Looking for free things to do in San Francisco? I gotchu.
I don’t know about you, but I’m always on the hunt for free things to do when I travel. The more free things I can find, the more activities I’m able to pack into my trips. If you’re a full-time traveler, I bet you’re all over the free activities, too!
This last trip to San Francisco was the shortest and cheapest of my upcoming travels, and I was all about keeping costs down, without sacrificing the adventures.
So I decided to do as many free things I could. And I had a blast. Now, I want to share them with you.
And yes – all of these things are free…unlike a lot of other articles where they throw in a few “this technically isn’t free, but it’s so cheap!” Ugh.
Here are my top free things to do in San Francisco!
The view at Telegraph Hill
Coit Tower sits atop Telegraph Hill, but guess what? You don’t need to climb the tower to reach an amazing view of the entire San Francisco peninsula.
If you don’t have a bus pass to take the number 39 bus to the top, you can drive or even walk up to the top of Telegraph Hill.
Telegraph Hill is situated at the northeast corner of the San Francisco peninsula, away from the skyscrapers of downtown, and offers a 360* view of the bay.
You get unobstructed views of the Bay Bridge and iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Alcatraz Island, Angel Island, and Treasure Island can also be spotted.
Follow the bus lines through neighborhoods that look so different from above. Trace your route back to your hotel. See if you can spot the fog rolling in.
I always love getting a bird’s eye view of the places I visit, which is why this is one of my favorite free things to do in San Francisco.
window shopping in chinatown
Chinatown in San Francisco is the largest outside of Asia and the oldest in North America. It’s massive and can be a little intimidating at first.
When I mention San Francisco’s Chinatown, you’re probably thinking about the iconic gate at the south entrance, knick-knacks and little trinkets, all catering towards tourists.
But did you realize there’s another side to Chinatown? Like, the side of it where people actually live, shop, and socialize?
Newsflash – Chinatown wasn’t established for the tourists. It was established by the Chinese immigrants, for the Chinese immigrants who helped make this city what it is.
There are market stalls, restaurants, textile shops, seamstresses, and everything else you would need to like a full and productive life.
On this last trip, I spent a few afternoons just walking up and down the northern part of Chinatown (where you can find more of the shops geared towards the residents), just looking in all the windows, trying to see how other people live their lives. There’s no need to purchase anything, which makes window shopping in Chinatown one of the most fun free things to do in San Francisco.
Golden Gate Park
I was introduced to Golden Gate Park back in 2014 and am still discovering its hidden secrets. Golden Gate Park was built in the late 1800s to give residents a substantial green space to recreate and escape the city life.
It was initially designed after the great Central Park of New York City and remains the 3rd most-visited park, with Central Park and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC surpassing it.
Visiting Golden Gate Park is one of the best free things to do in San Francisco because of the sheer size of the grounds.
Instead of being packed like sardines in the city, you have space to stroll amongst beautiful gardens, paths to hike or run, fields to play in, and plenty of Insta-worthy photo opportunities.
There are some not-so-free activities within the park as well, such as a carousel, ferris wheel, a museum, arboretum, and aquarium to name a few. But if you play your cards right, you might be able to visit one of these venues for free. Keep reading to find out which one!
Japanese Tea Garden
Okay, so I didn’t make you read to far to learn that you can actually visit the famous Japanese Tea Garden for free.
That’s right! Instead of paying an entrance fee, if you visit the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park on a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday before 10am, you can get in for free!
Seriously, the Japanese Tea Garden is the best kept secret of free things to do in San Francisco. Set your alarm early and enter the garden between 9-10am (you don’t have to leave at 10am…you just have to enter before that cutoff). Even though this is a free thing to do in San Francisco, one of the largest cities in the US, there are still precious few visitors during these hours if you’re lucky. Take advantage!
Cable Car Museum
San Francisco is known as the home of the cable car. It’s iconic. Any movie or show set in San Francisco will feature the cable car. And while riding a cable car is $8/ride, per person, each way (ugh), you can still enjoy the cable cars for free by visiting the Cable Car Museum.
When you visit the Cable Car Museum, you not only learn about the history of the cable cars and why they were first built, but you can actually see the cables that allow the cars to climb those steep hills.
Palace of Fine Arts
The Palace of Fine Arts is a gigantic structure-turned-venue located in the Marina District. Originally built in the early 1900s for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, this sprawling complex was constructed to look like the ruins of a Roman theater.
There’s no other way to describe it. It’s a massive beauty that catches you off-guard and leaves your mouth hanging open as you walk around.
Instantly, you’re dwarfed by the columns and dome as you cran your neck skyward to admire the intricate roof. The walkways lead you around the lagoons where tons of wildlife have found refuge from the concrete jungle.
If you’re looking for a great place for a picnic, to people-watch, or hang out with locals, pack a lunch and head over to the Palace of Fine Arts. You might also experience a sense of déjà vu as you start to think about the films that had scenes amongst the columns…
Have you ever done any of these free things to do in San Francisco? What would you add?
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