best things to do in San Francisco

Guide: SF Visitor Guide

A first-time San Francisco route spanning waterfront landmarks, iconic parks, major museums, and city viewpoints worth planning around.

• Ferry BuildingThe Ferry Building is the right first-stop anchor for this SF guide because it combines food vendors, bayfront walking, ferry access, and an easy Market Street handoff. Use it in the morning when the waterfront is calmer and the route can open toward North Beach or the Embarcadero.
• Fisherman's WharfFisherman's Wharf earns a spot as the obvious first-time waterfront hit: busy, touristy, but useful for pier walks, bay views, and quick transitions toward North Beach. Treat it as a short district pass-through rather than the emotional center of the day.
• Palace of Fine ArtsThe Palace of Fine Arts gives the route a slower architectural pause after denser waterfront stops. Its rotunda, lagoon, and open lawns work best around golden hour, when the stop can be about photos and decompression rather than checking off another attraction.
• Alamo Square ParkAlamo Square Park gives the guide a classic skyline-lawn view framed by the Painted Ladies and downtown beyond. Use it as a short viewpoint stop between neighborhoods, not a long park day, unless the weather is doing the work for you.
• de Young MuseumThe de Young Museum is the Golden Gate Park culture anchor, with permanent collections and a tower lookout that gives broad western-city views. It is most useful when the route needs an indoor museum block that still connects back to the park.
• Legion of HonorThe Legion of Honor gives the guide a quieter fine-arts stop on the ocean edge, with a dramatic approach and a calmer pace than the central museums. Pair it with Lands End when you want culture and coastal walking in the same west-side loop.