Free San Francisco Activities

Back to San FranciscoSan Francisco: Best Free Things to See & Do

  • Meander along the Marina's Golden Gate Promenade and Crissy Field. There's something about strolling the promenade that just feels right. The combination of beach, bay, boats, Golden Gate views, and clean cool breezes is good for the soul.
  • Wake up with North Beach coffee. One of the most pleasurable smells of San Francisco is the aroma of roasted coffee beans wafting down Columbus Avenue in the early morning. Start the day with a cup of Viennese on a sidewalk table at Caff? Grecco (423 Columbus Ave.; tel. 415/397-6261), followed by a walk down Columbus Avenue to the bay.
  • Browse the Haight. Though the power of the flower has wilted, the Haight is still, more or less, the Haight: a sort of resting home for aging hippies, ex-Deadheads, skate punks, and an eclectic assortment of young panhandlers. Think of it as a people zoo as you walk down the rows of used-clothing stores, hip boutiques, and leather shops, trying hard not to stare at that girl (at least I think it's a girl) with the pierced eyebrows and shaved head. End the mystery tour with a pitcher of sangria and a plate of mussels at Cha Cha Cha, one of my favorite restaurants that's a bargain to boot.
  • Pretend to be a guest at the Palace or Fairmont hotels. You may not be staying the night, but you can certainly feel like a million bucks in the public spaces at The Palace Hotel. The extravagant creation of banker "Bonanza King" Will Ralston in 1875, The Palace Hotel has one of the grandest rooms in the city: the Garden Court. Running a close second is the magnificent lobby at Nob Hill's Fairmont Hotel & Tower.
  • Sip a cocktail in the clouds. Some of the greatest ways to view the city are from top-floor lounges in fine hotels such as the Sir Francis Drake, Union Square, the Grand Hyatt San Francisco, and The InterContinental Mark Hopkins, Nob Hill. Drinks aren't cheap, but it beats paying for a dinner. Besides, if you nurse your drink (or order something like tea or coffee), the combo of atmosphere, surroundings, and view is a bargain.

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