23 Free Things to Do In San Francisco, CA

San Francisco is known for its diverse population, its decadent summers, countless landmarks, architecture, foggy days and rolling hills. You are sure to enjoy this list of 23 destinations and activities that will entertain your family for free while exploring the City by the Bay.

Whether you’re new to the city or simply exploring your own backyard, there are plenty of attractions to visit in San Francisco that won't break the bank! Several of San Francisco's finest attractions offers discount days for residents throughout the year which offer free admission to various venues.

1. Hop on a cable car and ride over to the Cable Car Museum. Learn about the mechanics behind a typical ride throughout the city, including the tools and machinery such as the gears, pulleys, and active sheaves are housed and used below the streets of San Francisco. Check out the array of antique cable cars and photographs on exhibit throughout the museum.
2. Take a scenic stroll across the Golden Gate Bridge. Experience the passage across the famous bridge at your own pace and without the hefty toll. Enjoy almost two miles each way of breathtaking scenery and view San Francisco's skyline while you get your fitness on. The south end of the bridge features perennial gardens, an information and souvenir center, and the Bridge Café which features healthy and local food offerings. Bring a jacket, take pictures, observe, and enjoy the windy atmosphere of the city.
3. Spend your Wednesdays with the animals at the San Francisco Zoo and Gardens, if you are resident of the city. Get face to face with 1,000 exotic, endangered, and rescued animals and enjoy the majestic, peaceful gardens full of native and foreign plants housed in the botanical gardens.

4. Only a few miles from San Francisco, you'll find the towering redwoods at Muir Woods. Six miles of walking trails meander in and out of the massive and famous trees which tower up to an impressive 350 ft tall. Enjoy hour long ranger guided tours or meander through the woods with a $1 purchase of a self guided tour map. Some highlights of the tour include the ancient redwoods, scenic walking trails, rustic structures, and memorials and stories of how nature and people intertwine.

5. Stop over at the Fishermans Wharf and check out the playfulness and noisy barking of Sea Lions at Pier 39. While there has been a rise and a fall with the the plentitude of sea lions sunning themselves on the pier during their migration, it is worth a look to see if they are basking in their glory on the docks. Check out the live video cam on the link above to see if the seals are active before you visit!
6. Learn about San Francisco's rich Chinese history at the Chinese Cultural Center. Enjoy contemporary art exhibits and cultural performances which highlight the vast and ever expanding community of Chinese artists.
7. Spend your Sundays at Golden Gate Park in the months of April through October and enjoy free Band Concerts at the Music Concourse. While at the park, you are sure to find some thing to do on the 1,017 acres of gardens, playgrounds, lakes, picnic groves, hiking trails, frisbee golf course and monuments available for you and your family to explore. You may even happen upon the free range herd of buffalo which is known to make this park home.
8. Located within Golden Gate Park, check out the De Young Museum and Sculpture Garden for free on the first Tuesday of each month. Stunningly built from copper and glass, the museum is home to thousands of rotating and permanent exhibitions, as well as a children's garden, a sculpture garden and educational spaces.
9. Embark on a volunteer-led guided tour of San Francisco. Choose from over 30 different 1-2 hour tours that are offered. With all of the time slots available and spots to explore, you are sure to find something that suits your interest on a regular basis.
10. Enjoy free samples on Tuesdays and Saturdays while your explore the Ferry Building Marketplace. Saturdays are a prime time to increase your chances of running into some of San Francisco’s best known chefs, and most famous farmers, throughout the marketplace. Learn about food and agriculture.
11. Expand your scientific mind at the California Academy of Sciences. This grand facility is home to the world's largest all digital planetarium, a four-story dome which explores the rainforests of the world, an aquarium and a natural history museum. The Museum offers two programs with multiple opportunities to enjoy free admission: 1. Neighborhood Free Weekends provides all San Francisco residents with free admission on two designated weekends each year in fall and spring, determined by zip code of residence thanks to generous support from Target. 2. Quarterly Free Sundays offers free admission to the general public four Sundays a year.
12. Visit Fort Point National Park which overlooks the spectacular Golden Gate Bridge. This is a great location to take photos of the bridge and enjoy the view of San Francisco's brilliant skyline. Learn about the history of the Fort that defended the San Francisco Bay following California's Gold Rush through World War II.
13. Don't miss a free sweet visit and tour of the Jelly Belly Factory. If you can't make the trip yourself, you can even take a virtual tour of t he facility. Dive into the sweet and chewy world of these fun and flavorful jellybeans as you explore the inner workings of the candy company. You will be rewarded with lots of cool facts and a sweet jellybean treat at the end of the tour.
14. Find a quiet spot where a tiny bit of land juts out to the ocean when you visit the incredible Wave Organ which makes music based on San Francisco Bay’s movements. The artful and unique design installation includes 25 organ pipes made of PVC and concrete located at various elevations within the site, allowing for the rise and fall of the tides. The environmental comes out of pipes and concrete and at high tide the glorious music sounds like you are listening to a giant seashell.
15. Visit the historic Coit Tower landmark for amazing views of the city. Built in 1933 at the top of Telegraph Hill, the tower stands 210 feet tall and has a variety of different murals dispersed throughout the inside. Visitors are always welcome to climb up to the top of the tower for free.
16. View the historic ships docked at San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park. The park has a wonderful visitor center and museum and one of the ships is filled with interesting artifacts. Embark on free guided tours at this historic park by the bay and enjoy amazing views of the San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge.
17. Walk or drive down Lombard Street, one of the crookedest streets in America, while enjoying some of the best views of the San Francisco Bay. Admire the colorful houses and beautiful flowers that line this popular street and be sure to bring along your camera for breathtaking photo opportunities.
18. Peruse the informative exhibits at the Oakland Museum of California. Explore the different ecosystems throughout California, a variety of unique art exhibits and artifacts linked to the history of the state of California. The museum offers a free first Sundays program, which makes the first Sunday of the month the perfect time to visit.
19. Gather up the kids and make a visit to the Mocha Museum of Children’s Art. Enjoy free admission to the gallery or pay $5 for access to the your artists studio. Dive into art with both hands in the interactive spaces where children and their families can create, share and connect through art.
20. Take a ride across the bay and spend some time at the Chabot Space and Science Center. Check out the views from the giant telescopes, learn more about lunar landings while you can get closer to the center of our Solar System at the Touch the Sun exhibit, and gain insight into the bizarre living conditions and grueling work of astronauts. Enjoy free admission on the first Wednesday of each month or visit on a Friday or Saturday evening for a 180 degree view of the evening sky from April through November.
21. Get your children involved in the hands-on and interactive exhibits at the Bay Area Discovery Museum. The offers free days once a month and is certain to expand the minds and experiences of young people. Get messy in the art studio, frolic with water, view sea creatures, embark on pretend play adventures and learn about local birds.
22. First timers can sail away on the bay on as they enjoy free introductory sailboat rides aboard a fleet of keelboats and dinghies at the Cal Sailing Club. Check out their website for details on the schedule of open house dates and any safety restrictions to this fun offering.
23. Enjoy one of San Francisco's best kept secrets when you spend a day at the Yerba Buena Gardens. This special garden features a waterfall, art display, and a moving memorial fountain to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Navigate through the maze of walkways and architectural gems throughout the par and discover the awesome children's playground in the heart of the park.