San Francisco guide
Things to do in San Francisco
Things to do in San Francisco: start with Alcatraz Island, Asian Art Museum, and California Academy of Sciences. Use the 246 places below to build a plan around this theme; each place has source-backed details behind its description.
246 places
Places to start with
Source-backed place · History
Murphy Windmill
A historic wooden windmill in the southwest corner of Golden Gate Park, once the largest in the world, built to pump groundwater…
Source-backed place · Museums
Museum of Russian Culture
The largest Russian museum in the West, this hidden gem preserves the legacy of post-revolutionary emigrants through rare artifac…
Source-backed place · Museums
Museum of the African Diaspora
A contemporary art museum dedicated to the African Diaspora, located in the Yerba Buena Arts District, featuring rotating exhibit…
Source-backed place · Theaters and music
New Mission Theater
A restored 1916 movie palace and San Francisco Landmark #245, now home to the Alamo Drafthouse, blending historic cinematic grand…
Source-backed place · Theaters and music
ODC Theater
A flagship home for the arts in San Francisco, ODC Theater is a historic 170-seat venue dedicated to empowering innovative artist…
Source-backed place · History
Oriental Warehouse
A historic 1867 industrial warehouse converted into luxury lofts, serving as the sole remaining structure of the Pacific Mail Ste…
Source-backed place · Theaters and music
Orpheum Theatre
A designated San Francisco landmark, the Orpheum Theatre is a historic 2,300-seat Broadway house featuring an ornate Moorish-meet…
Source-backed place · History
Pacific-Union Club (Flood Mansion)
A Neoclassical brownstone mansion on Nob Hill, once the home of silver magnate James Clair Flood, now serving as an exclusive, pr…
Source-backed place · History
Parrott Building
Now the site of the Financial Center Building, this landmark once housed the Parrott Granite Block, one of San Francisco's first…
Source-backed place · Museums
Pier 24 Photography
Located on the Embarcadero, Pier 24 Photography was a world-renowned non-profit museum and the largest exhibition space dedicated…
Source-backed place · Landmarks
Pier 45
The heart of San Francisco's commercial fishing industry, Pier 45 is a historic wooden finger-pier featuring the USS Pampanito su…
Source-backed place · Parks and outdoors
Pink Triangle Park and Memorial
A poignant triangle-shaped mini-park in the Castro District, serving as the first permanent LGBTQ+ Holocaust memorial in the Unit…
Source-backed place · Landmarks
Pioneer Monument
A grand granite and bronze memorial in the Civic Center, dedicated in 1894 to honor the diverse pioneers who settled in Californi…
Source-backed place · Public art
Portals of the Past
A hauntingly beautiful white marble fragment of a Nob Hill mansion, salvaged from the 1906 earthquake and relocated to Lloyd Lake…
Source-backed place · Parks and outdoors
Portsmouth Square
Known as the Heart of Chinatown, Portsmouth Square is San Francisco's oldest public square, serving as a historic civic center an…
Source-backed place · Museums
Precita Eyes Mural Arts and Visitors Center
A vibrant community hub in the Mission District, this center serves as the base for mural tours and celebrates 'art for the peopl…
Source-backed place · History
Presidio Main Parade Ground
A historic military parade ground turned lush meadow, offering sweeping bay views and a serene escape in the heart of the Presidi…
Source-backed place · History
Presidio Officers' Club
Step into San Francisco's second oldest building, a stunning Spanish Colonial Revival venue that served military officers of thre…
Source-backed place · Theaters and music
Presidio Theatre
A stunning Art Deco gem restored to its 1939 glory, this 600-seat nonprofit performing arts center hosts a diverse array of live…
Source-backed place · Landmarks
Presidio Visitor Center
The 'front door' to the Presidio, this state-of-the-art center in a refurbished 1900s Army guardhouse offers interactive exhibits…
Source-backed place · Public art
Rainbow Honor Walk
A poignant sidewalk tribute in the heart of the Castro, featuring bronze plaques honoring global LGBTQIA+ trailblazers who shaped…
Source-backed place · Museums
Randall Museum
A free, hands-on museum of science, nature, and the arts located in Corona Heights Park, offering interactive exhibits and live a…
Source-backed place · Museums
Ripley's Believe It or Not! San Francisco
A whimsical Odditorium featuring hundreds of rare artifacts and interactive exhibits, located in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf n…
Source-backed place · History
Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco
A neoclassical landmark on Nob Hill, this luxury hotel occupies a building originally constructed in 1909 as the headquarters for…