San Francisco is one of those cities that all Americans should visit at least once. Such an iconic city with so much to do and see! I know the homelessness problem has gotten worse in the past few years, but it’s actually not even in the top 5 cities in the US with the biggest homeless issues. We visited in 2013 when my kids were 11 and 8, and it wasn’t an issue at all. Based on my research in preparation for writing this post, the recommendations are to just avoid the Tenderloin area where there are some safety concerns, so I’ve kept that in mind here.
This itinerary is good for all ages, and can be tailored based on your interests and how much time you have. If you don’t have the kids along and want to spend a day or two in wine country, check out my 3 Days in Napa and Sonoma itinerary….I highly recommend doing that if you have time. Truly the best time to visit both areas is between September and November; the weather in San Francisco is warmest during these months! We visited in August and it was surprisingly chilly (and of course, busy). So grab a light jacket and your walking shoes, and let’s go to San Francisco!
Here is a sample 4-day itinerary for San Francisco, based on our family trip with kids in August:
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DAY 1: CHINATOWN, LOMBARD STREET, HARBOR CRUISE, AND A CABLE CAR RIDE
San Francisco isn’t the cheapest place to visit, but it’s worth spending a little extra money to stay right in the heart of the Fisherman’s Wharf area. Traffic is a nightmare, so it’s best to walk or use public transportation. Most of the activities in this itinerary are within walking distance of the hotels I’ve recommended too. Speaking of hotels, we stayed in the Financial District when we were there, but given its proximity to the Tenderloin area, I’m recommending either the Courtyard Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf or the Kimpton Alton Hotel. Both are in great locations, have all the amenities you’ll need, and really good reviews, all at a moderate price.
Travel Tip: Be sure to check out the San Francisco CityPass to see if it makes sense for you and what is important for you to see. We had purchased it, but in the end it wasn’t the best deal for what we did, so we forced ourselves to squeeze in a trip to the aquarium, which we definitely could have skipped. But on the flip side, we really enjoyed the Harbor Cruise that was included, which we normally wouldn’t have done.
We arrived late morning on Day 1, but were able to squeeze quite a bit in to the first half-day. I’d recommend taking an Uber from the airport, but be sure to grab a snack before heading out because the trip can be pretty long with traffic. Once you’re checked in the hotel, grab a jacket and head to the Powell / Mason Cable Car stop, just two blocks from the Kimpton. Before getting on, be sure to download the MuniMobile App so that you have all of the cable car route information, can pre-pay for your tickets, etc. All of the details on riding the cable cars can be found at this site. You’ll want to take the Powell-Mason line to Chinatown Dragon’s Gate. Chinatown is a great area to browse the souvenir shops, the Asian markets, and find a delicious place to eat. We spent a good couple of hours here walking around.
Next on the agenda is Lombard Street…this is such a unique experience and should not be missed! I’ve never seen a street like this before. It’s about a mile walk from Chinatown, so you can either walk or take the Powell-Hyde cable car line to Lombard Street. You might find that the cable cars are a little bit of a pain, but you have to ride them at least once during your trip. Once you arrive, walk up to the top of the street to enjoy the view and snap some pictures, and then gradually walk back down the hill and watch the cars navigate the super tight turns!
From Lombard Street, your walk back to Fisherman’s Wharf area should only be about 15 minutes. Grab a snack if you’re hungry, and then head toward Pier 39 to catch a Blue and Gold Fleet Harbor Cruise. This is part of the standard package if you have a CityPass. It’s a 1-hour tour that runs several times throughout the day, and takes you under the Golden Gate Bridge (awesome photo ops), around Alcatraz, and more. I’d recommend booking in advance just to be safe.
DAY 2: MUIR WOODS, EXPLORING THE COAST, GOLDEN GATE PARK, AND MORE
You’ll want to be up early and have a hearty breakfast this day…it’s a busy one! For this agenda, you’ll need to rent a car just for the day. There’s a National Car Rental right in Fisherman’s Wharf (book in advance of course). There are tours through companies like Viator that will take you to just Muir Woods and Muir beach (half-day tours), but if you’re comfortable driving I’d recommend doing it yourself so you can explore more and save some money.
Assuming you’ve rented a car, head across the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Woods National Park. It takes about 40 minutes to get there. This is a beautiful park filled with giant redwood trees, and is a great way to spend a few hours. There are various hikes, and a fun nature trail for kids too. Just be sure to make a reservation in advance via their website…we tried to go during COVID and weren’t able to go in because we didn’t realize a reservation was needed.
Next, just 3 miles away is Muir Beach. You can just stop by to check it out and take in the views, or you could spend time there having a picnic or playing in the waves (maybe not, it’s cold!). We just stopped at the overlook to check things out, and then headed back toward San Francisco. I recommend stopping in Sausalito, a super cute little seaside town with amazing restaurants (especially if you like seafood) for your lunch.
After lunch, head back to San Francisco toward the Golden Gate Park, ultimately stopping at Ocean Beach. I had read that this was one of the most beautiful beaches in the area, and we were not disappointed! We walked along the beach, and the kids played in the sand for a bit.
From here, head back in to Golden Gate Park…it’s a huge park and there’s a ton to do there, from Segway tours, to bike rentals, golf, restaurants, flower gardens, and more! We really enjoyed the Japanese Tea Garden in particular.
After exploring the park, if you’re a fan of the show Full House, this is your opportunity to see the “Full House House”…the show wasn’t filmed there, but the front of this house and other scenes from around San Francisco were used for the opening and the credits. For all the details on how to find the house, check out this site. We also drove out to see Candlestick Park (the old home of the 49ers NFL team) since we had the car and the stadium was set to be demolished soon!
DAY 3: ALCATRAZ AND GHIRADELLI CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCE
Alcatraz is definitely a must-do when in San Francisco. Alcatraz (it’s own island) that has been a civil war fort, a military prison and one of the most notorious federal penitentiaries until 1963. You must book this in advance (like as far in advance as you can), because tickets are limited and tend to sell out. Standard tours are 2.5 hours total, including the ferry ride to and from the island, and run from about 8:30AM – 3:50PM each day. They also offer night tours (which would be super creepy!), and longer behind the scenes tours too. It’s really well done, and worth spending the time to see. Be sure to dress warm…it’s chilly out there!
Depending what time of day your Alcatraz tour is (ours was in the morning), use the other half of your day to explore Fisherman’s Wharf, maybe grabbing lunch on Pier 39 at Boudin Bakery (you can’t visit San Francisco and NOT have Boudin sourdough at some point!) , and then eventually make your way to Ghiradelli Square to enjoy the Ghiradelli Experience. Explore the property, learn about the history of their chocolate, enjoy an ice cream sundae with a view, and grab some specialized souvenir chocolates to take home with you!
DAY 4: EXPLORATORIUM, AQUARIUM, AND SEA LIONS
Particularly if you have kids in tow, the Exploratorium is a really neat, hands-on science museum that is worth a visit. This is also included in the City Pass. It’s located at Pier 15 and is about a 30 minute walk from the Kimpton, so this might be a good day to walk part way and then make a stop for breakfast along the way.
After a couple hours at the Exploratorium, head back toward Pier 39 – it’s about a 15 minute walk. If you have the CityPass and want to get more out of it, check out the Aquarium of the Bay. Also, be sure not to miss the Sea Lion Viewing Area on the Northwest end of Pier 39…they are so fun to watch…and a little smelly! Spend the rest of the day exploring Fisherman’s Wharf, enjoy a nice seafood dinner (there’s no shortage of seafood there!) and take in a sunset to end your time in San Francisco.