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Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

Itinerary · San Francisco · United States

7 days in San Francisco

A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing San Francisco, not crossing it.

Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team

Photo: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0

Quick answer

7 days is enough to see San Francisco's highlights at a comfortable pace, with time for day trips. Day 1: Golden Gate Bridge and Presidio and Crissy Field. Day 2: Cable cars and the Cable Car Museum and Pier 39 and the sea lions. Day 3: Musée Mécanique and Lombard Street. Base yourself in Union Square.

Key facts

Days
7
Sights covered
13
Day trips
2
Best base
Union Square
Book ahead
Alcatraz Island and California Academy of Sciences

Day by day

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

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

    1. Morning

      Golden Gate Bridge

      Presidio · 1–3 hours · free.

    2. Late morning

      Presidio and Crissy Field

      Presidio · Half a day · free.

    3. Lunch

      Lunch: Mission burrito

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

    4. Evening

      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.

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

    Cable cars and the Cable Car Museum and Pier 39 and the sea lions, then Exploratorium in the evening.

    1. Morning

      Cable cars and the Cable Car Museum

      Nob Hill · 1–2 hours · low cost.

    2. Late morning

      Pier 39 and the sea lions

      Fisherman's Wharf · 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. Evening

      Exploratorium

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

  3. Day 3: Musée Mécanique and Lombard Street

    Musée Mécanique and Lombard Street, then Twin Peaks in the evening.

    1. Morning

      Musée Mécanique

      Fisherman's Wharf · 1 hour · free.

    2. Late morning

      Lombard Street

      Russian Hill · 30 minutes · free.

    3. Lunch

      Lunch: Clam chowder in a bread bowl

      Stalls and restaurants along Fisherman's Wharf.

    4. Evening

      Twin Peaks

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

  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

      Parking or shuttle reservations are required, so book before you go.

    3. Evening

      Back in San Francisco

      Dinner: try Dungeness crab.

  5. Day 5: Painted Ladies and Alamo Square and Golden Gate Park

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

    1. Morning

      Painted Ladies and Alamo Square

      Alamo Square · 30 minutes · free.

    2. Late morning

      Golden Gate Park

      Golden Gate Park · Half a day · free.

    3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dungeness crab

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

    4. Evening

      Mission District

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

  6. Day 6: Day trip to Sausalito

    About 30 minutes by ferry each way. Getting there: Ferry from the Ferry Building or Pier 41, or bike over the bridge.

    1. Morning

      Travel to Sausalito

      About 30 minutes by ferry (Ferry from the Ferry Building or Pier 41, or bike over the bridge); about 13 km.

    2. Day

      Sausalito

      A popular plan is to cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge, coast downhill into Sausalito and take the ferry back.

    3. Evening

      Back in San Francisco

      Dinner: try Cioppino.

  7. Day 7: California Academy of Sciences and de Young Museum

    California Academy of Sciences and de Young Museum, then North Beach in the evening.

    1. Morning

      California Academy of Sciences

      Golden Gate Park · 3 hours · expensive. Buy timed tickets online in advance for weekends and holidays.

    2. Late morning

      de Young Museum

      Golden Gate Park · 2 hours · mid-priced.

    3. Lunch

      Lunch: Cioppino

      Italian restaurants in North Beach and seafood restaurants near the Wharf.

    4. 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 7 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 23–30 hours of visiting over 7 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

Questions travellers ask

+Is 7 days enough in San Francisco?

7 days is enough to see San Francisco's highlights at a comfortable pace, with time for day trips. How many days San Francisco needs.

+What should I book before visiting San Francisco?

Alcatraz Island and California Academy of Sciences.