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 · Parks and outdoors
Rose Garden
A fragrant municipal sanctuary in Golden Gate Park featuring over 850 rose varieties, dedicated as a tribute to the park's foundi…
Source-backed place · Theaters and music
Roxie Theater
A historic pillar of the Mission District, the Roxie Theater is a nonprofit community arthouse cinema that has screened films for…
Source-backed place · Viewpoints
Russian Hill viewpoint streetscape
A dramatic urban landscape on the southeastern crest of Russian Hill, blending historic Beaux Arts planning with eclectic archite…
Source-backed place · History
Russian Hill-Paris Block Architectural District
A unique collection of eleven dwellings on a single flat block of Green Street, showcasing a remarkable variety of architectural…
Source-backed place · Museums
SOMArts Cultural Center
A community-rooted cultural hub founded in 1979, SOMArts uses multidisciplinary exhibitions and events to promote social change a…
Source-backed place · Museums
SS Jeremiah O'Brien
The SS Jeremiah O'Brien is America's last operational WWII Liberty ship, a National Historic Landmark permanently moored at Pier…
Source-backed place · Landmarks
Saint Francis Yacht Club
An exclusive private sailing club founded in 1927, featuring a historic Mission-style clubhouse with panoramic views of the Golde…
Source-backed place · Museums
San Francisco Art Institute
Once the oldest art school west of the Mississippi, this historic Chestnut Street landmark served as a magnet for adventurous art…
Source-backed place · Theaters and music
San Francisco Dungeon
A former immersive theater experience at Fisherman's Wharf that blended historical events with 360° sets, special effects, and li…
Source-backed place · Museums
San Francisco LGBT Community Center
A vital nonprofit hub for the LGBTQ+ community, housed in the historic Fallon Building, providing resources, programs, and a safe…
Source-backed place · History
San Francisco National Cemetery
Established in 1884, this historic 28-acre military cemetery in the Presidio is the first national cemetery on the West Coast, se…
Source-backed place · Parks and outdoors
South Park
San Francisco's oldest public park, this oval-shaped urban oasis provides a rich historical layer to the South of Market district…
Source-backed place · Museums
Southern Exposure
A cornerstone of the Mission District since 1974, Southern Exposure is an artist-centered nonprofit dedicated to supporting visua…
Source-backed place · Parks and outdoors
Spreckels Lake
A historic artificial reservoir in Golden Gate Park dedicated to the art of model yachting, home to the oldest model yacht club i…
Source-backed place · Public art
Stone lion gate guardians at Dragon Gate
Guardians of the Dragon Gate, these stone lions mark the southern entrance to San Francisco's Chinatown, standing watch over one…
Source-backed place · Parks and outdoors
Stow Lake
A serene 12-acre doughnut-shaped lake in Golden Gate Park, offering boat rentals, scenic strolls, and a climb up Strawberry Hill…
Source-backed place · Public art
Sun Yat-sen statue at St. Mary's Square
A striking stainless steel and red granite monument by Beniamino Bufano, honoring the 'Father of Modern China' in the heart of Sa…
Source-backed place · History
The Armory
A massive Moorish Revival fortress in the Mission District, this former National Guard arsenal has evolved from a military strong…
Source-backed place · History
The Cannery
A striking red-brick marketplace at Fisherman's Wharf, this historic site evolved from a massive Del Monte peach cannery into a v…
Source-backed place · History
The Hass-Lilienthal House at Alamo Square vicinity
A stunning Queen Anne-style Victorian built in 1886, this home is the only intact Victorian house museum in San Francisco open to…
Source-backed place · Theaters and music
The Marsh SF
A renowned breeding ground for new performance work in the Mission District, specializing in intimate solo performances and story…
Source-backed place · Theaters and music
The Masonic
Perched atop Nob Hill, The Masonic is a historic mid-century auditorium and versatile concert venue that blends fraternal traditi…
Source-backed place · Theaters and music
The New Conservatory Theatre Center
A prominent not-for-profit theatre company in San Francisco's Civic Center, dedicated to LGBTQ+ stories and theatre education for…
Source-backed place · Museums
USS Pampanito
Step aboard the USS Pampanito, a National Historic Landmark and World War II Balao class fleet submarine that served six patrols…