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Things to Do in San Francisco in Summer

The Bay Area has everything you need to entertain the whole family this summer.
By Katie Sagal

Arguably the best time to visit, San Francisco in summer is full of fun and festivities. From superb museums to street fairs, grab your sunglasses and head on down.

Southern California may get a lot of hype. But if you are looking for some summer fun, don't count Northern Cali out either. While it’s a beautiful city to visit year-round, summer in San Francisco is the best time to plan a trip. Summer in San Fran is the warmest, most festive, and arguably the most fun time of year in the Bay Area.

There are tons of special street festivals, races, attractions, tours, museums, and events that happen all summer in San Francisco. So, if you’re planning a visit and looking for things to do in San Francisco this summer, check out our list of the top attractions and activities going on this year, including...

  • San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
  • Escape from the Rock Cruise
  • California Academy of Sciences
  • California Wine Country Tour
  • and more...

Heading to the area to celebrate Independence Day? Then check out our post on things to do in San Francisco 4th of July Weekend.

In the Bay area towards the end of summer? Here are a few fun things to do in San Francisco during Labor Day Weekend.

Escape from the Rock Cruise

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One great way to go about exploring San Francisco this summer is to embark on an informative sightseeing cruise to Alcatraz.

One of the most popular and exciting options is the 'Escape from the Rock' cruise. This 90-minute tour will teach you about what it was like for controversial inmates of Alcatraz about their life behind bars. The cruise will also give you a great vantage point to take photos of the infamous island.

Each Escape From the Rock tour features sound effects and stories about famous inmates like Al Capone, Billy Cook the Killer, and Clyde Johnson.

Exploratorium

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Exploratorium

If you're traveling with kids, you can't miss out on an afternoon spent at the awesome Exploratorium. Fueled by creativity and curiosity, this San Francisco institution offers over 600 interactive exhibits for kids of all ages to engage with. During the summer, the Exploratorium offers a ton of great events and specials. For more information and specific event offerings, visit their website - you're sure to find something you'd like to partake in from the list of festivals and shows.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

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One of San Francisco's most beloved cultural attractions is the must-see art destination, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Boasting stellar collections of contemporary and modern art that include works from big names like Calder, Klee, and Pollock, to emerging Bay Area artists and more, the SFMOMA is the artistic destination in San Fran.

Madame Tussauds San Francisco

Madame Tussauds is your chance to get closer to your icons than ever before. With seven different themed areas that range from Hollywood classics to sports to music and even Bay Area entrepreneurs and historic figures, this is a unique way to experience San Francisco's history.

Step onto the court and shoot hoops with Steph Curry or jam on stage with Jimi Hendrix to experience the full “Spirit of San Francisco.” Whether you want to take a selfie with Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates or strike a pose with Beyoncé and sparkle center stage with Adele –- there's a star-studded line up for everyone to enjoy.

Fisherman’s Wharf

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This eclectic waterfront neighborhood is a prime destination for visitors and locals alike who are looking for some fun and entertainment. Although Fisherman’s Wharf as a term technically refers to just one particular wharf, the neighborhood is comprised of an entire waterfront district filled with attractions.

Some of the exciting and entertaining attractions you’ll find in this destination include Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, the Musée Méchanique, a famed Sea Lion colony, seafood markets, and much more.

Aquarium of the Bay

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If you prefer sea life to still life, the Aquarium of the Bay (conveniently located on Fisherman’s Wharf's iconic Pier 39) is where you’ll have some of the most fun this summer in San Francisco. With its exclusive focus on the marine life of San Francisco Bay, this regional aquarium is the perfect destination for those looking to learn more about the environment and its inhabitants.

Enjoy visiting exhibits like Discover the Bay, Go With the Flow, Under the Bay and more - all full of colorful jellies, fish, and aquatic animals.

Golden Gate Park

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There's no better place to be in San Francisco on a sunny day than Golden Gate Park. It’s filled with dozens of gardens, playgrounds, trails, recreation areas, picnic areas, monuments, and much more spread through over 1,000 acres of delightful urban green space.

There are also some top attractions and museums located in the park if you're feeling motivated to do more than lay back on the picnic blanket and enjoy the sunshine. One of our favorites is the de Young Museum, another premier art institution. The museum is one of the most visited in the country and is home to over 1,000 pieces of fine art, including sculptures, paintings, and more.

California Academy of Sciences

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Also located in Golden Gate Park, this premier institution of science, learning, and entertainment is a must for visitors of all ages. Where else in the world can you find such a comprehensive and amazing four-in-one experience? That’s right - the California Academy of Sciences is comprised of a four-story rainforest, a natural history museum, an aquarium, and the world’s largest all-digital planetarium.

From the splashing penguins in the African Hall to the awe-inspiring reef ecosystem, there are plenty of habitats and exhibits to explore. Make sure to check out their newest exhibit Giants of Land and Sea. Allow science to take over all your senses as you feel your way through a fog room, keep your balance in the earthquake simulator, and ascend to the top of a towering Redwood.

Union Street Festival

Get your summer started with the Union Street Festival, one of the city’s most enjoyable and well-known free arts festivals. The eclectic Union Street Festival features not only a wide selection of arts and crafts made from sustainable materials, but an organic farmers market, gourmet food booths, and live entertainment. It's easy to see why it has gained such popularity.

See over 20 live bands perform and explore the five entertainment areas that showcases jazz, blues, country, bluegrass, and local bands. Then peruse the sponsor tents, Arts & Crafts exhibitors, food vendors, and more.

North Beach Festival

The North Beach Festival is considered one of the oldest and original fairs in the country. You’ll find a wide variety of activities, entertainment, and objects for purchase, including the area’s best arts and crafts. Known to locals as San Francisco's Little Italy, the North Beach area is the perfect place to spend a day perusing all the booths and local vendor options.

There are also activities like face painting and more for children to enjoy. With over 125 options packed with paintings, vintage knick-knacks, gourmet food, and two stages for live entertainment. It's sure to be a summer day well spent.

Save on summertime activities

San Francisco cable car

So there you have it. Our picks for some of the top things to do in San Francisco in during the summer. Whether you are traveling with your family or a couple of friends, we're sure you will have a great time at these attractions.

 

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Fireworks over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
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New Year's Eve in San Francisco

San Francisco is one of the USA's finest party towns, with neighborhoods that are characterized by their lively nightlife scenes. We’re talking the Castro’s uber-hip LGBTQ+ clubs, high-end dining in Nob Hill, laidback speakeasies in North Beach and chilled-out arty bars in The Mission. In other words: great for seeing in the New Year with a bang. But it’s not all Cable Car cocktails and morning-after Alka-Seltzers. There are loads of ways to spend New Year’s Eve in San Francisco, and we’ve put together a selection of the best, to be enjoyed with or without a drink in your hand. Read on for art and Alcatraz, ballet and burritos, skating and sightseeing, and much more... In the Daytime... Ride the Cable Car The squeal of the cables, the rattle of the wheels, the great clang of the bell: San Francisco’s colorful MUNI tram cars are a great way to while away a New Year’s Eve hour or two. These painted wooden icons promise a fun-filled rollercoaster ride through the famously hilly city, with photo ops galore along the way. Bag the best snaps by claiming a spot on the narrow external platforms either side of the car – you’ll get the most spectacular views of landmarks like Alcatraz and Lombard Street riding the Powell-Hyde line from Downtown to Fisherman’s Wharf. Spot a San Francisco Icon With so many world-famous landmarks around town, San Francisco souvenir makers must be coining it in. Indeed, you don’t have to look very hard to find a Golden Gate Bridge keychain, MUNI cable car model, Alcatraz ornament, or mug adorned with the colorful Painted Ladies. Heck, you can even get fog globes (like snow globes but with fog, in honor of the city’s famous pea-soupers). Sure, bag the souvenir, but nothing beats the real thing, so make sure to drop by one or two of these veritable SF icons on New year’s Eve. And don’t neglect to say hey to the sea lions at Pier 39 while you’re at it. Bag a Bargain If, once again, Father Christmas failed to find space in your stocking for the designer handbag or brand-new iPhone you so desperately wanted, now’s your chance to take the matter into your own hands. Post-Christmas sales run from 26 December right into the New Year, so this is prime time to pick up a bargain. Hit up the big department stores and malls – Saks, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Nieman’s, Westfield – for some of the best. Take a Hike Sure, it’s a bit hilly, but just think of all the good it will do your calves and glutes! There are loads of great walks in San Francisco, from short sightseeing tours of the Castro’s celebrated LGBTQ+ landmarks, to longer walks that take in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood’s boho vibe and Instagram eye candy of the Painted Ladies. But if you really want to get the blood pumping, try the Filbert Street Steps challenge, a steep climb up 500-or-so steps that takes in sweeping views of Treasure Island and the San Francisco Bay Bridge and promises encounters with talkative Telegraph Hill parrots, quaint cottages and cute formal gardens on the way to Coit Tower at its summit. Get Your Culture Fix San Francisco is home to some of California’s finest museums and galleries so where better to while away a few hours while you wait for the New Year festivities to kick off? Experience one of the planet’s largest collections of modern and contemporary art at SFMOMA, starring Hopper, Kahlo, Klee, Matisse, O’Keeffe, Richter and Warhol, to name but a few, and unleash your inner Einstein at the super-cool Exploratorium on Pier 39, where you can summon up your own sandstorms, get lost in the fog and dance with... yourself. Kids young and old will thrill to the vast range of playable vintage arcades and pinball machines at the Musée Mécanique in Fisherman’s Wharf. Chill Out in The Mission Hands-down one of San Francisco’s hippest ‘hoods, The Mission is a great place to chill and take in the sights on New Year’s Eve. Check out the eye-popping painted murals on Balmy Alley and Clarion Alley, and window-shop the cool indie stores on Valencia Street, where vintage fashions, pre-loved vinyl records and, um, pirate supplies are the order of the day. For lunch, seek out a legendary ‘Mission Burrito’ in one of the district's many authentic taquerias. These edible monsters are famed for their super-soft tortillas, farm-fresh ingredients and medley of Mexican flavors. Heave yours up to Dolores Park and find a spot to tuck in accompanied by panoramic views of the hazy Downtown skyline. In the Evening... Take in a Show Kick off your celebrations in earnest with one of San Francisco’s fab New Year shows. Check out listings for some of the city’s top venues – The Fillmore, The Warfield, The Independent – to find the perfect performance to suit your mood. Or go full glad-rags-and-monocles mode behind the stately colonnaded facade of the War Memorial Opera House, where you can catch world-class performances from the vaunted San Francisco Ballet, Opera and Symphony ensembles. Have a Nice Dinner Book early if you want to secure a New Year’s Eve spot for dinner in any of the city’s top restaurants. We’re talking dinner with a view in upscale Nob Hill – check out the Fairmont’s Laurel Court or Top of the Mark at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins. Or hit up Zingari on Union Square for high-end Italian food and live jazz. Looking for something a little less formal? Chinatown is your friend. Generally considered one of the best enclaves for Chinese food in the US, here’s where you can dine like an emperor on fluffy BBQ pork dumplings, delicate shrimp and chive gyoza, crispy sesame balls and all manner of other umami Chinese treats. Find yourself a tiny, cramped restaurant for a fully authentic experience. Go on a New Year’s Eve Cruise A favorite way to spend New Year’s Eve in San Francisco is aboard a cruise on the Bay. It’s a fine (and unusual) way to ring in the New Year, complete with picture-perfect night-time views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and, of course, the city’s spectacular midnight firework display. Cruise options range from high-end dining experiences to booze-fueled party boats that are strictly for revelers aged 21 and over. Note that at least one of these options has the potential to leave you feeling a little, shall we say, seasick the morning after. Skate into the New Year The Embarcadero Holiday Ice Rink is the city’s largest and offers glittering views of San Francisco Bay, the Ferry Building and the Bay Bridge as you glide and swoop, graceful as a drunk swan, across the ice. The rink stays open until 11.30PM on New Year’s Eve, meaning you can skate until late before huddling with the crowds to enjoy the midnight pyrotechnics. The views of the firework display from here – as with just about anywhere along the eastern waterfront – are among the very best in town. Save on things to do in San Francisco Save on admission to San Francisco attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Black Friday Giveaway
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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.
Alice Padfield

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