5 days in San Francisco

Day by day

1. Day 1: Golden Gate Bridge and Presidio and Crissy Field

   Golden Gate Bridge, Presidio and Crissy Field and Alcatraz Island, then Exploratorium in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Golden Gate Bridge

      Bring a windproof layer even in summer, and keep a backup plan: fog can hide the towers for hours, especially from June to August. (1–3 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Presidio and Crissy Field

      Picnic on the Tunnel Tops lawns, where food trucks often gather on weekends in the warmer months. (Half a day, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Mission burrito

      Taquerias along Mission Street and 24th Street in the Mission District.

   4. Afternoon

      Alcatraz Island

      Take an early ferry for a quieter cellhouse, or book the night tour for a different atmosphere and city lights on the way back. (Half a day, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Exploratorium

      Book the Tactile Dome in advance; it is a separate ticket and slots are limited.

2. Day 2: Cable cars and the Cable Car Museum and Pier 39 and the sea lions

   Cable cars and the Cable Car Museum, Pier 39 and the sea lions and Lombard Street, then Twin Peaks in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Cable cars and the Cable Car Museum

      Skip the long queue at the Powell and Market turnaround by boarding a few stops up the line, or ride the quieter California Street line. (1–2 hours, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Pier 39 and the sea lions

      See the sea lions early or late to avoid crowds, then walk west along the Wharf to the Musée Mécanique and the historic ships at Hyde Street Pier. (1–2 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Sourdough bread

      Boudin at Fisherman's Wharf, plus artisan bakeries in the Mission and at the Ferry Building.

   4. Afternoon

      Lombard Street

      Visit early in the morning, when the gardens are in soft light and before the queue of cars builds. (30 minutes, free).

   5. Evening

      Twin Peaks

      Go on a clear evening for sunset and the city lights; it gets cold and windy, so bring a jacket.

3. Day 3: Painted Ladies and Alamo Square and Golden Gate Park

   Painted Ladies and Alamo Square, Golden Gate Park and California Academy of Sciences, then Mission District in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Painted Ladies and Alamo Square

      Continue about 20 minutes west to Haight-Ashbury for vintage shops and 1960s counterculture history. (30 minutes, free).

   2. Late morning

      Golden Gate Park

      Rent a bike near the eastern end and ride west along the car-free JFK Promenade to the Dutch Windmill and Ocean Beach. (Half a day, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Clam chowder in a bread bowl

      Stalls and restaurants along Fisherman's Wharf.

   4. Afternoon

      California Academy of Sciences

      Go to the rainforest dome first, then up to the living roof for a view across the park; adults-only NightLife evenings run on Thursdays. (3 hours, expensive).

   5. Evening

      Mission District

      Cocktail bars, dive bars and live music along Valencia and Mission Streets.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Muir Woods

   About 40 minutes by car each way. Getting there: Car with a parking reservation, shuttle or tour.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Muir Woods

      About 40 minutes by car (Car with a parking reservation, shuttle or tour); about 20 km.

   2. Day

      Muir Woods

      Old-growth coast redwoods, some more than 75 metres tall and many centuries old, line the boardwalk trails of Muir Woods National Monument at the foot of Mount Tamalpais. Best for families, first-timers and quiet stays.

   3. Evening

      Back in San Francisco

      Dinner: try Dungeness crab.

5. Day 5: de Young Museum and Ferry Building Marketplace

   de Young Museum, Ferry Building Marketplace and Chinatown, then North Beach in the evening.

   1. Morning

      de Young Museum

      Even without a museum ticket, ride up the free observation tower for a 360-degree view over the park and the Pacific. (2 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Ferry Building Marketplace

      Come on a Saturday morning for the full farmers market, then catch a ferry to Sausalito or Oakland from the terminal behind the building. (1–2 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dungeness crab

      Crab stands on Fisherman's Wharf, seafood restaurants and Vietnamese restaurants in the Outer Sunset.

   4. Afternoon

      Chinatown

      Walk Stockton Street in the morning, when the markets are at their busiest with local shoppers. (2 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      North Beach

      Historic saloons and Beat-era bars such as Vesuvio Cafe beside City Lights Bookstore.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Alcatraz Island and California Academy of Sciences before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Union Square keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Fisherman's Wharf ($$$) suits families and first-timers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 25–33 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.6 hours in December to 14.8 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in San Francisco
• 2 days in San Francisco
• 3 days in San Francisco
• 4 days in San Francisco
• 7 days in San Francisco

Questions travellers ask