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The list of free things to do in San Francisco is long, but here are nine memorable, authentic city experiences to discover during your visit.<\/p>\n
Walk Over the Golden Gate Bridge<\/b><\/h2>\n
The Golden Gate Bridge<\/a>, synonymous with San Francisco, is the city\u2019s ultimate free experience. Make memories exploring both sides of the bridge and the bridge by foot. As you walk across the iconic expanse, get up-close, thrilling views of the International Orange suspension cables and wires engineered to support the bridge deck 250 feet above Bay waters.<\/p>\n Start at the Golden Gate Bridge welcome center at the northern tip of the Presidio and walk just under a mile to reach the Marin Headlands of Sausalito, CA. Rest up before heading back while taking in gorgeous Bay views and the famous bridge that spans it all.<\/p>\n Fort Point<\/a>, a Civil War-era military fort tucked under the Golden Gate Bridge, is a National Historic Site and part of the Bay\u2019s retired defense system. Visit the fort\u2019s interior Thursday through Monday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and catch daily ranger-led talks. The exterior is always open to walk around and enjoy bridge-bay views.<\/p>\n Stairs lead up three levels of red brick masonry arched halls that open onto an open courtyard. The history of the fort and its architecture help tell the story of how San Francisco was defended from Gold Rush times until World War II. Find examples of cannons on the first level, a watch tower at the top, and a perch to guard the Bay.<\/p>\n Wells Fargo Bank transformed gold dust and gold nuggets into the currency that supported the settlement of the West during the California Gold Rush. The Wells Fargo Museum<\/a>, a free thing to do in San Francisco, is located inside the bank\u2019s corporate office in San Francisco’s Financial District. The museum is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m..<\/p>\n An original 1860 stagecoach used to transport precious cargo is on display, and a stagecoach ride simulator helps visitors feel what travel by actual horsepower was like. Check out vintage banking machines on display, try sending a real telegraph, and view original works of art depicting life in the great American West.<\/p>\n Take a delightful walk through ancient Rome, yes, in San Francisco. The Palace of Fine Arts<\/a>, built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exhibition, was inspired by Roman ruins\u2019 reflection on water. It\u2019s an incredible backdrop for dreamy photos.<\/p>\n Many a visitor, local, and bridal party stop for pics with the Palace\u2019s domed rotunda, statues of elegantly robed women, and outline of colonnade studded walkways. Lush trees and bushes line the lagoon streetside, where passersby can find turtles basking in the sun and waterfowl out for a swim, including ducks and the occasional swan.<\/p>\n Go on a quest to discover one of the most enduring Star Wars<\/i> characters\u2014Yoda\u2014at Lucasfilm in San Francisco\u2019s Presidio. From the Palace of Fine Arts, cross Lyon Street to the tranquil garden landscape of the Letterman Digital Arts Center. You\u2019ll find the Yoda Fountain<\/a> with the Jedi Master gazing wisely from the top of an ever flowing fountain in front of Lucasfilm\u2019s lobby.<\/p>\n Take a selfie with the all-knowing figure, then peek inside the building\u2019s sculpture room for a glimpse of the studio\u2019s many industry awards and an imposing full-scale Darth Vader figure. Epic tales of the struggle between good and evil continue from this San Francisco media studio.<\/p>\n What\u2019s your game\u2014pinball, fortune teller, strength gauge? The Mus\u00e9e M\u00e9canique<\/a> has these mechanical marvels and more at Fisherman\u2019s Wharf Pier 45. This free admission San Francisco museum houses over 300 coin-operated fun-making mechanical machines.<\/p>\n Rows of antique arcade games depicting old-timey humor and dioramas detailing scenes from country carnivals to life in medieval times line the museum. Experience the carnival atmosphere of San Francisco\u2019s fabled, now defunct Playland at the Beach amusement park with an animatronic Laffing Sal. The boisterously loud woman cackles belly laughs at the museum entrance\u2014enter if you dare.<\/p>\n Spend all day roaming Golden Gate Park<\/a>. The famed thousand-acre park\u2014part manicured open space, part cultural hub\u2014carves out space in the city for recreation and learning. While Golden Gate Park attractions like the De Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences have entry fees, there are plenty of free things to do in this San Francisco destination.<\/p>\n Bring a picnic to enjoy<\/a> at one of the park\u2019s many grassy groves, meadows, or lakes. Stow Lake, near the middle of the park, is a fairytale setting. Rent a paddle boat to cruise around the lake, or walk over a bridge to Strawberry Hill, the island inside the lake, and seek out its scenic waterfall.<\/p>\n Golden Gate Park is full of unexpected sites we love to visit again and again. Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden, on the west end of the park, livens the exterior of a wooden Dutch windmill with seasonal flower blooms. And a herd of shaggy American bison in the Bison Paddock off John F. Kennedy Drive graze in the coastal breeze.<\/p>\n Lands End, where the Pacific Ocean coastline meets the Bay\u2019s shore, is a source of fresh, healing salt water. In 1894, Sutro Baths<\/a> was part of a Lands End complex where San Franciscans played and swam in a network of indoor salt-water pools.<\/p>\n Today, a few concrete ruins of pools and changing rooms remain and is a free San Francisco point of interest to roam. Hike down to the walls of the bygone bathhouse and peek in a cliff-side tunnel that once pumped ocean water into the pools.<\/p>\n The Ferry Building<\/a>, the iconic San Francisco entry point, continues to welcome ferry boat passengers and visitors to San Francisco\u2019s<\/a> waterfront. The sprawling building and clock tower rising above the Bay has been around since 1898. It strikes a dazzling waterfront backdrop with the Bay Bridge and Yerba Buena Island.<\/p>\n![\"Walking](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/joonyeop-baek-1kf69eE7VR4-unsplash.jpg\")
Get Curious at Fort Point<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Discover Gold at the Wells Fargo Museum<\/b><\/h2>\n
Stroll the Palace of Fine Arts<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Seek Wisdom at the Yoda Fountain<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Amusement Park Glee at Mus\u00e9e M\u00e9canique<\/b><\/h2>\n
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A Day in Golden Gate Park<\/b><\/h2>\n
Go Back in Time at Sutro Baths<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Disembark at the Ferry Building<\/b><\/h2>\n
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