Photo By: Jakob Owens40 Free Things to do in San Francisco Nicole Fera April 4, 2018 Spread the loveThe City is Chock Full of Free Stuff Written By: Nicole FeraĀ 40 Free Things to do in San Francisco Exploring a brand new city can be some of the best experiences you have in your life. Unfortunately, that can also come at a cost, and in San Francisco that cost can be high. Luckily, there are plenty of free things to do in San Francisco, and theyāll all have you falling in love with the Bay without kissing your money goodbye. Hike the Presidio The Presidio offers many different hikes, including one that leads you straight to the Golden Gate Bridge. Stroll Through Golden Gate Park Just strolling through this park makes for the perfect day outside and thereās always something new to discover. Watch the Pride Parade View this post on Instagram one more pride photo just cause it was such a fun day A post shared by reece (@reecepeach) on Sep 19, 2017 at 7:19am PDT San Franciscoās Pride Parade is one of the biggest celebrations of the year and will be happening June 23, 2018 this year. Visit City Hall Not only is San Franās City Hall the location of Harvey Milkās Assassination in 1978, but it holds a lot of other hidden historic treasures inside. Hike to Twin Peaks The views from the top of Twin Peaks are unlike any other in the city. From 922 feet you can see a perfectly painted picture of the Bay and everything built around it. Walk Across the Golden Gate Bridge Photo By: Joseph Barrientos Take a stroll over one of the most beautiful bridges in the world and get an up-close view of this impressive landmark. Check out the Cable Cars You donāt have to ride the infamous cable cars to appreciate their nostalgia and long time history with the city. Lay Out in McLaren Park This park is the second largest in the city and offers seven miles of trails that weave their way through 312 acres of land. Visit Ghirardelli Square View this post on Instagram Ghirardelli square The chocolate headquarter š«š Add to your visit list when you're in SFš ćć§ć³ć¬ć¼ć儽ććŖē§ćć©ććć¦ä»ć¾ć§ćććē„ććŖćć£ććć§ćććš±š ė¤ģ ź°ģ¼ģ§š #ghirardellisquare #chocolate #worldfamoushotfudgesundae A post shared by @ glen_tea on Apr 1, 2018 at 3:17am PDT Down at Fishermanās Wharf youāll find some of the worldās most beloved chocolate in Ghiradelli Square. Take a walk around to see how the magic happens. (Hint: find the free samples.) Attend the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival This music festival takes place in Golden Gate Park and is free to all who want to attend. It usually takes place the first weekend of October. Find Your Zen at the Japanese Tea Garden The Japanese Tea Garden inside Golden Gate Park is the oldest public garden in the US and is just as serene as you would imagine. Enter before 10 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday or Friday and itās free! Smell the Roses at the Botanical Gardens https://www.instagram.com/p/BhIFpnIDG-a/?taken-at=158162 The Botanical Gardens is home to over 8, 000 different kinds of plants over 55 acres of land. Admission is free everyday from 7:30-9:00 a.m. Stoke a Fire at the Ocean Beach Fire Pits Visit Ocean Beach between stairwells 15 and 20 and youāll find fire pits set up on the beach for your enjoyment. Wander through Prelinger Library The Prelinger Library is open to the public and home to some extremely interesting works that have been collected over the years. Visit 16th Avenue and Its Tiled Steps On Moraga Street between 15th and 16th Ave you will discover something pretty amazing and unusual about the staircase here. This project is the result of the locals that wanted to transform 163 steps into something truly amazing, which they did. Visit the Cable Car Museum View this post on Instagram A post shared by Randel Hart (@randelhart) on Mar 31, 2018 at 12:20pm PDT The cable cars of San Fran are a huge part of its history and something tourists look forward to seeing when they visit. Take a walk around the museum and discover more about this SF staple. Venture to a National Park There are tons of National Parks and historic areas to visit in the Bay, but why not do it on a day when entrance fees are free? Visit this website to find out all of these dates and when visits to each park are best. Bike Around Crissy Field Crissy Field is a former military airfield that was transformed into an environmental showcase back in 2001. It is now the perfect place to walk around, bike, hike and enjoy the breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Savor the Murals of Balmy Alley https://www.instagram.com/p/BhHMtMRjJqI/?taken-at=678638 Located in the Inner Mission District between 24th St and Garfield Square is Balmy Alley, which boasts the most concentrated collection of murals that the city has to offer. The murals celebrate Chicano and Mexican heritage in the US. Stop by the Renegade Craft Fair This well-known craft fair happens twice a year in only a few select cities, and the beautiful Bay just happens to be one of them. Enjoy a Free Shows at Amoeba Visiting Amoeba Music is not only a must-do to browse around their amazing collection of vinyl, but there are often free shows, too. Hang Out with the Sea Lions at Pier 39 View this post on Instagram California Sea lions . . #sealions #sealionselfie #sea #sanfrancisco #nature #naturelovers #naturephotography #nature_shooters #day #photo #photoshoot #photography #photographer#day #travel #travelling #travelphotography #travels #travel_captures #traveltheworld #usa #california A post shared by Ami Perets (@peretsami) on Apr 4, 2018 at 7:54am PDT Head over to Pier 39 and hang out with the Sea Lions that call this spot their home. They started showing up in 1990, and in 2009 there were over 1, 000 sea lions hanging around and enjoying the sun in the bay. Go to the Top of the Westin St Francis Although you canāt stay at this historic hotel for free, you can head in and take their glass elevators to the very top for some pretty epic views. People Watch at the Ferry Building Farmerās Market https://www.instagram.com/p/BhHXL1elnOZ/?taken-at=235876093 Anytime thereās a farmerās market, you know what that means. Free Samples! Walk the Wharf Fishermanās Wharf is a must-do when visiting San Francisco. Youāll catch some great views, soak up the sun and enjoy some live entertainment. Have a Beach Day When you think San Fran you might not think of a beach day, but there are plenty of great beaches and places to work on your tan. One of our favorites is Baker Beach, which is right down by the Presidio District. Enjoy the Views at Russian Hill After visiting Lombard Street, head one block over towards the Alice Marble Tennis Courts, and discover some pretty sweet views. Scale Up or Down Lombard Street https://www.instagram.com/p/BhJeYMHhKws/?taken-at=220942243 Whether you drive down or simply get a good look at Lombard Street, itās one of the coolest sights in the city. Feel the Music at the Stern Grove Festival Thereās nothing better than free musical concerts in the summer and the Stern Grove Festival has got you covered. This year they have Janelle Monae performing on June 17, 2018. Brush Up on Books San Francisco is known for many things, including their literary history. There are many historic bookstores around town that not only have some great books to check out, but host live readings and visiting authors from all sorts of backgrounds and genres. Check out City Lights Bookstore to start. Fleet Week View this post on Instagram ā āļøAircraft: Boeing 747-422 šRoute: KSFO-Fleet Week Demo-KSFO š¢Registration: N121UA #N121UA š«Engine: 4x PW4000 š°Age: 18.6 Years šOperator: United Airlines šLocation: Marina Green š Note: šš¼ āāāāāāāāāāāāāā #747friendship#747#united#united747#b744#boeing747#boeing#boeinglovers#747400#fleetweeksf#fleetweek#sf#sanfrancisco#megaplane#avgeek#avporn#avnerd#planegeek#planeporn#planenerd#unitedday#flyby#aviationphotography#aviation#instaaviation#nikonaviation#nikonp900#nikon#instagramaviation A post shared by Ben (@aviation_glamour) on Jan 20, 2018 at 10:10am PST If youāre planning a visit to the Bay area, you might want to plan it for the beginning of October this year. Not only is it a beautiful time to visit, but you just might meet a handsome sailor in your travels during fleet week! Take a Walking Tour Local volunteers along with the city of San Fran and the public library teamed up to offer free tours! These are the people who know and love SF. For a little bit of cash too, you could use the Detour app as your guide. Have a Picnic at the Palace of Fine Arts This is one of the most iconic and beautiful buildings in the city and a great photo opportunity on your trip! People Watch at Dolores Park Youāll be feeling like a local for sure. Post on Instagram in Clarion Alley View this post on Instagram Walked passed this alley with my dad when he mentioned he had watched a documentary on this alley and hadnāt been to it. We looped back to enjoy all of its beauty. Lucky that I get to explore with dad today ā¤ļøāļø A post shared by BOLDcursiveāļø (@boldcursive) on Apr 3, 2018 at 3:25pm PDT Itās a small street in SF, located between Mission and Valencia and 17th and 18th, that packs a big punch with their colorful murals. Break Bread at the Boudin Bakery & Museum Head to the wharf and check out how Boudinās delicious sourdough bread is made fresh everyday during one of their free tours. Take the Kids to the Randall Museum The Randall Museum is free, and itās a great place to take the kids for a family outing. They have live animal exhibits and lots of hands-on workshops. Catch a Flick Although movies have become one of the more expensive things to do on a night out, the great city of SF offers tons of free movie screenings in the summer. These can be found in Union Square, Washington Park, Dolores Park and other spots around the area. Catch a bit of a Giantās Game Normally seeing a professional baseball game can cost you a pretty penny, but there is a way to catch a bit of the San Fran Giantās on their home turf. You can watch the game for free from the archway along the Waterfront Promenade, which is on the eastside of the park. To the locals, this is known as the McCovey Cove side of things, so ask around. Listen to the Wave Organ The Wave Organ is a unique, interesting and incredible piece of installation art that is built on a jetty in the SF Bay. Basically, as the tide comes in and waves crash against the pipes built there it creates a music all itās own. You have to experience this.