San Francisco is widely known for the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and Fisherman’s Wharf, many things that my family and I saw repeatedly over 20+ years of living nearby. But there’s much more to do and see here. I spent many childhood, adolescent, and adult years traipsing this city, and there are so many ways to experience San Francisco than just your typical tourist spots.
Let me show you below in my opinion are the best things to do in San Francisco, which focuses on activities. If you’re interested in food or restaurant recommendations, check out our post on the best restaurants in San Francisco too.
1. Explore the Japanese Tea Garden
Escape into the most tranquil place in San Francisco by visiting the Japanese Tea Garden at Golden Gate Park. This garden is smaller than other Japanese gardens I’ve been to (like the Huntington Library); however, it’s very peaceful and still offers plenty to see, including the koi pond, moon bridge, and the Teahouse, where you can enjoy fresh, hand-whisked matcha and treats over the pond.
There is also a shop inside with tons of souvenirs like teapots, ceramics, matcha tools, and more. Note that this isn’t the most accessible garden because there are cobblestones and small hills or steps to navigate, so it might be an issue if you can’t climb steps. The Japanese Tea Garden also offers walking tours at 9:30 AM and 1:00 PM to learn more about the garden; just be sure to sign up online.
You need to buy a timed ticket either onsite or online. Bypass the line by purchasing online, just know that you need to enter within 1 hour of your timed ticket. Parking is underground; however, on weekends, it might take a while to get in, especially on free days at nearby museums.
Type of activity: garden
Price: $ ($30 pp)
Neighborhood: Golden Gate Park
Address: 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118
Website
2. Visit one of many museums
San Francisco offers some of the best museums in history and art, as you can easily tell from the vast number of cultural buildings in such a relatively small region.
Located in Golden Gate Park, the de Young Museum houses a large art collection spanning the 17th century onwards, including fine art, textiles, and more. One notable artwork to experience is James Turrell’s Three Gems, commissioned specifically for the Barbro Osher Sculpture Garden, which opened in 2005.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (or SF MoMA) is one of the premier art museums in the city. It houses one of the largest modern and contemporary art collections in the US, with some of the most famous works, like Frida Kahlo’s “Frieda and Diego Rivera,” Robert Rauschenberg’s “Collection,” and Jackson Pollock’s “Guardians of the Secret.” There are free days throughout the year, free admission for students 18 and under, and free tickets for Bay Area library cardholders.
The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco is arguably one of the best in the country. It sits across from City Hall and houses over 20,000 objects and artworks from Asia and the worldwide diaspora within the sprawling 200,000-square-foot space. The exhibitions span from ancient Asian art to contemporary art throughout three floors. While there are famous objects, such as the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara from the 12th-century Song Dynasty, the museum also highlights contemporary artists, including Kayan Cheung-Miaw’s recent installation on growing up in SF’s Chinatown.
If you’re a huge Disney fan, check out the Walt Disney Family Museum in Presidio. The museum features Walt’s life, but also Disney’s impact on animation and film. The Walt Disney Family Museum has permanent galleries with original sketches, film strips, and also changing exhibitions, like the creation of Disneyland or Midcentury design in Disney features.
3. Song Tea & Ceramics – buy & learn about loose-leaf tea
If you love collecting and drinking tea, make sure to stop by Song Tea & Ceramics. This loose-leaf tea shop specializes in traditional and craft tea creations and features handmade ceramics by artisans from Taiwan, China, and the US. They offer a variety of teas, from green teas (Snow Jasmine from Sichuan) to oolong (Red Water Tieguanyin from Taiwan), as well as collaborations. They even sell aged teas, like the Lunar New Year Aged Hakka Pomelo, which uses the traditional method of stuffing dried tea leaves inside a dried citrus peel to infuse the leaves. Song Tea sells this special aged tea in various vintages (from 1994 to 2003).
Once you enter the store, you’ll see a long table of teas in glass containers, each with detailed information about its variety. You can open the jars and smell each tea to help you pick. The staff at Song Tea & Ceramics were so helpful in navigating their different types of teas, and they offered and even made sure we got to sample their daily tea. I really loved how they even seated us to enjoy a sample so we could savor the drink.
I ended up purchasing their tasting tea of the day, a red tea with light, fresh notes of maple. They also gave a free sample of another red variety to take home, too! Song Tea & Ceramics also offers monthly tea tastings, an introduction to loose-leaf tea, and matcha, so be sure to snag a ticket.
Type of activity: tea house
Price: $$ ($50 pp)
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Address: 2120 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA
Website
4. Shop for food and cooking souvenirs
Some of my favorite types of souvenirs when traveling are kitchen tools and specialty foods. Oaktown Spice Shop is a great way to bring back good memories of a trip and explore new ingredients. There are a couple of different locations in California, and I stopped by the San Francisco shop on Fillmore, which offers a ton of different ingredients (even Samin Nosrat raves about it). I picked up honey powder (something I’ve never seen before) to sprinkle on top of finished dishes or even lattes!
For classic ceramics, visit Heath Ceramics in the Mission. Heath Ceramics started in Sausalito in 1948, and even after passing into new hands in 2003, they still have their original studio in addition to the tile factory in the Mission. The tile factory is a showroom and studio, and it shares an adjacent space with Tartine Manufactory. Sometimes, Heath Ceramics hosts annual sales at the studio and events where you can learn to glaze your own ceramics! There is also a smaller store inside the Ferry Building.
And if you need more kitchen supplies, cookbooks, and interesting ingredients, check out Bernal Cutlery in the Mission (off Valencia Street) or inside the Ferry Building. Bernal Cutlery specializes in knives and cooking tools. They offer much more than products: professional knife sharpening, workshops on Western and Japanese knives, and cooking classes. I love stopping by whenever I’m back in the city for their vast collection of Western and Eastern supplies and pantry essentials, like donabes (Japanese earthen cookware), a myriad of tinned fish from around the world, and food books.
5. Visit a cookbook store for books and events – Omnivore Books on Food
If you love cooking, food, and reading, then be sure to visit Omnivore Books on Food in Noe Valley. After visiting Kitchen Arts & Letters in New York, we now try to see what other cities offer the same gastronomy-centered collection. Omnivore Books is a small but tiny bookstore that offers thousands of new, used, and collector-edition literature all about cooking, culinary crafts, food history, magazines, and more. It’s a food nerd’s paradise.
Recently, I was able to pick up books about food farming and writing about food. Be sure to check their website for upcoming events, where they host chefs and authors for signings and talks about newly released books. Since it’s a small space with limited spots, join their newsletter for early notifications. Omnivore Books also has a cookbook club that sends members signed copies of new cookbooks every quarter.
Type of activity: cookbook store
Neighborhood: Noe Valley
Address: 3885A Cesar Chavez St, San Francisco, CA 94131
Website
6. Do your own bakery crawl
San Francisco is one of the best cities in America to do a bakery crawl. And as someone who would visit Paris just to eat their pastries, trust me. Every time I visit San Francisco, I try to go to at least one of these spots and line up (or preorder if I can grab a box). If you love light and airy kouign-amanns, hit up B Patisserie for the best ones I’ve ever had. Unlike other kouign-amanns that are denser and covered in rock-hard caramel, B Patisserie offers a pastry that is flaky with multiple crisp layers in between seasonal fillings of passion fruit or black sesame.
If you can somehow grab a preorder box online during the weekend, try the innovative savory pastries at Butter & Crumble. The hours-long lines at Butter & Crumble are legendary, but worth it when you get a taste of a rich, meaty mortadella-and-pistachio pesto croissant sandwich at 10:00 AM. Just remember not to start lining up until 7:45 AM so as not to disturb their neighbors; Butter & Crumble staff have specifically posted repeated Instagram stories with this request!
Maison Nico was my first love bakery in SF, and I still hold it near and dear whenever I’m in the city. We all love a good, innovative pastry, but sometimes you need a delicious, well-made pain au chocolat or a perfectly caramelized croissant, and this is where Maison Nico’s traditional French and Viennese-style pastries come into play.
For a combination of the last two bakeries, I’d recommend Parachute Bakery. They won “Best Croissant” from Frenchly in 2026, a competition that is highly regarded in San Francisco’s pastry world. Some of my favorites are the savory reuben croissant sandwich (with every bite full of meaty, tangy, rich flavors) and the novel rectangular-shaped pain au chocolat. They’re located in the corner of the Ferry Building and expect a line on weekends.
7. Listen to live music
You can’t visit San Francisco without seeing a live show, and this city has so much to offer. See your favorite artist at The Fillmore, a historic auditorium from 1912 that still features big names in an intimate setting. It’s a site that’s hosted BB King, Billie Holiday, Jimi Hendrix, and more. The Fillmore has a capacity of 1,315, so expect a standing-room-only kind of vibe. I’ve watched Lawrence play at The Fillmore, and this small venue gives you an up-close and personal experience with the artists on stage. There is a balcony section upstairs with a small number of seats and tables.
San Francisco also has a great jazz scene. Mr. Tipple’s Recording Studio is located in the Civic Center and features local jazz players, cocktails, and dim sum. When we visited Mr. Tipple’s, we made a reservation for a two-top towards the front and loved the intimate space.
For a bigger jazz venue, check out the Dawn Club in the Finance District. The Dawn Club oozes Art Deco design, signaling its origins as a Prohibition-era speakeasy next to the Palace Hotel. You’ll find a decked-out, opulent bar and live band on stage 6 days a week, starting at 8:00 PM. We didn’t need reservations midweek and found a whole book of cocktails to sip while listening to the traveling jazz artists on stage.
8. Snack and souvenir shop at the Ferry Building
The Ferry Building is a historic landmark and a marketplace where people gather and host events. What was once a transportation hub in 1898 is now the perfect place to visit for good food, coffee, and fun local souvenirs. Inside the Ferry Building, you’ll find popular spots like Parachute Bakery (SF’s “best croissant” of 2026), Bernal Cutlery, Hog Island Oyster Co., Senor Sisig, and more. Just note that on weekends, it can get a bit crowded indoors, but you can also walk along and sit by the waterfront to enjoy the ships and boats passing along the Bay Bridge.
The Ferry Building also hosts many events in the outdoor area, such as a weekly Farmer’s Market on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays (the largest vendor market of the week). There are lots of options for fresh produce, meat, seafood, snacks, and other home goods. We picked up NUSA, an Indonesian restaurant that sells desserts and savory items like sweet rice with seasoned shredded chicken (seasoned shredded chicken wrapped in sticky rice and pandan leaves), and a sampler box (pandan coconut layered mochi cake–this had a hint of lemongrass from my taste, sweet pandan rice custard). It reminded me so much of the foods we got in Singapore.
Type of activity: Market, landmark
Neighborhood: Embarcadero
Address: 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 94105
Website
9. Visit a fair or market – Renegade Fair & Maum Market
There are endless events in the city, but my favorites are art fairs and markets because you can check out local and traveling artisans. Both Renegade Fair and Maum Market were founded in Los Angeles; however, they’ve since become large traveling fairs in many cities (including Chicago, San Francisco, New York, and Austin). After visiting many cities, I’ve noticed that each fair is different depending on the demographics, so I still like to visit even though we have a local Renegade and Maum in SoCal.
The Renegade Fair in San Francisco is held at the Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion over the span of a weekend. You’ll find lots of craftsmen and fine artists, stationery items, accessories, clothing makers, and more. It’s where I first learned about some of my favorite SF brands, like Jenny Lemons! This fair happens about three times a year. Renegade Fair is free; however, they do ask for a $5 donation at the entrance.
Maum Market is centered on Asian American artisans and makers and is hosted outside the Ferry Building (where the farmer’s market is hosted). I like that Maum Market has an array of artisans, as well as many food stands, like Little Moon Bakehouse (from Oakland) and Stay Sweet SF chocolates. Entrance to Maum Market is free, and they also partner with a local nonprofit to support each event.
10. Dine in America’s oldest Chinatown
San Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest Asian district in North America, so it’s a must-visit. Asian immigrants have inhabited this North East tip of San Francisco since the 1850s, and today, you’ll see a vast diaspora of bustling businesses and public spaces spanning 24 blocks. On the South side of Grant, you’ll find the famous Dragon Gate with its green tiled pagoda roof and Chinese guardian lions flanking each side to welcome you into Chinatown.
Walking through Chinatown, there are so many businesses. Many of them are markets where locals buy their daily produce from or pick up breakfast. Obviously, you can’t go to Chinatown without eating dim sum, and Good Mong Kok Bakery is the perfect take-out spot. They’re known for their BBQ pork baked buns and scallion rolls that are fresh, filled to the brim, and savory.
Chinatown also has lots of contemporary food options, like Four Kings, which creates nostalgic and modern Hong Kong and Asian-influenced dishes. My favorites are the XO escargot and the fried squab, a super tender poultry option that’s better than chicken! And don’t forget Outta Sight Pizza II, which uses succulent Peking duck from Chinatown businesses for its savory-and-sweet pizza slices.
Chinatown also offers lots of creative spots to visit! Edge on the Square is an art collective and gallery that helps to promote the diversity and culture of Chinatown and the Asian diaspora. They frequently have changing art exhibits that focus on the Asian American and immigrant experience, maker’s fairs, mooncake classes, and more. Check out On Waverly for local artisan-made art, crafts, books, and other souvenirs. And if you want more grassroots literary items, visit Now Place for an artist-run bookstore. Here, you’ll find dozens and dozens of handmade zines, risograph art, and books. They also host events like an open-mic poetry night or zine workshops.
11. Grab a drink at a cocktail bar
Grab a drink the next time you’re in San Francisco, and you won’t regret it. There are so many options for eating and drinking in the city, and it’s hard to go wrong, but some of my favorites were recommended, like the popular Smuggler’s Cove, a famous tiki bar known for its extensive rum collection and a wide array of drinks. I’ve been to my fair share of tiki bars (Oahu, Las Vegas, Disneyland in California, Chicago, and Austin), and Smuggler’s Cove is one of my favorites. The three-level bar is small, but the nautical decor is whimsical without being audacious, and there are lots of seating options. I loved their seasonal drink, Flotsam Fizz, a cola tiki drink that was refreshing and citrusy. It even came with a tiki mug for $25! Definitely visit during the off-hours so you don’t have to wait outside.
If you want delicious food and a balanced, but strong cocktail, visit Shoji. This Art Deco, Asian-inspired cocktail bar is beautiful when you first walk in, and the staff is equally welcoming. The bar menu at Shoji features craft cocktails, sake, wine, beer, and even nonalcoholic cocktails. I ordered the highball, and it was very refreshing and spirit-forward without being overpowering.
For a fun experience, try BlindPig Speakeasy Lounge in Lower Nob Hill. Yes, you do need a password to enter. Yes, they will reject you at the door if you do not have the proper password. Trust me, I’ve seen it happen irl. But the good news is that it’s easy to find. Make sure to follow their Instagram, and BlindPig will update a post weekly with the keyword. Once you’re inside, you’ll be rewarded with very innovative cocktail drinks. My favorite is the “Blind Pig,” a concoction of sweet and spiced ma po tofu cordial with fruity mango vodka. The menu itself is written on a fan! It’s definitely a fun experience every time I visit.
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