The San Francisco skyline seen from Yerba Buena Island

San Francisco in September

By <a href="#author-bio">Stuart Bak</a>
By Stuart Bak

Fall is one of San Francisco’s most alluring seasons. As the summer fogs abate, September promises clear skies and balmy temperatures ahead of the trees commencing their spectacular annual display of gold, copper and rust-red colors in October and November. Read on to find out why you should visit San Francisco in September.

Visiting San Francisco in September

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Average Temperature: 55–69°F • Average Rainfall: 2 days/mth • Average Sunshine: 9 hours/day

If San Francisco summers are known for their fogs, then September is a breath of fresh air. It’s now that San Franciscans put ‘Fogust’ firmly behind them and hit the beach, taking advantage of the warm, sunny conditions and azure skies to top up those California tans.

Unusually, San Francisco's fall months are often warmer than summer, with temperatures tending to peak in the high 60s and low 70s in September. It’s a fine time to visit, but not just on account of the pleasant weather. With tourist season done and dusted the crowds, like the fog, have withdrawn and hotel prices have begun to ease. There are some fine festivals and events too, especially around Labor Day Weekend at the beginning of the month.

Top tip: don’t be fooled by the balmy days – you’ll still want to layer up for evenings out. Think jeans and light sweaters for al fresco cocktails, and a jacket if it’s breezy.

Things to do in September

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If you’re going to hit the beach in San Francisco, do it in September. Sure, those waters are no good for swimming due to the dangerous riptides and bone-chilling temperatures. But, if the sound of crashing surf sets your heart soaring, and you’re into Insta-perfect coastal vistas, the city’s beaches are great places to while away a few hours. Head to Ocean Beach for the city’s longest stretch of wild, rugged beach, where fine golden sands, rolling waves and rocky outcrops are the order of the day.

Nearby Baker Beach is a fine spot for sunny strolls accompanied by what are arguably the best beach views in town. Flanked by cypress trees, native wildflowers and Mediterranean shrubs, it’s located on the edge of the Presidio with close-up views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands beyond.

If you do fancy a dip on a hot day, make for the Aquatic Park cove in the Maritime National Historical Park – its calm clear waters are well protected and safe for swimming, and you’ll enjoy front-row seats for views of the historic ships docked over at Hyde Street Pier.

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Sticking with the seaside theme (it is ice cream weather, after all!), Fisherman’s Wharf stretches along much of San Francisco’s northern waterfront and offers a cornucopia of activities, including a host of old-fashioned seaside entertainments. Here’s where you’ll find major attractions like the USS Pampanito WWII submarine, the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and the aforementioned restored sailing ships at Hyde Street Pier.

It’s also home to Pier 39, one of San Francisco’s must-visit attractions. Say hey to the resident sea lion colony then head to the Aquarium of the Bay, where another 20,000 sea critters (give or take) await you. The pier also boasts dozens of cafes and restaurants alongside thrill rides, VR experiences, old-school gaming arcades and even a carousel!

Don’t miss the Musée Mécanique, an absolute labor of love that’s chock-full of arcade games, automata and other weird and wonderful devices of yore. Play classic pinball machines, find out where you rank on the kiss-o-meter (from amateurish to hot stuff), and try not to have nightmares after coming face to face with Laffing Sal, a cackling six-foot automaton with a missing tooth.

After all that excitement, hop on a Bay cruise or head over to Alcatraz Island for a tour of its infamous penitentiary.

What’s on in September?

Sausalito Art Festival

Labor Day can mean only one thing: the Sausalito Art Festival. If you needed an excuse to make the epic 30-minute walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, this is a good one. Once in charming Sausalito, you can browse some of the country’s finest contemporary art as well as enjoying fine wine, craft beer, gourmet food galore and lashings of live music and street entertainment. It’s one of the oldest and most prestigious open-air art festivals in the States and well worth the trip. Top tip: take the ferry back across the Bay to save your legs on the return journey!

Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival

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San Francisco's most legendary purveyors of the sweet stuff, Ghirardelli, hosts an annual chocolate festival in September. The two-day event features enough chocolate-based entertainment to turn Willy Wonka green with envy, from chef demonstrations to those all-important chocolate-tasting sessions. There’s even an ice cream eating contest, in which participants compete to see who can guzzle down one of Ghirardelli’s ‘Earthquake’ sundaes in the fastest time. With one small catch: they’re not allowed to use their hands. In short: it's gooey, messy, chocolatey heaven.

San Francisco Fringe Festival

Organized by San Francisco’s EXIT Theatre group, the SF Fringe showcases (mostly) local talent across a few intimate downtown venues through September. Acts are selected by lottery, with those voted as best of the bunch going on to do encore performances at the end of the festival.

Live Outdoor Entertainment

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San Francisco’s balmy September temperatures lend themselves well to lots of time spent outdoors. Handily, this is also the time of year to catch live shows in the city’s great parks, many of them absolutely free. Comedy Day is exactly what it sounds like: an afternoon of gratis chuckles in Golden Gate Park, courtesy of the city’s finest funnymen and women. Also in Golden Gate Park, the SF Opera traditionally kicks off its fall season with a free performance while, over in McLaren Park, the SF Shakespeare Festival performs one of the bard’s best-loved works, with a different play showcased each year.

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
Freelance travel writer

Stu caught the travel bug at an early age, thanks to childhood road trips to the south of France squeezed into the back of a Ford Cortina with two brothers and a Sony Walkman. Now a freelance writer living on the Norfolk coast, Stu has produced content for travel giants including Frommer’s, British Airways, Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, and now Go City. His most memorable travel experiences include drinking kava with the locals in Fiji and pranging a taxi driver’s car in the Honduran capital.

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Thanksgiving in San Francisco 2019 - Things to Do in November & More

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Win an Alcatraz Day Tour this Black Friday

WIN an Alcatraz day tour, with ferry transportation and the famous Cell House Audio Tour. Discover the windswept island that has been home to a Civil War Fort, a military prison and one of the most notorious Federal penitentiaries in US history. Cruise to the legendary Alcatraz and get a behind-the-scenes look inside. What’s included You’ll win entry to the Alcatraz Cellhouse along with the award-winning Cellhouse Audio Tour and to the new permanent exhibition, The Big Lockup: Mass Incarceration in the United States. You’ll also get admission to the New Industries Building which features a compelling exhibit remembering the influential Occupation of Alcatraz by Indians of All Tribes as well as close-up outdoor access to historic spaces like the Eagle Plaza, the Recreation Yard, the Warden’s House and the Officer’s Club. Enjoy stunning views of the San Francisco Bay and explore the surrounding National Park for as long as you like. Then head inside to learn all there is to know about the infamous prison and its tumultuous history. How to enter For a chance to win this incredible prize, all you have to do is purchase any of our San Francisco passes between 9AM Tuesday 22 November 2022 and 11:59PM Tuesday 29 November 2022. Once you’ve purchased, you’ll be automatically entered into the giveaway. Easy! If you’re the lucky winner, we’ll contact you by email by December 15, 2022, so look out for us in your inbox. Click here to view giveaway terms and conditions.
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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

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