By air
San Francisco International (SFO), ~20 km
North America · United States
San Francisco, United States
Hills, cable cars and the Golden Gate
Getting there
Best time to visit
September to October — the warmest, clearest months
Don't miss
The Golden Gate Bridge
Alcatraz
Fisherman's Wharf
Chinatown
Things to do
Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge
Alcatraz
The cable cars
A day in Napa or Sonoma
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Lightandtruth · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Layers — the summer fog is cold
A quieter corner
The Lands End trail to the Sutro Baths ruins
Questions travellers ask
When is the weather best in San Francisco?
September to October, the warmest and clearest months. Bring layers whenever you go — the summer fog is cold.
What are the classic sights in San Francisco?
Cross the Golden Gate Bridge, visit Alcatraz, ride the cable cars, and wander Fisherman's Wharf and Chinatown.
Which foods should I try in San Francisco?
Sourdough, a Mission burrito, and whatever tempts you at the Ferry Building market.
Any hidden gems or day trips from San Francisco?
The Lands End trail to the Sutro Baths ruins is the hidden gem. For a day out, head to Napa or Sonoma.
About San Francisco
- Coastal
- Hills
Where it is
San Francisco sits at the tip of a peninsula in northern California in the western United States, between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, with the Golden Gate strait on its northern side. The city is built over dozens of steep hills.
History
The Ohlone lived around the bay before Spain founded the Presidio and Mission San Francisco de Asís here in 1776. The small settlement of Yerba Buena, renamed San Francisco in 1847, boomed with the California Gold Rush from 1849; the city rebuilt after the earthquake and fire of 1906, and the Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937.
People
San Franciscans speak English, Chinese (especially Cantonese), Spanish, Tagalog and much else. Chinatown, the oldest in North America, the Mission District with its Latino murals and the Castro are among its best-known neighbourhoods, and sourdough bread has been baked here since the Gold Rush.
Known for
- The Golden Gate Bridge
- Cable cars on steep streets
- Alcatraz Island
- Chinatown and Fisherman's Wharf
- Sourdough bread and Dungeness crab
Did you know?
The Golden Gate Bridge's colour, International Orange, was chosen partly to make it more visible in fog, and its main span was the longest of any suspension bridge in the world from 1937 until 1964.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.