Relaxing Things to do in San Francisco

By Dom Bewley
Published: July 18, 2024
Relaxing Things to do in San Francisco

Often, vacations can feel like a sprint to see and do everything in your limited time. In a new city or country, you want to immerse yourself in as much local culture as possible. But with only a handful of days there, fitting it all in can be stressful. But it needn't be. After all, vacations should also be about relaxing. So, if you want to take your foot off the gas, check out our picks of the best relaxing things to do in San Francisco and take it easy!

Including:

  • Hop-on, hop-off Bus Tour
  • Aquarium of the Bay
  • San Francisco Bay Cruise
  • Exploratorium
  • San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
  • and more!
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Hop-on, hop-off Bus Tour

If you're only in town for a few days, you may want to see all the sights in one afternoon. If you think that sounds stressful, think again. Because on this hop-on, hop-off bus tour of San Francisco's most recognizable landmarks, the pressure's off.

The way these tours work is that a fleet of buses run every day, with each passing the same landmarks. That means that if you want to get out and explore any of them, you can! Just hop off, take a look around, and then hop on the next bus that shows up. Your ticket lasts the whole day, so you can really take your time.

So, what landmarks will you be checking out? Well, there's the famous Golden Gate Bridge & Golden Gate Park, Chinatown, North Beach, Fisherman's Wharf, Union Square, and plenty more! If you're looking for relaxing things to do in San Francisco, take your camera and hop on this landmark bonanza bus tour!

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Aquarium of the Bay

What could be more serene and relaxing than wandering beneath the waves, wondering about all the exotic species that call it home? Not much, we thinks. So, if you're looking for chill things to do in San Francisco, why not visit the Aquarium of the Bay? Just go on a weekday, lest the crowds of tourists ruin the vibe.

More than 20,000 marine animals live, laugh, and love within the Aquarium of the Bay's many tanks and underwater biomes. From otherworldly stingrays to cute, fuzzy otters, you'll struggle to find a more diverse crowd of water-dwelling wonders anywhere else.

But perhaps the jewel in the Aquarium of the Bay's crown is its massive underwater walking tunnels. Take a stroll down them, and you'll be surrounded by wonderful flora and fauna. Each is over 300ft long, and they'll let you get up close and personal with myriad exotic species.

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San Francisco Bay Cruise

If seeing the city by bus or underwater doesn't float your boat, why not see it all from atop the very waves themselves? On this cruise across the San Francisco Bay, you'll see the city's skyline from a different perspective - and a few surprises to boot!

Get your snappers at the ready because the sea lions that call Pier 39 home are ripe for photography! Then, witness one of the modern wonders of the world as you sail up and under the Golden Gate Bridge. Next, a trip to Alcatraz Island will set you straight. The prison might be long-shut, but seeing the imposing island by boat is enough to send shivers down your spine. And finally, a jaunt past Angel Island will leave you wondering what life was like for immigrants back in the day.

This hour-long cruise is a great way to see it all without having to lift a finger.

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Exploratorium

Inquisitive minds apply within. If you're looking for a relaxing way to expand your mind while getting hands-on with some mind-blowing interactive exhibits, stroll cooly and calmly to the Exploratorium.

The Exploratorium brings the weird and wonderful to life. Featuring a metric ton of what can only be described as 'scientific art', it aims to inspire and educate in equal measure. Wander its wonderful halls, and you'll discover parabolic mirrors, see microscopic cells blown up to massive proportions, and even touch a tornado, if you can believe that.

Perfect, relaxing fun for kids and big kids alike; if you've got the little ones in tow, just let them loose and take a seat.

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San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Art lovers will get a chill kick out of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Featuring modern masterpieces from modern maestros, it's one of the most lauded modern art museums in the country. And, after a recent expansion, it's also the biggest. So, set a few hours aside to see it all!

Mainstay exhibits are now joined by the Doris and Donald Fisher Collection, as well as a fresh variety of special exhibitions featuring topics like graphic art, contemporary sculpture, modern film, and more. Fans of Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, and other contemporaries will love it.

But, like most museums, you're best bet is to head there on a weekday morning to beat the crowds. That way, you'll ensure your visit is one of the best relaxing things to do in San Francisco!

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Mission District Food and Culture Tour

And finally, after a relaxing journey through things to do in San Francisco, you may have built up a bit of an appetite. Thankfully, this Mission District food and culture tour will hit the spot.

If you've never been to San Francisco's Mission District before, you're in for a treat. It's the city's Latin Quarter, featuring walls bedazzled with beautiful murals, plenty of laid-back bars, and a ton of Mexican restaurants and street food vendors selling all manner of delicious treats.

So, why not take a tour, learn about the area's culture and history from a knowledgeable guide, and go try some of it for yourself? With four food stops on the tour, you'll have plenty of time to tuck into tacos, flatbreads, guac, salsa, and fajitas.

And those were our picks of the best relaxing things to do in San Francisco. Of course, you may want to up the ante at some point during your visit. Thankfully, Go City gives you access to some of the most exhilarating experiences in San Fran! With our All-Inclusive Pass and Explorer Pass, you can see the city's best bits for one low price.

Dom Bewley
Go City Travel Expert

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Woman reading a map at the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
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Is San Francisco Safe?

For such a compact city – just seven miles long by seven miles wide – San Francisco packs a heck of a punch when it comes to attractions, shopping and nightlife. Think world-famous icons like the Golden Gate Bridge, the historic wooden cable cars and Alcatraz Island. The parks, museums and expansive Bay views from the city’s 50+ hills ain't too shabby either. But is San Francisco safe for tourists? Read on for our guide... How Safe is San Francisco? In spite of its relatively small size, San Francisco is one of the most densely populated cities in the United States, with knocking on for a million inhabitants. Add to this somewhere in the region of 25 million tourists passing through annually and there is, inevitably, some scope for petty crime. But, in truth, it’s probably no worse than any other city of this kind. As with most major cities there will always be an element of low-level, non-violent crime such as bag-snatching and pickpocketing, with tourists inevitably providing the easiest pickings. Car break-ins are a bit of an issue here but hey, you don’t really need a car to get around and, frankly, parking fees in San Francisco are a form of daylight robbery in their own right anyway. The city has a large homeless population, mainly centered around the Tenderloin district, which can be intimidating for newcomers. Even family friendly North Beach has a slightly seedier side after nightfall, while the crowded piers of Fisherman’s Wharf are where you’re most likely to be relieved of your wallet by an opportunistic pickpocket. But think of these areas as places to be more on your guard than somewhere to avoid entirely. San Francisco is generally safe for tourists and you’re highly unlikely to run into any trouble at all. That said, there’s no harm in taking a few common-sense precautions to avoid appearing vulnerable to would-be thieves. Though rare, natural disasters are not unknown in San Francisco so it’s also worth boning up on what to do in the event of e.g. an earthquake or wildfire, even if the chances of you encountering either on a visit to the Golden City are close to zero. Tips for Staying Safe in San Francisco Opportunists looking to relieve you of your hard-earned vacation cash can mostly be found haunting the busiest attractions, where it’s much easier to melt away into a crowd with their ill-gotten gains. Keep your wits about you in the likes of Fisherman’s Wharf, and especially the ever-popular Pier 39, where tourists gather in their thousands to say hi to the resident sea lion colony and visit the Aquarium of the Bay and other San Francisco big-hitters. The same goes for parts of Downtown and Chinatown, where pickpockets ply their trade and seasoned scammers will try all manner of sob stories to get you to hand over a few dollars. Similarly, the thriving nightlife scene and major yearly festivals that draw revelers from across the globe are great fun, but mean more crowds and easier pickings for... well, you get the general idea. So: stay alert in sketchy areas and be aware of your surroundings wherever you are. Keep valuables out of view and be skeptical of anyone who approaches you asking for money, especially those ‘friendly helpers’ who hang around ATMs, anyone offering to take a nice souvenir photo of you with your very expensive smartphone or anyone with a sob story. Trust your instincts on these – if it doesn’t feel right, walk away. While these may sound obvious, thieves rely on the element of surprise and it’s easy to become flustered when suddenly confronted. Yes, even to the extent of willingly handing over your phone only to watch helplessly as it, and its new owner, melt away into the crowd. In the unlikely event you do lose your valuables to a bag snatcher, scammer or pickpocket, by all means raise the alarm, but it’s really not worth giving chase. Instead, report the incident to police as quickly as possible (your insurers will require a police report) and, above all, try not to let one unpleasant experience spoil the rest of your trip. San Francisco Beach Safety You’ll want to spend plenty of time outdoors on your San Francisco vacation. And who can blame you? There’s that mild climate, perfect for picnics in sprawling Golden Gate Park, boat trips around the Bay, epic climbs up Nob Hill and the quad-crunching Filbert Street Steps (all 500 of ‘em). Not to forget ticking off that most essential of San Francisco activities: a stroll across the Golden Gate Bridge to the charming seaside town of Sausalito. And then there are the beaches, from the wild, rugged expanse of Ocean Beach on the west coast, to the sheltered cove at the Aquatic Park. Now, San Francisco isn’t exactly known for reliably sunny weather, what with the ubiquitous summer fogs that roll through the Bay, and surprisingly stiff sea breezes even during peak season. Indeed, the best beach weather is generally to be had in September into early October, when the fogs have abated and you can expect clear skies and temperatures in the high 60s much of the time. First things first: even though it might not feel that warm out, don’t end up looking like a boiled lobster because you didn’t think it was hot enough to burn: the San Francisco sun can be tricky that way, so slap on the sunscreen when you’re going outdoors. Better safe than sorry, and all that. The beaches here are great for lounging and catching some rays, but not for swimming. There is little or no lifeguard presence in the Bay area, and the rough Pacific waters are not safe for swimming due to bone-chilling temperatures and dangerous riptides. Don’t be tempted to go in even if the water looks calm – tourists wading in just three feet of water at Ocean Beach have been swept away suddenly. If you do fancy dipping your toes, the sheltered cove at the Aquatic Park in the National Maritime Historical Park along the north coast is your best bet. Or head over the bridge to Stinson Beach in Marin County, where white sands, relatively calm waters and a lifeguard presence in summer makes for a fun (and safe!) day out. It’s around 45 minutes’ drive from downtown San Francisco. Save on attractions in San Francisco Save on admission to San Francisco attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Alcatraz Island in San Francisco
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San Francisco in May

With spring drawing to an end ready to usher in San Francisco’s busy summer season, May is a fine time to visit the Golden City, thanks to its mild climate and the kicking off in earnest of the city’s colorful festival season. If it’s pleasant weather, fewer crowds, and affordable accommodation you’re after, May in the Bay could well be for you. Visiting San Francisco in May Average Temperature: 51–64°F • Average Rainfall: 3 days/mth • Average Sunshine: 10 hours/day Daytime temperatures in May reach average highs in the mid-60s, meaning it's still cool enough to explore the city on foot. So the chances of looking like you’ve just stepped off a treadmill in those essential hilltop selfies are vastly reduced. There’s also little or no need to remember to pack an umbrella. April showers having apparently purged the clouds of their cargo for the foreseeable future, you can expect a mere three days of rain on average in May. Better yet, hotel prices have yet to rise for peak season and it’s another month before the tourist hordes descend, meaning shorter queuing times at the big attractions. What more can we say to convince you to spend May in San Francisco? Read on... Things to do in May Of course no visit to the Golden City would be complete without seeing the bucket-list attractions. The Golden Gate Bridge will be at the top of most itineraries and May is as good a time as any to visit. Better, perhaps, as the summer fogs are yet to roll in and shroud it. Top tip: wrap up warm if you’re planning to stroll out to the middle of the bridge for those picture-perfect Bay views – it can be breezy and teeth-chatteringly chilly up here at the best of times, so stick on your thermals and a fleece. Or two. Bay cruises are another great way to get a different perspective on the famous San Francisco skyline, and May’s clear blue skies will make for some fine photo opportunities. Most cruises will take in the Pier 39 sea lion colony, the historic waterfront, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. You can also just get straight to the notorious island penitentiary, should you so desire, with a cruise and tour of the facility. Those rolling historic landmarks that are San Francisco’s painted wooden cable cars can get really busy, and we mean sardines-in-a-can busy, in summer. You’ll likely still find queues in May, but nothing like during peak season. It’s worth the short wait to travel in style, as the bell rings out and your carriage rattles over the San Francisco hills, affording splendid views of the Bay, loopy Lombard Street and the ultra-luxe hotels in swanky Nob Hill, depending which of the three lines you take. And if the weather gets a little too cool for your liking, duck into any number of world-class museums around the city. Art museums including SFMOMA in the heart of downtown and the striking, copper-clad de Young in Golden Gate Park are among the best in the country. Golden Gate Park is also where you’ll find the California Academy of the Sciences which contains – beneath its living rooftop – a planetarium, an aquarium, a rainforest dome and a huge natural history museum. Embarcadero icon the Exploratorium is the place for interactive art and science exhibits: step into a tornado, get lost in the fog and see the San Francisco skyline modeled from thousands of tiny toothpicks. What’s on in May? Memorial Weekend May sees San Francisco’s festival season crank up a gear as Mother’s Day and Memorial Weekend give locals all the excuse they need to celebrate. Memorial Weekend is the biggie, with a major ceremony at the National Cemetery in the Presidio to honor and remember America’s veterans. Expect a reflective but celebratory tone that includes music, parades, speeches and a 21-gun salute. Down in the trendy Mission district, it’s all kicking off as the two-day Carnaval Festival rolls into town. This riot of color and sound celebrates the arts and traditions of Latin America and the Caribbean through lively street performances, flamboyant costumes and some of the best street food this side of the Mexican border. Beer and cannabis gardens help you stay mellow and there is, of course, a grand parade through the streets. Cinco de Mayo Also held in The Mission (we’re sensing a pattern here), the Cinco de Mayo festival celebrates Mexican and Central American culture and is held annually on – as the name suggests – the 5th of May. Families bring picnics and deckchairs to immerse themselves in the action in and around Valencia Street, where food vendors hawk spicy treats and live bands get the party started with mariachi, salsa, merengue music and more. There are costumed dancers, artists, magicians and street performers galore, and even a petting zoo to keep the kids entertained. Bay to Breakers Bay to Breakers is a 12k fun run that usually takes place on the third Sunday of May. Weaving its way east to west from the Embarcadero to Ocean Beach, it takes in nine of the city’s neighborhoods. Fun-loving San Franciscans have gamely established a tradition for donning fancy dress during the race, which means you can expect to see overgrown chickens, shambling pantomime horses and huge conga-lines in which teams of 13 or more runners tether themselves together for the duration of the race. In other words: it’s great fun. Get involved yourself: it includes many fun sections like Golden Gate Park, where you might even get to spot the resident buffalo. On the other hand, Hayes Street Hill is an absolute beast that rises over 200 feet above sea level and will challenge even the most seasoned runner. If all that sounds a bit much, you can always just find a nice spot on the sidelines and enjoy all of the fun with none of the exertion. Save on attractions in San Francisco Save on admission to San Francisco attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Lanterns over the street in Chinatown, San Francisco
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Things to do in Chinatown San Francisco

San Francisco’s sprawling Chinatown covers no less than 24 square blocks, measuring around a half mile north to south and a quarter mile east to west and forming part of the busy Downtown neighborhood. It’s also the oldest Chinatown in North America, established here way back in 1848 when it blew Western minds with that first life-changing taste of aromatic Chinese dumplings. There’s more than enough to see and do within this historic enclave’s storied streets and alleyways to fill an entire day, allowing you time to soak up the unique atmosphere and experience a slice of San Francisco as it used to be. So what are you waiting for? Pass through the Dragon Gate and join us on our stroll through the best things to do in Chinatown San Francisco. Enter the Dragon There are two distinct sides to Chinatown: the touristy and the non-touristy. You’re a tourist though, right? So that seems like the logical place to start. Of the two major thoroughfares running north to south through Chinatown, Grant Street is the one you’re looking for – specifically the much-photographed Dragon Gate – the imposing southern entrance with its three gates in traditional pailou style and its duo of fearsome Chinese lions. Wait your turn for the essential Chinatown selfie before stepping through to begin your Chinese adventure proper. Immediately you'll find yourself transported to a different world, a world where red and gold paper lanterns sway overhead, ornate street lamps line the sidewalks, and the intoxicating scents of sizzling Szechuan shrimp and hoisin roast duck (more about the food later, snack fans!) fill the air. Soak it up as you wander along Grant Avenue, camera in hand, to the intersection of Grant and California. Here, to the clang and clatter of San Francisco’s iconic cable cars, is where you’ll find Chinatown’s other most-photographed structures: Sing Chong and Sing Fat, a pair of towering pagoda-style buildings facing off across the street, and Old St Mary’s Church which bears an ominous ALL CAPS warning beneath its grand clock: "SON, OBSERVE THE TIME AND FLY FROM EVIL" Avenues and Alleyways But the real magic happens when you get off the main drag and begin to explore the other side of Chinatown. Even the second major thoroughfare, Stockton Street, has a more authentic feel. So once you’ve bagged your souvenirs – waving lucky cat, paper lantern, bamboo backscratcher – from the gift shops on Grant, head over to the colorful markets on Stockton for a real taste of China. And we mean that literally: the produce markets here hawk everything edible, from dried fruit to live crabs and great bundles of bok choy. Wander into the side streets and back alleys and you’ll discover a whole world of Chinese culture. Think tiny mah jong parlors, laundry strewn window to window on makeshift washing lines above the street, bakeries crammed with egg custard tarts and Chinese donuts, and cute old-fashioned shops selling all manner of snacks, trinkets and esoteric Chinoiserie. Me Want Cooooookies! Discover what your future holds at the tiny Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory on Ross Alley. Here, you can watch the crack cookie team in action as they assemble thousands of the crunchy fortune-telling treats by hand every single day. Photos are permitted for a small fee, and you can buy bags of cookies in a variety of flavors to take away. Go green tea for maximum authenticity, or chocolate-coated for the ultimate cookie indulgence. But be warned: there may well be an expanding waistline in your future. Nearby Waverly Place was once home to two notorious brothels. Now the most colorful thing here is the buildings, rows of Insta-perfect shops and dwellings painted in a rainbow of garish greens, baby pinks and turmeric yellows, complete with elaborate balconies. It’s also where you’ll find the Tin How Temple. Founded way back in 1852, it’s the oldest Taoist temple in the United States. Intrepid explorers can visit by locating number 125 Waverly Place and climbing the steps to the third floor. Inside, incense burns, candles flicker in the gloom, paper lanterns hover overhead and dozens of small statues of Chinese deities crowd the space. Worshippers pray silently and leave offerings of fruit and bread at Tin How’s shrine. Next, head round the corner for a snap in front of the Old Chinese Telephone Exchange, a beautifully overstated red, green and gold pagoda-style building on Washington Street, now staffed by bank employees who gaze on with bemusement at the constant flow of selfie-takers on their doorstep. Then onwards to Portsmouth Square: this rather nondescript place is nevertheless the heart of Chinatown, and it’s here you can pause to watch the world go by and see elderly locals indulge in good old-fashioned pursuits like t’ai chi and Chinese chess. Food, glorious food! Confucius say: he who comes to Chinatown and does not eat the food did not really come to Chinatown. Ok ok, so we made that quote up, but it’s a truth universally acknowledged that the best dim sum in the States is to be found in the narrow lanes of this thriving San Francisco neighborhood. Our advice? Dive in! There are a number of hole-in-the-wall takeaway joints as well as (usually) tiny, cramped premises for those who want the full authentic Chinatown experience. These are the places for life-altering culinary experiences, where you can gorge on delicate shrimp and chive gyoza, fluffy BBQ pork dumplings and crispy sesame balls to your heart’s content. The food is so good and the prices so cheap that there’s every chance you’ll stick around for seconds. And probably thirds. Just don’t expect the ‘have a nice day’ level of attention you'll be used to from elsewhere in San Francisco. Service here often feels brusque and impatient, but lean into it at eateries like the City View Restaurant and Chinatown stalwart the Hang Ah Tea Room and you’ll soon discover it's all part of the charm, and easily one of the most fun things to do in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Save on things to do in Chinatown San Francisco Save on admission to San Francisco attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak

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