San Francisco is a city of contrasts – foggy mornings and golden afternoons, steep hills and flat-out good food, landmarks and hidden corners. With so much to do, from visiting film-famous spots like the Painted Ladies to strolls down iconic piers, it’s a city best explored with a few days to spare.
Here’s your golden gate-way to 72 hours in San Francisco.
Day 1
Morning: Wake to waterfront views along the Embarcadero
Start your morning at the Ferry Building Marketplace. Before the Bay and Golden Gate bridges, this Beaux-Arts landmark was the city’s main transportation gateway – now it’s a one-stop shop for artisanal food and sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay. Grab a coffee from Blue Bottle and a pastry from ACME Bread Company
Wander 20 minutes along the waterfront to Pier 39. Touristy but still an essential visit, Pier 39 delivers a three-in-one view of Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and the resident sea lions that sunbathe on floating platforms. It’s a family-friendly hub packed with restaurants, shops, arcade games and daily live acts, from magicians to comedians.
If you’ve got time – and are feeling brave – catch the ferry out to Alcatraz Island. Once a maximum-security prison and later a site of Native American activism, this island has a complicated past. The tour of the jail is notoriously haunting but rewards you with knockout views of the city from afar. Book ahead as tickets go fast.
Afternoon: Breeze through the Marina District
Restored Victorian homes, Golden Gate Bridge views and countless parklands define the Marina District. Rent an e-scooter, pop some music on and zip down Marina Boulevard so that you can take it all in. Visit the Fine Palace of the Arts, a mammoth Greco-Roman rotunda built in the early 1900s. Here, soaring columns, wandering wildlife and a sprawling lagoon set the scene like something out of a period film.
Settle in for a picnic or read a book before making your way to Fort Mason, a historic military base turned cultural centre with an ever-evolving rotation of art exhibitions. One Friday each month, the space transforms into a free block party thanks to Off the Grid – a roaming San Francisco food truck market – with local artisans, performers and four-wheeled restaurants taking centre stage.
Evening: Pizza & poetry in North Beach
Wrap up your first day in San Francisco with dinner in North Beach, the city’s Little Italy. Grab a slice from one of the neighbourhood’s famed pizzerias – Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, Il Casaro and Golden Boy Pizza are all solid picks.
After dinner, slip into Vesuvio Cafe, a bohemian bar dating back to 1948 that’s steeped in the spirit of Beat poetry and the jazz era. It’s just across from City Lights Bookstore, the country’s first all-paperback bookshop that stays open late and deserves a browse.
Day 2
Morning: Wander the Westside through Golden Gate Park
Start your day on the quieter side of the city with a meander through Golden Gate Park. Larger than New York’s Central Park, it spans more than 1,000 acres, offering enough activities to fill an entire day. The car-free streets, tranquil lakes and expansive lawns are perfect for a stroll, and the California Academy of Sciences, Conservatory of Flowers and Japanese Tea Garden are worth purchasing a ticket for.
The de Young Museum showcases American art from the 17th century to today, with standout collections of contemporary and Indigenous art. Its copper-clad architecture is hard to miss, and it has a free observation tower with panoramic views of the city.
Afternoon: Explore Haight-Ashbury’s hippie heart
Catch the light rail to Haight-Ashbury, where psychedelic storefronts, dive bars and vintage record shops recall the 1967 ‘Summer of Love’ (a youth-driven rebellion against convention and the Vietnam War, soundtracked by the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin). Explore flower power relics in street art, vintage stores like Decades of Fashion and Wasteland, and rows of painted Victorian homes.
Evening: Swing past the Painted Ladies en route to Japantown
Make your way to ‘golden hour’ at Alamo Square Park to catch the Painted Ladies – the row of pastel restored Victorian houses set against the city skyline. You might recognise them from the ‘Full House’ introduction.
For dinner, head to Japantown, the oldest of just three Japantowns in the United States. Enjoy cherry blossoms, boutiques and even the sento Kabuki Springs & Spa. There’s plenty of mouth-watering food; ramen lovers can choose from Ramen Yamadaya, Hinodeya Ramen Bar and Marufuku Ramen. For other tastes, try Michelin-starred 7 Adams or modern Indian at Copra.
Day 3
Morning: Go on a mission in the Mission District
Start your day in the Mission District, one of San Francisco’s most multicultural neighbourhoods. Grab breakfast at Tartine Bakery, a cult-favourite renowned for fresh pastries and artisanal breads. Explore the area’s famous murals, especially those in Balmy and Clarion alleys, where many pay tribute to the human rights struggles in Central America during the politically volatile mid-1980s. Dolores Park is one of the city’s most visited parks, perched on a hill with sweeping views of the urban sprawl, and where a Mission-style burrito tastes even better.
Afternoon: Watch baseball with Bay views in SoMa
Home to the San Francisco Giants, Oracle Park is a waterfront ballpark in SoMa where a ‘splash hit’ means a home run landing in the McCovey Cove below. Games typically kick off in the afternoon or evening, but this stadium is as much about food as it is about baseball, with a standout lineup of rotating vendors. If you can’t make it on game day, consider a stadium tour for a chance to step onto the field, check out the press box and explore behind-the-scenes spots.
Evening: Get a taste of Chinatown
San Francisco’s Chinatown, anchored by Grant Avenue and Stockton Street, is the oldest in North America and home to one of the largest Chinese communities outside Asia. Lanterns hang overhead as you stroll past grocers and souvenir shops, while the aroma of Golden Gate Bakery’s famous egg tarts, the allure of endless dim sum spots and the rhythmic clatter of the Fortune Cookie Factory’s iron wheel promise to keep you captivated for hours.
Let dinner turn into late-night karaoke at Lion’s Den or Mai Tais at the famous dive bar Li Po Lounge. Depending on where you’re staying, a cable car line runs past Chinatown – a quintessential San Franciscan way to journey home.
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