San Francisco is a city of beauty and variety from its glorious ocean views to its hilly terrain and interesting history. It is a place where tourists never run out of sites to visit and places to explore. And the best part is that many of the city’s best attractions are family friendly and free to visit. So, for the family on a budget or those who are just looking for great places to visit, here are five free sites to visit while in San Francisco.
California Academy of Sciences
Located in beautiful Golden Gate Park, the California Academy of Sciences offers a variety of interesting places within its walls to visit. The academy houses an aquarium, a planetarium, a natural history museum and a 4-story rain forest. Watch penguins being fed and enjoy a 25 foot deep Philippine coral reef that houses over 3000 exotic fish. See a white alligator in the Swamp and an Amazonian Flooded Rain Forest filled with live anacondas, piranha and other creatures. Move on to the Rainforests of the World featuring vegetation and animals native to Borneo, Madagascar and Costa Rico. Afterwards experience the universe at the state-of-the art digital planetarium which receives real-time information from NASA of our solar system. There is much more to enjoy so plan to spend the entire day. The academy is free to the public on the third Wednesday of each month.
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Close to the Fisherman Wharf district and Golden Gate Park is the Maritime National Historical Park where visitors can enjoy a tour for free the first Sunday of each month. Explore seven historic ships on the Hyde Street Pier and delve into maritime history at the museum. Walk the pier and enjoy the many activities that are always going on there. Beautiful views of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge can also be seen from the pier. Plan to spend the day and visit nearby Fisherman’s Wharf too.
San Francisco Botanical Gardens
Located in Golden Gate Park are the Botanical Gardens. Here visitors can explore 55 acres of land and view over 7,500 varieties of plants from around the world. The plants originate from places such as Africa, South America, New Zealand and Australia and some are so rare that they no longer grow in their natural habitat. There are several different garden areas to stroll though with delightful names such as the fragrance garden, Asian Cloud Forest and the Redwood Trail. Free guided tours are available too. The gardens are open daily and admission is always free.
Chinatown Night Market Fair
Chinatown is an absolute must see for all visitors to San Francisco and visiting during their Night Market Fair makes it even more memorable. Every summer from late July to late October on Saturdays at 6-11 PM, Portsmouth Square in Chinatown comes alive with over 100 outdoor vendors, Chinese operas, karaoke singers, martial arts and lion dancing. Every Saturday there is different entertainment and the area fills up with locals and tourists alike. This is great fun for adults and children alike. Admission is always free.
San Francisco City Guides
Visitors can enjoy a walking tour of some of San Francisco’s most famous areas. San Francisco City Guides offers several choices of tours at absolutely no cost. Volunteers who love the city and are knowledgeable of its history take visitors on scheduled walking tours of areas such as Fisherman’s Wharf, Nob Hill, Chinatown, Gold Rush City, the Presidio and many other places. Hear interesting facts as guides point out key places during the tour. Each walking tour is generally under an hour so it is a good choice for adults and children alike.
San Francisco is a fun and interesting city to visit for young and old alike. Visiting one or more of these free attractions will be a great addition to any family’s vacation fun.
Deanna Lynn Sletten - Deanna Lynn Sletten has been a freelance writer for newspapers, regional magazines and websites for 20 years. She specializes in the ...
