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Cheap Things to Do in San Francisco: 25 Activities & Attractions for $15 or Less
by Jill Loeffler •
Updated: May 28, 2024
Cheap things to do in San Francisco offer you the chance to save some money on your visit. My list of 25 activities includes both free options and others that cost $15 or less per person.
You will find top attractions on my list such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, and Alamo Square. You will also find fun museums such as the Conservatory of Flowers, the Beat Museum, and the Mission San Francisco de Asis.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
1. Baker Beach
Cost: Free
The gorgeous Baker Beach lies tucked away from all the hustle and bustle on the northwest corner of San Francisco. With unique views of the Golden Gate Bridge from the west, this is a fun place to explore the scenic cliffs and the water where the bay meets the Pacific Ocean.
The walk to get here is fun and beautiful in itself, as you can either take the coastal trail from the Presidio and walk down the Sand Ladder or take the stairs from the lovely Sea Cliff neighborhood.
>> Pictures of and tips to get to Baker Beach
2. Alamo Square
Cost: Free
This famous San Francisco attraction may be free to visit, but the view is worth a million bucks! You can relive that scene from "Full House," where the Tanners are having a picnic on the lawn right in front of a row of pretty Victorian homes with the SF skyline in the background.
All you have to do is head to the centrally located Alamo Square neighborhood and get your camera ready to capture the pastel-colored ornate Painted Ladies.
>> More info on visiting Alamo Square
>> More about all of the Painted Ladies around SF
3. Beat Museum
Cost: $8 for general admission; $5 for students, teachers, seniors, and military
Kerouac fans, get ready to be amazed: this museum in SF's North Beach is a real mind-blower! And if you don't know about Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, or Lawrence Ferlinghetti, there's no better place to discover their work than right here, where the Beat Generation began.
Predecessors to the hippies of the Haight-Ashbury, these 1950s writers and artists settled here and created a historic counterculture movement to which this museum now pays tribute.
Open Thursday through Monday from 10 am to 7 pm.
>> More about SF's Beat Museum in North Beach
4. Botanical Gardens
Cost: Prices vary. Every day from 7:30 am to 9:30 am is free. Depending on the time of year, admission for adults may be $13 - $17, for youth and seniors $7, and for children 5 to 11 $3. The second Tuesday of every month is also free.
One of the most relaxing and cheap things to do in San Francisco is visiting the Botanical Gardens in Golden Gate Park. This well-groomed, beautifully managed 55-acre space features colorful plants and flowers from all over the world.
There is plenty of natural beauty to admire here no matter what time of year you visit, and the Magnolia Collection and Redwood Gardens are always must-sees.
Open daily from 7:30 am to 5 pm in the winter, until 6 pm during spring and fall, and until 7 pm during the summer.
>> What to expect on a visit to the Botanical Gardens
5. Cable Car Museum
Cost: Free
During your visit, top off that coveted cable car ride with a trip to the SF Cable Car Museum so you can see for yourself all the behind-the-scenes action that makes them work.
This museum is free to visit, and you'll not only see the giant wheels that pull the cables but also a lovely exhibit of cable car photos and history that explains the evolution of this historic method of transportation.
The museum is located between Nob Hill and Chinatown, and doubles as a barn for the cars at night.
The museum is open Tuesday to Thursday from 10 am to 4 pm; Friday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm; closed Mondays.
>> What there is to see at the Cable Car Museum
6. Camera Obscura
Cost: $3
San Francisco is home to the country's oldest camera obscura, and it is the only one that exists in a free-standing building.
Leonardo da Vinci conceived the concept of this giant optical device that produces 360-degree live images, but this one dates back to the heyday of SF's former amusement park, Playland at the Beach.
Located on Point Lobos Avenue, right behind the Cliff House, this fun relic is a wonderful stop for photography and history buffs.
>> More hidden gems in San Francisco
7. Chinese Temples
Cost: Free
There is so much to see and do in Chinatown that it's easy to miss the Buddhist temples, but they are interesting pieces of San Francisco's culture and open to the public.
You'll find these sacred places decorated with red and gold, carvings and statues, lanterns, flowers, fruit, and more.
Some of the religious figurines are among the oldest Chinese artifacts in the US. Click the link below to find out how to get to these places of worship.
>> More details on visiting the best ones
8. City Hall
Cost: Free
SF City Hall is the centerpiece of the Civic Center district. Built in 1915, it has a grand presence with its ornate columns, large rotunda, and golden dome (the tallest dome in the country, even higher than the US Capitol!).
If you visit during the day, you'll be able to walk around inside and admire the marble staircase and carvings that set the backdrop for so many weddings.
At night, this architectural beauty is all lit up, sometimes in different colors for the holidays or to support of the local sports teams.
Open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 8 pm.
>> What to see during your visit
9. Coit Tower
Cost: $10 for adults, $7 for seniors ages 62+ and youth 12-17 years old, $3 for children 5 - 11, free for toddlers under 5
One of the most spectacular cheap things to do in San Francisco is to take in the stunning views of the bay and city from the observation deck of Coit Tower.
You can also enjoy the colorful and historic Diego Rivera-inspired murals that line the interior depict scenes of local life from the 1930s (this part is free).
Coit Tower sits atop Telegraph Hill. To get here, you can either drive, take public transit, or walk up the Filbert stairs while listening to the park's well-known gorgeous and talkative wild parrots.
Open daily from 10 am to 6 pm (April to October) and until 5 pm from November to March. Closed on major holidays.
>> Pictures of its murals and tips to visit
10. Columbarium
Cost: Free
A building that stores the ashes of the deceased is not exactly your typical tourist destination, but the SF Columbarium is truly beautiful and worth a visit.
This neoclassical building was once part of a larger cemetery, but in the 1920s when burials were banned within city limits and all existing graves were being relocated, the Columbarium remained one of only two official places of remembrance in San Francisco.
Step inside to check out the large rotunda, stained-glass windows, and the Harvey Milk tribute. It may sound eerie and scary, but it is really quite cool and beautiful.
Open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.
>> How to get here and what to see during your visit
11. Conservatory of Flowers
Cost: Depending on the day, admission for adults may be $14 to $17, for youth and seniors $7, and for children 5 to 11 $3. Free for active military and veterans, as well as children under 4. The first Tuesday of every month is also free.
Another one of the best cheap things to do in San Francisco is located in Golden Gate Park in a prominent, ornate glass and white building. Opened in 1879, the Conservatory of Flowers stands out as the country's oldest public greenhouse made of glass and wood.
Inside, it houses a great array of flowers from all over the planet, from lowland and highland tropics to aquatic and potted plants. And, of course, the world-famous and horrible-smelling Corpse Flower.
There is also an incredible dahlia garden and special exhibits.
Open every day except Wednesday from 10 am to 4:30 pm. Closed on major holidays and two weeks a year for maintenance.
>> Pictures of its plants and what else you will see inside
Go Card: The Conservatory of Flowers is also part of the Go Card. It's a discount pass that will help you save during your stay. Learn more here.
12. de Young + Legion of Honor
Cost: $20 for adults, $17 for seniors 65+, $11 for students with ID, free for youth 17 and under
There is a great deal for visiting the two best fine arts museums in San Francisco. Admission is $20 if you go to one, but with your ticket you also get same-day admission to the other.
Essentially, you get to see two renowned museums in one day for $10 each! By visiting both, you get to enjoy a diverse selection of paintings and sculptures and two different areas of the city: Golden Gate Park and the Presidio.
>> More about what to expect in the de Young
>> What you will find inside the Legion of Honor
13. SF's Colorful Staircases
Cost: Free
If you love exploring on foot, you'll enjoy walking up and down the beautiful stairways around town. Since San Francisco was built on many hills, there are plenty of them spread throughout the city for you to discover.
Many of them have been decorated with beautiful tile mosaics that are fun to admire both at a distance and up close. Some are surrounded by flourishing gardens, others lead to incredible views, and yet others take you to some of SF's best attractions, including Coit Tower and Baker Beach.
>> Get details on the 10 best stairways to visit around SF
14. GLBT Museum
Cost: $10 for general admission; $6 for youth 13-17, seniors 65+, students, teachers, and military with ID; free for children 12 and under
Walking inside the GLBT Museum in SF's famous Castro district is one of the most emotionally powerful and cheap things to do in San Francisco.
You'll be exposed to the past century of history in the international, as well as local, queer community.
This includes information on Harvey Milk, a San Francisco Board of Supervisors member who was assassinated while serving as California's first openly gay elected official.
Open every day except Monday, from 11 am to 1 pm and 1:30 pm to 5 pm.
15. Golden Gate Bridge
Cost: Free
On opening day in May 1937, some 200,000 people made the first historic pedestrian crossing of the Golden Gate Bridge. At that time, it was the longest suspension bridge ever built (1.7 miles long).
Today, the bridge continues to welcome thousands of visitors from far and wide to see this shining orange architectural beauty in person. You are free to walk on it or bike across it.
The Golden Gate Bridge is SF's symbol of pride and accomplishment and probably the most recognizable bridge in the world.
Open to pedestrians from 5 am to 9 pm from the second Monday in March to the first Sunday in November, and from 5 am to 6:30 pm from the first Sunday in November to the second Monday in March.
>> How to get here and what else you will see
>> You can also explore the bridge with this self-guided audio tour
16. Golden Gate Cookie Factory
Cost: Free
If you're going to spend some time in SF's Chinatown, take a few minutes to stop by the Golden Gate Cookie Factory for free.
After having eaten so many fortune cookies at the end of a yummy Chinese meal, it's such a fun experience to see them being made live and in person!
Watch the baking, folding, and fortune-wrapping of these treats executed by those who have kept this factory operating since 1962.
Open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 6:30 pm and weekends until 7 pm.
>> How to find this hidden gem
>> See more of Chinatown on this guided tour
17. Grace Cathedral
Cost: $12 for adults; $10 for seniors 65+ and young adults ages 12-22; free for children under 12
One of the most memorable cheap things to do in San Francisco is to visit Grace Cathedral, the third largest Episcopal church in the nation.
Located in the Nob Hill neighborhood, this beauty sticks out with its big French Gothic bell towers and its golden "Gates of Paradise." The inside is even more stunning, with its murals, labyrinth, and AIDS memorial.
During your visit, you will go on a self-guided tour with numerous displays to help you understand its history.
You can also take guided tours if you want to learn even more about this beautiful cathedral. These come at an extra cost but are affordable.
Sightseeing hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sundays from 1 pm to 5 pm. Occasionally they may close during those hours for a special event.
>> What to see and do on your visit
18. Haas Lilienthal House
Cost: General admission is $10; children under 5 are free
You'll see plenty of beautiful Victorian homes in San Francisco, but this is the only one actually open to the public. Built in 1886, it's a Queen Anne-style mansion with classic architectural features that have been very well preserved.
Step inside to admire the grand woodwork and furniture and get a glimpse of what it was like to live in SF during this era as if you were the Haas Lilienthal family.
It is open on select Saturdays for one-hour tours.
>> More about this historic Victorian and how to visit
19. Japanese Tea Garden
Cost: Free from 9 am to 10 am on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Adult tickets range from $12 to $15, depending on the season; youth (12 -17) and seniors 65+ are always $7; children ages 5 - 11 are $3, and children under 5 are always free.
From the ornate wooden entrance gate to the five-story pagoda, continuing on to the high-arching drum bridge, and the zen rock garden, taking a stroll in the Japanese Tea Garden is like stepping into another world.
This impeccably landscaped and beautifully serene place will have you feeling relaxed and refreshed.
Take advantage of this gem in Golden Gate Park—it's inexpensive to visit at any time, and totally free on some weekday mornings!
Open daily from 9 am to 5:45 pm (March through October) and 9 am to 4:45 pm (November through February).
>> When to visit and tips to get here
20. Lombard Street
Cost: Free
Another favorite among the cheap things to do in San Francisco is visiting the famously crooked Lombard Street. It's so steep that cars traverse its curves back and forth eight times in just a one-block stretch as they descend from Hyde to Leavenworth.
From the top, you get a great view of Coit Tower and the SF Bay, and from the bottom, you can snap that classic picture of the winding red-brick road peeking out from the green gardens.
21. Maritime Museum
Cost: Free
This small but well-done museum in the famous Fisherman's Wharf district brings to light what made this waterfront community thrive in the first place.
Completely free to enjoy, the museum does a great job of teaching about life at sea for San Franciscans through old artifacts, colorful murals, and hands-on exhibits.
Plus, you'll get excellent views of Alcatraz, the Hyde Street Pier, and the Golden Gate Bridge from here.
It is open Wednesdays to Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm.
>> More about their interactive exhibits
22. Mission San Francisco de Asis
Cost: Suggested donation of $7 for a self-guided tour
Do you ever wonder what gave SF's now trendy Latin district its name? Well here you go: Made with thick adobe walls, the Mission San Francisco de Asis (more commonly known as Mission Dolores) is the oldest building in San Francisco and played a massive role in the Spanish colonial era of this city.
At the old mission, you'll find a cemetery and a lot of interesting history. While you're here, you can check out the ornate basilica next door (featured in the photo above) as well as the popular Mission Dolores Park across the street.
Open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm.
>> Pictures and what to look for during your visit
23. Palace of Fine Arts
Cost: Free
This celebrated work of architecture is one of the most photographed and filmed sites in San Francisco. You'll find it near the waterfront, right between the Presidio and the Marina districts.
The Roman columns, grand rotunda, and reflective lake are peaceful and awe-inspiring, the perfect place to take a romantic stroll or enjoy a relaxing picnic with the family.
The Palace of Fine Arts is the only remaining relic of the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition, and the city decided to keep it since it was too beautiful to tear down along with the rest of the fair.
>> Ways to enjoy this historic attraction
24. Pier 24 Photography Museum
Cost: Free
Another one of the cheap things to do in San Francisco for art and photography fans is to visit the Pier 24 Photography Museum.
Behind the unassuming door to the pier, you'll find a whopping 20 different galleries of beautiful photographs, each with a unique layout.
Admission is completely free, but you will need to make a reservation in advance to get in. They recommend allowing about two hours to enjoy the whole museum.
Open by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5:15 pm.
25. Street Art & Murals
Cost: Free
Meandering through the city and admiring the art all around the streets is one of my favorite cheap things to do in San Francisco. There are over one thousand murals spread throughout the city, and many are concentrated in the Mission and North Beach districts.
There are also incredible historic murals on the inside walls of Coit Tower, the Rincon Center, and the Beach Chalet. Click the link below for tips on where to look for these incredible works of art.
>> Where to find the most colorful pieces
>> This guided tour is another fun way to explore the area and its murals
Save on Your Hotel Stay
Find great deals on your hotels on Booking.com and TripAdvisor. Both give you an insider's view on deals all around town. Click the links below for details.
Booking: Find great deals all around San Francisco for your upcoming stay!
TripAdvisor: What's the #1 hotel in San Francisco? Read reviews & find hotel deals on TripAdvisor!
VRBO: Besides hotels, you'll also find some great places to stay locally through VRBO. Book an apartment or a room and feel more like a local. Find some great places to stay on VRBO here.
More Free & Cheap Things to Do in San Francisco
In addition to these 25 cheap things to do in San Francisco, you will also find hundreds more free activities.
Free Events: You will find almost a dozen monthly free festivals and events. Many are fun street festivals with live music and other entertainment. Some of our film festivals are also free. Click here for an entire list ordered by month and a few that last several months long.
Free Attractions: SF has many other free attractions in addition to the ones mentioned above. Find a list of my 10 favorites here.
Free Museums: I've mentioned some of the free museums above, but you will find more on this list. They include the Maritime Museum, the Wells Fargo Museum, and the Fire Department Museum. Find a complete list here.
All Free Things to Do: This is where you will find all of the best free things to do. Click here to check it out today.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
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