Things to do in Chinatown San Francisco

By <a href="#author-bio">Stuart Bak</a>
By Stuart Bak
Lanterns over the street 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

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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

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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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Where To Stay in San Francisco

Trying to decide where to stay in San Francisco? Will it be the bustling tourist hotspots of Fisherman’s Wharf and the Marina? Busy downtown or sleepy ‘burbs? The hip and happening Mission and Castro districts or the colorful old-school Victoriana of NoPa and the Hayes Valley? Bay or city views? Top or bottom of the hill? Check out our guide to some of the most desirable addresses in town, with ideas for solo travelers, couples and those with a large family in tow. Downtown Easily one of the best places to stay in San Francisco, the Downtown area has countless benefits. Firstly, it puts you within strolling distance of stacks of the city’s bucket-list attractions. It’s where you’ll find, for example, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and the landmark Ferry Building on the Embarcadero, with its soaring clock tower and cavernous interior that houses a bustling marketplace full of cafes, restaurants, cute boutiques and artisan foodie stores. The Embarcadero is also home to some of the neighborhood’s best luxury hotels and rooms with Bay views. The shopping mecca that is Union Square sits at the heart of Downtown, promising high-end boutiques and big brands that are primed to give your credit card a workout. Think Saks, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Chanel, Apple and the Disney Store.There’s also a huge range of dining and drinking options here, satisfying all appetites from steak to sushi, cakes to cocktails. And if it’s great Asian food you crave, look no further than nearby Chinatown, where authentic prawn gyoza and fluffy BBQ pork dumplings may just change your life. Excellent transport connections to the rest of the city also make Downtown a good choice, especially for first timers looking to tick off as many bucket-list San Francisco experiences as possible. Two of the city’s three remaining cable car lines originate here, meaning you can hop on these historic painted carriages for a rollicking, bell-clanging ride across the city’s hills, taking in views of Lombard Street, Alcatraz Island and the Bay as you weave your way up to Fisherman’s Wharf. Fisherman’s Wharf and North Beach Fisherman’s Wharf is – to be blunt about it – a tourist hotspot. But not without good reason: here’s where you’ll find good old-fashioned seaside entertainments by the bucketload. We’re talking everything from arcade games and boat rides in the Bay to Madame Tussauds waxworks, an aquarium and a quite dizzying array of family-friendly dining options. Then, of course, there’s the famous sea lion colony at Pier 39. For those reasons, you’ll find Fisherman’s Wharf to be well-served by the big beasts of the hotel world – Marriott, Holiday Inn, Hyatt, Fairmont – something to suit most budgets, in other words. If you prefer something a little less hectic, neighboring North Beach is a good choice, providing easy access to the thrills and spills of Fisherman’s Wharf as well as having its own not inconsiderable charm. This buzzing district is full of Italian flavor, with some of the city’s best gelato shops, and bakeries selling sweet and crunchy cannoli on nearly every street corner. Its sloping streets are also great for casual exploring: brave souls with calves of steel can take the (approximately 500) Filbert Street Steps up to the iconic Coit Tower. Trust us: it’s worth it for the awe-inspiring views of the glittering Bay far below. The Mission and The Castro A little way south of Downtown, the Castro and Mission districts are hands-down the hippest ‘hoods in town. The Castro is the heart of the city’s (maybe even the planet’s) LGBTQ+ community and you’ll see beautiful rainbows everywhere here: flags, crosswalks, you name it. The nightlife is unsurprisingly ace and the historic Castro Theatre hosts drag nights as well as regular screenings of classic movies and Disney sing-alongs. Between the Castro and the Mission sits Dolores Park, named for the nearby church which – having stood here for more than 200 years – is San Francisco’s oldest building. The park is a lush verdant space, great for people-watching and taking in views of Downtown and the Bay. The Mission’s Latino roots are reflected in many of the amazing, colorful murals that adorn the streets here, as well as in the cuisine. Don’t miss the famous ‘Mission Burrito’: its soft, stretchy tortilla bursting at the seams with farm-fresh ingredients is in a class all of its own. There’s also some fantastic shopping on Valencia Street, with an eclectic mix of thrift stores, fashion boutiques, book and record shops and even a store hawking supplies for would-be pirates. Yes, really. A fine selection of late-night dive bars and upscale cocktail joints also makes for some great nights out here, with a smattering of decent hotels and B&Bs available to rest your head late into the next morning. Top tip: the microclimate in this part of town means the Mission and Castro neighborhoods largely avoid the fogs that regularly roll in across the Bay, especially in summer. What’s not to like? Nob Hill Strictly for those on an A-list budget, Nob Hill is one of the swankiest districts in San Francisco, wth price tags to match. This historic, hilltop ‘hood is blessed with some of the finest architecture in town, including the grand Gothic confection that is Grace Cathedral, some beautiful old mansions and two of the city’s landmark luxury hotels: the Fairmont and the Mark Hopkins. The views of the San Francisco skyline from the Top of the Mark restaurant on the hotel’s 19th floor will truly set your heart aflutter though, alas, the bill may also trigger a coronary in your astonished bank manager. Huntington Park, by the cathedral, is a pleasant green space for people-watching the neighborhood’s wealthy residents, and Nob Hill’s central location means it’s very well placed for accessing attractions all around the city. Bonus: the California cable car line runs from close to the Embarcadero all the way up Nob Hill (and back down the other side), meaning that steep ascent to one of the city’s best vantage points need not be quite so daunting. 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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Best Museums in San Francisco

From the de Young Museum’s striking copper facade to the enormous steel cube that forms part of the Contemporary Jewish Museum, many of San Francisco’s museums are as much a marvel from the outside as they are from the inside. There’s something for everyone here, with plenty of great art, science and historical treasures to keep even the most fatigued museum-goer entertained. Read on to discover our pick of the 10 best museums in San Francisco. De Young Museum Slap-bang in the middle of Golden Gate Park, the de Young Museum cuts a striking figure with its burnished copper skin and 144-foot observation tower. Inside, the extensive collection of American art dates back to the 17th Century, with highlights including Salvador Dalí’s mesmerizing portrait of San Francisco philanthropist Dorothy Spreckels Munn, George Caleb Bingham’s 1846 masterpiece Boatmen on the Missouri and several Ruth Asawa wire sculptures. An impressive collection of art, textiles and costumes from Africa, Oceania and the Americas completes the picture. Be sure to ascend the tower for 360-degree views of Golden Gate Park, downtown San Francisco and the Bay. Walt Disney Family Museum Enter the magical world of Walt Disney at this Presidio museum that's a stone’s throw from the Golden Gate Bridge. Here’s where you can view Walt’s earliest drawings and experience the evolution of Mickey Mouse via sketches, models and toys. There are over 40,000 square feet to explore, with exhibits including artwork that spans the Disney dynasty, from Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, Walt’s debut 1937 feature, up to the present day. There are over 200 screens showing cartoons, movies and archive footage, as well as listening stations that include narration by Walt himself. There’s even a 12-foot model of Disneyland! Exploratorium Hands-down the best interactive museum in town, the Exploratorium on Pier 15 is chock-full of amazing art and science exhibits that come to life as soon as you get involved. Say hello to Albert as you enter this trippy universe, where you can – deep breath – dance with your very own animated doppelganger, create sandstorms, step inside a tornado, get lost in the fog, explore an enormous model of San Francisco made from thousands of toothpicks and get a whole new sense of perspective in the Distorted Room. And that barely scratches the surface of what to expect here. Don’t miss the Sun Painting, a huge kaleidoscopic work of art made by reflection and refraction of the sun’s rays. Museum of the African Diaspora One of just a handful of US museums that exclusively showcase contemporary art by native Africans and their descendents, the MoAD is a celebration of Black culture and identity that seeks to entertain, challenge and educate visitors in equal measure. Set in San Francisco’s downtown Yerba Buena Arts District, its regularly rotating exhibitions have featured artists as diverse as Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett and Alison Saar, while the emerging artists program also supports upcoming talent from the Bay Area. USS Pampanito Docked at Pier 45 in Fisherman’s Wharf, the USS Pampanito is a designated National Historic Landmark. This huge submarine was in service during World War II, making patrols of the Pacific and sinking several Japanese ships. Step aboard to learn more about the vessel’s storied history, explore the living quarters, see the torpedoes and check out onboard equipment that has been restored to working order, including the engines, periscope and... ice-cream machine. Legion of Honor Located in Lincoln Park, the Legion of Honor is easily one the best art museums in San Francisco, boasting a fine collection that spans over 5,000 years of ancient and European art. There’s a particularly impressive variety of pieces from France, including paintings by Impressionist masters like Degas, Renoir, Monet and Cézanne. Check out the collection of nearly 100 Rodin sculptures and get up close to some of his most famous pieces: The Thinker, The Kiss and The Gates of Hell, to name but a few. The Hall of Antiquities and mummy room are your one-stop shop for mummified Egyptians, ancient and definitely-not-cursed carved figurine, as well as all manner of well-preserved sculptures, ceramics and jewelry from millennia gone by. Musée Mécanique Relive your misspent youth (depending on your particular vintage) at the Musée Mécanique on Fisherman’s Wharf. This curious place is crammed full of coin-operated arcade games, automata and other such strange devices, with some dating as far back as the early 20th Century. Play classic pinball machines and video games, test your strength against a masked arm-wrestler, find out where you rank on the kiss-o-meter (from passionate to disappointingly clammy), see what is perhaps the only steam-powered motorbike on the planet, and be charmed by not-at-all-creepy Laffing Sal, a florid six-foot cackling automaton with a missing tooth. Asian Art Museum A well-preserved bronze Buddha statue that’s nearly 2,000 years old, Chinese Jades from the Neolithic period and Persian ceramics are just some of the highlights to be found in the vast Asian Art Museum. The 18,000-strong collection is largely Chinese in origin, usually representing around half of the 2,000-ish pieces on display at any given time. It’s one of the biggest and most important Asian art collections in the world and can be found inside a gorgeous Beaux Arts building in the San Francisco Civic Center. Not to be missed. California Academy of Sciences This sprawling museum in Golden Gate Park is an aquarium, planetarium, rainforest and one of the world’s largest natural history collections all rolled into one. Inside its epic 400,000-square-floor space are 46 million specimens and residents that include blacktip reef sharks, an elusive giant Pacific octopus, Madagascan chameleons, poison-dart frogs and a towering t-rex. Equally striking is the museum’s architecture: its roof topped with rolling green hills is home to nearly two million plants! San Francisco Museum of Modern Art SFMOMA is the daddy of all art museums in San Francisco, boasting thousands of important works from household names including Jackson Pollock, Henri Matisse, Georgia O’Keeffe, Frida Kahlo, Louise Bourgeois, Andy Warhol, Edward Hopper, Gerhard Richter and Paul Klee. There’s a largely open-air rooftop sculpture garden that’s accessed via a glass-and-steel bridge and, also outdoors, a vast living wall. This dense forest of foliage changes with the seasons so you’ll get a different sensory experience depending on which time of year you visit. Save on the best museums 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
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
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San Francisco 4th of July Weekend - 10+ Fun Things to Do in July

One of the best times to visit San Francisco is Independence Day - there's even more going on than usual! From bay cruises to bus tours and scavenger hunts, there are lots of fun and festive activities in the Bay Area. Since 4th of July falls on a Thursday this year, it's the perfect excuse to plan an extra long weekend in San Francisco. If you’re looking for San Francisco 4th of July Weekend ideas, check out some of these ideas! There are many local activities and fun things do in San Francisco in July, including... Fireworks from Fisherman's Wharf SoMA & the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival Golden Gate Park Events PIER 39 Activities Sightseeing Cruises and more... Save on Admission to Popular Attractions The Go San Francisco pass provides admission to a number of these attractions. Choose as you go from dozens of San Francisco attractions and activities and save up to 45% off combined admission vs paying at the gate. See all available passes and San Francisco attractions – Learn more. Please note, some of these special July and 4th of July weekend events may be separately ticketed and not included on the Go San Francisco pass. Remember to Save on Attraction Admission There you go - plenty of fun ideas for things to do in San Francisco in July to help you plan your 4th of July weekend itinerary. Remember, a San Francisco pass provides admission to many of these attractions. You can save up to 45% on combined admission vs paying at the gate. We really hope you consider adding a few of these popular options to your upcoming plans. Enjoy!  
Katie Sagal

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