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10+ things to do in San Francisco for adults

San Francisco is bursting with great activities for couples and groups of friends
By Katie Sagal

Culturally rich, diverse in population, and filled with an array of attractions to explore, it's easy to see why San Francisco is one of the most popular vacation spots in the US.

Outdoorsy, relaxed, and plenty of attractions to keep travelers busy; San Francisco has it all.

While it has a reputation as a kid-friendly city, there's more than enough for groups of friends or couples to enjoy in the Bay Area. Take to the water and get a view from the shoreline, bike along the Golden Gate Bridge, and sample the dining and nightlife scene. You'll be spoilt for choice!

So, if you’re looking for things to do in San Francisco for adults, check out our list, including:

  • Big Bus San Francisco Sightseeing Tour
  • California Academy of Sciences
  • San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
  • San Francisco Cruises
  • AT&T Park Tour
  • UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens
  • and more!

Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tour

A great introduction to San Francisco for first-time visitors is a hop-on hop-off bus tour. Although the city itself is pretty compact, it’s also hilly and very densely populated, and it can be difficult to plan an itinerary for yourself that covers all the big highlights in a single day.

Opt for a comprehensive bus tour that showcases all the biggies. As a bonus, a hop-on hop-off version gives you the flexibility to pick and choose what you want to see without being tied to an entire progression.

California Academy of Sciences

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Let's kick off with one of the most amazing museums on the entire West Coast, the California Academy of Sciences. It’s got everything from natural history galleries to an aquarium to an all-digital planetarium and much more. With a reputation for being at the forefront of conservation activities, the California Academy of Sciences' cutting-edge research plays a valuable role in sharing information with the public. Pay a visit to their playful penguins, marvel at their green roof, and walk through a four-story rainforest.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

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Art lovers will relish the chance to visit this famed institution. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) is filled with some of the most inspiring and innovative contemporary and modern art in the world.

Explore the Doris and Donald Fisher Collection in all its glory, and see works from diverse artists: famous, local, and in between. The SFMOMA also has a number of special events and exhibits on rotation, so be sure to consult their website before you visit to see if there's any you want to check out. They’ll often have adults-only evening events, too - perfect for a quiet evening of reflection.

San Francisco bike rentals

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Outdoorsy couples or friends will want to bike around San Francisco. It’s certainly very hilly, but the challenge is part of what makes it so much fun. The bike-friendly streets of San Francisco are a blast to pedal around, and the waterfront paths are particularly scenic. Your rental comes with a map and some suggested routes of varying distances. Opt to stick around the city, or take a ride all the way to Sausalito.

San Francisco cruises

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The waters of the San Francisco Bay are beautiful and fun to explore. A cruise is a great option to combine sightseeing with a delightful few hours spent out on the open water. Choose an Escape from the Rock Cruise for an informative and exciting overview of the most famous prison in the United States.

Sail around Alcatraz Island as you’re regaled with tales of its controversial history. Or, opt for the Bridge 2 Bridge Cruise, a sightseeing excursion that takes you under both the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge.

More San Francisco art museums

Can’t get enough of San Francisco arts and culture? Fortunately for you, there are plenty more wonderful art museums to explore in the city. The stellar de Young Museum is beautiful both outside and in and features fine collections of American painting, art of the broader Americas, Oceana, and more. The Legion of Honor, designed to look like an eighteenth-century French palace, offers a variety of European paintings plus ancient art and artifacts.

Asian Art Museum

Finally, the Asian Art Museum has a particular focus on 6,000 years of art and history from the continent.

GoCar San Francisco tour

Enjoy one of the more unique ways to explore San Francisco with this GPS-guided storytelling car. This GoCar Tour offers a way to see the city without the hassle and stress of navigating on your own and showcases sites that visitors rarely see (and a few where tour buses can’t even go!) A few of the highlights on your tour are the best for photos, like Ghirardelli Square, the Cannery, the Marina District, the Presidio, the Sea Cliff, and more.

AT&T Park

Sports fans should take advantage of the chance to tour one of Major League Baseball’s most charming stadiums. Located right on the water, the views from this stadium are breathtaking. The insight you’ll get on the tour is really interesting, too.

See significant places within the park like the Batting Cages, the Press Box, a Luxury Suite, and more. Depending on when you’re visiting, you could also pick up tickets to a game. What’s more fun than enjoying some hotdogs and beer while watching America’s favorite sport?

Aquarium of the Bay

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Animal lovers will definitely want to visit the Aquarium of the Bay, an amazing institution that focuses exclusively on the marine life of the San Francisco Bay and contiguous waters. One of our favorite exhibits is “Under the Bay” where you can stroll through 300 feet of clear tunnels under a marine exhibit, featuring over 20,000 animals.

You’ll get some awesome photos of the sea life in this exhibit, as well as the “Touch the Bay” tank, where you can actually come into contact with (tiny) sharks.

San Francisco Zoo & Gardens

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You'll find plenty of animal fun in San Fran. Head to Golden Gate Park and the San Francisco Zoo. It's filled with amazing critters big and small, from bears to zebras, and also boasts a peaceful series of gardens featuring local California flora.

A visit here is a nice chance to see your favorite animal pals and to get some fun souvenirs, too. Of course, if the garden aspect is your favorite part, perhaps you'll want to consider our next suggestion...

UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens

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Nature is all around you at the UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens. This place makes for a delightful trip outside of the city, to see a wide variety of native and exotic flora in recreated environs. Wander through 34 acres of amazing plants, representative of over 12,000 different species from across the globe. There’s a special emphasis on plants from Mediterranean climates, so keep an eye out for some especially cool exotics.

Dining & nightlife

San Francisco is also an amazing culinary city, offering multiple areas of the city with award-winning cuisine. Try the Financial District, Japantown, Jackson Square, Lower Haight, the Richmond.

If you’re looking for some fun nightlife or great drinks, then Gaslamp Quarter (also very historical), the Mission, North Beach, and the Tenderloin are good choices. Resources like Yelp and Open Table can be really helpful when finding good insight into local places, too.

Can't choose? No need, see it all with Go City® 

With an All-Inclusive Pass from Go City, you can visit both attractions for a fraction of the cost. Plus, you could save up to 50% on all your San Francisco must-sees. Or pick an Explorer Pass, if you've chosen your fave and have a specific bucket list you're dreaming of ticking off. Whichever San Francisco pass you pick, you'll be saving as you sightsee! 

☀️ Compare San Francisco passes ☀️– 🌏 Explore other destinations 🌏 –  ✈️ Buy a pass ✈ 

Katie Sagal
Go City Travel Expert

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California sea lions basking in the sun at Pier 39 in Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
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Week in San Francisco

San Francisco is one of those places that really lends itself to longer stays. You’ll never find yourself short of things to do here: the Golden City is packed to the rafters with world-class museums, sprawling parks, top-flight shopping and nightlife and, of course, iconic attractions like Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. A week in San Francisco really lets you get under the skin of the city and immerse yourself in its intoxicating vibe. Check out our suggested 7-day itinerary below. Day 1: Downtown Strolling around San Francisco’s financial district is a great way to get your bearings on arrival. It’s here that you’ll find the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), where the 30,000-strong collection of modern and contemporary art, including masterpieces by Warhol, O’Keeffe, Hopper, Richter, Kahlo (and countless others) is one of the world’s largest. Lunch options abound downtown. Head to the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero with its soaring clock tower and bustling marketplace, where artisan foodie stores hawk delicious freshly baked San Francisco sourdough, aromatic local cheeses and much more. Or try an authentic Chinatown takeaway joint for life-changing shrimp gyoza, crispy sesame balls and fluffy BBQ pork dumplings. The tiny Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory on Ross Alley is another essential component of any foray into Chinatown: watch the cookie assembly line team in action before picking up a bag of green-tea-flavored treats to go. The streets that radiate out from Union Square are a shoppers’ paradise. Saks, Macy’s, Apple, Louis Vuitton: all the big-hitters are here. Spend the afternoon giving your credit card a workout, then glam up for an evening at the stately War Memorial Opera House for world-class ballet, opera and symphonic performances. Day 2: Golden Gate Park You can easily spend a whole day (and probably more) exploring the many gardens, museums and trails in sprawling Golden Gate Park – there’s even an old-fashioned carousel with painted wooden beasts that include an ostrich, a tiger and... a dragon. Find your inner zen among the Japanese Tea Garden’s meandering paths, bonsai trees and tranquil koi ponds, get your selfie fix at the picture-perfect Dutch Windmill (particularly photogenic in spring when the tulip garden is in bloom) and snap the bison in their paddock near Hippie Hill. Golden Gate Park is also home to not one but two of San Francisco’s most impressive museums. Visit the de Young, with its burnished copper facade and striking observation tower, to admire fine art from the Americas and beyond. The California Academy of the Sciences is your place for all things living (and dead), boasting a staggering 46 million specimens across its aquarium, rainforest dome and natural history museum. And that’s not all: there’s a huge planetarium here, too! Look out for the museum’s unique roof, topped with seven rolling green hills and over two million plants. Day 3: Ride the Cable Cars No visit to San Francisco would be complete without a ride on the iconic rolling landmarks that are the MUNI cable cars. Feel the wind in your hair as your painted wooden carriage rollercoasters its way through the city’s famously hilly streets. Take the California Street line west from the Embarcadero to ogle luxury hotels and homes of the rich and famous in wealthy Nob Hill, where the Gothic confection that is Grace Cathedral also merits a visit. Or hop aboard the downtown lines for a ride up to Fisherman’s Wharf – we recommend the Powell-Hyde line for the best views of Alcatraz as your carriage crests the hills, plus you’ll also get a peek at the hairpin bends of Lombard Street as you wobble past. In the evening, trade the clanging bells and rattling wheels of the cable cars for a sunset cruise out to Alcatraz Island where an atmospheric tour of America’s most notorious former prison awaits. Day 4: Chill in The Mission Soak up the hipster vibe of The Mission on a stroll round its buzzy streets. This virtual art gallery of a neighborhood has colorful murals adorning almost every available surface, particularly in and around Clarion and Balmy Alleys. Follow the rich aroma of freshly ground coffee to the roasteries on Valencia Street and grab a cup to go, then browse the wild variety of independent stores along this eclectic strip. Expect vintage thriftstore fashions, pre-loved vinyl records, second-hand books, trendy tattoo parlors and – genuinely – a supply store for wannabe pirates. Eyepatch and stuffed parrot duly secured, make for the local taquerias. Both Taqueria La Cumbre and Taqueria El Faro claim to have invented the legendary Mission Burrito – an obscenely large steamed flour tortilla that’s absolutely crammed with farm-fresh meat, salsa, rice, beans, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and shredded lettuce. We’re talking around 2lbs of Mexican goodness here. Take yours up to Dolores Park and eat slowly while enjoying superb views of Downtown and the Bay. Day 5: North Beach Confusingly, there’s no beach in buzzy North Beach. But don’t let that put you off: the heady mix of Italian flavors, literary counterculture and scenic strolls more than makes up for it! Grab a drink in the Vesuvio, the retro-tastic bar close to Jack Kerouac Alley, where the author used to hang out with beatnik pals Ginsberg and Cassady in the 1950s. Pick up a copy of On The Road from the legendary City Lights bookstore then its straight to the Italian bakeries by leafy Washington Square for some of the best cannoli in town. Actually, best get a bagful – you’re going to need the energy for what’s coming next. Suitably fortified, you’re now ready to take up the challenge of the Filbert Street Steps. There are around 500 (mostly wooden) steps from the bottom to the landmark Coit Tower up top. Dedicated climbers reap rich rewards, taking in widescreen Bay views and meeting raucous red-and-green Telegraph Hill parrots along the way. Footsore pilgrims will be pleased to learn that, once inside the 210-feet-high Coit Tower, there’s an elevator to take you to the top. Phew. Day 6: Fisherman’s Wharf Taking in the whole of San Francisco’s northern waterfront, Fisherman’s Wharf is the traditional seaside day out writ large, and so much more besides. Here’s where you can say hello to sea lions basking in the sun on Pier 39, meet celebs and former presidents (in wax form) at Madame Tussauds, board a WWII submarine and savor zingy fish tacos as you watch the boats shuttle passengers to and from Alcatraz. There are arcade games, thrill rides and street performers too, as well as one of San Francisco’s very best museums. The Exploratorium on Pier 15 is an art and science extravaganza, with dozens of interactive exhibits designed to educate and entertain. If you’ve ever wanted to step into a tornado, dance with your own shadow or see San Francisco’s skyline modeled from a staggering number of toothpicks, this is the one for you. Day 7: Golden Gate Bridge You can’t spend a week in San Francisco and not set foot on the Golden Gate Bridge at least once. Sure you’ve seen those iconic rust-red towers from a thousand different angles over the last seven days. But can you truly say you’ve been to San Francisco until you’ve experienced the (often fearsome) Bay winds and taken in the sweeping views from bang in the center of the bridge? No, we say, you cannot. Spend a leisurely day exploring the Presidio – home of the Walt Disney Family Museum, Palace of Fine Arts and more – before walking the entire length of the Golden Gate and rewarding yourself with dinner in downtown Sausalito. 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
Aquarium
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California Academy of Sciences vs. Aquarium of the Bay

San Francisco is lucky to be home to not one, but two excellent marine life attractions in the California Academy of Sciences and the Aquarium of the Bay. If you’re comparing these two scientific museums, we’ve put together a handy guide to help you consider which attraction appeals to you the most.
Katie Sagal
Selection of San Francisco souvenirs including cable car and Golden Gate Bridge ornaments
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Best San Francisco Souvenirs

What will you bring home from San Francisco, besides a California tan, flowers in your hair, several cable car selfies and a wistful longing to be back in the Golden City’s foggy embrace? Our guide to the best San Francisco souvenirs includes everything from fortune cookies to whale feed (no, that isn’t a typo) and ensures you’ll pick the perfect memento to remember your trip by. Read on for our top picks and where to find them... Tacky Treasures Even a city as cool as San Francisco isn’t immune to the commercial potential of tacky tourist trinkets. But there’s joy to be found in those inexpensive little reminders of vacations well spent: the Golden Gate Bridge fridge magnet, a cuddly toy emblazoned with the ‘I ♥ SF’ logo’, an Alcatraz keychain, a mug bearing the (oh-so-true) sentiment ‘I left my heart in San Francisco’. You’ll find all these and more in stores affiliated to official tourist attractions, plus countless other variations in random gift shops citywide. But there are two ubiquitous ‘tacky’ San Francisco souvenirs you really shouldn’t leave town without. Spend any time in the city and you’ll soon understand why it's one of the last places on the planet to retain working foghorns, their great plaintive parps guiding ships safely under the Golden Gate Bridge whenever those famously dense banks of San Francisco fog envelop the city. Which is frequently, especially during the Bay Area’s foggy summer season – or ‘Fogust’ as the locals have punningly nicknamed it. Step forward the San Francisco fog globe, a clever variation on the traditional snow globe that, when shaken, shrouds the attraction inside in a dense pea-souper. Magical. Also synonymous with San Francisco are the squealing cables, clanging bells and rattling wooden carriages of the MUNI cable car system. Riding these rolling National Historic Landmarks up and down the city’s rollercoaster streets is one of San Francisco’s must-do experiences. And what better memento of your journey than an adorable mini cable car of your very own, with authentic wooden frame and moving wheels? Find yours in the shop at the Cable Car Museum alongside a range of other official merchandise (the MUNI logo tees are pretty cool, too). Cultural Souvenirs If you’re looking for something a little more... highbrow, make like Jack Kerouac and head for the City Lights bookstore where Chinatown and North Beach meet. It’s here (and in nearby bar Vesuvio) that Kerouac used to hang out with fellow beatniks, making it something of a spiritual home of the Beat Generation. Drop by for a browse and pick up a souvenir copy of On The Road or Ginsberg’s Howl and Other Poems, the latter of which saw City Lights embroiled in an obscenity trial when it first published the collection in 1956. San Francisco’s museum shops are another great way to pick up unusual souvenirs and gifts. Always dreamed of owning a skateboard adorned with one of Andy Warhol’s soup-can paintings? Jeff Koons-style balloon dog bookends? Frida Kahlo in wooden doll form? Lichtenstein jigsaw puzzle? Then look no further than the arty emporium at SFMOMA in the heart of Downtown. NB: custom art prints are also available for something a little more traditional. Take a little piece of the Exploratorium home with you: the huge curiosity shop of this astonishing interactive arts and science museum is brimful of colorful apparel, cool science kits and all manner of mindbending puzzles, gadgets and optical illusions. Or add a little more levity to your souvenir gifts at the Pirate Supply Store on quirky Valencia Street south of Downtown. Pick up an eye-patch, (fake) parrot and cutlass for the Jack Sparrow in your life, as well as stocking up on those other seafaring essentials: scurvy medication and whale feed. Sport is also big business in San Francisco where even those with a passing interest are sure to have heard of baseball behemoths the San Francisco Giants and the 49ers, one of the most successful American football teams of all time. Pick up caps, shirts and all manner of other memorabilia at their official stadium shops and at outlets throughout the city. Foodie Favorites Sourdough bread has been a staple of San Francisco life since treasure seekers first brought it here in the California Gold Rush of 1849. Even the 49ers mascot, Sourdough Sam, is named in its honor. You’ll find freshly baked loaves in every San Francisco bakery worth its salt, but locals swear by the Boudin Bakery in Fisherman’s Wharf, perhaps because it too was established in that fateful year of 1849. Stay for a burger or pizza (sourdough bun and base, natch), or grab a crusty loaf to take away and try to resist tearing into it like a wild animal before you get home. Want more baked goods? Chinatown’s tiny Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory assembles thousands of the crunchy clairvoyant treats by hand every day. You can even have custom-made fortunes included to really creep out superstitious family members when they read their super-accurate predictions. There’s yet more gluttonous indulgence to be had in the shape of San Francisco’s damn fine coffee and moreish homemade chocolate. The city’s exploding specialty coffee scene has seen dozens of roasteries pop up over the last few years, including the likes of SoMa’s Sightglass with their signature Owl’s Howl espresso, and Sextant, the only independent Ethiopian trader currently roasting and brewing coffee in the US. Ritual Coffee’s roastery in the Mission district is one of the city’s pioneers and has been serving up the finest single-origin coffees from the Americas to grateful San Franciscans since 2005. Grab some beans from one (or all) of these fine establishments, for a San Francisco souvenir with a touch of class. Hopeless chocoholics should make for historic Ghirardelli Square, where the chocolate and ice-cream emporium, chocolate tasting experience, chocolate café and pop-up chocolate shop from the legendary Ghirardelli Chocolate Company are enough to put Willy Wonka in the shade. Connoisseurs of the sweet stuff can find something with a little more local flavor at Dandelion Chocolate in the Mission. Take a tour of the factory to see expert chocolatiers conjure confectionery out of cocoa beans before your very eyes, then grab a bar (or six) which, with apologies to expectant chocolate-loving friends and family back home, will almost certainly not survive the flight. 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

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