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Free things to do in San Francisco
Photo by Daniel Abadia | Unsplash
Free Activities
Do you plan on spending one day or more in San Francisco? The Golden City has so many activities for everyone, and this article will introduce you to the best free activities in San Francisco, for both first timers and the regulars.
Updated on 9/4/2025
1. The Golden Gate
The Golden Gate might easily be among, if not the most well known bridge in the world. This American icon is a must for any first timers in San Francisco. Happily, seeing the bridge and walking on it is free. You can either decide to go to the visitor center area, or you can decide to look at the bridge from one of the various lookouts in the city. You can get more information here.
Address (visitor center): Golden Gate Bridge Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94129
2. See The Palace of Fine Arts
We often think about the Golden Gate as a central piece of San Francisco and it is, but this one is actually older. The Palace of Fine Arts is another icon of San Francisco, and if you looked up some list of things to see in Fog City, it surely showed up. The palace of fine art imitates the ancient rome style and is majestic, it is a must do for architectural fans.
Address: 3601 Lyon St, San Francisco, CA 94123
3. Walk Around the Golden Gate Park
What is a big city without its own urban park? Golden Gate Park is one of the United States biggest urban parks – actually bigger than central park. However it is not just a “park” with grass and trees (even though that is quite enjoyable in big cities). What really makes Golden Gate Park a nice place to visit is its numerous activities. From the two windmills to the gardens of the park passing by the museums or academy of science, one day would not be enough to see it all. However, please be aware that many of these attractions are not free. You can learn more by clicking the button below.
Address (Botanical Garden): 1199 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
4. See the Painted Ladies
People gathering to look at painted houses can sound a bit weird for sure. However, what really makes the “Painted Ladies” popular is the history of these houses, but also the environment. Alamo Square Park located in front of the houses offers a scenic view over downtown San Francisco, offering postcard worthy views.
Address (Alamo Square Park): Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94117
5. Drive Up To Napa Valley
Staying in San Francisco’s center is nice, but doing only that would be a mistake. There is plenty to see around San Francisco (get more in detail in this article), and one of the places we would recommend seeing is Napa Valley. If you are a wine lover, you may definitely feel familiar with that name since the place features hundreds of wineries. Driving there takes about 2 hours. Nonetheless, please note that although the place is very popular and nice to see, there are not plenty of free activities there.
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Address (Downtown Napa): 1200 West St, Napa, CA 94559
6. Visit San Jose
After Napa in the north, let’s get down to San Jose. If you are not in the tech industry or a local (or not very good at geography), that name may not sound familiar. But what about “Silicon Valley”? San Jose is the gathering place of many big companies, but it is also a nice place to visit with “only” a one hour drive from San Francisco. There you may find plenty to do including things like visiting an observatory (for free of course).
Address (City Hall): 200 E Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95113
Photo by Cesar Badilla Miranda| Unsplash
7. Walk Around Chinatown
Getting back to San Francisco’s center, Chinatown is another unmissable place for first timers. It features a great deal of restaurants and shops where you may enjoy walking. There is not much more to say about it.
Address: Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108
Photo by Saud N| Unsplash
8. Visit Union Square
Another very popular place within San Francisco’s center, Union Square is a vibrant area where you will find tons of stores of all kinds, restaurants and activities. It is a very dynamic area where many people gather for work, tourism and more.
Address: San Francisco, CA 94108
Photo by Tim Foster| Unsplash
10. Eat something at the Ferry Building
Built in 1898, the Ferry Building is one of San Francisco’s most important places. Not only for its historical significance, but also for the central piece it occupies. The Ferry Building served (obviously) as a hub for San Francisco ferries, but it's also a point where the historical streetcar and the BART meet. Aside from that practical aspect, the building also features a small indoor market with several boutique and restaurants.
Address: 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 94105
Photo by CeeCee Weaver| Unsplash
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