This post was originally published on A Globe Well Travelled in 2016. The content has been revised and updated with fresh information.
There’s something about San Francisco that keeps pulling me back.
I’ve now visited the city three times, and each trip has looked a little different. My first visit was at the end of an organised group tour, while my second was the starting point for a Pacific Coast road trip that took me and my husband all the way up to Vancouver. The third time around, we were heading in the opposite direction, starting another road trip from San Francisco and travelling south along the spectacular coastline of Big Sur.
Having the chance to return meant I could revisit places I’d barely seen the first time, but also slow down and explore more of the city beyond the big-name attractions.
But if it’s your first time in San Francisco, those big-name attractions are still part of the fun. I’d happily ride a cable car again, Alcatraz is genuinely fascinating, and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge in person is one of those classic San Francisco experiences that’s absolutely worth ticking off.
So after three visits, I’ve narrowed this list down to the essential things I think are most worth doing on a first trip to San Francisco — combining the iconic sights with some of the neighbourhoods and experiences that have stood out to me along the way.
Quick summary:
Visiting San Francisco for the first time? This guide covers the best things to do, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, cable cars, colourful neighbourhoods and Golden Gate Park — plus practical tips from my three visits to the city.
Recommended tours:
⛴️ Alcatraz Official Ticket & Ferry – Ferry transfers, island admission and award-winning Cellhouse audio tour.
🚲 Golden Gate Bridge Cycling Tour – Cycle across the iconic bridge towards scenic Sausalito.
🚐 Painted Ladies Vintage VW City Tour – Small-group retro tour covering famous sights, neighbourhoods and photo stops.
Best things to do in San Francisco for first-time visitors
See the Golden Gate Bridge
If there’s one sight that immediately says San Francisco, it’s the Golden Gate Bridge.
I’ve seen the bridge from quite a few different angles over my visits, and it still feels impressive every time. The enormous orange-red structure stretches across the entrance to San Francisco Bay, often with wisps of fog rolling around its towers.
The southern end of the bridge has a Welcome Center, viewpoints and easy access to the pedestrian walkway. You can actually walk across the bridge for free, or rent a bike and cycle across to the other side. Pedestrians use the eastern sidewalk during its opening hours, while cyclists can cross the bridge toll-free.
🚲 Want to cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge? This guided Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito cycling tour takes you across the bridge and down to the waterfront town of Sausalito, where you can explore before catching the ferry back to San Francisco.
On our way out of San Francisco, we drove over the bridge and stopped in at the Golden Gate Bridge North Vista Point for a photo, but there are numerous other viewpoints on both the south and north sides that you can choose from if you’re driving.
Visit Alcatraz Island
Yes, Alcatraz is touristy, but I’m really into dark tourism, so this was always going to make my list.
The former federal prison sits on an island in the middle of San Francisco Bay, and visiting involves catching a ferry from the waterfront before walking uphill towards the Cellhouse.
Once inside, the included audio tour takes you through the prison at your own pace. I found it fascinating to wander past the cells and learn about life inside Alcatraz, including stories about some of its notorious inmates and escape attempts.
And if you’ve seen The Rock, you have permission to spend the entire visit pretending that you’re Nicolas Cage saving the city of San Francisco.
⛴️ Planning to visit Alcatraz? This official Alcatraz ticket includes the round-trip ferry from Pier 33, island admission and the award-winning Cellhouse Audio Tour, so you can explore the former prison and its historic sites at your own pace.
Alcatraz is one attraction that I would absolutely book before arriving in the city. The National Park Service says tickets can sell out weeks ahead during summer and holiday periods, and Alcatraz City Cruises is the only ferry operator authorised to take visitors onto the island. Ferry tickets also include the Cellhouse audio tour.
Allow at least a few hours for the experience once you include the ferry journey and time exploring the island.
Ride a San Francisco cable car
It wouldn’t be a first trip to San Francisco without riding one of the city’s famed cable cars, would it?
They’re not exactly the cheapest form of public transport (at the time of writing, a single cable car ride costs $9 and doesn’t include transfers), but that’s not really the point. Hanging onto the side of an old cable car as it rattles over San Francisco’s ridiculously steep hills is an attraction in itself.
There are three cable car routes currently operating: Powell-Hyde, Powell-Mason and California Street. The Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason lines both connect the downtown area around Powell Street with the northern waterfront, while the California line runs between Market Street and Van Ness Avenue.
For a first visit, the Powell-Hyde route is particularly handy because it travels between Powell and Market and the Fisherman’s Wharf area, with a stop at Hyde and Lombard that can easily be combined with Lombard Street.
Explore the Mission District
The Mission is probably my favourite neighbourhood in San Francisco.
It’s colourful, slightly chaotic and covered in street art, with loads of cafes, bars and restaurants mixed among its residential streets. One place I particularly loved was Clarion Alley, where the walls are filled with constantly changing murals created by local artists. More than 700 murals have been painted there since the Clarion Alley Mural Project began in 1992.
Then there’s Dolores Park, which is a great place to stop for a while when the weather is nice. The sloping park has views towards the downtown skyline and is a popular hangout for locals.
And of course, you absolutely have to get a Mission burrito.
On one of our visits, my husband and I headed to Mateo’s Taqueria almost immediately after arriving in San Francisco and devoured a huge veggie burrito filled with rice and beans. It was amazing. I regret nothing.
Mateo’s has since closed, so unfortunately you can’t recreate our exact burrito experience, but the Mission is still the place to try one of San Francisco’s famous oversized burritos. You’ll find plenty of taquerias scattered around the neighbourhood, so I’d suggest seeing what looks good while you’re exploring rather than heading to one particular place.
🌯 Want to eat your way around the Mission? This small-group Mission District food tour combines local neighbourhood stories with five tastings, including a Mission-style burrito, Mexican sweet bread, a tocino taco and a secret dish revealed on the day.
See the Painted Ladies at Alamo Square
The first time I visited San Francisco, I was on a bus tour and we drove past the Painted Ladies so quickly that I barely had time to take a blurry photo out the window.
On a later visit, I went back and did it properly.
The Painted Ladies are the colourful row of Victorian houses beside Alamo Square that have become one of San Francisco’s most recognisable scenes. If you grew up watching Full House, there’s a good chance you’ll start humming the theme song while looking across at the houses from the park.
The classic viewpoint is from the grassy slope of Alamo Square, where you get the row of Victorian homes with the modern San Francisco skyline behind them.
This isn’t an attraction that needs hours of your itinerary, but I think it’s worth stopping by on a first visit — especially because Alamo Square is a pleasant place to sit for a while if the weather is cooperating.
🚐 Take a vintage VW tour: If you’d prefer to see the Painted Ladies as part of a wider city tour, this vintage VW city tour travels around San Francisco in a vintage Volkswagen bus, with time to stop for photos at Alamo Square, the Golden Gate Bridge and Palace of Fine Arts.
Wander through Haight-Ashbury
I absolutely love hanging out in Haight-Ashbury, otherwise known as The Haight.
The neighbourhood is famous for its connection to San Francisco’s 1960s counterculture and the Summer of Love, and while things have obviously changed since then, that history is still a huge part of its identity.
Wander along Haight Street and you’ll find colourful shopfronts, vintage clothing stores, cafes and plenty of reminders of the neighbourhood’s hippie past. One of my favourite stops is Amoeba Music, the enormous record store near the western end of Haight Street.
I wouldn’t come here expecting the 1960s to have been preserved in amber, but that’s not really why I like The Haight anyway. It’s simply a fun neighbourhood to wander around for a few hours, and it feels quite different from the polished waterfront attractions that many first-time visitors see elsewhere in San Francisco.
Haight Street also leads you towards Golden Gate Park, so it’s easy to combine the two. After exploring The Haight on one of our visits, my husband and I rented bikes and spent some time cycling around the park. It was a really nice way to finish the afternoon, and I’d definitely recommend it if you have some extra time after exploring the neighbourhood.
Visit Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39
I don’t particularly like crowds, so super-touristy places like Fisherman’s Wharf aren’t usually where I choose to spend most of my time.
But on a first trip to San Francisco? I still think you should see it.
The waterfront area is packed with souvenir shops, restaurants and attractions, and it can get extremely busy. The part I actually think is worth seeking out is Pier 39, where California sea lions famously gather on the floating docks at K-Dock.
The number of sea lions changes throughout the year with migration and food availability, but they remain one of Pier 39’s best-known attractions.
If you eat seafood, this is also the classic part of San Francisco to grab clam chowder — often served in a sourdough bread bowl.
Walk (or drive) down Lombard Street
Lombard Street is one of those San Francisco attractions that you’ve probably seen in photos long before you arrive.
The famous section between Hyde and Leavenworth streets zigzags steeply downhill through a series of tight hairpin turns, with landscaped gardens and grand houses lining either side.
My husband and I didn’t get to drive down it on our first visit to San Francisco, so when we came back with a car, we made it our mission. Here’s a video!
Honestly, it’s a fairly quick attraction. You don’t need to allocate a huge chunk of your day to Lombard Street, but it’s fun to see once — and it’s conveniently located near several other first-time sights.
If you’re travelling without a car, there’s absolutely no need to hire one just for this. You can walk down the pedestrian stairs beside the crooked section, and the Powell-Hyde cable car stops at Hyde and Lombard.
Climb Coit Tower
If you’re like me and actively seek out city views whenever you travel, then Coit Tower is worth adding to your San Francisco list.
The tower sits on top of Telegraph Hill, giving you elevated views across the city and San Francisco Bay. Even the surrounding neighbourhood is lovely to explore, with steep streets, staircases and some seriously enviable houses tucked into the hillside.
You can visit the ground floor of the tower and see its historic murals, or pay to take the elevator towards the observation level. At the time of writing, elevator admission for non-resident adults is $11. One slightly quirky thing to know is that the historic elevator can occasionally be out of service, in which case visitors may have to tackle 13 flights of stairs to reach the viewing level.
Parking around the tower is very limited. Instead, you can catch the #39 Coit bus from the Fisherman’s Wharf area, or walk up Telegraph Hill via the Filbert Street or Greenwich Street stairs.
If you have the energy, walk up to Coit Tower rather than driving. Telegraph Hill is part of the experience, and the climb makes those views feel even more rewarding.
Where to stay in San Francisco for first-time visitors
I’ve stayed in a few different parts of San Francisco over my visits, and where you base yourself can make quite a difference — especially if you only have a few days to explore.
🏨 My husband and I stayed at Days Inn Lombard on our last visit because it was one of the few reasonably priced places we could find with parking. It was surprisingly good for a motel, and the location gave us easy access to the northern side of the city.
For first-time visitors without a car, I’d generally prioritise somewhere central with good public transport connections rather than choosing a hotel based purely on price. Union Square and the surrounding downtown area are convenient for public transport, while areas closer to Fisherman’s Wharf can work well if you want to be near Alcatraz ferries, the waterfront and several major attractions.
How many days do you need in San Francisco?
I think three or four days is a good amount of time for a first visit to San Francisco.
You can see many of the highlights over a weekend, but two days means making some choices. Alcatraz alone takes a few hours, and neighbourhoods such as the Mission and Haight-Ashbury are much more enjoyable when you aren’t rushing through them.
With a few days, you could dedicate one day to the waterfront, Alcatraz and nearby attractions; another to the Golden Gate Bridge and northern parts of the city; and another to neighbourhoods such as the Mission, Haight-Ashbury and Golden Gate Park.
If you have extra days, you’ll have time to slow things down further or add a trip across the bay to Sausalito.
Do you need a car in San Francisco?
For a first-time sightseeing trip, I don’t think you need a car in San Francisco.
I’ve visited both with and without one, and while having a vehicle can be useful if San Francisco is part of a larger California road trip, it isn’t particularly necessary for exploring the city itself.
Many major attractions can be reached using Muni buses, trains and cable cars, while rideshares can fill the gaps. Parking can also be limited at popular attractions — the Golden Gate Bridge authorities actually encourage visitors to use public transport, bikes or rideshare because parking around the bridge is so limited.
If you’re doing a California road trip and already have a rental car, look for accommodation with parking and consider leaving the car there while you’re sightseeing.
What should you book in advance in San Francisco?
Definitely Alcatraz. Tickets frequently sell out ahead of time, particularly during summer and holiday periods, so I’d book this as soon as you know your San Francisco dates.
🎟️ The National Park Service recommends advance reservations when booking Alcatraz, and tickets can currently be purchased up to 90 days ahead.
I’d also consider booking any organised city tours in advance if they’re an important part of your trip, particularly if you’re visiting during a busy period.
Most of the other attractions on this list are much more flexible. Neighbourhoods such as the Mission and Haight-Ashbury, the Painted Ladies, and Fisherman’s Wharf can easily be worked around your fixed bookings.
San Francisco FAQ
Is San Francisco worth visiting for first-time visitors?
Absolutely. San Francisco packs a lot into a relatively compact city, from instantly recognisable landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz to colourful neighbourhoods, waterfront scenery and huge green spaces.
Is 2 days enough for San Francisco?
Two days is enough to see several major highlights, but you’ll need to prioritise. I’d ideally allow three or four days for a first visit so that you can explore some neighbourhoods as well as the famous attractions.
What should you not miss on your first trip to San Francisco?
If I had to narrow it down, I’d make sure a first trip included the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, a cable car ride and at least one of San Francisco’s neighbourhoods, such as the Mission or Haight-Ashbury.
Is Alcatraz worth visiting?
I think so — especially if you’re interested in history or dark tourism. The ferry trip, island setting and Cellhouse audio tour make it much more of an experience than simply walking through an old prison. Be sure to book your Alcatraz tickets ahead of time to avoid missing out.
What’s the best way to get around San Francisco?
For most visitors, a combination of walking and public transport works well. Buses and rail cover much of the city, while the historic cable cars are worth riding at least once for the experience.
What is the best area of San Francisco for first-time visitors?
For a short first visit, I’d prioritise somewhere central with good transport connections. Downtown can be convenient for getting around, while the Fisherman’s Wharf area puts you close to ferries and several major tourist attractions.
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