Things to Visit in San Francisco: Bridges, Hills, and Bay Views

The 2.7 km pedestrian walkway is free and open daily. The east sidewalk (city-facing) is open to pedestrians 5 AM-6:30 PM; cyclists use the west side. Fog is thickest in summer mornings — paradoxically, September and October have the clearest weather. Dress in layers; it's always windier on the bridge.

Ferries depart from Pier 33 and the trip includes an excellent self-guided audio tour narrated by former inmates and guards. Tickets ($41 day tour, $47 night tour) sell out 2-3 weeks ahead in peak season — book the moment they're available. The night tour is smaller, more atmospheric, and includes extra areas.

Three lines still operate: Powell-Hyde (best views, longest waits), Powell-Mason (similar route, shorter waits), and California Street (flat route, usually no line). A single ride is $8. The Powell-Hyde line from Union Square to Fisherman's Wharf takes about 20 minutes. Board at a mid-route stop to skip the 30-60 minute queue at the turnarounds.

The 'crookedest street in the world' has 8 hairpin turns in one block. Walking down is free and gives you better photo angles. The queue to drive down can be 30-60 minutes on weekends — walk up from Leavenworth Street instead. The Russian Hill neighborhood surrounding it has some of the best city views.

San Francisco's most vibrant neighborhood mixes Latin American culture, street art, and some of the best food in the city. Balmy Alley and Clarion Alley are outdoor street art galleries. A Mission-style burrito (oversized, foil-wrapped) costs $12-16 and easily feeds two. Valencia Street has craft cocktail bars and bookshops.

The oldest Chinatown in North America (established 1848) covers 24 blocks. Enter through the Dragon Gate on Grant Avenue. Stockton Street (one block west) is where locals actually shop — less touristy, with fishmongers, herbal medicine shops, and dim sum restaurants. Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory on Ross Alley makes cookies by hand.

The birthplace of the 1960s counterculture still has psychedelic murals, vintage clothing stores, and record shops. The corner of Haight and Ashbury streets has the famous street sign. Amoeba Music (one of the world's largest independent record stores) is nearby on Haight Street.

San Francisco's Italian quarter has espresso bars, Italian delis, and the legendary City Lights Bookstore (founded by Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti in 1953). Climb the Filbert Steps to Coit Tower ($10, 360-degree views) on Telegraph Hill. The WPA murals inside the tower lobby are free.

One of the first and most prominent LGBTQ+ neighborhoods in the world. The rainbow crosswalks, the GLBT Historical Society Museum ($5), and the Castro Theatre (a 1922 movie palace) are landmarks. Harvey Milk's former camera shop at 575 Castro Street is now the Human Rights Campaign store.

A 412-hectare park stretching from the Haight to the Pacific Ocean. The de Young Museum ($15, free first Tuesday monthly) and California Academy of Sciences ($41) are both inside the park. The Japanese Tea Garden ($13) is the oldest in the US. Free paddle boating on Stow Lake and a bison paddock round out the attractions.

A gourmet food hall in a restored 1898 ferry terminal on the Embarcadero. The Saturday farmers market (8 AM-2 PM, outdoor) is one of the best in California. Inside, artisan food stalls sell cheese, bread, coffee, and oysters. The mushroom grilled cheese from a famous stall inside costs about $14.

Cross the bridge and take the first exit to Battery Spencer — a former military battery with the most photographed angle of the bridge and city. The hike from the parking lot takes 5 minutes. Visit in late afternoon for the best light. Fog can obscure the view entirely — check webcams first.

Touristy but worth one visit for the sea lions lounging on K-Dock (free viewing), clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls ($12-16), and the Musée Mécanique (a free museum of antique arcade machines). Skip the overpriced sit-down restaurants — the walk-up seafood stands have fresher crab and better value.

A flat 3 km waterfront walk passing the Exploratorium science museum ($30), Pier 7 (a photogenic wooden pier with Bay Bridge views), and public art installations. The F-line historic streetcars run the same route if you'd rather ride ($3, same as Muni fare).

A former military base turned national park at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge. Crissy Field beach has direct bridge views, the Walt Disney Family Museum ($25) is surprisingly excellent, and the Presidio Tunnel Tops park (opened 2022) is a family-friendly green space on top of a highway tunnel.

A San Francisco food staple — a massive flour tortilla stuffed with rice, beans, meat, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole, wrapped in foil. Costs $12-16 and easily feeds two lighter eaters. The most debated restaurants are on Mission Street and Valencia Street between 16th and 24th streets.

San Francisco sourdough has a distinctive tang from wild yeast unique to the Bay Area fog. A bread bowl of clam chowder costs $12-16 at the Wharf. The local bakeries near the Wharf bake fresh loaves visible through street-level windows.

Chinatown has classic cart-service dim sum restaurants where dishes cost $5-8 per plate. The Richmond District (Clement Street) has newer restaurants with higher-end options. Weekend dim sum is a San Francisco tradition — arrive before 11 AM to avoid 45-minute waits.

The famous Karl the Fog rolls in from the Pacific, dropping temperatures 10-15°F in minutes. Summer highs average only 65°F (18°C). Bring a jacket even on sunny days. The sunniest areas are the Mission and the Castro; the foggiest are the Sunset and Richmond districts.