Tourist Attractions in San Francisco

The most interesting and beautiful tourist sites in San Francisco

Photos, reviews, descriptions, and links to maps

About San Francisco

San Francisco began as a city of adventurers obsessed with the glitz of the Gold Rush and the possibility of instant wealth. It grew from a small Yerba Buena settlement into a major modern city that today attracts thousands of tourists.

Unfortunately, everything that was built before 1906 has barely survived. As a result of a large-scale earthquake, the old San Francisco ceased to exist. But gradually a new one began to appear – with magnificent squares, business districts and huge parks.

There are many amazing places in the city – Pier 39 with a colony of California lions settled right in the city limits, and the mysterious island-prison, and a group of miraculously survived Victorian mansions. In short, everyone can find an attraction to their liking.

Top-35 Tourist Attractions in San Francisco

Golden Gate Bridge

 4.8/5

72224 reviews

The main thoroughfare of Northern California and a recognisable symbol of San Francisco. The Golden Gate Bridge was opened to traffic in 1937. The structure is beloved not only by motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. Many film directors have featured the Golden Gate in their films. Grandiose flying spans of red colour can be seen in the films “Interview with the Vampire”, “Terminator 4”, “Superman” and others. The bridge was built according to the design of D. Stross, I. Morrow and C. Ellis. The structure is 2,737 metres long and 27 metres wide.

Open time

Alcatraz Island

 4.7/5

37499 reviews

A former prison on an island in San Francisco Bay. This place was famous for the fact that famous and especially dangerous criminals were kept here under the strictest security. Until its closure in 1963, not a single person managed to escape from Alcatraz and survive. In 1969, the island was occupied by Indian chiefs who protested against the government and believed that the Americans were forcibly occupying their rightful lands. Alcatraz has now been turned into a museum.

Open time

Presidio of San Francisco

 0/5

A park by the San Francisco Bay, near the Golden Gate Bridge. At the end of the XVIII century, there were Spanish fortifications on this site. Then for more than 200 years this territory was occupied by a military base. And in 1994, a national park was established here. The park has paths for hikers and cyclists. The most popular is the path along the coast.

Cable Car End

 4.7/5

337 reviews

A historic public transport system that started operating in 1873. The cable tram runs like a funicular railway on a cable car, i.e. the engine is not in the car itself, but in a depot at a substation. Now this transport is used more as a tourist attraction, but the system can carry up to 7 million passengers a year. In the middle of the 20th century, there was a serious struggle for the preservation of the historic line, and eventually, after several reconstructions, it was decided to keep the tram.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Union Square

 0/5

One of San Francisco’s central squares, located in the neighbourhood of the same name. It is surrounded by huge shopping centres, boutiques, hotels, souvenir shops, restaurants, salons and galleries. Life here bustles around the clock and doesn’t stop for a minute. The square is the starting point for exploring the city, and locals make dates and business meetings here.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience

 4.5/5

26211 reviews

The city’s famous square, which has become a symbol of renewal. At the end of the 19th century it was the site of a cloth factory, then a chocolate factory. The renewal of the square began in 1962, when William Roth bought the whole block and organised the reconstruction of the square. It is now a restaurant and retail complex. The former clock tower building houses the Fairmont Heritage Place Hotel.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Lombard Street

 4.6/5

1356 reviews

A picturesque street, or rather a 400 metre stretch of motorway, located on Russian Hill. Lombard Street is famous for being in the shape of a winding ribbon descending to the motorway at a rather steep angle. For cars it is a rather difficult stretch of road, but for tourists it is an interesting sight like an attraction. The road surface is made of red bricks, with green lawns along the edges.

Golden Gate Park

 4.8/5

43191 reviews

A city park with a fairly extensive territory (the area is about 400 hectares), which starts in the city centre and ends on the ocean coast. Inside there are artificial lakes, hills, islands, waterfalls, dunes, plains, there are also several museums. The park has all the facilities for sports, walking, cycling and just relaxing. The Golden Gate is second only to New York’s Central Park in terms of attendance.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

The Painted Ladies

 4.4/5

23020 reviews

A group of Victorian houses that survived the 1906 earthquake. The landmark is located in the upscale urban neighbourhood of Nob Hill. The name “Painted Ladies” was given to the houses due to their architecture and bright exterior colouring, which was created by B. Kardum in 1963. The picturesque wooden facades of the buildings are decorated with balconies, towers, verandas and other architectural delights.

Open time

Fisherman's Wharf

 0/5

A touristy harbour area that has become famous for its abundance of fish restaurants, shops, and museums. Ferries to Alcatraz depart from here, and a cable tram line also runs from here. During the Gold Rush, Fisherman’s Wharf became home to unsuccessful gold miners who turned to fishing for a living. The area is home to the Maritime Historical Park.

PIER 39

 4.6/5

118760 reviews

A pier with a wide range of entertainment venues, a popular holiday destination for visitors and residents of San Francisco. The main attraction of Pier 39 is a rookery of California sea lions. Special wooden platforms are built for the animals in the water, where they rest and bask in the sun in packs. The pier area is home to about 1,500 lions, which first appeared in the bay in 1989.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Chinatown

 0/5

A bright and colourful Chinatown with traditional red lanterns and pagodas. Chinatown is not only a place where immigrants from the Middle Kingdom live, but also a popular tourist attraction. The neighbourhood began to take shape in the mid-19th century and became home to numerous Chinese refugees from Guangdong Province. Over more than 150 years of history, the neighbourhood has grown and acquired its own infrastructure.

The Castro

 0/5

A small urban neighbourhood with a large number of sexual minorities. The streets of the neighbourhood are lined with rainbow LGBT flags. Local attractions are dedicated to the history of the emergence and development of the gay movement and its struggle for equal rights. There is the “Museum of LGBT History”, the famous gay club “Twin Peaks” with glass walls, the “Pink Triangle” park.

Grace Cathedral

 4.6/5

2124 reviews

The construction of the temple began in 1906 after the earthquake and lasted more than 50 years. Due to the seismic instability of the area, the architect had to abandon additional elements of facade decoration, as they could have been destroyed during the natural disaster. The interior of the cathedral is in neo-Gothic style with numerous stained glass windows, frescoes and massive bronze gates.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 – 5:00 PM

Palace of Fine Arts

 4.7/5

21991 reviews

The structure is located on the shore of an artificial lake. It is not a palace in the literal sense, the structure is an open arched colonnade of white stone surrounded by a picturesque park. In fact, the Palace of Fine Arts is a more robust replica of a 1915 exhibition piece called the Tower of Gems. The structure was so beloved by the people of San Francisco that they named it the Palace and decided to preserve it for the city.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Legion of Honor

 4.7/5

3732 reviews

Museum located in Lincoln Park. It was built between 1922 and 1924 by tycoon Speckels. He and his wife assembled a unique collection of art and historical objects. The earliest antiquities date back to the 4th century B.C. Art works form the basis of the museum’s collection. These include works by El Greco, Rubens and Monet.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 9:30 AM – 5:15 PM
Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 5:15 PM
Thursday: 9:30 AM – 5:15 PM
Friday: 9:30 AM – 5:15 PM
Saturday: 9:30 AM – 5:15 PM
Sunday: 9:30 AM – 5:15 PM

San Francisco Cable Car Museum

 4.7/5

5399 reviews

The cable tram is a hybrid of cable car, funicular and tram. The museum of this unusual means of transport is located in the building of a working depot. In it you can see types of cable cars of different times, see how the cable moves. The museum also exhibits the first carriages for inspection. The history of the creation and development of the cable tram is presented in the form of a photo gallery.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

 4.6/5

14047 reviews

The largest museum on the West Coast of the United States and the second most popular in the entire country. It exhibits the works of contemporary artists who created in the XX-XXI centuries. Among the exhibits are works by Pollock, Klee, Matisse, Saarinen, Warhol and other notable masters. The gallery opened in 1935, and in 1995 an original modern building designed by M. Botta was built for it.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 1:00 – 8:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Exploratorium

 4.7/5

7915 reviews

An interactive exhibition founded by experimental physicist F. Oppenheimer in 1969. Some visitors call it the “mad scientist’s museum”. Oppenheimer himself could not hold academic positions after he was accused of anti-American activities. He took a job as a high school science teacher. During this time, he performed many experiments to investigate the properties of media and materials, which became the blanks for the future museum.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, 6:00 – 10:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM

de Young Museum

 4.6/5

7747 reviews

The exposition is located on the territory of the Golden Gate Park. It was founded by M. de Young, a journalist of a local news agency. In the exhibition halls there is a collection of objects and works of art belonging to the period of XVII – XXI centuries. – Paintings, clothes, furniture, etc. The exhibits were mainly collected from the Americas, Africa and Asia-Pacific.

Open time

California Academy of Sciences

 4.6/5

4819 reviews

Museum of Natural History, which is at the same time a serious scientific organisation. The Academy was established in the middle of the 19th century. The team is engaged in educational work, organises exhibitions and conducts scientific research in various fields, including marine botany, ichthyology, ornithology, palaeontology, anthropology and other disciplines.

Open time

Monday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Asian Art Museum

 4.6/5

3584 reviews

The exposition is housed in the building formerly belonging to the Public Library. The museum presents exhibits brought from different parts of the Asian region. The gallery also has a shop where you can buy jewellery, Chinese porcelain, silk and various antique items. Free guided tours of the museum are available.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

The Walt Disney Family Museum

 4.6/5

3442 reviews

The museum opened to the public in 2009 thanks to the efforts of the daughter of the famous cartoonist. The building is located on the territory of the Presidio Park. There is a collection of W. Disney’s personal belongings, his sketches and sketches, models and other exhibits. One of the walls of the building, where the exhibition is located, is made of glass. Thanks to this you can admire picturesque views of the San Francisco Bay.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

 4.6/5

4813 reviews

An open-air museum located in the bay. It includes several facilities: a library, the museum itself, a wharf, and a visitor centre. The exposition is devoted to the history of shipbuilding and navigation, as well as some events of the naval history of the United States. At the wharf, you can look at historic ships from the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum library holds old documents such as blueprints, archives and maps.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

San Francisco City Hall

 4.5/5

1372 reviews

The 1915 City Hall building, designed by A. Brown, Jr. and built in the elegant Bozar architectural style. The building is crowned with a monumental dome, the interior is dominated by marble finishes, statues of San Francisco mayors are installed in the corridors. Tours of City Hall are organised for tourists, or you can go inside on your own – the entrance is free on weekdays.

Open time

Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Ferry Building

 4.6/5

31434 reviews

San Francisco’s largest market, which is very popular among tourists. Shopping areas are located in the Ferry Building, which is located in the central part of San Francisco. In addition to shops with a wide selection of drinks and quality products, the market has cafes, stalls with ready-to-eat food and sections with products from local farms.

Open time

Monday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Transamerica Pyramid

 4.4/5

1110 reviews

Pyramid Skyscraper, the tallest building in San Francisco. The construction of the structure was completed in the 1970s. The height of the tower reaches 260 metres, it has 48 floors, where offices and various commercial premises are located. Every day 1.5 thousand people come here to work. Tourists cannot climb to the top of the tower, as only the ground floor is open for free visit.

Open time

Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Coit Tower

 4.5/5

13024 reviews

The structure is located at the top of Telegraph Hill. The tower is an architectural monument to a difficult period in the history of the United States – the Great Depression (1930s). Inside, the walls of the building are painted with murals showing the current themes of those years: economic hardship, unemployment, social protest. There are even drawings depicting sympathy for communist ideas.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

San Francisco Centre

 4.3/5

19479 reviews

A shopping centre and entertainment complex located in the central part of San Francisco. The interior of the building is made in a somewhat pompous style for such a place, many structures are decorated with gilding and marble. Inside the mall there are more than 170 high-priced shops and several expensive restaurants. Westfield was opened in 1988.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

AT Computers Systemy Informatyczne

 4.8/5

17 reviews

A baseball stadium that is located in one of the suburbs of San Francisco. It is an important sports facility and a popular tourist attraction. The arena is home to the San Francisco Giants team (a member of Major League Baseball in the United States). AT&T Park is capable of hosting not only matches, it is also perfect for concerts, festivals and other large-scale community events.

Open time

Monday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Japanese Tea Garden

 4.5/5

13561 reviews

A traditional Japanese-style garden located within the city’s Golden Gate Park. In 1894, it was a temporary exhibit of the World Exhibition, but then turned into a permanent garden. The public garden was long cared for by M. Hagiwara, an immigrant gardener from Japan. Thanks to his labours, visitors can admire picturesque alleys, pagodas, streams, cherry blossoms, arched bridges and stone statues.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM

Twin Peaks

 0/5

A hill with an observation deck offering a spectacular panoramic view of the city. There is a natural park on the slopes. The best time to visit the site is before sunset. At this time, the sun’s rays flood San Francisco with golden light and bright highlights play in the waters of the bay. According to many tourists, no skyscraper observation deck can compare with Twin Peaks.

Lands End Trail

 0/5

A hiking trail at the “end of the earth” is the name given to the tip of San Francisco from the northwest. The trail winds through thickets of cypress and eucalyptus along winding ocean cliffs. From here, you’ll have scenic views of the area’s main attractions – the Pacific Ocean, the bay, and the Golden Gate Bridge. The trail is paved away from civilised areas, so getting off the trail is not recommended. The wilderness can be dangerous.

Ocean Beach

 4.7/5

1585 reviews

A beach on the Pacific Ocean, located at the western extreme of Golden Gate Park. The Great Highway motorway runs along the beach. The water at this location is quite cool, and in the summer there can be foggy conditions with temperatures as low as 9°C. It is better to visit the beach in late autumn or early spring. Ocean Beach is the most attractive for surfing, but there are often dangerous currents here.

Open time

Baker Beach

 4.7/5

1925 reviews

A small beach 800 metres long, located in the northwestern part of San Francisco. It is perfect for hiking, barbecuing or sunbathing, but the water is too cold for swimming. The Golden Gate Bridge framed by picturesque coastal hills is perfectly visible from the beach. Baker Beach is popular with nudists, and the north side of the beach is reserved for them.

Open time