United States, North America
The best time to visit San Francisco
The city where summer is cold and fall is summer.
- Best months
- Sep and Oct
- Think twice
- No month is a write-off
- Quietest
- January
- Cheapest
- January
The straight answer
The best time to visit San Francisco is September through October, when the fog pulls back, the city has its warmest and clearest days, and the summer crowds have gone home.
Go in September or October. San Francisco's real summer arrives after the calendar one ends: the marine fog that blankets the city through June, July, and August usually retreats, and the warmest, sunniest days of the year land in early fall. Add thinner crowds after Labor Day and a festival calendar that stays full, and fall is the clear winner.
The classic mistake is planning a July trip in shorts. Summer highs in the city hover in the mid 60s F (about 19C), and the fog and wind off the Pacific can make evenings feel like 55F (13C), especially near the Golden Gate and in the western neighborhoods. It is still a fine time to visit, and the fog is part of the show. Just pack layers and a real jacket.
Spring, from late March into May, is the strong second choice: green hills, wildflowers in the Presidio and Marin, and mild, mostly dry days. Winter is the rainy season, with most rain falling from December through February, but it is also the cheapest time for hotels, and a clear January day after a storm is as beautiful as the city gets.
San Francisco, month by month
Every month gets a verdict. Tap one for its own page: weather, crowds, prices and what is on.
- 01JanuaryQuiet valueCool and rainy, highs near 57F (14C)Low hotel rates outside convention weeks. Storms come in waves, with brilliant clear days between them.CrowdsPrice
- 02FebruaryQuiet valueCool, highs near 60F (16C), rainy spellsLunar New Year festivities and one of the largest Chinese New Year parades outside Asia. Hills start turning green.CrowdsPrice
- 03MarchGoodMild, highs near 62F (17C), showers taperingWildflowers and green hills. Rain eases late month. A good value month.Hotels for March →CrowdsPrice
- 04AprilGoodMild, highs near 63F (17C), mostly drySpring in full swing, with the Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown. Breezy afternoons.Hotels for April →CrowdsPrice
- 05MayGoodMild, highs near 64F (18C), fog startingBay to Breakers footrace mid month. Fog begins its summer pattern late in the month.Hotels for May →CrowdsPrice
- 06JuneTradeoffsCool and foggy, highs near 66F (19C)Pride weekend at month's end is one of the largest in the world. Expect gray mornings and cold, windy evenings.CrowdsPrice
- 07JulyTradeoffsFog, wind, highs near 66F (19C)Peak tourist crowds meet peak fog. Book Alcatraz weeks ahead, pack a jacket, and head inland to Napa or the East Bay for sun.CrowdsPrice
- 08AugustTradeoffsFog and wind, highs near 67F (19C)Outside Lands festival in Golden Gate Park. Still foggy and crowded; inland heat can drive the fog harder.CrowdsPrice
- 09SeptemberBestWarmest of the year, highs near 70F (21C), clearFog retreats and heat spikes into the 80s F are possible. The single best month, with hotel rates driven by conventions.Hotels for September →CrowdsPrice
- 10OctoberBestWarm and clear, highs near 69F (21C)Fleet Week air shows and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in Golden Gate Park. Watch for occasional wildfire smoke drifting in from inland fires.Hotels for October →CrowdsPrice
- 11NovemberGoodCooling, highs near 63F (17C), first rainsA quiet, crisp month before winter storms. Thanksgiving week is calm and good value.Hotels for November →CrowdsPrice
- 12DecemberQuiet valueCool and wet, highs near 57F (14C)Rainy but festive: Union Square holiday displays and Ghirardelli lights. Prices rise over the holidays.CrowdsPrice
Book San Francisco for September.
Sponsored links to Expedia and Vrbo. We may earn a commission; it never changes a verdict.
- Hotels for September
Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in San FranciscoOpens a hotel search for San Francisco in September, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
- Rentals on Vrbo
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in San FranciscoWhole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
- Tours and tickets
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in San FranciscoTimed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in San Francisco for September. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Why go to San Francisco
A city of views
Forty-odd hills mean the bridge, the bay, and the skyline show up from almost every neighborhood. Twin Peaks, Lands End, and Coit Tower are all worth the climb.
Some of the best food in the US
Mission burritos, dim sum in Chinatown and the Richmond, the Ferry Building market, and a deep bench of serious restaurants. The produce is the reason.
Wild coastline inside city limits
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area wraps the city in beaches, cliffs, and coastal trails. You can hike real wilderness and be back downtown for dinner.
Day trips that rival the city
Muir Woods, Point Reyes, Napa and Sonoma, and the Santa Cruz coast are all within about two hours.
Things to do, and when to do them
Golden Gate Bridge
Walk or bike across from the south end. The best photo spots are Battery Spencer on the Marin side and Baker Beach. Fog often clears midday.
Alcatraz Island
Tickets sell out weeks ahead in summer and on weekends. The first morning ferry and the night tour are the least crowded.
Golden Gate Park and the California Academy of Sciences
The Academy has an aquarium, planetarium, and rainforest dome under one living roof. A great rainy or foggy day plan.
Exploratorium
Hands-on science museum on Pier 15. Thursday evenings are adults-only After Dark nights.
Ferry Building Marketplace
Go Saturday morning for the farmers market, the best in the city. Weekdays are calmer.
Cable cars
The Powell lines have long waits at the turnarounds. Board a few stops up, or ride the California Street line with shorter lines.
Lands End and the Presidio
Coastal trails with bridge views, the Sutro Baths ruins, and military history. Part of the national recreation area.
Muir Woods
Old-growth redwoods 30 minutes north. Parking or shuttle reservations are required, so book ahead.
Events and seasons worth planning around
Chinese New Year Festival and Parade
January or February, following the lunar calendar
One of the largest Lunar New Year parades outside Asia, winding through downtown and Chinatown at night.
Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival
Two weekends in April
Japantown's festival, with a grand parade on the final Sunday.
San Francisco Pride
The last weekend of June
One of the biggest Pride celebrations in the world. Hotels near downtown fill fast.
Outside Lands
A weekend in August
Music and food festival in Golden Gate Park. Parts of the park close around it.
Fleet Week
Early October
Navy ships in the bay and Blue Angels air shows over the northern waterfront. Free to watch from Marina Green and the piers.
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
Early October
A free, multi-stage music festival in Golden Gate Park. Huge crowds and a great local tradition.
Beat the crowds
- Book Alcatraz as soon as your dates are set. In summer, same-week tickets are rare.
- Visit Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, and Lombard Street before 9am. By noon they are packed.
- Stay outside Union Square: Hayes Valley, the Mission, or near the Presidio give you calmer mornings and better food.
- For sunshine in summer, go east or north. The Mission and the East Bay are often sunny when the western neighborhoods are socked in.
Open or closed
- Nearly everything runs year-round. Winter storms can close coastal trails and delay ferries for a day or two.
- Muir Woods requires advance parking or shuttle reservations. Arriving without one means turning around.
- Wildfire smoke from inland California can reduce air quality in late summer and fall. It varies year to year, so check air-quality forecasts before outdoor plans.
- Large conventions (Moscone Center) can push hotel prices sharply higher for a week at a time. Check the convention calendar when comparing dates.
With kids in tow
- The California Academy of Sciences, the Exploratorium, and the San Francisco Zoo make an easy kid-first itinerary. All three are indoors or cool, so fog does not matter.
- Cable cars, the ferry to Sausalito, and walking the Golden Gate Bridge are big hits with kids. Pack warm layers; kids get cold fast in the summer wind.
- For homeschool families: Alcatraz, the Presidio, and the Maritime National Historical Park at Hyde Street Pier cover prison history, military history, and sailing ships in one trip.
Getting there
- San Francisco International (SFO) has nonstops from nearly every major US city, including Austin, Dallas, and Houston. Oakland (OAK) is a strong alternative.
- BART runs from SFO to downtown in about 30 minutes. You do not need a car in the city; parking is expensive and car break-ins are common.
- Rent a car only for day trips to Napa, Sonoma, Point Reyes, or the coast.
Packing? Packing cubes and the airport kit.
San Francisco for the holidays
Holiday and school-break weeks where San Francisco makes our ranked list.
Labor Day Weekend
August, September
Summer's last long weekend, and the first week of the best travel season of the year. Just keep an eye on the tropics.
New Year's Eve
December, January
One night, a dozen very different ways to spend it. Choose between the giant public show, the tradition you cannot get anywhere else, or a quiet midnight somewhere warm.
San Francisco timing, quick answers
What is the best month to visit San Francisco?
September. The fog usually retreats, it is the warmest month in the city, and summer crowds are gone. October is a close second.
What is the cheapest time to visit San Francisco?
January and February, outside big convention weeks. Winter is the rainy season, but hotel rates drop and the lines at Alcatraz and the cable cars shrink.
Why is San Francisco so cold in summer?
Hot inland valleys pull cool, moist Pacific air through the Golden Gate, forming the fog that covers the city many summer mornings and evenings. Highs stay in the mid 60s F (about 19C), with wind.
When is the rainy season in San Francisco?
Roughly November through March, with most rain from December through February. Summers are almost completely dry.
How far ahead should I book Alcatraz?
Two to four weeks ahead in summer and around holidays, and a week or so in winter. Tickets sell out, especially the early ferries and night tours.
Weighing alternatives
Similar trips, with their best months.
Before you book.
Sort these two things first.
Sponsored links. We may earn a commission; it never changes a verdict.
- Visit Faye
Travel insurance.
FayeA missed connection, a bag that never turns up, a hospital abroad: far cheaper to cover before departure than to argue about after.
- Visit Saily
eSIM data.
SailySet up an eSIM before you fly so your phone has data the moment you land, without roaming charges.
Our top-rated travel gear
Whatever you decide, this is the gear we actually travel with: verified, priced, and ranked. Live price check on each.
As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.