Ahhh San Francisco. The place where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars and the morning fog chills the air. (The morning fog also happens to be named Karl, and he has an Instagram). San Francisco was my home for nearly three years. While I now live nearly 3,000 miles away, I often find myself feeling nostalgic for the serene calm of “the city by the bay”. To embrace and ease this nostalgia, I felt it was the perfect opportunity to draft up a list of my favorite things to do in San Francisco.
When you think of “California”, one is quick to imagine beaches and surfing. But San Francisco breaks the stereotype by holding a magic entirely of its own. Home of the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, and Full House houses – San Francisco is a city not to be missed.
I’ve broken down this San Francisco bucket list into 1) activities that cost money, 2) activities that are free, and 3) activities that happen only once per year. These were pulled from my happiest memories – so hopefully they spark inspiration in you, too.
8 things to do in San Francisco that cost money
1. Spend an afternoon at the Exploratorium
Exploratorium is one of the best museums to explore in the entire Bay Area. Exploratorium expertly combines art, design, and science in over 600 interactive exhibits. On Thursday nights, the museum opens for adults 18+ to wander through the museum accompanied by friends and a drink of choice. You can purchase tickets on their website.
2. Climb up Coit Tower
Coit Tower, located in the northeast side of the city, has one of the best 360 panoramic views of the Bay. It is well worth the $10 and 400 stair climb… once. But be prepared for sore legs after the climb. The lines can get extremely long during peak hours, so it is best to visit in the morning.
In my opinion, the most scenic part of this experience is actually the climb up to the base of Coit Tower. I recommend climbing up the Filbert Street Steps on the eastern side. Look at those beautiful gardens!
3. Ride a cable car
Perhaps one of the most notable things to do in San Francisco is taking a ride on an iconic cable car. Cable cars are a fun way to explore the city. On melancholy days, I would take the cable car from my apartment in Lower Pacific Heights to my office on the Embarcadero. The sweeping views of the Bay Bridge as you crest over Nob Hill never failed to boost my spirits.
Check out my guide to riding a cable car in San Francisco for more information.
4. Bike over the Golden Gate Bridge
The scenic bike ride over the Golden Gate was my very favortie activity to suggest when guests came for a visit. Though, admittedly, I would oven low-ball just how far they would actually be biking. (And, on one particularly ambitious adventure, my friend and I traveled WAY off course and nearly missed our ferry home).
Check out my guide to biking over the Golden Gate Bridge here!
5. Take a tour of Alcatraz
Not to be confused with Azkaban, although they are remarkably similar, Alcatraz is a prison-turned-museum located on a small rock formation in the middle of the San Francisco Bay. In fact, you can see its lighthouse ominously swirling through the fog from just about any point along the northern coast of the city. You may even expect a few dementors probably live there.
Alcatraz was known for housing infamous criminals including Al Capone and “Machine Gun” Kelly (no. not the musical artist. The bootlegger).
There are no guided tours of Alcatraz during the day. Instead, you are free to wander about the island and explore the nooks and crannies while listening to an audio tour. Evening tours, however, include a guided boat tour around the island, and the spooky “Cellhouse Tour”. If you have an itch for a creepy vibe while visiting a defunct prison, I recommend the evening tour. Tickets cost $41 per adult for the day tour, and $47 at night. Discounts are available for children and seniors. Purchase your tickets online in advance, as they tend to sell out quickly!
6. Visit the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park
The Japanese Tea Garden was built for the 1894 World’s Fair and is the oldest tea garden in the United States. Its gardens are sprawling with azalea, fir trees, and ornate lanterns. Walking through the tea garden is the perfect escape from a bustling day. Grab a cup of tea and relax by the ponds and shinto shrines. The Japanese Tea Garden costs $10-12 for non-resident adults, depending on the time of year.
7. Take a guided tour of a San Francisco neighborhood
San Francisco is home to many incredible neighborhoods, each with their own unique personalities and rich histories. One of the best ways to learn more about the city and the people who populate it is to take a guided tour of one (or many!) of the neighborhoods. Intrepid Travel offers a great series of walking tours that include visiting historic sites and famous popular eateries.
I recommend taking a look for walking tours in The Castro, Chinatown, or The Mission. All three neighborhoods are packed with history. Without a tour, you may miss out on some nuances and landmarks.
Check out my San Francisco neighborhood guide here.
8. Embark on a food tour!
San Francisco offers some of the best food in the entire United States. While you’re there, spend some time traveling to restaurants and sampling the unique flavors.
Check out my San Francisco Food Guide for more information!
9 free things to do in San Francisco
1. Hike through Land’s End
Ahhh Land’s End. Truly my favorite spot in the entire city. Here you can find the ruins of the famous Sutro Baths, as well as some of the best hiking trails in the city. My friends and I would spend hours exploring the ruins and wandering along the beach.
On my final night before moving away from San Francisco, my friends and I packed the car and drove to Land’s End to watch our final sunset. Kaleo and First Aid Kit floated out of our portable radio and mingled with the ocean waves rolling onto the sands. We tightroped along the ruin ledges until the sun faded below the water and then left it behind for the foreseeable future. A core memory with wonderful friends in a wonderful city.
2. Check out the Farmer’s Market at the Ferry Building
The Ferry Building was historically one of the main entry points to San Francisco during the Gold Rush. Today, the interior is a bustling market housing a number of small restaurants and artist booths. On Saturday morning, booths line the entire plaza outside the ferry building. Here you can buy fresh vegetables, jewelry, crafted driftwood art, and truly all of the cheese you could possibly imagine. Bonus points go to the truffle olive oil – simply to die for.
3. See the Painted Ladies at Alamo Square Park
San Francisco is not complete without a stop by the famous ‘Painted Ladies’ – or, as they are sometimes referenced: The Full House Houses. You can find these gems in Alamo Square Park, which also happens to be home to one of the best views of the financial district. The park itself is rather small, so I recommend coupling your trip out here with a stroll down one of the neighboring areas: Hayes Valley or The Haight.
4. Stroll through Golden Gate Park (and find the bison paddock!)
Golden Gate Park is MASSIVE. Think Central Park, but on the complete opposite side of the country. In Golden Gate Park, you’ll find baseball fields, sweeping gardens, bocce ball courts, museums, and massive Dutch windmills.
But what really stuck out to me was the rumored Bison Paddock. Golden Gate Park is home to a huge herd of bison, which is odd considering bison are not native to this particular part of the United States. In the late 1800s, bison were being slaughtered by the thousands on the Great Plains. The herd in Golden Gate Park was a project to help breed bison back from near-extinction. It’s definitely worth seeing!
5. Picnic at Twin Peaks
Located between Noe Valley and the Sunset district, Twin Peaks was named for the two prominent hills that jut out above the rest of the city. The neighborhoods surrounding Twin Peaks are decently sleepy and serene, which makes the location excellent for a peaceful afternoon. Here, you can see what is truly the best view of the entire city – Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge to the north, the financial district and Bay Bridge to the east, and the expansive Pacific Ocean to the west. In between? You’ll find all of the eclectic neighborhoods of the city: The Mission, The Haight, Hayes Valley, and many more.
Grab a blanket, some of your favorite picnic snacks, and a book and hike up here for a lazy afternoon. If you’re extremely lucky, you might get to see the famous and endangered Mission Blue Butterfly. Twin Peaks is one of the only areas in the world where this species roams.
6. See the sea lions at Pier 39
Pier 39 is located right near Fisherman’s Wharf in the northeast side of the city. Pier 39 is a large tourist destination in the city (it’s your basic ‘Bubba Gump Shrimp’, ‘Hard Rock Cafe’, etc. kind of location). Walking up and down the boardwalk is a great way to spend a few hours.
The main recommendation watch the Sea Lions that have taken ownership of the pier “sumo” each other into the water. While you’re in the area, check out the Musee Mecanique, an antique arcade that houses some of the machines featured in the Princess Diaries.
7. Free flow at Mission Dolores Park
Dolores Park, located in the Mission District, is one of the most famed and beloved parks in the entire city. Every Sunday from Noon to 4pm, you can catch the Mission Dolores Flow club. This is a group of people who gather together to play music, juggle, spin hoops, and practice balancing.
8. Hike through the Presidio and Chrissy Field
The Presidio is a former army barracks turned hiking center. The northern section of the Presidio is Crissy Field, a wonderful strip of beach along the Bay waterfront. To the west you’ll find a winding path leading the way up to the Golden Gate Bridge entrance. The southern section of the Presidio is filled with wild forest and peppered with hiking trails and picnic areas. This area is also home to my much beloved anxiety stump – a fallen down tree in the middle of the forest that I used to trek out to and lay on when I was “in the feelz and needed to escape for a bit”.
I recommend walking along Lover’s Lane – a lit trail leading from the former army barracks up to the neighborhoods above. You can also wander through Lucas Studios (yes… the Star Wars Lucas) to the Palace of Fine Arts – another beautiful stroll.
9. Watch the sun set at Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach is a strip of coast line along the Pacific Ocean. Although the waves are quite choppy and the water extremely cold, it is a fantastic spot in the city to kick back and watch the sunset behind the waves. If you get there early, you may be able to snag a campfire pit for the evening.
3 annually recurring things to do in San Francisco
1. San Francisco Pride Parade
For over 50 years, San Francisco has held the legendary and iconic SF Pride Parade and celebration. And it’s no surprise as to why. San Francisco’s deep LGBT+ history began the year after the Stonewall Riots in New York City, and the city has continued to fight for equality.
San Francisco continuously celebrates pride throughout the year, but June 26th-28th is the BIG celebration – equipped with dancing, singing, drag shows, and incredible food. So fly your rainbow flags high, and join in on the celebration!
Learn more about the history of the LGBT+ community in San Francisco here.
2. Bay to Breakers
Bay to Breakers is a costumed run from the Embarcadero on the eastern side of the city all the way to the Great Highway on the west. The only rules? You must wear a costume. And that costume must be good. I once witnessed a Bay to Breakers participant dressed in a full morph suit (think “Green Man” from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) running with a full beer keg in a shopping cart. That’s the level we are talking about here.
Unfortunately, COVID appeared on the scene the year I was set to run Bay to Breakers – so this still remains on my bucket list for now!
Bay to Breakers occurs the third Sunday in May.
3. Bring Your Own Big Wheel
You’ve likely heard of San Francisco’s famous twisty streets. But perhaps you have not heard that, once a year, full grown adults race down these hills on Big Wheel children bikes.
If you find yourself in San Francisco on Easter Sunday, head on over to Target and select out your big wheel (no rubber wheels allowed) to partake in this wild San Francisco tradition.
That’s all, folks!
Hopefully these recommendations helped kick start your San Francisco itinerary planning!
Have you been to San Francisco? Drop a comment below with some of your favorite activities and sites!
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