San Francisco
Hills, fog, a red bridge and the bay at the end of every street.
San Francisco sits on a peninsula of steep hills between the Pacific and its bay, with the Golden Gate at the mouth, cable cars on the slopes and neighbourhoods that change character every few blocks: North Beach's Italian cafés, Chinatown's markets, the Mission's murals, the Castro's flags. The wine country and the redwoods are an hour north.
Why go
For the views, which the hills hand out freely: the bridge from the Marin headlands, the bay from Coit Tower, the city from Twin Peaks when the fog allows. And for the neighbourhoods, each a walk with its own food, shops and history.
And for what lies around it: Muir Woods' redwoods, Sausalito by ferry, the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma, and the coast road south to Santa Cruz and Big Sur.
Highlights
What people go for, in no particular order.
01The Golden Gate Bridge
Walked or cycled across to the Marin side, seen from Crissy Field below or from the headlands above, where the classic view is. The fog often burns off by early afternoon.
02The cable cars and the hills
The Powell–Hyde line over Russian Hill to the bay, and California Street's climb through the financial district, ridden from the outside step. Lombard Street's curves are a block away.
03Alcatraz
The ferry to the island prison in the bay, with the audio tour by former guards and inmates. Tickets sell out well ahead; book early.
04North Beach, Chinatown and the Ferry Building
Coffee and bookshops in the old Italian quarter, dim sum and dragon gates in Chinatown next door, and the market hall on the Embarcadero with its Saturday farmers' market.
05The Mission, the Castro and the Haight
Murals and burritos in the Mission, the rainbow crossings of the Castro, and the Victorian houses and record shops of Haight-Ashbury by Golden Gate Park.
06Golden Gate Park and the ocean
The park's museums, Japanese tea garden and bison paddock, running out to Ocean Beach, with the Sutro Baths ruins and the Lands End trail at its northern corner.
07Muir Woods, Sausalito and wine country
The coast redwoods across the bridge, the houseboat town reached by ferry, and the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma an hour's drive north.
Areas
Where to base yourself, and what each area is like.
Union Square and Nob Hill
The hotel district and the cable car lines, central to the shops, Chinatown and the theatres.
North Beach and Fisherman's Wharf
The waterfront with the piers, the sea lions and the Alcatraz ferry, and the cafés up the hill.
The Mission and Hayes Valley
Restaurants, bars and boutiques in the city's liveliest neighbourhoods, a short ride from downtown.
The Marina and Pacific Heights
Quieter streets near the bay, the Palace of Fine Arts and the walk to the bridge.
When to go: San Francisco
- AutumnSeptember and October
- The city's own summer: warm, clear days with the fog gone and the bay sparkling.
- SummerJune – August
- Cool and foggy on the coast side, warm inland; a layer is always needed. Busy with visitors.
- SpringMarch – May
- Mild, green after the winter rains and bright between showers. Comfortable for walking the hills.
- WinterNovember – February
- Cool, with the year's rain in spells and clear days between. Quiet, with the holiday lights downtown.
Getting there
Airports
Three airports in our search serve San Francisco. Distances are measured in a straight line.
- SFOSan Francisco International
- OAKSan Francisco Bay Oakland International · Oakland
- SJCMineta San Jose International · San Jose
Distance from
- JFKNew York4,150 km
- LHRLondon8,600 km
- CDGParis8,950 km
- SYDSydney11,950 km
- DXBDubai13,000 km
- BOMMumbai13,490 km
- SINSingapore13,570 km
- JNBJohannesburg16,980 km
Getting around: San Francisco
BART runs from the airport to downtown; Muni buses, streetcars and the cable cars cover the city, with a Clipper card for all of them. Ride-hailing began here and is everywhere.
The city is walked with the hills in mind; bikes suit the flat waterfront and the park. Ferries cross to Sausalito and Oakland; a car is needed only for wine country and the coast.
Practical facts
The country, its currency and languages, the time zone and the time there now.
- Country
- United States
- Currency
- USD · United States Dollar
- Languages
- English
- Time zone
- Pacific Time
- Local time now
- Calling code
- +1
The atlas
San Francisco in figures
The figures under this guide: the climate on modelled 2001–2020 averages, how far it is from the UAE, and the places around it.
Climate
The weather in San Francisco, month by month
- Jan13°
- Feb14°
- Mar15°
- Apr17°
- May19°
- Jun21°
- Jul22°
- Aug23°
- Sept23°
- Oct21°
- Nov17°
- Dec13°
- Mild to warm and dry
- Mild to warm, humid or showery
- Hot
- Cool
- Wet
- Cold
Good for going, on these averages: May to October.
Mean highs run from 13°C in January to 23°C in September, with about 585 mm of rain in a year.
These are modelled averages for 2001–2020; the seasons described above are our own reading of a typical year.
Month-by-month climate for San FranciscoModelled averages for an area about 50 km across, not a weather station's record: NASA POWER climatology, 2001–2020.
Airports
How far it is from the UAE
From DXBSan Francisco
13,000 km
16 hrs 5 mins · Estimate
From AUHSan Francisco
13,090 km
16 hrs 10 mins · Estimate
The great-circle distance, and a rough flying time: the distance at an average 850 km/h plus 45 minutes for take-off and landing. Real flights follow airways, meet headwinds and wait for traffic, so schedules differ.
On the map
Places near San Francisco
Plan this trip: San Francisco
Open the trip builder with San Francisco already filled in. Flights, stays and everything else are priced together in one quote, prepared by a person on our team.
