These are the places to visit in San Francisco I recommend for you after spending several days in the city. “I left my heart in San Francisco…”, Tony Bennett. Yes, San Francisco stole my heart as well.
Of course, there are loads more things to do and places to visit in San Francisco than what I mention here but these are the main things I saw. Many of these are also free things to do in San Francisco, such as the parks, etc.
Plus I added some extra stuff I didn’t get to see after other travellers recommended them, to give you more options. For example, I didn’t go to the wine valleys as I don’t drink wine but they are some of the best wines in the world (apparently) so if you like wine you can head over there.
Golden Gate Bridge
You can’t think of an image of San Francisco without the Golden Gate Bridge coming up. It’s an iconic part of the San Francisco area.
Crissy Field has one of the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge and you can continue from there to hike to the Fort Point National Historic Site for even closer views.
Actually taking a long walk all the way from Fisherman’s Wharf to Fort Point National Historic Site along the waterfront is one of the best things to do, and also one of the free things to do in San Francisco. If you do this walk then be sure to check out the Palace of Fine Arts on the way.
Cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge on a guided tour from San Francisco to Sausalito is a fun activity to do on the bridge.
Definitely one of the places to visit in San Francisco you can’t miss out on.
Alcatraz Island (Prison)
Alcatraz! One of the most infamous prisons in US history which is no longer operational (it closed in 1963).
Al Capone was amongst the prisoners there as well as many other notable names in criminal history, like the Birdman of Alcatraz.
You can take a cruise under the Golden Gate Bridge that also circles around Alcatraz where you can learn all about the island and its prison.
If you want to visit the island and the prison itself you can book tickets for a guided tour of Alcatraz in advance.
Fisherman’s Wharf
The Fisherman’s Wharf is a great place to stroll around the seafront and is known for its sea lions that hang out there, and the crab and clam chowders which food vendors sell everywhere.
Grab a bite to eat and enjoy great views of the bay and across to Golden Gate Bridge. Be sure to try some Irish coffee at the Buena Vista Cafe when there, it’s some of the best in the city.
Pier 39
Keeping with the seaside theme take a walk to Pier 39 after visiting Fisherman’s Wharf.
It’s here you can spot sunbathing sea lions in this scenic area and it also has great eateries for lunch or dinner, plus plenty of shopping and entertainment.
If you’re travelling with children in San Francisco they will love the sea lions!
Ride a Cable Car on The Powell-Mason track
San Francisco is a hilly city and if you enjoy walking and exercise is perfect. But if you feel like you need a little break jump on one of the historic trams in San Francisco and go for a ride.
The 3 remaining tracks date back to the late 19th century and are an icon in San Francisco. They are a popular tourist attraction though so you may have to wait some time to get on one, even possibly a few hours.
If you want to learn about the cable car history in the city head to the San Francisco Cable Car Museum.
Haight-Ashbury Neighbourhood & The Hippie Street in San Francisco
The Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood was at the forefront of the hippie movement of the ’60s and even though a lot of that has faded you can still feel the vibe today.
Good food, relaxed atmosphere, and just a very nice hippie street in San Francisco when walking along the main Haight Street.
Be sure to check out the independent music shop Amoeba Music when in the Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood.
Some of the greatest musicians of the hippie movement got started in this neighbourhood and this music store which opened in 1997 has tonnes of old records and new.
Eat at San Francisco Chinatown
This is the oldest Chinatown in the US and has some fantastic eating options like dim sum hidden away in the streets and there is a lot of history in the area.
There are Chinese temples to visit and lots more to see. Need a herbal cure for something? The herbalists of Chinatown will have you covered!
It’s also near the City Lights Booksellers area (see below) so you can combine it with a visit to there.
City Lights Booksellers & The Vesuvio Cafe
The beatnik generation is one of my favourite periods in history and when it comes to books from the beatnik generation there are so many good ones. The City Lights and Vesuvio were a big part of this moment in time.
Vesuvio Cafe was the best place that I went drinking in San Francisco, enjoying some beers where writers and poets like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg used to hang out. It’s also a great place for just relaxing in general with a coffee or whatever.
Museums in San Francisco
There are plenty of museums in San Francisco to keep you entertained. These are some of the best and more popular ones but there are loads more for you to see if you look into it.
As a former art student I can’t help but gravitate to art museums and arty areas.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
If you like art then you must go to this museum. As the name suggests it is about modern art and contemporary art. I loved the collection here when I went there.
The Legion of Honor Museum
The Legion of Honor Museum can be found in Lincoln Park and is also an art museum but here you can find older art pieces such as by Rembrandt and even all the way back to 2000 years ago.
De Young Museum
Keeping with the artistic side of San Francisco museums this is a fine arts museum and is in the Golden Gate Park area. Again, if you enjoy the fine arts then this is a must-visit.
The Exploratorium
Now I didn’t make it to this one as I focused on art museums, but if you want something different this was recommended for those who want something science and technology based.
It’s been described as “a mad scientist’s penny arcade, a scientific funhouse, and an experimental laboratory all rolled into one”. You can find it at Pier 15.
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Outdoor Activities and Hiking in San Francisco
If you’re in the need to get away from city life and find some relaxing space or a bit of exercise there are plenty of outdoor places in San Francisco.
Did you know that San Francisco has 220 city parks!
Just walking around the city was one of my favourite things to do in San Francisco and escaping into the parks and other outdoor areas was great for a break from the busy city.
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco Botanical Garden
This botanical garden has around 9000 plants from all over the world and is located in the Golden Gate Park
This area is next to the Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood and I enjoyed so much hanging out around there and then taking a long walk through the park and seeing the botanical garden as well as a Japanese Tea Garden. There’s even a bison herd in the park.
Definitely one of the best places to visit in San Francisco!
Fort Funston
Fort Funston is a beautiful area around a 1-hour walk south of the coastal part of Golden Gate Park so if you’re in the mood for lots of walking you could combine strolling through Golden Gate Park to the oceanside and then walk south on Ocean Beach to Fort Funston where it feels more remote and relaxed.
It’s also a prime spot for hand-gliding if you’re into that. I didn’t try it as timewise I had other plans, but would if I return.
Lands End and Sutro Baths
Another option instead of heading south at the end of Golden Gate Park is to head north to Lands End which is only a 15-minutes walk where you will find the historic Sutro Baths which is an old large bathhouse, as well as lots of coastal hiking trails further up.
When you reach the Lands End Labyrinth you will get awesome views across Golden Gate Bridge.
To be honest the Golden Gate Park, Fort Funston, and Lands End areas were the best places for outdoor activities in San Francisco that I enjoyed and are near enough to each other that you can combine them all into a long day of walking.
Hawk Hill
Hawk Hill is on the south part of the Marin Headlands and offers some of the best views of Golden Gate Bridge.
If you keep on going past Hawk Hill you will come to some great hiking trails, with one of them leading to the ‘the gatekeeper to the San Francisco Bay, Point Bonita Lighthouse.
Presidio of San Francisco
This is a massive park area and I’ve covered some of the places to visit there in other sections such as the Palace of Fine Arts and Crissy Fields.
It’s a great place to walk around and has plenty of trails to explore. Head to Lovers Lane trail for a lovely short stroll.
Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve
This is very close to Golden Gate Park and you can do both of them together on the same day easily. The Mount Sutro Open Space is a haven for those wanting to get on some hiking and mountain biking trails right in the city and easy to get to.
There’s cedar trees there and others and is the perfect forest escape from the city.
San Bruno Mountain State and County Park
There’s a 3-mile Summit hike here to do and this is just south of the main San Francisco city.
It’s one of the largest natural places in a city in the US and you can really escape into nature for a while, including (depending on the time of year) lots of coastal moss that gives it a kind of fantasy feeling when hiking there.
Muir Woods Hiking Trails
In the Muir Woods, you can find ancient redwood trees and they are a sight to see. It’s a lovely 1-2 hour stroll along walkways through these giants.
Just be aware it’s very popular and advance parking reservations are essential.
Angel Island State Park
Ok, this one you don’t need a car. You need a boat! There are passenger boats that will take you there from Fisherman’s Wharf.
This is a popular place for SF residents to go for a hike as a day trip from San Francisco city.
I highly recommend this book: 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: San Francisco for hiking in San Francisco Bay Area.
Top tip: If you don’t mind the 1-hour drive out there, then going hiking in Point Reyes is highly recommended, although it’s technically not in San Francisco.
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Day Trips From San Francisco
The best way to get around for doing day trips from San Francisco is to have your own car. If you are visiting you can rent a car in San Francisco (check car rentals there with that link) and it won’t be that much if you are a group sharing.
Yosemite National Park
You could do Muir Woods in just a few hours but it’s a beautiful nature area and worth more time.
Yosemite is one of the best outdoor areas in the US and really deserves a few days hiking there if you can manage it.
But it can be done as a day trip to see the beauty of this famous national park and you can do a tour from San Francisco to Yosemite if you don’t have your own transport.
Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley Wine
Ah yes, if you love wine, then you’ve definitely heard of Napa Valley!
Like I said at the beginning I didn’t get to the wine valleys as I don’t like wine so it didn’t really interest me, but if you enjoy wine then going here for the day could be one of the best places to visit near San Francisco.
One good option is to do a tour that combines Muir Woods and the the wine country.
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Coffee Shops in San Francisco
There are so many cafes in San Francisco but here are some of the best for a good coffee and to relax. One of the first things I do in a new city is to hunt down a good coffee and thankfully San Francisco has some excellent places.
It’s not just about ‘the best coffee’ though it’s also about the ambience of the place as well. I’m mentioning only cafes as these are where I would stop to take a break during lots of walking. I didn’t really eat at any ‘proper’ restaurants as I enjoyed munching in the cafes more along with some street food.
Caffe Trieste has awesome Italian coffee (my favourite) and is just a minute walk from City Lights Booksellers (mentioned before) so you can pop over there for a coffee when in that neighbourhood. It’s an historic cafe in its own right and also has live music.
Again the whole area of City Lights, Vesuvio Cafe, and Trieste make for one of the best places to visit in San Francisco for those who love the whole book, literary history, and coffee type of vibe.
Mazarine Coffee can be found in the Financial District area and has numerous pour-overs and many other types of coffee. Easily one of the best in the city.
Saint Frank Coffee can be found in various areas but go to the one on Russian Hill (Polk Street) around a 10-15 minutes walk from Fisherman’s Wharf.
Ritual Coffee Roasters is a legend in the coffee scene in San Francisco and has some excellent coffee. There are a few locations but try the one on Haight Street when in the Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood.
Andytown Coffee Roasters, like many on this list has a few locations in the city. There’s one around 10 minutes walk from the Museum of Modern Art so you can try great coffee there if you visit the museum, otherwise the best location is by Ocean Beach which is quite a way to go but is worth it as that area is good to go to in its own right.
The Buena Vista Cafe as mentioned in the Fisherman’s Wharf section was opened in 1916 and is a historic cafe in San Francisco and like I said before offers one of the best Irish coffees you will ever have. Trust me!
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Books About San Francisco
If you want to get some reading in before going to San Francisco or when there then these are some of the best books about San Francisco to read to get in the spirit of the city.
Hell, sit down at one of those good cafes I recommended or head to an outdoor park when there and relax and read a bit.
Tales of the City is set in 1970’s San Francisco and follows the lives of the residents, and all things that happen, at an apartment complex there.
Infinite City is, as the writer says in her own words “a terrific guide map to the city’s possibilities” and has maps and essays about San Francisco.
San Francisco Noir: San Francisco has been the setting for many films over the years, especially of the noir genre. This book covers a lot of that film history in the city. A must for film buffs.
For a great book about the weird and wonderful in San Francisco I recommend reading Secret San Francisco: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure.
For a good guidebook for San Francisco take a look at the Lonely Planet San Francisco City Guide that covers everything in the city.
Another good option is Fodor’s San Francisco.
There are loads more books about San Francisco but these will be a good starter for 1 or 2 to read before visiting or when there. Take a pick of ones you like.
Reading tip: Try Amazon’s Kindle membership plans to access all these books.
Where To Stay In San Francisco
There are beyond enough hotels/hostels/apartments to stay at in the city catering to all budgets and styles.
Just be aware though for the budget traveller, San Francisco in general is not a cheap city, although there are plenty of free places to visit in San Francisco when there.
As I tend to travel on a budget I stayed in a hostel called Orange Village Hostel located in a good position in the city centre and found it to be excellent.
The best bet is to search hotel booking sites (the one I use is with that link) to find the kind you are looking for.
Places to Visit in San Francisco
San Francisco was such a fun city to visit for me as I love doing lots of walking which the city is great for. And especially the beatnik and hippie history of certain areas which you can still feel a bit of even today.
The city has something for everyone and it’s definitely one of the greatest and best cities in the world.
Enjoy your time there!
If you’re heading north and into Oregon from California check out my article on cool things to do in Portland.
For more reading on the US take a look at my United States guides.
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