date for the Olympics taking place from July 14 to 30, 2028, and the Paralympics taking pl...

Never Miss An SF Update — Make Secret San Francisco Your Preferred Source On Google In Just A Few Steps

Google is rolling out more and more updates lately, from AI Overviews to algorithm changes that affect what shows up on your results page. Whether you're a reader getting results from unexpected sources, or a website or...

Visit San Francisco Wellness & Nature

One Of The Country’s Most Diverse Botanical Gardens Covers 55 Acres In The Heart Of SF — Known For Its Significant Magnolia Collection

Did you know that the San Francisco Botanical Garden is one of the most diverse botanical gardens in the United States? From the world-famous collection to the specially-designed Fragrance Garden, here's how to make t...

Cinema Culture Visit San Francisco

These Are All The Bay Area Filming Locations From Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds’ — Including An 1873 Schoolhouse And A Church Photographed By Ansel Adams

Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963), starring Tippi Hedren and Rod Taylor, is the famous director's first horror film and perhaps one of the most industry-defining films in history. It was filmed just up the coast in th...

Things To Do

California’s ‘Hardest Town To Pronounce’ Was Once A Fraudulent Health Spa Resort With A Kooky Founder — Here’s The Wild Backstory

Southern California's funky unincorporated desert settlement, Zzyzx, is famous for its unique name that stands out on maps and . In fact, Zzyzx routinely tops lists as the hardest town name to pronounce, with the spelli...

Escapes Wellness & Nature

The ‘Galápagos Of North America’ — CA’s Least-Visited National Park Has 150+ Endemic Species And 13,000 Years Of Human History

Channel Islands National Park may be the least-visited national park in the state, but the islands' remote location has directly influenced the evolution of 150+ endemic plant and animal species, earning the islands the...

The SoCal To Vegas Bullet Train Will Have 4 Key Stops Along Its 2-Hour Route — Here’s The Map And Projected Opening Date

Californians will soon have a new way to reach via the Brightline West bullet train, which is now projected to open in December 2028. The massive project broke ground last year and will be a game-changer for those trav...

Things To Do

Winchester Mystery House Debuts New Halloween Attraction For 2025 — With A Masquerade Ball And Terrifying Basement Challenge

San Jose's Winchester Mystery House presents Festival Fright Nights, a new 2025 experience produced in partnership with Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group. Guests are invited to take on a three-part horror experienc...