San Francisco is one of the most expensive places to live in the world. Everything is more expensive from gas to eating at a restaurant. Whether you live here or are just visiting it’s good to know some activities you can do without spending money. These 10 activities in San Francisco are completely free and will make you enjoy living or visiting the city while saving your money for the necessities.
The Golden Gate Bridge-although, not gold- is very beautiful and a San Francisco Landmark. If you go to San Francisco, you have to walk the Golden Gate Bridge, or at least drive over it. With breathtaking views of the bay on both sides of the bridge, you can’t go wrong. The bridge is 1.7 miles long so not only will you get a great view, but you’ll get a good workout even if you only walk half the bridge. The viewpoints on the north side of the bridge are absolutely beautiful and Instagram worthy. Walk the Golden Gate Bridge next time you’re in San Francisco, you won’t regret it!
Pier 39 is great but the restaurants and shops can be really expensive-watching the sea lions is totally free and entertaining though! The seal lions took over pier 39 after the 1989 earthquake and stayed on the docks much to the Marina tenants’ dismay. Experts said that the sea lions should stay so they made Pier 39 their new home and became an attraction. Their loud boisterous barks and playful nature make for quite a show and an easy way to pass the time while walking the pier which also has other entertainment like street performers. Come to Pier 39 and see the show the sea lions put on!
Twin Peaks is both equally beautiful at night and day time and the best part is- it’s totally free! You can drive up to twin peaks and gaze at the night lights or hike up the hill during the day and soak in the view. Twin Peaks is arguably the best view in the city as it sits at almost the exact center. You can see all the bridges and skyscrapers of the city and hang out outside or chill in your car listening to some music. Twin Peaks will take your breath away, you have to come to see the view!
There are a couple of beaches in San Francisco but all are equally fun and beautiful. You can go to Ocean Beach which is great for surfing and a bonfire or Baker Beach where you have great views of the Golden Gate Bridge or Marshall’s beach which has the best views of the bay and skyline. You can’t go wrong when deciding what beach to go to in San Francisco. All these beaches have great views and Instagram worthy moments. Soak in some California sun and the beauty of San Francisco at the beach!
Coit Tower was built simply to make the city more beautiful so it’s definitely a sight to see! The tower has panoramic views of the city and is great to look at itself. at 210 feet tall, you’ll feel like you’re on top of the city. It was later dedicated to the firefighters who gave their lives to San Francisco’s major fires and some say it’s supposed to look like a firehose, but that’s just a coincides. Come see an official historic place and get a great view while you’re at it at Coit Tower!
Dolores Park is notorious for having a lot of people, dogs, and fun- you can partake in all of that for free. On weekends especially Sunday, Dolores is packed-this is the place to go if you’re looking to have fun for free. At the park, on any given day you can find people partying and having a good time while at a beautiful park. The park was built for recreation with off-leash dog areas, a soccer field and tennis, and basketball courts but people love to come here to just hangout. Many concerts and music festivals are held here and people treat this park like a concert 24/7. Come have a good time and bring your dog to Dolores Park.
Haight is a great place to window shop and see street art. There are always new murals and shops popping up with stuff you couldn’t find anywhere else. Haight Street, known for Hippies and the Summer of Love is still a place where people like to hangout a smoke weed but is now more known for its eclectic shops and boujee thrift stores. It’s Instagram worthy murals and street art and record stores make Haight a good place to go and just soak in all the Hippie vibes. Bring out your inner flower-child and take a stroll down Haight Street!
The Palace of Fine Arts is one of the most beautiful places if not the most beautiful architecturally in San Francisco. The palace was built to show that San Francisco has risen above the ashes after the 1906 earthquake that tore the city down. Now a historian place, the Palace of Fine Arts is a great place for photographs and not just for Instagram but special occasions like engagements, graduations, and weddings. Or if you’re not in the picture-taking mood you can just sit on a bench and watch the swans and the sunset- either way it’s free.
Lombard Street located between the Emabarcadero and Presidio Park channels traffic into the Golden Gate Bridge but is now a tourist attraction. This windy street is famous for it’s eight tight turns that were put in because the street was too steep to drive down. Lombard Street is the most crooked street in the world and is constantly backed up with traffic but if you don’t want to sit in traffic, you can take a cable car where you have a view of the street and other attractions. Come see the most crooked street in not only San Francisco but the word!
The Japanese Tea Garden located inside of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco was originally built as a Japanese village before becoming one of San Francisco’s main attractions. The garden is beautiful from the koi ponds to the blooming cherry blossoms and you’ll feel like you’re on vacation while on vacation! Have a serene time and enjoy the beauty of Golden Gate Park and Japanese culture at the Japanese Tea Garden!
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