San Francisco is such a unique city. With its proximity to stunning natural areas, its placement between the Bay and the Pacific, its history, and its quality public transport, there’s so much to see and explore.

San Francisco can be expensive; however I’d say these activities are well worth the money (especially as a gal on a budget).

(If you want to know about some of the best FREE things to do in San Fran, check out this post.)

1. Tour Alcatraz (Starting at ~$45/adult)

As an early military fort and a high security prison housing some of the most notorious criminals like Al Capone and “The Bird Man”, Alcatraz is certainly a unique must-see for any visitor to the Bay Area.

Alcatraz offers day and night tours—with nights being a little more expensive—as well as guided tours. I booked my ticket through City Experiences/Alcatraz City Cruises, and an adult ticket was a little over $45 for a day tour. If you want to do a night tour, tickets are around $55, and guided tours are just over $100. The regular day and night tours include audio tours in the price, however that can be taken off your bill if you don’t want the audio tour.

Day ferries leave for Alcatraz at various times between 8:40 a.m. and 3:50 p.m., and the trip takes about 15 minutes. Be sure to book in advance—especially during summer and on weekends—as the tickets sell out fast. I spent about an hour and a half on the island, however if you really want to take your time and read/see everything I’d recommend budgeting 2 to 2.5 hours on Alcatraz.

Personally, I loved Alcatraz. The building was a lot smaller than I imagined, and the scenery outside was stunningly beautiful—the inside, obviously not so much. The audio tour is very informative and uses binaural sounds of cell doors closing, people chattering, and fights breaking out, so it sounds like you’re actually hearing everything happening in real life. Throughout the tour, you get to see the cells of some of the more notable criminals in Alcatraz, learn about the escape attempts, and even go inside the solitary confinement cell block referred to as “The Hole”.

To get up to the actual building, you have to hike up a hill for 5-10 minutes. Apparently, the climb is the equivalent of walking up a 13-story building. This might be a little strenuous for some (there is a limited-seating shuttle that runs twice an hour that can transport you to the top if you’re unable to walk up), however the views of the bay on the way up are absolutely incredible. When I visited, it was pouring rain on the ferry ride over, but as I climbed the hills, the sky cleared and a rainbow formed over the bay (you can faintly see it in the picture below on the left side). It was kind of magical. With that said, be aware that the weather can change rapidly! Not long after that it started downpouring again.

To get back to the mainland, you can hop on any next available ferry, so you are able to explore the prison and island for as long as you want (until the last day tour ferry at 6:30 p.m., that is). Alcatraz is definitely worth a visit!

2. Walk the Golden Gate Bridge (Free!)

If for some reason you’re only able to see one thing in San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge is the #1 must-see attraction. With its rusty red color against the backdrop of lush green trees and varying blues of the sky and bay, it’s easy to see why the Golden Gate is the #1 most photographed bridge in the world.

There are various ways to view/experience the bridge (see more here), but my ultimate favorite was walking across it. The bridge is about 1.7 miles long, and it takes approximately 50 minutes to walk across if you walk from the south to the north vista point. Be aware that there are no nearby buses back from the northern side, so if you decide to walk across and back it’ll take over an hour and a half. When I walked across, I was so physically exhausted from already walking 7+ miles that day, so I bit the bullet and got a $20 Uber just to cross the bridge to get back to my starting point. Yeah, it’s expensive, so have a game plan in mind. Renting a bike and biking across is also an option.

Walking across the bridge gives you unique views of the bay and the city skyline, and you can also gaze out to the Pacific Ocean and try to comprehend its vastness (the next major landmass straight across the Pacific from San Fran is Japan!).

It was such a neat experience to take in the bridge’s golden towers up close and see San Francisco from a different perspective. Walking across the bridge was definitely a bucket list experience and will forever be a core memory.

3. Hike in Muir Woods National Monument ($15-70/adult)

Muir Woods is a redwood forest about a 50-minute drive from downtown San Francisco. These woods are part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which protects more than 82,000 acres of land surrounding the Bay Area.

The tallest tree in Muir Woods is around 258 feet, with the oldest being at least 1,200 years old. Though, the average age of the mature redwoods ranges from 500 to 800 years old. When staring up at the imposing tree trunks and lush green canopy, it’s difficult to fathom that much of this ancient forest started growing before the 1500s.

To get to Muir Woods, you get to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and take some twisty, narrow roads. If driving on cliffsides isn’t your thing, there are many half-day tours available that take you to the woods and back. However, you only get about an hour and a half to explore, which I found to be a little limiting because I love to wander and explore. But, I found it worth the investment anyways because walking beneath the towering coast redwoods felt otherworldly—especially during a downpour of rain. I paid just under $70 for a half-day tour with a lovely and informative tour guide/driver, and we got to explore the woods by ourselves.

If you do decide to drive, you need to reserve a spot prior to arriving at the park. Parking reservations range from $9 to $45 depending on if you have a standard or larger sized vehicle. There’s also a bookable shuttle from Sausalito (the city just north of the Golden Gate Bridge) available on summer weekdays that costs $3.50 for adults, and children 15 and younger are free. To get to the shuttle, you have to take the Sausalito Ferry from San Francisco which costs about $14 per adult. The standard entrance fee for the park itself is $15 per adult, and those ages 15 and under are free.

4. Admire the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) ($25/adult)

The San Francisco MOMA is an incredible place to spend a few hours. The seven-floor museum has a free second floor if you’re on a tight budget or have limited time, but general admission for the full museum costs $25 for adults. The building is currently home to many works by famous artists, including Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Frida Kahlo, and Georgia O’Keefe.

Like many art museums, this place is huge. I spent an hour closely looking at every image in a photography exhibit, only to realize I had only explored about a tenth of the museum. So, be aware that there’s lots to see. From contemporary photography and abstract sculptures to postwar German Art and temporary exhibitions, one could spend hours in the MOMA trying to take everything in.

5. Visit Haight-Ashbury

Haight-Ashbury is a lively neighborhood to the southwest of downtown San Francisco known for its strong hippie culture, dedicated art and music scene, and vintage shopping. The area also has many beautiful Victorian homes that were left intact after the 1906 earthquake. In fact, the neighborhood is about a 20-minute walk from the Painted Ladies—an angled row of colorful, bright Victorian houses. I didn’t have time to visit this, but many photos online feature the houses in front of the San Francisco skyline, which I imagine would be stunning to see at night.

This trendy locale has many upscale boutiques and lower-priced thrift stores with unique items. Some shops were a little too Y2K for my liking (why are we bringing that era of fashion back??), but after some searching and digging you should be able to find something that suits your style.

Whether or not you like shopping or hippie/hipster culture, Haight-Ashbury is still a neat area to check out to see a different side of San Francisco.

6. Shop and Eat in Chinatown

San Francisco’s Chinatown is an iconic part of the city—in fact, it is the the oldest Chinatown in North America. First established in the mid-1800s, this part of downtown San Francisco takes up 24 square blocks, making it the largest Chinatown outside of Asia.

There are many incredible places to eat in San Francisco’s Chinatown, as well as lots of streets and shops to peruse. On these streets, you can find everything from foods like traditional herbs, produce, and fresh meat to souvenirs, bars, and Chinese architecture. There’s a lot to explore in this neighborhood, so come hungry and ready to browse!

7. Stroll Through Golden Gate Park

Golden Gate Park spans 3.5 miles from the city to the Pacific Ocean, giving you lots of parkland to wander around for a couple hours. I referenced Golden Gate Park in my “free things to do in San Francisco” post, but there are a lot of paid activities to do in the park as well.

First up is the de Young Museum, which is one of the two fine arts museums in San Fran (the other is the Legion of Honor). This art museum has a collection of works dating from 1670 onwards, predominately from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. General admission starts at $20 per adult, with discounts if you’re a senior, student, or person under 18.

The park also has a beautiful botanical garden with more than 8,000 types of international plants across 55 acres of land. Entrance to the garden can cost between $11-15 for adults depending on the time of year. The gardens also host many programs and events throughout the year, including Yoga in the Garden. It’s certainly a beautiful place to visit if you have a spare couple hours or so.

Another popular site to visit is the Japanese Tea Garden, however with tickets between $12-16 (again, depending on the day/time of year), it personally was a little hard for me to justify a visit here. The garden was a lot smaller than I expected, and it took me maybe only 20 minutes to explore the area, which included stopping for pictures/videos and walking through some areas more than once. I visited in late February, so the garden is probably more appealing during the summer, but I still was a little underwhelmed at the size and amount to see for the price.

Indulge in Tourist Shopping

There are many fun places throughout the city to shop around for San Francisco souvenirs or grab a quick meal, and they’re all in a decent walking distance of each other. The most popular areas include the Ferry Building, Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, and Ghirardelli Square.

8. Ferry Building

Dating back to 1898, the Ferry Building is an iconic site in San Francisco. Many travellers and commuters passed through this building up until the mid-1950s when the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge became the main way to cross the bay. Now, the building is home to many cute shops as well as a farmers’ market that runs year-round on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

You won’t really find any traditional souvenirs here like keychains, sweaters, etc, but rather you can find some quality food products like baked goods, chocolate, and alcohol, as well as ceramics and various other hand-crafted items. That being said, items here are a little on the pricier side, but it’s worth a stop in to see all of the wonderful offerings.

9. Fisherman’s Wharf

Fisherman’s Wharf is a great place to find souvenirs and yummy food to eat. Here you get excellent views of the bay, including Alcatraz and the Golden Gate. Throughout the wharf you can peruse through various tourist shops, stop at family-oriented attractions and museums like Madame Tussaud’s, and eat some classic clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. I ate at Sabella & LaTorre and the chowder/bread bowl was *chef’s kiss*. It was the perfect warm comfort food to eat outside on a cool sunny day.

One of the most iconic attractions at Fisherman’s Wharf is Pier 39…

10. Pier 39

Pier 39 is an excellent place to find all of your San Francisco souvenirs, grab a bite to eat, and see some sea lions taking a nap. I’d plan to dedicate at least an hour or two here if you enjoy shopping.

In terms of souvenirs, you can find everything from your traditional postcards and t-shirts to more unique items like miniature cable cars at the Cable Car Store, Christmas decorations, or left-hand-only items.

As for dining, there are various restaurants selling sourdough bread, clam chowder, seafood, desserts, and more. I enjoyed stopping in the Biscoff Coffee Corner for a hot chocolate to warm up from the rain. There are currently 12 full-service restaurants at the pier, so you have lots of dining options to choose from.

And of course, no visit to Pier 39 is complete without stopping at the free sea lion viewing area (K-Dock). Following the 1989 earthquake, hundreds of sea lions flocked to this area and have stayed ever since. Now, they voluntarily relax on the docks, with sometimes more than 20 sea lions napping at a time. It’s entertaining to watch as they sleep, bark at each other, and scratch themselves with their flippers (did you know their flippers have nails?! I had no idea until I zoomed in on a photo I took of them, and frankly I was a little shocked, haha).

11. Ghirardelli Square

About a 25 minute walk from Fisherman’s Wharf, Ghirardelli Square was once the site of an original Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory. In the mid-1900s, the property was purchased to avoid it being demolished, and the old factory was filled with shops and restaurants and became known as Ghirardelli Square. The area is now on the National Historic Register to ensure the preservation of the square.

The square itself is relatively small, but there are quite a few unique souvenir shops to explore and multiple places to dine or grab a pint of beer. However, you simply cannot visit Ghirardelli Square without stopping in the Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience. There, they have numerous Ghirardelli Chocolate sets, a Ghirardelli Chocolate coffee bar, and an open selection of individual Ghirardelli Chocolate squares so you can mix and match your own set of chocolates for gifts or to savor for yourself. If you’re a chocolate fiend like me, it’s worth the visit—trust me.

San Francisco is filled with countless fun, unique places to explore and experience. Whether you’re looking for an adventure, places to eat/shop, or just to take a leisurely stroll, the Bay Area will not disappoint.