Free Things To Do in San Francisco

Finding free things to do in San Francisco may be easier than you think. While the Bay Area can be an expensive area to live or even visit, there are plenty of cheap options still available for families and tourists looking for a great experience. Below are just a few of the free events and activities the City by the Bay offers seasonally and year-round.

Slideshow:Fun Things to Do in San Francisco

These city museums and exhibits will allow you to see San Francisco below the surface, from cable car workings to botanical garden exploration.

One of San Francisco’s national historic sites, Fort Point is a great place for parents to teach their kids about the Civil War and other past moments in America’s history. There are a few ways to explore the fort – self-guided tours, an official fort history tour, and two different video presentations running under 30 minutes each. You can also make free reservations for special events throughout the year such as the Fort Point candlelight tour, which takes place on Saturday evenings, November through February. The fort also offers a pier crabbing demonstration during the spring, summer and early fall.

If you choose to explore the fort independently, there is plenty to see and do. Don’t miss the Civil War-era cannon loading demonstration, which will show new generations how soldiers loaded and fired cannons during an artillery drill. You can also visit exhibits that explain how the Golden Gate Bridge was built, teach the history of the various lighthouses that have lived at Fort Point over the years, and learn what the role of women was during the years of the Civil War.

Fort Point is open to the public every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (415) 556-1693.

With over 100 species of plants to discover, the San Francisco Botanical Garden was originally planted at the turn of the century to represent a traditional Northern California redwood forest community. Since then, it has grown and expanded, with the Coast Redwoods found inside some of the oldest trees within the garden’s confines.

With a bookstore, daily tours, and family activities including a summer day camp and story times for children, the botanical garden is open 365 days a year, rain or shine. For tour information or specifics on children’s educational programs, call (415) 661-131.

Open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, the cable car museum on Mason Street on Washington is a great way for families to learn more about San Francisco’s famous mode of transportation. The museum itself is in the same building as the cable car “control center”, and kids are able to view the cable winding and moving first hand. Adults will love the antique cars on display, as well as photos of past cable car station renovations.

In the Bay Area, the city is the best place to find great tunes, be it well-known bands or up-and-coming performing artists.

If you’re looking for free musical entertainment with both a fun environment for kids and romantic ambiance for lovebirds, then check out the Golden Gate Park Band every Sunday, April through October. Performing free concerts in the park since 1882, the band is a deep city tradition and covers every genre of music from opera to folk music. All concerts begin at 1 p.m., and can be found at the Music Concourse.

Founded in 1938 by a local arts activist, the free concerts of Stern Grove are designed to promote both diverse culture and creative arts throughout the city. Their performance genres are extremely varied, and free concerts are presented all summer long. To learn more about these free outdoor concerts, visit their official website. If you enjoy your visit, you can contribute to this non-profit through a financial donation or volunteer time if you’re local to the area.

San Francisco is full of free and cheap things to do, and this is only the short list. For more ideas, surf the Web or pay a visit to San Francisco’s Chamber of Commerce.

• Ferry Building at the Embarcadero
• Why Is It Called the Golden Gate Bridge
• Fun Things to Do in San Francisco

• Coit Tower
• Coupons for Monterey Bay Aquarium
• San Francisco Tattoo
• Bay Area Dog Hikes
• Best Dim Sum in San Francisco Chinatown

• San Francisco Walking Tours
• Free Travel Guides for San Francisco
• Carmel Things to Do
• Things To Do In Sausalito
• Things to do in San Francisco