Top Things To Do in San Francisco
The best thing about San Francisco is that it does not cease to surprise even those who have visited it earlier. One can find so many top things to do in San Francisco California that they have not done earlier. The countyis famous for its monuments, restaurants, outdoor attractions, museums, quirky neighborhoods, wines, and a lot more. So, if you are also planning a trip to this amazing city, this might be the one list that you may want to save.
Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate is the iconic bridge in the county. It is an architectural marvel in itself. You can walk or take a bike ride on this bridge. This is one of the top things to do in San Francisco California. But you can have a full view of the Golden Gate Bridge from several viewpoints. One such is the Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point. It is situated on a hill that overlooks the bridge.
Visit the Alcatraz Island
At one time Alcatraz Island was a notorious prison that houses deadly criminals. But today it is closed and you can visit this prison. A visit to Alcatraz Island is one of the unique things to do in San Francisco this week. Infamous criminals like Robert Franklin Stroud and Al Capone were kept here. The prison was built on Alcatraz Island, which is quite close to the city. A ferry ride will take you to see the prison. The strong fortification of this prison made escape almost impossible for the inmates.
Meet the sea lions
On your trip to the county, you can meet sea lions at popular waterfront places. One such place is the Fisherman’s Wharf, which is full of food stalls, restaurants, and other attractions. You can meet the sea lions at the piers and offer them some fish. Just watching their antics is enough to entertain you. This is one of the fun things to do in San Francisco for free.
Golden Gate Park
Visiting Golden Gate Park is one of the best things to do in San Francisco Bay Area with friends. The park is full of the most amazing green spaces. The natural surroundings here are best for some relaxation and recreation. There are beautiful ponds, gardens, picnic areas, monuments, lakes, and other attractions that you can visit here. You can watch a performance and take part in various activities and events.
Enjoy the nightlife at Union Square
One of the most popular neighborhoods in the county is Union Square. This place is famous for its shopping outlets, malls, high-end boutique shops, and nightlife. You can explore the art galleries and admire paintings and works of art. Union Square has some of the best things to do in San Francisco at night. There are restaurants hosting events and live shows which are some of the famous things to do in San Francisco Union Square this week. It is a party experience that will make you enjoy the nightlife here. There are cafes, where you can hang about with your friends. So, if you are saying what is there to do in San Francisco at night, then the answer will probably be this one.
Explore Chinatown
This city has one of the biggest Chinatowns outside Asia. This one is on Grant Avenue and there are three other Chinatowns in the city. You can dine on the most authentic Chinese cuisine here. This is one of the amazing things to do in San Francisco Chinatown for couples. You can explore and experience the unique culture here. The Chinese population here celebrates the Autumn Moon Festival, which is full of colors, lights, and the best events to experience the unique culture in the city.
Ride the San Francisco Cable car
One of the unique things to do in San Francisco this week is to ride the famous cable cars. The cable cars were introduced in San Francisco in 1873, and as their popularity rose, more cable car lines were added. When its popularity was at its peak, 23 such cable car lines were operating in the county. But today there are only 3 lines that are still operating for tourists. These cable cars are operated manually and are the only remaining cable cars that are still in operation.
Watch a baseball match
Watching a baseball game is one of the most popular things to do in San Francisco with teens today. You can visit AT&T Park to watch a baseball game. The most popular team is the San Francisco Giants. The stadium is in the the Bay area and this is one of the best things to do in San Francisco Bay Area with friends.
Enter the wonderful world of The Exploratorium
You can visit the Exploratorium and visit the many attractions and exhibits here. Discovering the Exploratorium is one of the fun things to do in San Francisco Downtown for young adults. The museum is one of its kind in the city and is filled with exhibits on biology, geology, engineering, psychology, and geography to name a few. The galleries are divided into different themes, and each one has interactive exhibits and other attractions. Visitors can come here with their kids and experience the natural world through a unique medium of knowledge. They can experience what it is to be inside a tornado, or walk on an outdoor bridge covered with fog. You can spend an entire day here at the Exploratorium.
Plan an outing to the Presidio of San Francisco
The Presidio of San Francisco is one of the best places where you can be in the outdoor nature. A day’s outing here is one of the unique things to do in San Francisco this week. This was a former military base but later was converted into a park. You can view the Golden Gate Bridge from many places in the park. This park has many picnic places where you can have the best time with your friends and family. This can be one of the top things to do in San Francisco California.
Have a fun time at Fisherman’s Wharf
A visit to Fisherman’s Wharf is one of the fun things to do in San Francisco Downtown for young adults. This place is full of authentic experiences that you can have in San Francisco. This place is on the waterfront and the piers here are relaxing places where you can watch the sea lions at play and the sun setting on the sea. Pier 39 is one such pier where you can hang out in cafes and restaurants. You can relish seafood delicacies and shop around in art galleries. You can view the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, which are two of city’s best attractions. There are so many places nearby such as the Aquarium of the Bay, Madame Tussauds wax museum, San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, and others.
Spend some time at Ghirardelli Square
Ghirardelli Square is one of the top places to visit in the city. The place is named after Domenico Ghirardelli, who established the original Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. This public square is full of cafes, restaurants, ice cream shops, and galleries where you can spend some relaxing moments with your friends and family. You can visit the Original Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop and taste the different ice cream flavors. Ghirardelli Square is close to another famous attraction, the Fisherman’s Wharf. Visitors can enjoy sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Bay area, and Alcatraz Island from Ghirardelli Square.
Enjoy panoramic landscapes from Twin Peaks
One of the fun things to do in San Francisco for free is to visit Twin Peaks. A hike to Twin Peaks is one of the most popular things to do in San Francisco with teens today. The view of the San Francisco skyline from the top is one to relish and etch in your memory for many years. The hiking and biking trails here offer views of the surrounding greenery. Twin Peaks is 922 feet high and is the second highest point in the county after Mount Davidson.
The Palace of Fine Arts
Visiting the Palace of Fine Arts is one of the fun things to do in San Francisco at this weekend. This famous monument is the only one remaining from the international world fair in 1915. The Palace of Fine Arts is built to resemble the ruins of a Roman palace. The lagoon around the palace is a relaxing place where you can watch snow-white swans fleeting away on the water. The palace is a wonder of architecture and one that you can photograph for your Instagram profile pic. The palace was fully renovated and restored in later years. Now you can admire the paintings and the architecture of this wonderful palace.
Stroll among the redwoods at Muir Woods National Monument
The redwood trees in Muir Woods National Monument are among the tallest trees in the world. The tallest tree here rises to a height of 258 feet. But they are also very old and the oldest tree is nearly 1200 years old. Muir Woods National Monument is one of the places where you can be in the great outdoors and walk among the giants of the tree kingdom. Muir Woods National Monument is a must-visit attraction in the city. Even regular visitors to San Francisco prefer to visit this famous site for its redwoods. The trails here will take you to different parts and generally last about one hour to an hour and a half. This is one of the most popular things to do in San Francisco with teens today.
See the wonderful Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden in the county is also one of the oldest Japanese Tea gardens in the entire United States. This garden was originally called the Japanese Village. It was meant to be a big attraction of the international world fair that took place in San Francisco in 1894. Visiting the Japanese Tea Garden is one of the fun things to do in San Francisco for free. The garden is a lovely green place with pagodas, a zen garden, koi ponds, stepping stones, arched bridges, and lots of greenery. Among the major attractions here is the Lantern of Peace, which was a gift given by Japan to the United States after World War II. This is a huge 5-acre garden with cherry blossom trees.
Angel Island State Park
One of the most popular things to do in San Francisco with teens today is to visit Angel Island State Park. Angel Island was used for various purposes in the olden times. But today this island is converted into a park. You can do many outdoor activities here like hiking. You can take a ferry to the island and visit this island. Angel Island is located in San Francisco Bay and is the second largest island after Alcatraz Island.
Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach is one of the places you can visit in the city. A beach stroll is the best thing to do here and is the amazing things to do in San Francisco Chinatown for couples. The lovely white sands are best for relaxation. The waters here are not safe for swimming, but if you are an expert surfer, you can try surfing on the waves. There are many fire rings on the beach where you can build a bonfire and hang out with friends.
Mission Dolores Park
One of the fun things to do in San Francisco at this weekend is to visit Mission Dolores Park. This park is a popular destination for families and couples who love to spend some quiet time in the open outdoors. There are grassy lawns on which you can sit and the palm trees are there to give you shade during sunny days. Families come here with their dogs as it has two off-leash dog play areas. There is a playground for kids and sports courts. There are food stalls here that serve delicious food.
Final Words on Things To Do in San Francisco:
The top things to do in San Francisco California are as diverse as you can imagine. There are relaxing activities that you can do with your friends or family. There are some unique things to do in San Francisco this week, in which you can have an exciting time. You will also find the most popular things to do in San Francisco with teens today, like visiting the museums, and monuments and enjoying a game of baseball. But the city has so much else to offer like outdoor adventures, hiking trails, island visits, and other activities.
The above list covers everything from top 10 things to do in San Francisco tonight, must do things in San Francisco tomorrow and top things for families to do in San Francisco, top things to do in San Francisco in December.
Now you know is San Francisco worth visiting, check out our other travel guides to explore the best places to visit in San Francisco.