Your next trip to San Francisco doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, many of the best places to visit and things to do in the City by the Bay won’t cost you a thing. There are plenty of cool places to visit in San Francisco for free.
We’ve listed our top 12 favorite places to visit in San Francisco for free, so you can splurge on that extravagant seafood dinner and still have a full itinerary without blowing your budget.
Fort Point
Travel back in time to the Civil War with a visit to historic Fort Point. Perched on a rocky ledge at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, Fort Point is by far one of the best photography spots in San Francisco.
The fort was built between 1853 and 1861 by the U.S. Army for an attack that never came. It was later recognized as a historic site in 1970. Check out the views from each of the fort’s spectacular vantage points while you wander throughout the building.
Presidio Tunnel Tops
Presidio Tunnel Tops is a park built on top of the Presidio Parkway which replaced the seismically unsafe Doyle Drive. The park overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay. It’s the perfect place for the family to stretch out after a long day of sightseeing.
Stroll the winding paths, climb the play structures, enjoy the murals, or have a relaxing picnic on the grass. Don’t miss the exhibits at the Field Station at Crissy Field Center.
Lucasfilm HQ
Any Star Wars fan visiting San Francisco should stop to see Jedi Master Yoda! The unique fountain is in front of Building B at Lucasfilm HQ and the Letterman Digital Arts Center.
Visitors should note this is a workplace, not a museum. During the weekdays, if the lobby is open, you can quietly enter and check out the collection of Star Wars memorabilia, including a life-size Darth Vader and R2D2. May the Force be with you!
Presidio Pet Cemetery
A white picket fence frames the final resting place of loyal military pets at the historic Presidio Pet Cemetery. Somehow cute and morbid at the same time, the grave markers are miniature versions of traditional military headstones. They date back to the 1950s, and memorialize trusted companions like Knucklehead the parakeet and Trouble who “was no trouble.” This slightly weird spot is one of the most unique places to visit in San Francisco for free.
Nature in San Francisco
Escape the city without leaving the City when you hike one of San Francisco’s many nature trails. Watch the sunset over the entrance to the San Francisco Bay from the Coastal Trail that runs along the Pacific Ocean from Baker Beach to the Golden Gate Bridge. Enjoy panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, Mount Tamalpais, and the Golden Gate from the many lookouts of Lands End. Be sure to check out the historic Cliff House and the Victorian-era ruins of the Sutro Baths.
Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach lies just south of Lands End at the foot of Golden Gate Park. Healing happens when you cross the Great Highway, step on the windswept dunes, and look out at the horizon across the endless Pacific Ocean. Everything else just melts away. Relax on the sand, watch the surfers, or just contemplate life in this magical place.
Lombard Street
Lombard Street, a staple of San Francisco postcard photos, is also known as “the crookedest street in the world.” In just this one block lie eight tight, brick-paved turns lined with trees and flowers. You can drive down the block or take the stairs. Whichever you choose, be sure to stop and take in the spectacular views of Coit Tower and the Bay.
Golden Gate Bridge Walk
See how far you can make it across the 1.7-mile-long Golden Gate Bridge. People don’t realize how cold, windy, and foggy it can get, but can you guess the main reason most people turn back?
The bridge sways in the wind–up to 27 feet side to side and 15 feet vertically. It is designed to do that, but it can be disconcerting to the uninitiated. In fact, many people don’t make it past the first tower. Do you think you’re up for it?
The Wave Organ
Located on a jetty in the Marina District, the Wave Organ is an acoustic sculpture built with repurposed cemetery granite and marble, concrete, and PVC. The organ pipes are staged at different elevations to work with the rising and falling tide. The melodic sounds of the Wave Organ work together with the natural sounds of the sea to create a mesmerizing and peaceful harmony.
Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park is home to many attractions including the Academy of Sciences and the Japanese Tea Gardens. But there are some lesser-known places worth checking out that are completely free to enjoy.
Visit the historic bison paddock that has been home to a small herd of American bison since the 1890s. Cross the historic arched Roman Bridge and hike up to the waterfall on Strawberry Hill. Or grab your lance and joust with one of the two historic windmills sitting in the tulip gardens at the park’s western edge.
Hidden Staircases and Steps
The hills of San Francisco are peppered with steep, narrow stairs hidden within the neighborhoods. Each set of stairs has a personality and history of its own.
The area of Golden Gate Heights has the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps, which consist of a sea-to-stars mosaic that spans the 163 steps. The Hidden Garden Steps on 15th Avenue and Kirkham Street feature a mosaic of California flowers and plants across 143 steps. The Lincoln Park Steps, the widest of San Francisco’s mosaic stairs, were designed in a Beaux Arts style, epitomizing the era the steps were built.
Don’t miss the two sets of hidden steps to and from Coit Tower, that iconic landmark built in 1933 as a tribute to San Francisco’s volunteer firefighters. We like to take the Filbert Steps up to the tower and catch our breath while visiting the monument before making our way back down along the Greenwich Steps. It is a workout, but well worth it. These steps have some of the best views of the Bay Bridge.
Cable Car Museum
Get up close and personal with the spinning cables as they drive San Francisco’s iconic public transportation system during a tour of the Cable Car Museum (1201 Mason Street). You can learn all about the history of the cars just a few blocks from San Francisco’s famous Chinatown and cozy North Beach neighborhood.
Vesna Kraushaar is a science and food writer in the SF Bay Area with years of experience as a scientist in the local wine and dairy industries. Her Croatian and American heritage instilled a deep passion for sharing food traditions. When she isn’t writing, she’s researching recipes or at a local coffee house. Find her online here.