59 guides
San Francisco Guides
With Kids
Lunar New Year Flower Fair in San Francisco Chinatown
San Francisco's Chinatown Lunar New Year Flower Fair: where it is, the 2026 dates and hours, what is for sale, and when…
Read the guide →Carnaval San Francisco 2027: Dates, Parade and Mission Tips
Carnaval San Francisco 2027 is May 29-30 in the Mission District. Dates, the free festival, the Sunday parade route, grandstand seats, closures…
Read the guide →Cherry Blossom Festival San Francisco 2027: Dates and Parade
San Francisco's Cherry Blossom Festival, in Japantown: the 2027 dates (April 10-11 and 17-18), the Grand Parade on April 18, food, kids'…
Read the guide →Hungry Ghost Festival in San Francisco: Chinatown’s Ghost Festival
San Francisco's Hungry Ghost Festival in Chinatown: what it is, every date since 2023, the Ghost King parade, kid tips, Muni and…
Read the guide →SF Ballet Nutcracker 2026 (Dec 4–27): Dates, Times, Kids and Getting There
San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker 2026: all 35 performances from 4 to 27 December at the War Memorial Opera House, age rules, run…
Read the guide →Bay Area Science Festival 2026 for Kids: What to See and When
Free at UCSF Mission Bay on Saturday 17 October 2026, 11am to 4pm: what to see with kids, the schedule and how…
Read the guide →Chase Center with Kids: Warriors and Valkyries Games, Bags, Transit and Tips
Mission Bay’s Chase Center is home to the Warriors and the Valkyries, and it is one of the easier big venues in…
Read the guide →Best of San Francisco: Quick Answers to the Questions People Ask
Best bridge view, best sunset, best free thing, best rainy day, best with a toddler, most overrated. Short answers to the San…
Read the guide →Exploratorium vs California Academy of Sciences: Which Is Better With Kids?
Two big San Francisco science museums, two very different days out. Which one suits your children, your weather and your budget.
Read the guide →Three Days in San Francisco: A First-Timer’s Guide
A three-day plan for a first visit to San Francisco: what to book ahead, what the passes are really worth, how to…
Read the guide →Chinatown and North Beach with Kids: A Walking Day
A half-day walk from the Dragon Gate to Washington Square: fortune cookies in an alley, a zodiac playground, dumplings, City Lights and…
Read the guide →The Best Views in San Francisco
Eighteen San Francisco viewpoints, from Twin Peaks to the hidden hilltops locals use instead, with parking, fog risk and which ones work…
Read the guide →San Francisco Weather: Fog, Microclimates and What to Wear
Summer is the cold season, September is the warm one, and two neighborhoods can differ by twenty degrees. How San Francisco weather…
Read the guide →Cheap Family Eats in San Francisco
Where a family of four can eat well in San Francisco for the price of one downtown entrée: taquerias, dim sum counters,…
Read the guide →25 Free Things to Do in San Francisco with Kids
Twenty-five genuinely free San Francisco outings with kids, from a free animal museum and the sea lions to concrete slides, a wave-powered…
Read the guide →Fisherman’s Wharf with Kids, Minus the Tourist Traps
What is genuinely worth doing at Fisherman’s Wharf with kids, what to skip, where locals eat, and why the F-line beats the…
Read the guide →The Presidio with Kids: A Complete Guide
The Outpost playground, a free shuttle, Andy Goldsworthy sculptures and a fort under the bridge: how to spend a day in the…
Read the guide →A Full Day in Golden Gate Park with Kids
A hour-by-hour plan for Golden Gate Park with kids: the free garden hour, the 1914 carousel, penguins, pedal boats and the bison,…
Read the guide →San Francisco Beaches and Waterfront Walks with Kids
Which San Francisco beaches are safe for kids, which are for looking only, and the flat waterfront walks that work with a…
Read the guide →Riding Muni, BART and the Cable Cars with Kids
Kids 18 and under ride Muni free, cable cars need a separate pass, and car seat rules still apply in an Uber.…
Read the guide →The Best Museums in San Francisco for Kids
Eleven San Francisco museums that work with children, plus every free day and free hour we could verify, from the Exploratorium to…
Read the guide →Where to See Animals in San Francisco with Kids
Sea lions, penguins, bison and a free museum full of rescued animals: the best places to see wildlife in San Francisco, from…
Read the guide →The Best Parks and Green Spaces in San Francisco with Kids
Twelve San Francisco parks worth the trip with kids, with the playgrounds, restrooms, parking and fog notes that decide how the afternoon…
Read the guide →Halloween in San Francisco for Families (2026 Guide)
Where to trick-or-treat in San Francisco, free family Halloween events for 2026, pumpkin patches in the city and tips for a fog-proof…
Read the guide →Fleet Week with the Family: 2026 Recap, Blue Angels and Where to Watch
Fleet Week 2026 ran 4–12 October. The Blue Angels air show, Parade of Ships, free ship tours, the best free viewing spots…
Read the guide →Kid-Friendly Brunch in San Francisco, by Neighborhood
Where to take the whole family for weekend brunch in San Francisco: roomy dining rooms, fast pancakes, dim sum carts and patios,…
Read the guide →Free (and Almost Free) Museum Days in San Francisco
Every free and discounted museum day in San Francisco worth knowing about: first Tuesdays, first Sundays, free Saturdays for Bay Area residents,…
Read the guide →Rainy-Day Things to Do in San Francisco with Kids
Wet weekend? Here are 11 indoor San Francisco outings for families, from free museums and a giant kids’ library floor to climbing…
Read the guide →The Best Playgrounds in San Francisco
From a 45-foot hillside slide to a rooftop play area four stories up, these are the San Francisco playgrounds worth crossing town…
Read the guide →Date Night & Grown-Ups
Outside Lands 2027: Dates, Tickets and Getting There
Outside Lands 2027 is August 6-8 in Golden Gate Park. What the festival has announced so far: dates, ticket types, the shuttle…
Read the guide →The Best Views in San Francisco
Eighteen San Francisco viewpoints, from Twin Peaks to the hidden hilltops locals use instead, with parking, fog risk and which ones work…
Read the guide →Cheap Date Nights in San Francisco (Under $50 for Two)
Fifteen date nights in San Francisco that cost less than dinner for one: free museum nights, ten-dollar ballet standing room, a bonfire…
Read the guide →The Ultimate San Francisco Date Night Guide
Candlelit dinners, restaurants with a view, sunset sails, jazz, tiki bars and free sunset dates: everything you need to plan a great…
Read the guide →Living in SF
Muni vs BART vs Cable Car: How to Get Around San Francisco
Which San Francisco transit to use, what each costs, and the rule that saves families the most money: everyone 18 and under…
Read the guide →Moving to San Francisco: Your First 30 Days
The paperwork clock starts the day you arrive: 10 days for a license, 20 for your car, and a parking permit before…
Read the guide →The Local’s Guide to San Francisco
Free gardens, museum passes from your library card, cheap court bookings and a month-by-month calendar: the perks and rituals San Franciscans should…
Read the guide →San Francisco Weather: Fog, Microclimates and What to Wear
Summer is the cold season, September is the warm one, and two neighborhoods can differ by twenty degrees. How San Francisco weather…
Read the guide →A Family Guide to San Francisco Neighborhoods
Fog belt or sun belt, BART or bus-only, playground or canyon: an honest look at fourteen San Francisco neighborhoods for families, plus…
Read the guide →Riding Muni, BART and the Cable Cars with Kids
Kids 18 and under ride Muni free, cable cars need a separate pass, and car seat rules still apply in an Uber.…
Read the guide →New to San Francisco? The Complete Guide to Settling In
Just moved to San Francisco? Neighborhoods, Muni and Clipper fares, parking rules that save you tickets, weather, city services, earthquake prep and…
Read the guide →Free & Cheap
Bay Area Science Festival 2026 for Kids: What to See and When
Free at UCSF Mission Bay on Saturday 17 October 2026, 11am to 4pm: what to see with kids, the schedule and how…
Read the guide →Is CityPASS Worth It in San Francisco?
CityPASS, Go City, the Muni Visitor Passport or nothing at all: the maths on San Francisco sightseeing passes, for a family of…
Read the guide →The Local’s Guide to San Francisco
Free gardens, museum passes from your library card, cheap court bookings and a month-by-month calendar: the perks and rituals San Franciscans should…
Read the guide →Cheap Date Nights in San Francisco (Under $50 for Two)
Fifteen date nights in San Francisco that cost less than dinner for one: free museum nights, ten-dollar ballet standing room, a bonfire…
Read the guide →Cheap Family Eats in San Francisco
Where a family of four can eat well in San Francisco for the price of one downtown entrée: taquerias, dim sum counters,…
Read the guide →25 Free Things to Do in San Francisco with Kids
Twenty-five genuinely free San Francisco outings with kids, from a free animal museum and the sea lions to concrete slides, a wave-powered…
Read the guide →Free (and Almost Free) Museum Days in San Francisco
Every free and discounted museum day in San Francisco worth knowing about: first Tuesdays, first Sundays, free Saturdays for Bay Area residents,…
Read the guide →Seasonal & Holidays
Outside Lands 2027: Dates, Tickets and Getting There
Outside Lands 2027 is August 6-8 in Golden Gate Park. What the festival has announced so far: dates, ticket types, the shuttle…
Read the guide →Lunar New Year Flower Fair in San Francisco Chinatown
San Francisco's Chinatown Lunar New Year Flower Fair: where it is, the 2026 dates and hours, what is for sale, and when…
Read the guide →Carnaval San Francisco 2027: Dates, Parade and Mission Tips
Carnaval San Francisco 2027 is May 29-30 in the Mission District. Dates, the free festival, the Sunday parade route, grandstand seats, closures…
Read the guide →Cherry Blossom Festival San Francisco 2027: Dates and Parade
San Francisco's Cherry Blossom Festival, in Japantown: the 2027 dates (April 10-11 and 17-18), the Grand Parade on April 18, food, kids'…
Read the guide →Hungry Ghost Festival in San Francisco: Chinatown’s Ghost Festival
San Francisco's Hungry Ghost Festival in Chinatown: what it is, every date since 2023, the Ghost King parade, kid tips, Muni and…
Read the guide →SF Ballet Nutcracker 2026 (Dec 4–27): Dates, Times, Kids and Getting There
San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker 2026: all 35 performances from 4 to 27 December at the War Memorial Opera House, age rules, run…
Read the guide →Bay Area Science Festival 2026 for Kids: What to See and When
Free at UCSF Mission Bay on Saturday 17 October 2026, 11am to 4pm: what to see with kids, the schedule and how…
Read the guide →Thanksgiving 2026 in San Francisco: What’s Open, What’s On
Thanksgiving is Thursday 26 November 2026: what is open and free, which museums close, the Golden Gate Park Turkey Trot, weekend shows…
Read the guide →San Francisco Pride 2027: Dates, Parade Route and the Civic Center Celebration
San Francisco Pride 2027 is 26–27 June. The parade along Market Street, the free Civic Center celebration, the bag and alcohol rules,…
Read the guide →Bay to Breakers 2027: Date, Course, Prices and Rules
Bay to Breakers 2027 is Sunday 16 May. The 12K and 15K courses from downtown to Ocean Beach, current registration prices, the…
Read the guide →San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade 2027: Date, Route, Tickets and the Street Fair
The 2027 San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade is Saturday 20 February at 5:15pm. The route, when bleacher tickets go on sale,…
Read the guide →San Francisco Holiday Lights 2026: Lightscape, the Bay Lights, Union Square and What Is Free
Holiday lights in San Francisco for 2026: what is confirmed (Lightscape, the Union Square rink, the free Conservatory light show, the Bay…
Read the guide →Día de los Muertos in San Francisco 2026: The Festival of Altars and the Mission Procession
Day of the Dead in San Francisco: the free Festival of Altars and the evening procession in the Mission. The festival has…
Read the guide →Litquake and Lit Crawl 2026: Dates, Free Events and How Lit Crawl Works
Litquake is San Francisco’s literary festival and Lit Crawl is its free closing night across Mission bars, bookshops and laundromats. The 2026…
Read the guide →Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2026 Recap: Set Times, Stages and Bag Rules
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2026 ran 2–4 October in Golden Gate Park. The full 2026 set times by stage, the bag rules and…
Read the guide →Halloween in San Francisco for Families (2026 Guide)
Where to trick-or-treat in San Francisco, free family Halloween events for 2026, pumpkin patches in the city and tips for a fog-proof…
Read the guide →Fleet Week with the Family: 2026 Recap, Blue Angels and Where to Watch
Fleet Week 2026 ran 4–12 October. The Blue Angels air show, Parade of Ships, free ship tours, the best free viewing spots…
Read the guide →Visiting SF
Day Trips from San Francisco Without a Car: Sausalito, Muir Woods, Napa
Car-free day trips from San Francisco: the ferry to Sausalito, Muir Woods reservations and fees, Angel Island, Alcatraz booking and getting to…
Read the guide →Chase Center with Kids: Warriors and Valkyries Games, Bags, Transit and Tips
Mission Bay’s Chase Center is home to the Warriors and the Valkyries, and it is one of the easier big venues in…
Read the guide →San Francisco Local Legends: Ghost Stories, Myths and What’s Actually True
Thirty San Francisco legends, ghost stories and origin myths, from the White Lady of Stow Lake to who invented the Mission burrito.…
Read the guide →San Francisco Art Galleries in 2026: First Thursday, Where to Go, and What Has Closed
The San Francisco gallery map changed in 2025 and 2026. Where First Thursday still happens, which galleries are open, current shows and…
Read the guide →San Francisco Pride 2027: Dates, Parade Route and the Civic Center Celebration
San Francisco Pride 2027 is 26–27 June. The parade along Market Street, the free Civic Center celebration, the bag and alcohol rules,…
Read the guide →Bay to Breakers 2027: Date, Course, Prices and Rules
Bay to Breakers 2027 is Sunday 16 May. The 12K and 15K courses from downtown to Ocean Beach, current registration prices, the…
Read the guide →San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade 2027: Date, Route, Tickets and the Street Fair
The 2027 San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade is Saturday 20 February at 5:15pm. The route, when bleacher tickets go on sale,…
Read the guide →Best of San Francisco: Quick Answers to the Questions People Ask
Best bridge view, best sunset, best free thing, best rainy day, best with a toddler, most overrated. Short answers to the San…
Read the guide →Best Coffee in San Francisco: Where the Third Wave Started
Sightglass for the roastery, Andytown for the Snowy Plover, Ritual and Four Barrel for the Mission. Six San Francisco coffee roasters compared,…
Read the guide →Best Bakery and Croissant in San Francisco
Arsicault for the almond croissant, b. Patisserie for the kouign amann, Liguria for focaccia before it sells out. Seven San Francisco bakeries…
Read the guide →Best Ice Cream in San Francisco: Institutions and Newcomers
Bi-Rite for the famous scoop, Mitchell’s for ube since 1953, Swensen’s for the 1948 corner shop. Six San Francisco ice cream shops…
Read the guide →Best Pizza in San Francisco: Every Style, Compared
Tony’s for the world-champion Neapolitan, Golden Boy for the square slice, Little Star for deep dish. San Francisco pizza sorted by style,…
Read the guide →Best Dim Sum in San Francisco: Cheap Counters to Cart Service
Good Mong Kok for the two-dollar bun, Yank Sing for the grand room, the Richmond for everything in between. Seven dim sum…
Read the guide →Best Burrito in San Francisco: La Taqueria vs El Farolito
The Mission burrito was invented here and the argument about the best one has two sides. La Taqueria, El Farolito and five…
Read the guide →Best Dungeness Crab and Cioppino in San Francisco
Where to eat cioppino and Dungeness crab in San Francisco, from Sotto Mare to off-the-boat sales at Pier 47, plus why crab…
Read the guide →Best Sourdough Bread in San Francisco: Where to Buy a Loaf
Boudin for the history, Tartine for the famous loaf, Acme for the bread locals actually buy. A plain-spoken guide to San Francisco…
Read the guide →Where to Get the Best Clam Chowder in San Francisco
The honest answer on San Francisco clam chowder: where the bread bowl is worth it, where the soup is actually better, and…
Read the guide →Where to Stay in San Francisco: Neighborhoods Compared
Union Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Marina, SoMa or the Mission: an honest comparison of where to base yourself in San Francisco, and…
Read the guide →Muni vs BART vs Cable Car: How to Get Around San Francisco
Which San Francisco transit to use, what each costs, and the rule that saves families the most money: everyone 18 and under…
Read the guide →Is CityPASS Worth It in San Francisco?
CityPASS, Go City, the Muni Visitor Passport or nothing at all: the maths on San Francisco sightseeing passes, for a family of…
Read the guide →Exploratorium vs California Academy of Sciences: Which Is Better With Kids?
Two big San Francisco science museums, two very different days out. Which one suits your children, your weather and your budget.
Read the guide →Three Days in San Francisco: A First-Timer’s Guide
A three-day plan for a first visit to San Francisco: what to book ahead, what the passes are really worth, how to…
Read the guide →Eating & Drinking
Best Coffee in San Francisco: Where the Third Wave Started
Sightglass for the roastery, Andytown for the Snowy Plover, Ritual and Four Barrel for the Mission. Six San Francisco coffee roasters compared,…
Read the guide →Best Bakery and Croissant in San Francisco
Arsicault for the almond croissant, b. Patisserie for the kouign amann, Liguria for focaccia before it sells out. Seven San Francisco bakeries…
Read the guide →Best Ice Cream in San Francisco: Institutions and Newcomers
Bi-Rite for the famous scoop, Mitchell’s for ube since 1953, Swensen’s for the 1948 corner shop. Six San Francisco ice cream shops…
Read the guide →Best Pizza in San Francisco: Every Style, Compared
Tony’s for the world-champion Neapolitan, Golden Boy for the square slice, Little Star for deep dish. San Francisco pizza sorted by style,…
Read the guide →Best Dim Sum in San Francisco: Cheap Counters to Cart Service
Good Mong Kok for the two-dollar bun, Yank Sing for the grand room, the Richmond for everything in between. Seven dim sum…
Read the guide →Best Burrito in San Francisco: La Taqueria vs El Farolito
The Mission burrito was invented here and the argument about the best one has two sides. La Taqueria, El Farolito and five…
Read the guide →Best Dungeness Crab and Cioppino in San Francisco
Where to eat cioppino and Dungeness crab in San Francisco, from Sotto Mare to off-the-boat sales at Pier 47, plus why crab…
Read the guide →Best Sourdough Bread in San Francisco: Where to Buy a Loaf
Boudin for the history, Tartine for the famous loaf, Acme for the bread locals actually buy. A plain-spoken guide to San Francisco…
Read the guide →Where to Get the Best Clam Chowder in San Francisco
The honest answer on San Francisco clam chowder: where the bread bowl is worth it, where the soup is actually better, and…
Read the guide →Cheap Family Eats in San Francisco
Where a family of four can eat well in San Francisco for the price of one downtown entrée: taquerias, dim sum counters,…
Read the guide →Kid-Friendly Brunch in San Francisco, by Neighborhood
Where to take the whole family for weekend brunch in San Francisco: roomy dining rooms, fast pancakes, dim sum carts and patios,…
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