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Four Day Itinerary for San Francisco: 4 Perfect Days Visiting SF
by Jill Loeffler •
Updated: July 9, 2021
With this four-day itinerary for San Francisco, you will get the chance to see as much as possible during your stay. It starts with visits to top attractions, including the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, and continues with visits to Chinatown and North Beach.
During your first four days, you will also head over to Golden Gate Park for a look inside the California Academy of Sciences, the Japanese Tea Garden, and the Conservatory of Flowers. In addition, this self-guided tour includes stops at the colorful murals in the Mission and the oldest building in SF.
On day four, you will head over to the Asian Art Museum, visit City Hall, and admire the Painted Ladies of Alamo Square.
Day One
Day One starts with a walk across the iconic San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge. This beauty is on the northern side of SF and is easy to access via car or public transit. After your visit, you will head down to the waterfront for a stroll along Crissy Field and a chance to admire the Palace of Fine Arts.
Your day continues with a bus ride over to Fisherman's Wharf for lunch and some time to explore this popular district. Your next big adventure on Day One is a ferry ride over to Alcatraz Island for their night tour.
Click here for more details on the Day One itinerary.
Day Two
On Day Two, you will visit the North Beach and Chinatown districts.
This includes taking in the views from the observatory deck atop Coit Tower, grabbing tasty fresh focaccia in North Beach, and admiring other murals in this colorful neighborhood.
You will then stroll over to Chinatown to see some of its historic temples, shop for inexpensive goods, and sample traditional dim sum.
Click here for additional information and pictures for Day Two.
Day Three
Your journey continues on Day Three with a visit to Golden Gate Park.
You will start your day by visiting the California Academy of Sciences. It offers four museums in one location with a four-story rainforest, a natural history museum, a planetarium, and an aquarium.
You will also find fun activities, a rare white alligator, and a chance to feel what's it's like to be in an earthquake.
You will then visit one of our living museums. You can choose from the SF Botanical Garden, the Japanese Tea Garden, or the Conservatory of Flowers. All three offer a wonderful experience and any one of them will take about an hour.
You will then head over to the Mission District where you will see the oldest building in SF, as well as some of the most colorful murals in the city.
Click here for additional details on Day Three.
Day Four
On Day Four, you will head over to the Civic Center District to visit one of my favorite museums and see the beauty of City Hall. You will then walk to Hayes Valley for a late lunch and visit the Painted Ladies of Alamo Square.
NOTE: The best days to follow the Day Four itinerary are Monday, Thursday, and Friday. City Hall is only open on weekdays and the SF Asian Art Museum is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Read on for more details about visiting the Day Four attractions.
Asian Art Museum
Your day starts at 10 am with a visit to the Asian Art Museum. It houses an amazing collection of Asian art from countries such as China, Korea, and Japan. You will also find a large collection of pieces from Indonesia, Malaysia, and India.
The pieces in their permanent exhibits were created over the span of around 6,000 years.
They also attract some of the best traveling exhibits with pieces from Asia. There is an additional fee to visit these collections, but they are usually worth it.
The museum opens at 10 am from Friday to Monday, and closes at 5 pm on those days. On Thursday the museum opens a bit later, from 1 pm to 8 pm. It is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Click here to learn more about what it's like to visit the Asian Art Museum.
City Hall
City Hall is beautiful both inside and out. It's one of SF's top free attractions. It's open to the public during standard business hours, Monday to Friday between 8 am and 5 pm.
Inside, you will get the chance to take a look inside its beautiful dome, see their gorgeous marble staircase, and visit two small exhibits. The first is on the main floor and offers a look at pieces of history from City Hall.
The second exhibit is on the lower level. It's a rotating collection of photos of people, places, and events in SF's history.
Click here to learn more about what it's like to visit SF's City Hall.
Hayes Valley for Lunch
When you are done in City Hall, I recommend heading over to the Hayes Valley neighborhood for lunch. In this trendy area, you will find several options.
My favorites are Souvla (Greek, 517 Hayes Street, moderate price), GIOIA Pizzeria (Pizza, sandwiches, salads, 579 Hayes Street, moderate price), or Papito Hayes (Mexican, 425 Hayes Street, moderate price).
Painted Ladies of Alamo Square
After lunch, you can either walk up the hill to Alamo Square or take the 21 bus that picks up at Laguna and Hayes.
Painted ladies refer to any historic Victorian or Edwardian house painted in three or more colors. You will find them throughout this district.
The most famous set are located on Steiner Street at Hayes across from Alamo Square Park. They are six houses with the same structure, but in slightly different colors. There is also one additional beauty at the end of the row.
They are often called the "Seven Sisters of Alamo Square" or "Postcard Row." The sun shines on them in the afternoon, which is the best time to visit and/or take photos.
Once you are done here, stroll around the district for additional colorful gems all around the park.
Cocktails and/or Dinner Near Alamo Square
Depending on how long you walk around the park and the district, it might be time for a cocktail or beverage. You will find several high-end options along Divisadero Street. You can grab a quick drink or, if you are hungry, find a wonderful place for dinner.
Find some of my favorites along Divisadero Street here.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
Tips to Save on Your Visit
There are several ways to save on your stay in SF. Here are my top recommendations.
You will also find great deals for hotels here. This site offers deals such as discounts on room rates, free Wi-Fi, and breakfast in bed. Click here to search for the best prices for your stay.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
I would love for you to join me in my private Facebook group!
It's a great place to interact with me and others who know the area well.
You can ask questions, get advice for your upcoming stay, and then share your photos and advice with others when you return home. It's a great community and the fastest way to get answers to those nagging questions about your visit!
