xx Free Things To Do In San Francisco

golden gate bridge 2.jpg

San Francisco is famous for being an expensive metropolis, but did you lot know that many of the city's most famous attractions are actually free? From iconic landmarks to world-class museums and parks, you lot tin can really feel San Francisco without paying a dime!

Equally a San Francisco local, here is a list of my favorite xx free things to exercise in San Francisco:

Walk The Golden Gate Bridge

Battery Godfrey

Battery Godfrey

Probably the most iconic landmark in San Francisco, it's totally gratuitous to walk or bicycle beyond the Gilded Gate Bridge. Make sure to dress in layers since it tends to get quite windy on the bridge!

About people commencement at the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Middle, but a cracking culling is to begin at Battery Godfrey, which offers a stunning view of the Golden Gate Bridge that is a chip of a local underground!

An added bonus is that the parking is gratis at the attached Langdon Court Parking Lot.

Important: Call back non to go out anything valuable at all within your vehicle! Unfortunately, motorcar interruption-ins are a major problem in all popular areas like this.

Palace of Fine Arts

palace of fine arts.jpg

This spectacular building was built for the 1915 Panama Pacific Expo to exhibit art and was really one of the few remaining structures of the Expo.

It was built by architect Bernard Maybeck to resemble decaying Roman and Greek ruins. It's been the scene for many movies and television receiver shows such as The Rock and Bike of Fortune. It's besides a popular spot for hymeneals photography, outdoor picnics, and outdoor concerts.

Make sure to walk under the massive rotunda and so to the far side of the lake to catch the reflection of the Palace of Fine Arts off the h2o.

Marshalls & Baker Beach

marshalls beach

Another locals secret - Marshall's Embankment is a tiny slice of beach and rocky outcroppings that will afford you an amazing angle of the Gilded Gate Bridge that few go to see.

Keep walking along the astonishing Batteries to Barefaced Trail to get to Baker Beach, which is a longer and wider embankment that you lot tin can spend some arctic time on. Bakery Beach also has a pretty cracking view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

By the mode, Batteries to Barefaced Trail is one of the many great hikes in the San Francisco Bay Area!

Gilded Gate Park

dutch windmill.jpg

One of the largest green spaces in San Francisco - this is where many locals go to become their make full of nature, hang out with friends, or just have a dainty run.

The Dutch Windmill is a must-encounter if you lot're visiting - information technology'south an bodily windmill with beautiful floral landscaping.

The Japanese Tea Garden (free admission Mon, Wednesday, and Friday, nine:00 am – 10:00 am) is an exquisite slice of Nihon with a beautiful pagoda, koi fish, and a working Japanese tea shop.

DeYoung Tower is too costless to enter and offers amazing panoramic views of Golden Gate Park and beyond.

The amazing San Francisco Botanical Garden is free from vii:thirty am - 9 am and on the second Tuesday of every month. It'due south also completely free to San Francisco residents anytime.

Wood Line

wood line 2.jpg

Located inside the sprawling Presidio, this nature-inspired work of art is made upwards of cut eucalyptus trees laid in a gentle zig-zag design down a large swaying tree tunnel.

It's quite calming to walk down the path while listening to the audio of the Pacific Coast air swirl through the treetops.

Explore City Hall

sf city hall.jpg

The San Francisco Metropolis Hall is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city with its graceful Beaux-Arts compages, grand staircase, and beautiful light streaming in from all sides.

It's complimentary to enter Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm.

You might come across a whole bunch of wedding ceremony photography sessions equally information technology's a pop spot for that!

Seward Street & Esmeralda Slides

esmeralda

Two local favorites for some neat fun - both the Seward Street and Esmeralda Slides are places to bring your inner kid out!

There are usually some cardboard pieces at that place for you to place under your bottom so you can slide faster and prevent your clothes from getting dirty.

The Seward Street slides have a slight curve in them and can selection up some serious speed while the Esmeralda slides are fabricated of stainless steel and get straight downward.

The bonus of Esmeralda is that you can hike up to Bernal Heights afterward for a great view of the city!

San Francisco Botanical Garden

sf botanical.jpeg

Located inside Gilt Gate Park, this one of my favorite places to stroll around in!

The garden is divided up into regions of the earth and types of plants such as the Southeast Asian Deject Wood, Succulent Garden, and Garden of Fragrance.

Due to the abundance of plants from all over the world, the park is pretty much in bloom all twelvemonth round!

The magnolia bloom in early spring and the California native garden blooms in late spring are quite spectacular.

Information technology's complimentary to enter from 7:30 am - 9 am and on the 2d Tuesday of every month. In improver, if you're a San Francisco resident, it'due south completely gratis to enter anytime.

Grace Cathedral

grace cathedral 2.jpg

One of the most beautiful cathedrals in San Francisco - Grace Cathedral is a French Gothic church and the third-largest Episcopalian Church in the USA.

If you visit make sure to check out the bronze front doors, which are an verbal replica of the Baptistery of the Duomo in Florence, Italy.

Inside, there is a wonderful labyrinth that is covered with cute light from the multicolored windows adorning the sides of the cathedral.

Information technology's costless to visit well-nigh every solar day from 8 am to 6 pm unless there is a scheduled mass going on.

The cathedral is also a major supporter of the arts, so cheque the church schedule to run into if there are any interesting events happening when you're in San Francisco.

Lombard Street

lombard humminglion

Named the 'Crookedest Street' of San Francisco, information technology'south quite the experience driving downward Lombard Street and it's totally free! As a local, I always go far a point to bulldoze down Lombard if I'm nearby!

You'll showtime at the top of Lombard and slowly wind your way downwardly while appreciating all the beautiful landscaping and flowers that the locals have planted on the street.

I too similar to park the car at the top and walk down the steps on either side to blot in more of the details.

Bernal Heights & Twin Peaks Views

bernal swing.jpg

Visiting San Francisco isn't consummate without visiting one or both of these incredible vistas of the city.

Twin Peaks is a bit higher up and offers a direct view of San Francisco with Market Street lined right upwardly with the view.

Bernal Heights is more than of a local thing with panoramic views and more options for hiking effectually. There's also a swing that is sometimes installed on a tree with views overlooking the urban center. It'southward taken down past the city though every now and and so, so if yous're lucky it might exist there when you visit!

Fort Betoken

fort point.jpeg

For an amazing and up-shut look at the Aureate Gate Span, this historical fort offers upwardly an interesting mix of history and incredible views of the Bay.

If y'all're lucky, yous'll catch surfers and kiteboarders catching waves right at the break about Fort Point and the Golden Gate Span.

Free Museum Days

deyoung.jpg

San Francisco is dwelling to some earth-form museums and luckily they each have gratuitous entrance days.

Asian Art Museum - i of the most extensive museums in the United states of america dedicated to Asian Art is free to enter on the start Sunday of every month.

Legion of Honor - dedicated to generally European fine fine art with works of fine art from Rodin, Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, and more - it's costless the first Tuesday of every calendar month

DeYoung - showcasing an eclectic mix of contemporary and classic art, this fantastic museum is free to enter on the offset Tuesday of every month. The Viewing Tower is always complimentary to enter.

Pier 39 and Fishermans Wharf

sea lions.jpg

One of the more lively spots in town, it's worth walking around Pier 39 to practice a little window shopping, soak in the boardwalk atmosphere, and see the boisterous bounding main lions that are parked on a flotilla of wooden pallets.

Afterwards, take a walk down Fisherman'southward Wharf to take in the sights and sounds of the seafood stands, street performers, and streetcars.

Musée Mécanique

musee.jpg

A remarkable collection of antique, mechanical arcade games - this playable museum is like walking into a time auto.

It's free to enter and it'southward quite fun to lookout people play all the antique arcade games!

If you do decide to play a couple of games, most of them toll around a quarter to 50 cents to play - not too shabby!

Urban center Lights Bookstore

city lights zory

This famous bookstore was founded by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, 1 of the members of the Vanquish motility, and became synonymous with the Beat Generation. Information technology's a popular meeting place for the San Francisco literary and creative customs as well.

Swing by to check out their great collection of local writers also as a fantastic option of the latest books. They regularly have volume readings and signings past popular writers, then check out their schedule if yous're interested in that.

Cable Auto Museum

cable car museum.jpeg

San Francisco is famous for its cable cars - but did you lot know y'all tin can visit a live functioning cable car barn? Yous can meet the cables spin and pull and pose alongside some real cable cars inside as well!

Best of all, it's free to enter! :)

Amoeba Music

amoeba.jpeg

If y'all beloved old-school record and music stores, Amoeba Music volition be a identify yous want to cheque out!

Located in the colorful Haight Ashbury commune, you lot'll be taken aback by the sheer size and drove of music in this store! You can listen to all sorts of music while browsing their impressive music drove.

They also have free live music events, so make sure to check out the store schedule.

Clarion Alley

clarion.jpg

Ane of Mission District's hotspots for street art, the murals hither are regularly updated based on an interesting mix of political views, cultural commentary, and local artwork.

It's gratuitous to enter.

My recommendation would be to enter via Valencia and then turn effectually back to Valencia when done.

Marina Light-green & Crissy Field

marina green.jpeg

If you keep walking from Fisherman's Wharf towards the Golden Gate Bridge, you'll achieve Marina Green so Crissy Field.

Both are local's favorites for annihilation from outdoor picnics, beach fourth dimension, kite surfing, and impromptu parties.

Terminate by the iconic Ghiradelli Square to check out the chocolate fountain!