Westin St. Francis Hotel Glass Elevator
Free: All time Head over to the Westin St. Francis Hotel in Union Square, and you’ll get treated to a bird’s eye view of San Francisco, for free! The hotel has a 32-floor glass-walled tower elevator that will bring you outside after the 4th floor. Once at the top, feast in the superb panorama, snap...
Clarion Alley
Free: All time Clarion Alley is a small street in San Francisco notable for community and arts activities. This hidden street-art haven is vibrant with the ever-changing brightly colored murals. Since 1982, an artists’ collective led by volunteers called Clarion Alley Mural Project (CAMP) has been coming together to “adopt” and facilitate art projects in...
Sea Lions at Pier 39
Free: All time From January to July, visitors will get a chance to see plenty of sea lions sunbathing at Pier 39. However, the number of these friendly squatters fluctuates, from none to some 1,700 of them! Since their appearance at Pier 39, the sea lions have become a tourist attraction in their own right....
Wave Organ
Free: All time The Wave Organ is an acoustic sculpture constructed as an Exploratorium project. Located on the shore of San Francisco Bay, this concrete-meet-PVC pipes piece sits right on the tip of a yacht harbor jetty. Depending on the waves, winds and tides, the sound produced by this structure vary. Visitors can sit on...
San Francisco Railway Museum
Free: All time The San Francisco Railway Museum is designed to complement the historic rail vehicles of the F-line and cable car lines. It features a full-sized exact replica of the motorman’s platform of 1911 streetcar, historic artifacts, archival photography and audio-visual exhibits. Entry is free but donation is welcome and goes directly to support...
Anchor Brewing Tour
Free: All time Get a glimpse at centuries-old brewing traditions that started during the Gold Rush in San Francisco. Anchor offers two public tours each weekday, by reservation only. Listen to the history and traditions, see the behind-the-scene action, and most importantly, taste the beer, all for free! The tour lasts for about 1.5 hours....
San Francisco City Guides Walking Tours
Free: All time San Francisco City Guides offer a variety of free walking tours of the city. Led by local volunteers, visitors are invited to walk the different neighborhoods to see the views and listen to their history, lore and legends. The topics of the various tours range from SF’s 1906 Earthquake to Alfred Hitchcock’s...
In-Store Gigs at Amoeba Music
Free: All time Amoeba Music is one of the San Francisco’s best places to see live music – especially since it’s absolutely free. Their legendary in-store performances have included acts like Spiritualized, M.I.A., Sonic Youth, Elliot Smith and more. Check their website for schedule of performing artists from the big acts to the independent bands...
Cable Car Museum
Free: All time San Francisco is the only city in the U.S. where cable cars still operate. The Cable Car Museum houses a collection of historic cable cars, photographs and mechanical displays. Furthermore, the museum is actually located above the actual power house for the cable cars that run today. Visitors will get to see...
