Are you planning to visit San Francisco, be sure you don’t miss out on these 5 best things to do in San Francisco. San Francisco is one of the most beautiful and inspiring cities in the world as the city is full of iconic sights, from the historic cable cars, the steep Lombard Street, the magical Golden Gate Bridge, and America’s most famous prison on Alcatraz Island to fascinating neighborhoods like Chinatown and Fisherman’s Wharf. With its laid-back coastal lifestyle, San Francisco is one of our favorite cities we ever visited.
Read also: The perfect 2 weeks West Coast USA itinerary
Where to stay in San Francisco?
Choosing where to stay in San Francisco can be overwhelming and time-consuming. There are so many different hotels & hostels at every price range, why we decided to list down one of our absolute favorite places. Located within the best neighborhoods, with a trendy look and excellent rated, here are some of the best places to stay in San Francisco:
The best things to do in San Francisco:
Alcatraz Island
First things first: make sure you book your tickets early in advance to secure your spot! The high season is from June-August and places per departure are limited. During these times, tickets can be sold out for weeks or even months prior to departure. So plan your visit for many weeks, or even many months in advance if you want to explore this spooky prison. You get there by taking the ferry via Alcatraz Cruises from Pier 33 and it takes you around 20 minutes to reach Alcatraz island. On your way to Alcatraz, you will be treated by dazzling bay views, the city skyline, and the perfect Instagram spots to snap lovely pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge. As you set foot on “The Rock” (Alcatraz Island), step inside the open cells and discover the mysteries and the isolation the prisoners had. Walk around the guardhouse, explore the surroundings, and again from outside you’ll enjoy beautiful views of San Francisco.
COST
Alcatraz Audio tours start from $40
BOOK
We recommend the audio tour on Alcatraz Island including a hop on hop off bus to explore the whole city.
Fisherman’s Warf
We have to admit that Fisherman’s Wharf is really a tourist trap but it’s something you really need to see. Once it was the center of the fish industry, now it’s an iconic neighborhood home to restaurants, food stalls, souvenir shops, fishing boats, and sea lions posing in the sun. A quiet touristy area, but fun to walk around and it offers you some good views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz
BEST TIME TO GO
Early in the morning with sunrise or in the afternoon with sunset
BOOK
The Fisherman’s Wharf’s Pass gives you access to 5 attractions.
Pier 39
Part of Fisherman’s Wharf and most of the time the starting point to explore the San Francisco waterfront area, Pier 39 is a large outdoor shopping complex built on a pier. A lovely place with many waterfront dining restaurants, souvenir shops and home to the sea lion colony. It feels like you are walking through a theme park with the carousel and the attractions like Aquarium of the Bay. Next to the pier, you have the sea lions that are chilling all day and love to be photographed.
LOCATION
Pier 39, San Francisco
Golden Gate Bridge
On e of the best things to do in San Francisco is visiting the most famous bridge in the world. Crossing the bridge by bike, car or open-air bus stays a unique experience for everyone! Did you know that it does not owe its name to the color? The color is officially called ‘international orange’. When you are looking for the best postcard-perfect views, you need to cross the Golden Gate Bridge towards Sausalito, Marin Headlands, and Battery Spencer.
BOOK
The perfect way to explore the Golden Gate Bridge and have the best views is to join a guided bike tour or buy a multiple day-pass for the hop on-hop off the bus tour.
Explore the city with the hop on-hop off bus
To Explore San Francisco take the Hop on Hop off bus and choose a 24 hour or 48-hour pass. Experience San Francisco with the wind in your hair, a camera in your hand and enjoy the beautiful views. With the HoHo bus, you choose where you hop on and hop off. Every half an hour a new bus will pass that same spot where you hopped off. Super easy and you have a good overview of the city in no time.
BOOK
Prices start from $50
BOOK
Get a 2-day pass for a hop on hop off bus and explore the city while enjoying the best views.
Explore the 5 best things to do in San Francisco with our travel resources
As you know, we love to share all our best tips and favorite places with all of you. That’s why created all these online travel guides, which are completely free. If you found this post (or anything we do) useful, we’d be grateful if you buy something through one of our affiliate links in this article. We’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you, which helps us keep our travel blog alive.
Thank you so much for your support! x Valerie & Mik
- Skyscanner – to book the best and cheapest flights
- Airbnb – to stay at incredible homes & apartments
- Booking.com – to book your accommodation
- Lonely Planet – to purchase a detailed travel guide
- TourRadar – to join one of the amazing group tours
- TripAdvisor – to read the best reviews and find amazing tours
- HostelWorld – to book the most amazing hostels
- GetYourGuide – to book awesome tours and activities
