San Francisco
Best things to do in San Francisco, including free and rainy-day options
Spend one full day on the waterfront and one on the hills: Golden Gate Bridge walk or bike, ferry to Alcatraz (book weeks ahead), Fisherman's Wharf, then cable car and Lombard Street. Free: Golden Gate Park, Lands End, Ferry Building, Palace of Fine Arts. Rain: museums in Golden Gate Park and the de Young.
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GuideSan Francisco
Key facts
- Best time
- Sep–Oct (parent country facts); fog is common Jun–Aug
- Nights to base here
- 3 (parent country facts)
- Alcatraz ferry
- Book weeks ahead; official operator only
- Cable carcheck
- Paid single ride, 2026 estimate; Clipper card or Muni app
- Free highlights
- Golden Gate Park, Lands End, Ferry Building, Palace of Fine Arts, cable car museum
- Rainy-day plan
- de Young, California Academy of Sciences, Exploratorium, SFMOMA
- Car
- Not needed in the city; useful for Yosemite and wine country
Choices at a glance
Pick by time and weather, not by a list. One day: waterfront. Two days: add the hills and a museum. Three days: add a half-day outside the city.
| Option | Cost (2026 estimate) | Time needed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Gate Bridge walk | Free | 1–2 h each way | Clear mornings, first-timers |
| Alcatraz ferry and island | Paid, book ahead | 3–4 h | History, harbour views |
| Cable car ride | Paid single ride (check) | 30–60 min | Hills without the climb |
| Golden Gate Park | Free | 2–4 h | Families, gardens, museums |
| Lands End and Sutro Baths | Free | 2 h | Coastal walk, sunset |
| Ferry Building and Embarcadero | Free to walk | 1–2 h | Food, bay views, rainy days |
| de Young / California Academy of Sciences | Paid (check) | 2–3 h | Rain, families |
| SFMOMA | Paid (check) | 2–3 h | Rain, art |
| Day trip to Muir Woods or Sausalito | Paid tour or ferry (check) | Half day | Redwoods, bay |
Prices are 2026 estimates; confirm on the official site before you go.
The detail
Start at the Golden Gate Bridge. Walk the east sidewalk from the welcome centre; it is free and open to pedestrians in daylight hours (check current access rules). Mornings are clearer before the fog rolls in. If you want the postcard view, go to Battery Spencer on the Marin side by car or bus.
Alcatraz is the one thing to book first. Ferries leave from Pier 33 and sell out days or weeks ahead in summer. Buy only from the official operator; third-party resellers add fees. Allow three to four hours including the boat and the audio tour.
Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 are busy and commercial, but they are the easiest place to see sea lions and catch a bay cruise. Walk west to the Hyde Street Pier historic ships and the cable car turnaround at Hyde and Beach.
Ride a cable car once, ideally early or late to avoid the queue at Powell and Market. The Powell–Hyde line gives the best views. Then walk down Lombard Street's crooked block, or take the stairs beside it.
Golden Gate Park is the free day: Japanese Tea Garden, botanical gardens, Stow Lake and the bison paddock. The de Young and the California Academy of Sciences sit in the same park, which makes a wet day easy.
For coast and views, do Lands End: cliff path from the Sutro Baths ruins to Eagle Point, then back through the Presidio to the Palace of Fine Arts. Sunset here is the city's best free show.
Neighbourhoods fill the gaps: Mission for murals and taquerias, Chinatown for Grant Avenue and dim sum, North Beach for cafés and City Lights, Hayes Valley for shopping. The Ferry Building is the rainy-day fallback: food stalls, bay views and a covered walk along the Embarcadero.
What it costs
Most of the best of San Francisco is free: the bridge, the parks, the coastal path, the Ferry Building and the neighbourhoods. You pay for Alcatraz, museums, cable cars and anything on the water.
A 2026 estimate for a full day: free walking day, or roughly US$60–120 per person if you add Alcatraz, a cable car ride and one museum. Transit fares are separate; see the getting-around page for Clipper and day passes.
| Item | 2026 estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Gate Bridge walk | Free | Sidewalk access can close (check) |
| Alcatraz ferry + island | Paid (check) | Book ahead; official seller only |
| Cable car single ride | Paid (check) | Clipper card or Muni app |
| Muni bus/rail single ride | Paid (check) | Day pass may pay off |
| de Young / Academy of Sciences | Paid (check) | Some free or reduced days (check) |
| SFMOMA | Paid (check) | Timed entry in busy periods |
| Bay ferry to Sausalito | Paid (check) | Cheaper than most bay cruises |
All figures are 2026 estimates; verify before booking.
Tips
- Layer up: one neighbourhood can be 10 °C warmer than another in the same afternoon.
- Do the bridge and Alcatraz in the morning; save hills for the afternoon.
- Buy transit with Clipper or the Muni app instead of cash on board.
- Book Alcatraz and any Muir Woods shuttle before you book flights.
- Skip the rental car in the city; parking is expensive and hills are hard on clutches.
- If it rains, move the museum day forward and keep the bridge for the next clear morning.
Questions people ask
What are the best things to do in San Francisco?
Walk the Golden Gate Bridge, take the ferry to Alcatraz (book ahead), ride a cable car, and spend a day in Golden Gate Park. Add Lands End for coast views and the Ferry Building for food. Three nights covers the highlights without rushing.
What are free things to do in San Francisco?
The Golden Gate Bridge walk, Golden Gate Park, Lands End and Sutro Baths, the Palace of Fine Arts, the Ferry Building and the Embarcadero are all free. Neighbourhood walks in the Mission, Chinatown and North Beach cost nothing but time.
What can I do in San Francisco when it rains?
Head indoors: the de Young and California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park, SFMOMA, the Exploratorium, or the Ferry Building and its food stalls. Museums are busiest on wet weekends, so go early or book a timed entry.
How many days do you need in San Francisco?
Three nights is the usual recommendation. That covers the waterfront, Alcatraz, the hills and one museum or park day, with time left for a half-day trip to Muir Woods or Sausalito.
Do I need a car in San Francisco?
No. Buses, light rail, cable cars and ferries cover the sights, and parking is expensive. Hire a car only for trips out of the city, such as Yosemite or wine country.
Deep dive
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