San Francisco is one of my favorite cities I’ve traveled to in the US! It’s beautiful, has great weather year-round, and has so many things to do! Here are some of the top recommendations to help you plan your trip to San Francisco:
Top Things to do on a Trip to San Francisco
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Golden Gate Bridge - San Francisco Must See!
The Golden Gate Bridge is obviously a must when visiting SF! It’s probably the most famous landmark and beautiful to see up close! Check out the best places to view the Golden Gate Bridge from.
Fisherman’s Wharf
Located on the Northern waterfront, Fisherman’s Wharf is definitely a touristy area with tons of shops and restaurants. It’s still a fun place to check out on a trip to San Francisco! Pier 39 is known for it’s Sea Lions, so be sure to check them out!
Napa Valley Wine Tour from San Francisco
Located about an hour and a half outside of SF, Napa Valley is a must visit for wine lovers! I suggest booking a tour to take you so you don’t have to worry about driving. Downtown Napa is also a destination in itself, read more about it here.
Alcatraz
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Golden Gate Park is a large park in SF with over 1,000 acres! There are tons of things to do in the park, including the Conservatory of Flowers (pictured below).
Japanese Tea Garden in SF
Actually located in the Golden State Park, the Japanese Tea Garden is one of the oldest in the US! It is beautiful and definitely worth a visit.
Muir Woods
Muir Woods is beautiful redwood forest that is actually protected as a National Monument! There’s tons of hiking trails worth exploring, or you can book a guided tour out to visit!
Presidio
The Presidio is a 1,500 acre national park site near the Golden Gate Bridge. It has a lot of history and is where San Francisco began!
San Francisco Chinatown
San Francisco has the largest Chinatown outside of Asia! Explore the history and be sure to try the delicious food. Consider booking an awesome guided culinary walking tour.
Twin Peaks
If you want an incredible view of the city, then you must visit Twin Peaks on your trip to San Francisco!
Lombard Street, San Francisco
This famous street in downtown SF is known for its eight eight hairpin turns.
Sunset Cruise on the Bay
See a Giants Game
Bike Tour of San Francisco
A bike tour across the Golden Gate Bridge is a great way to see the city!
The Painted Ladies (Full House Houses)
Made famous on the show Full House, the Painted Ladies is one of the most photographed locations in SF!
Ferry Building Marketplace
The Ferry Building is a Historical landmark in SF that has been turned into a food artisan Marketplace!
Sausalito, CA
Across the golden gate bridege, Sausalito is a small city on Richardson Bay. It has great shopping and restaurants, many with outdoor patios right on the beach!
San Francisco's Most Popular Tours:
Ride in a cable car
San Francisco is known for its historic cable cars, it’s actually where they were first invented! It’s an easy way to get around the city. Check out their website for routes and pricing.
Mission Dolores Park
One of the most popular parks in San Francisco, Mission Dolores Park is nearly 16 acres! It has tons of outdoor recreation activities available and often hold festivals.
San Francisco Zoo
Who doesn’t lovea trip to the zoo!? Located near the bay, the San Francisco Zoo is a great place for families to visit!
Sunset Picnic on the Beach
Watching the sunset over the Pacific ocean on the beach is a must! Photo below from when I spent three weeks living in SF for a work training 🙂
The Castro District
The Castro District is synonymous with gay culture, it was the center of the gay pride movement back in the 60s and 70s. There are tons of things to do in this vibrant neighborhood, and it’s blast to go out in at night!
I hope these tips help you plan your trip to San Francisco! Have a question? Feel free to leave a comment below or send me DM on Instagram!
Related Posts:
- Kayaking the Napa River in Downtown Napa
- Did You Waste Your Trip to San Francisco?
- 10 Stunning Photos from Yosemite Valley Drive
xx Chels
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I personally would not recommend the San Francisco Zoo. It is not the same as a few years ago. I’ve been there MANY times over the past 65 years and it is now so run down and very few animals. The ones the have seem neglected. It took us just over an hour to tour the whole zoo! Left feeling disappointed.
That’s good to know! Thank you for saying something, I hate seeing animals neglected like that in the zoo.
Chelsea,
Muir Woods parking and shuttle service is completely by reservation now so if folks are planning a visit be sure to book online first.
Peter Mott
Ohh I’ll need to update that, thanks!
We absolutely LOVED it !!! And the food…. best pizza!