10 Free Things to Do in San Francisco, CA

Andy and I took a kid free vacation to San Francisco in January thanks to Alaska Airlines. I won 2 tickets to Alaska Airlines at Alt Summit last year. We took full advantage of our 3 kid free days in San Francisco and did all the things we can’t easily do with little kids: biked everywhere and ate out! This was Andy’s first trip to San Francisco, so I wanted to show him all the things, but we also wanted to enjoy our days and not feel rushed. Solution? Electric bikes. So much fun.

I put together a list of 10 free things to do in San Francisco with or without the kids. I included a few obvious choices like the Golden Gate Bridge along with a local gems we loved like the wave organ.

10 Free Things To Do in San Francisco:

1. Golden Gate Park

This is the 3rd most visited park in the United States! Fun fact: Golden Gate Park is 1,000 acres, and 20% larger than Central Park in NYC. The park is free to visit but some popular destinations do charge admissions. A few don’t miss free things to do in the park include: spy a buffalo at the Buffalo Paddock, take a stroll on Ocean Beach, and check out the Dutch windmill tulip garden! If you have kids in tow, Koret Children’s Playground is must do with 2 unique cement slides, tons of swings, a giant spider web of ropes to climb, and a carousel to ride! ($2 for adults, $1 for kids, and children 5 and under are free with the purchase of an adult ticket)

Pro tip: Bring a peice of cardboard for the cement slides! Also, dump a few hand-fulls of sand on the top of the slide, it makes the ride down much smoother!

2. Japanese Tea Garden

This magical oasis is located on 5 acres inside of the Golden gate Park. Entry is free if you enter before 10am on Monday, Wednesday or Friday. Children 4 and under are always free. Inside the garden you will find koi ponds, an azalea-covered waterfall, a 5 story tall pagoda, and of course a tea house complete tea and light snacks.

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Pro tip: The cherry blossom trees are magical in the spring time.

3. Golden Gate Bridge

My favorite way to see the golden gate bridge is by bike! The bridge has a walking path and a biking path, and comes complete with incredible views. We rented electric bikes from Wheel Fun Rentals and rode across the bridge to Sausalito where we had lunch. While this was not free, it was 100% worth the money. The electric bikes were so much fun we opted to ride back across the bridge instead of take the ferry back to the bike shop.

Pro tip: Wear layers, it can get super windy on the bridge.

4. Ferry Building Marketplace

The Ferry Building opened in 1898 and quickly became the main entry point for anyone arriving to San Francisco by train or ferry. The Ferry Building reopened to the public in 2003 after a 4 year renovation. The repeating interior arches and overhead skylights make this building a must see, but you also don’t want to miss the merchants inside! Three don’t miss shops: Heath Ceramics for pottery, The Gardener, and Out the Table for the best Vietnamese food to go.

Pro tip: For a celebration of local food culture don’t miss the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market. It happens on Tuesday and Thursday from 10-2pm and Saturday from 9-2pm.

5. Ghiardelli Square

Ghiaradelli Square is a San Francisco landmark nestled on the west end of Fisherman’s Wharf. The Original Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop opened in 1893 and is a San Francisco staple! There is a mini cafe on the lower floor, but upstairs is the original chocolate shop. Upstairs you will also find a large cafe that serves all things delicious including sundaes, floats, malts, and banana splits 365 days a year. (Don’t miss the treasure island sundae!) There is also a mini chocolate factory that shows how a chocolate square is made.

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6. Wave Organ

We discovered the wave organ acoustic sculpture thanks to the nice guy renting us bikes at Wheel Fun Rentals. We asked him if there was anything we can’t miss on our bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge, and he told us about the wave organ. To find the wave organ look for St. Francis Yacht Club on the edge of Crissy Beach. Ride bikes or walk down the long jetty to the very end. You can’t miss it.

Pro tip: The wave organ sounds best at high tide.

7. Walking around San Francisco is a must

We stayed at the W in the SoMo District, which stands for South of Market. The W is older, but clean, a great price, and in an awesome walking location. It’s right next door to the Museum of Modern Art. The streets of San Francisco are filled with treasures. We stumbled into murals and sculptures galore on our walking escapades.

One day, we found ourselves in China Town and got glorious foot massages. Another morning, we walked to Mama’s restaurant and stood in the 45 minute line for a worth the wait breakfast. Your best bet is to go early on a weekday, but from what I’ve heard, there is basically always a line. The church in the picture above is next door to Mama’s.

Pro tip: Liguria Bakery is right across the street from Mama’s, grab a sea salt focaccia bread to nibble on in line! Also, neither joint accepts credit cards. Bring cash.

Lombardi Street free things to do in San Francisco

9. Lombard Street

Lombard Street is the windiest road in America! It’s a must see sight that is fun to walk up or even grab an Uber and drive down! It’s just a short drive, but oh so fun. Did you know that people actually live on Lombard Street? You can see their houses and driveways that back into the crazy street.

10. Museums

There are tons of museums in San Francisco that have regularly scheduled free admission days. We decided to take advantage of the San Francisco CityPASS. The San Francisco CityPASS admission saves you 45% and includes multiple museums plus transportation. Here is what is included:

The CityPASS is $89 for adults and $66 for kids. The California Academy of Sciences is a must see for kid with a 2.5 acre living roof, penguins, and an aquarium and a planetarium. We will absolutely take our kids back next time we’re in San Francisco. Right across the street from the California Academy of Science is the de Young Museum, which Andy and I loved. This one is not as fun for kids, but there is a 9 story tall observation tower with 360 degree views of San Francisco that everyone will love.

Here are 5 museums with free admission every day:

The Cable Car Museum – You will find 3 historical cable cars and see mechanical devices such as grips, track, cable, and brake mechanisms in action.
Market Street Railway Museum – Kids can experience what it is like to be in control of a full-sized, 1911 San Francisco streetcar.
SF Fire Department Museum – View the 1st fire engine built in California!
Wells Fargo Museum – Kids can use vintage bank machines and send a telegraph.
The Mechanical Museum – Find out what kids did before screens. You will find the largest privately owned collection of antique arcade machines.

Have you ever been to San Francisco with kids? I’d love to hear what else to add to the list. I can not wait to take the kids back to San Fran one day!

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Comments

Michell @ Girl In Air says
May 19, 2011 at 10:30 am
Oh Jamie! I'm having so much FUN reading this series!!
DIYgirl says
May 19, 2011 at 7:01 pm
I LOVE bushman! I was just in SF over spring break–wish I'd seen this! The first time I went to SF Bushman surprised me and then later I wondered why I thought it was totally normal for a bush to be planted randomly on the sidewalk.
jo_annie says
May 20, 2011 at 6:16 am
My husband and I made our 1st trip to SF in 2006. 5 years, and 5 more trips there later… It STILL holds my heart. LOVE IT.
Lol to the bush man. We've seen him the few times we've been to Fisherman's Wharf. Freaked my daughter out!
Hilda says
February 27, 2018 at 7:37 pm
I want to add Pier 39. It’s a tourist trap for sure but it’s free to walk around and people watch. We’re local-ish to SF as we’re about 1.5 hrs away but this blog post is still very informative. Thank you!
Marco Mijatovic says
April 19, 2018 at 9:37 am
I’m about to visit San Francisco this summer and can’t wait to see it! Thank you for sharing those precious gems. 🙂