History · San Francisco · United States
8 historic sites to see in San Francisco
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Start with Alcatraz Island, Cable cars and the Cable Car Museum and Ferry Building Marketplace. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 13–17 hours across 8 areas; 5 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 5
- Time to see them all
- 13–17 hours
- Areas
- San Francisco Bay, Nob Hill and Embarcadero
Historic sites in San Francisco
Historic site · San Francisco Bay
1.Alcatraz Island
The cellhouse audio tour, narrated in part by former guards and inmates, is the highlight, and the island also has gardens, seabird colonies and views back to the city. Ferries leave from Pier 33.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Views
- After dark
Experience · Nob Hill
2.Cable cars and the Cable Car Museum
The Powell-Hyde line has the most dramatic hills and bay views, ending near Ghirardelli Square, while the free Cable Car Museum on Mason Street shows the giant winding wheels that pull the cables under the streets.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Views
- History
Market · Embarcadero
3.Ferry Building Marketplace
Outside, the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market runs on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, with the biggest market on Saturday.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Architecture
- History
Neighbourhood · Chinatown
4.Chinatown
Enter through the Dragon Gate on Grant Avenue, then explore the produce and seafood markets of Stockton Street, the painted balconies of Waverly Place and the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory in Ross Alley.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- History
- Shopping
Viewpoint · Telegraph Hill
5.Coit Tower and Telegraph Hill
The Filbert Steps lead down through hillside gardens where the hill's flock of wild parrots is often heard.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Art
- Off the beaten path
Architecture · Marina
6.Palace of Fine Arts
It is free to wander and a favourite backdrop for wedding photos.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Couples
- Photo spot
- History
Park · Mission District
7.Mission Dolores Park and the Mission murals
Next door, Mission Dolores, whose adobe chapel dates from 1791, is the oldest intact building in San Francisco, and the murals of Balmy Alley and Clarion Alley are a short walk away.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Art
- Views
- History
Nature · Outer Richmond
8.Lands End and the Sutro Baths
At its western end are the concrete ruins of the Sutro Baths, a vast public bathhouse opened in 1896 that burned down in 1966.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Views
- Off the beaten path
- History
- Photo spot
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Bay | Alcatraz Island | Half a day |
| Nob Hill | Cable cars and the Cable Car Museum | 1–2 hours |
| Embarcadero | Ferry Building Marketplace | 1–2 hours |
| Chinatown | Chinatown | 2 hours |
| Telegraph Hill | Coit Tower and Telegraph Hill | 1–1.5 hours |
| Marina | Palace of Fine Arts | 45 minutes |
| Mission District | Mission Dolores Park and the Mission murals | 2–3 hours |
| Outer Richmond | Lands End and the Sutro Baths | 2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 5 free, 2 low cost, 1 mid-priced. Book ahead for Alcatraz Island. The longest visit is Alcatraz Island; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Alcatraz Island: Tickets from the official ferry concessioner sell out days or weeks ahead in summer; book as early as you can.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (San Francisco Bay): Alcatraz Island, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Nob Hill and Embarcadero): Cable cars and the Cable Car Museum → Ferry Building Marketplace, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Chinatown, Telegraph Hill and Marina): Chinatown → Coit Tower and Telegraph Hill → Palace of Fine Arts, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Mission District and Outer Richmond): Mission Dolores Park and the Mission murals → Lands End and the Sutro Baths, at least 4 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of 16°C (61°F), about 10 rainy days, quiet crowds. Showery, with greening hills and sunny spells; Lunar New Year brings the city's biggest night parade.
- January: highs of 14°C (57°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cool and the wettest time of year, with crisp, clear days between storms; hotel rates are among the lowest of the year.
- May: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 2 rainy days, moderate crowds. Pleasant spring days as the fog season begins to build; one of the better months for walking and hiking.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Union Square — Department stores, theatres and the Powell Street cable car turnaround
- North Beach — Italian cafés, Beat Generation bookshops and Telegraph Hill
- Nob Hill — Grand hotels, Grace Cathedral and cable cars on California Street
- Mission District — Murals, taquerias and Dolores Park in the city's sunniest neighbourhood
- Marina and Cow Hollow — Waterfront paths, Union Street boutiques and the Palace of Fine Arts
More of San Francisco
All things to do in San Francisco · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in San Francisco?
Alcatraz Island. The former federal penitentiary on Alcatraz Island held prisoners such as Al Capone between 1934 and 1963.
+Which of these are free in San Francisco?
Ferry Building Marketplace, Chinatown, Palace of Fine Arts, Mission Dolores Park and the Mission murals and Lands End and the Sutro Baths.