Thanksgiving in San Francisco is quieter than you might expect: the big museums close for the day, BART and Muni slow down, and a lot of the city heads to Golden Gate Park. Then the long weekend flips straight into the holiday season, with the light shows, the ice rink and the first holiday shows all running. This is what is actually open and on for Thursday 26 November 2026 and the weekend around it, checked against each organizer’s own page.
Thanksgiving Day: Thursday 26 November
| What | When | Cost | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Turkey Trot | 8am Kids Gobbler Chase (100 m, ages 10 and under); 8:40am 5-mile run and 3-mile walk | $57 + processing fee; kids’ dash free for children of registered adults | Polo Field, Golden Gate Park (JFK Drive at 36th Avenue) |
| San Francisco Botanical Garden | Opens 7:30am; last entry 4pm; closes an hour after last entry | Free all day on Thanksgiving | 1199 9th Avenue, Golden Gate Park |
| Photosynthesis light show, Conservatory of Flowers | Every night, from about 30 minutes after sunset; about 30 minutes long | Free | Outside the Conservatory, 100 John F Kennedy Drive |
| Lightscape | Evenings, 20 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027 | Adults from $32, ages 5–17 from $20, 4 and under free | San Francisco Botanical Garden |
The Turkey Trot is run over grass, dirt paths and trails rather than pavement, so wear shoes you do not mind getting muddy. The race benefits the Lowell High School track and field team.
Turkey Trot schedule and registration
What Is Closed on Thanksgiving Day?
| Museum | Thursday 26 Nov | Friday to Sunday |
|---|---|---|
| de Young | Closed | Open 9:30am–5:15pm |
| Legion of Honor | Closed | Open 9:30am–5:15pm |
| SFMOMA | Closed | Open 10am–5pm |
| Exploratorium | Closed | Open; it also opens on Monday 23 November, 10am–5pm, for Thanksgiving break |
| California Academy of Sciences | No Thanksgiving closure listed on its hours page when we checked; confirm on its daily calendar | Open 9:30am–5pm (Sunday from 11am); peak pricing applies in November |
If you are looking for something indoors on the Friday, see our free museum days and rainy-day ideas with kids.
The Long Weekend: Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November
| What | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| The Great Dickens Christmas Fair | Friday 27 Nov (the Friday after Thanksgiving) and weekends 21 Nov – 20 Dec, 10am–6pm | Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Avenue, Daly City (on the SF city line) |
| Hook in Concert, SF Symphony | Friday 27 Nov, 7:30pm; Saturday 28 Nov, 2pm | Davies Symphony Hall |
| ODC/Dance: The Velveteen Rabbit | Opens Saturday 28 Nov, 11am; Sunday 29 Nov, 2pm (free pre-show talk at 1pm); runs to 6 Dec | Blue Shield of California Theater at YBCA |
| Lightscape | Nightly from 20 Nov | San Francisco Botanical Garden |
| Union Square ice rink | Open from 4 Nov | Union Square |
| PIER 39 holiday season | From 23 Nov to 10 Jan | PIER 39 |
The Dickens Fair sells tickets online only, from 1 October 2026, through its producer Red Barn Productions; it says there are no authorized resellers and no box office on site. Parking at the Cow Palace is $20 per vehicle. The Velveteen Rabbit, danced to a narrated storybook, is in its 40th year and is aimed at families; the weekend performances offer a “Very Important Bunny” package with a gift bag and a cast selfie.
The Weekend Before: 20 to 22 November
If you are in town early: Lightscape opens on Friday 20 November, West Coast Craft fills Fort Mason Center on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November, and the Dickens Fair’s first weekend is 21–22 November.
Getting Around on Thanksgiving
| Day | BART | Muni |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 26 Nov | Sunday service, 8am–midnight | Weekend schedule: Metro subway opens at 8am; early-morning Metro buses 5–8am; routes 1X, 5R, 8AX, 8BX, 9R, 28R and 714 do not run |
| Friday 27 Nov | Not on BART’s 2026 holiday list (weekday schedule) | Weekday schedule, without school-day extra service |
Muni says its holiday schedule is subject to change and posts a detailed travel update before each holiday. For the Botanical Garden and the Conservatory, the Gardens list the N Judah and the 5, 6, 7, 21, 28, 29, 33, 43 and 44 buses; see Muni, BART and cable cars with kids.
Not Announced Yet
- The Union Square and PIER 39 tree-lighting dates for 2026.
- Ticket prices for The Velveteen Rabbit (not shown on ODC’s show page when we checked).
- Muni’s detailed Thanksgiving travel update and any parking changes.
We will add them here as they are published. Meanwhile: San Francisco holiday lights 2026, every November event, day by day, and a full day in Golden Gate Park with kids.
Checked on 27 September 2026 against the San Francisco Turkey Trot’s own site and its registration page, Gardens of Golden Gate Park (hours and Lightscape), the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, SFMOMA, the Exploratorium, the California Academy of Sciences, the San Francisco Symphony, ODC/Dance, the Great Dickens Christmas Fair, the Union Square ice rink, PIER 39, BART and SFMTA. We re-check this guide before Thanksgiving week.
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What is open in San Francisco on Thanksgiving Day 2026?
The San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park is open and free all day on Thanksgiving (from 7:30am; last entry 4pm in late November). The SF Turkey Trot runs from the Polo Field that morning, the Conservatory of Flowers’ free Photosynthesis light show runs every night from about 30 minutes after sunset, and Lightscape, the ticketed light trail at the Botanical Garden, runs from 20 November.
Are San Francisco museums open on Thanksgiving?
Mostly not. The de Young, the Legion of Honor, SFMOMA and the Exploratorium all list Thursday 26 November as closed. The de Young and Legion reopen Friday at 9:30am and SFMOMA at 10am. The California Academy of Sciences’ hours page did not list a Thanksgiving closure when we checked on 27 September; check its daily calendar before you go.
Is there a Turkey Trot in San Francisco?
Yes. The San Francisco Turkey Trot, in its 24th year, starts at the Polo Field in Golden Gate Park on Thanksgiving morning: a 100-meter Kids Gobbler Chase at 8am, then a 5-mile run and a 3-mile walk at 8:40am. Adult entry is $57 plus a processing fee; the kids’ dash is free for children 10 and under of registered adults.
Do BART and Muni run on Thanksgiving?
Yes, on reduced schedules. BART runs Sunday service (8am to midnight) on Thursday 26 November. Muni runs its weekend schedule on Thanksgiving Day, so the Metro subway opens at 8am and the weekday-only routes 1X, 5R, 8AX, 8BX, 9R, 28R and 714 do not run; on Friday 27 November Muni runs a weekday schedule without school-day extras.
What is on the day after Thanksgiving in San Francisco?
The museums reopen, the Dickens Christmas Fair at the Cow Palace (Daly City, on the city line) opens for its Friday-after-Thanksgiving date from 10am to 6pm, and the SF Symphony plays Hook with a live orchestra at 7:30pm (again on Saturday at 2pm). Lightscape and the Union Square ice rink are both open.
When do the holiday lights start in San Francisco?
The Union Square ice rink reopens on 4 November, PIER 39’s holiday season runs from 23 November, and Lightscape at the Botanical Garden runs from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Tree-lighting dates for Union Square and PIER 39 had not been announced when we checked. Our holiday lights guide has the full list.
More to Explore
Happening Soon
- Treasures of the Pharaohs Sat, Aug 1, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027 · de Young Museum
- Sunset Fridays at the SF Zoo Fri, Sep 11 – Oct 9 · San Francisco Zoo & Gardens
- Ferry Plaza Farmers Market Sat, Sep 12 – Dec 31 · Ferry Building Plaza
- Heart of the City Farmers Market Sun, Sep 13 – Dec 31 · Fulton Plaza, Civic Center
Places to Check Out
- Alta Plaza Park Parks & Playgrounds
- Aquarium of the Bay Attractions
- Balmy Alley Murals Attractions
- Coit Tower Attractions