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
USS Potomac
Step aboard the USS Potomac, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 'Floating White House.' This National Historic Landmark offers a rare glimps…
Source-backed place · Viewpoints
Vallejo Street Steps
A stunning series of parallel stairways connecting North Beach and Russian Hill, featuring lush gardens and breathtaking vistas o…
Source-backed place · Public art
Wave Organ
A wave-activated acoustic sculpture on a San Francisco Bay jetty, this multi-sensory installation transforms the movement of the…
Source-backed place · History
Women’s Building
A historic Mission District landmark and feminist own-and-operated community center dedicated to social justice, gender equality,…
Source-backed place · Museums
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
A premier multidisciplinary hub for contemporary art, live performance, and social discourse, located within the scenic Yerba Bue…
Source-backed place · Landmarks
Yoda Fountain
A bronze tribute to the legendary Jedi Master, this iconic water fountain serves as the emblematic gateway to the Lucasfilm campu…
Source-backed place · History
Abner Phelps House
Widely believed to be San Francisco's oldest residence, this Gothic Revival cottage at 1111 Oak Street features a mysterious orig…
Source-backed place · History
Alfred E. Clarke Mansion
A stunning four-story Baroque-Queen Anne landmark built in 1891, this eccentric residence survived the 1906 earthquake and evolve…
Source-backed place · History
Archbishop's Mansion
A grand Second French Empire estate built in 1904, this historic residence of Archbishop Patrick Riordan is a surviving architect…
Source-backed place · Museums
Arion Press
A masterclass in traditional bookmaking, Arion Press is the only U.S. printer crafting limited-edition books entirely by hand, fr…
Source-backed place · History
Atkinson House
An architectural treasure on Russian Hill, the Atkinson House is one of San Francisco's oldest surviving residences, featuring a…
Source-backed place · History
Bellaire Tower
Known as the "Jewel" of Russian Hill, this 20-story Art Deco landmark is a masterpiece of structural resilience and early seismic…
Source-backed place · Theaters and music
Cultural Odyssey
The oldest continuously operating African American performing arts organization in San Francisco, Cultural Odyssey creates origin…
Source-backed place · Parks and outdoors
Duboce Park vicinity
A lively urban oasis and community hub nestled between the Duboce Triangle and Lower Haight, featuring a popular dog play area, a…
Source-backed place · Public art
Eclipse
A towering 40-foot-high geodesic sphere crafted from curved metal tubing, this striking sculpture by Perry stands as a geometric…
Source-backed place · History
Feusier Octagon House
A rare architectural gem at 1067 Green Street, this 1857 residence is one of the last surviving octagon-plan houses in San Franci…
Source-backed place · Museums
Field Station
A free, interactive curiosity lab at Presidio Tunnel Tops designed for youth to explore the Presidio through art, science, and na…
Source-backed place · Parks and outdoors
Francisco Park
A serene 1.5-acre hilltop escape in the North Hill neighborhood, offering panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, an…
Source-backed place · Parks and outdoors
George Sterling Park
A serene hilltop sanctuary in Russian Hill named after the Bohemian poet George Sterling, offering breathtaking views of the Gold…
Source-backed place · Museums
Haight Street Art Center
A nonprofit art space in Lower Haight dedicated to the advancement of poster and graphic art, featuring galleries, a print studio…
Source-backed place · History
Harvey Milk Mural & Former Castro Camera Site
The former site of Harvey Milk's Castro Camera, now a commemorative mural and gallery, marks the spot where the first openly gay…
Source-backed place · History
House of the Flag
A resilient Russian Hill residence and San Francisco Landmark #46, famous for surviving the 1906 earthquake and fire through a da…
Source-backed place · Parks and outdoors
Huntington Park
A peaceful 1.3-acre sanctuary atop Nob Hill, featuring a replica of the Italian Fountain of the Turtles and a rich history of Gil…
Source-backed place · Parks and outdoors
Ina Coolbrith Park
A serene 0.8-acre hillside sanctuary in Russian Hill, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay and Coit Tow…