We have heard it a thousand times, the Bay Area is EXPENSIVE. Yes, the overall cost of living is pricey. Yes, compared to other destinations you may be spending more for your stay BUT, that does NOT mean you can’t explore this stunning city on a budget. One of our favorite words in the world is FREE (and Chanel for Sophie, literally polar opposites but hey, we are human.) This city has our hearts for soo many reasons, the diversity, history, food and overall energy really is captivating. It is one of our favorite mini vacation destinations when we want a change of pace from the hustle and bustle of LaLa Land. We have come up with a list of 7 FREE activities to add to your Bay Area itinerary.
1. Twin Peaks
For the BEST view of the city
If you are looking for a peaceful place to have a moment, relax, just look out and take a breath, then Twin Peaks is the perfect place to add to your itinerary. The iconic views of San Fran that are all over social media are often taken from this scenic point. It’s a great way to see a 360-degree view and get some gram-worthy shots. The peaks are bit of a drive but if you leave early morning you get the most beautiful views!
You can see the ocean, the downtown area, and the mountains; not to mention get some really pretty gram-worthy shots.
Because let’s be real, if it’s not on the gram … did you even go?
Address for Directions: 501 Twin Peaks Blvd, San Francisco, Ca 94114
2. Lombard Street
AKA- Crooked Street
A fixture on most tourist list of places to visit, Lombard Street has been given the title of “The Most Crooked Street in the World”. With eight sharp turns that go down the steep inclined roads San Francisco is famous for; this street is never short of a crowd. Every time we end up in the Bay Area no matter how many times, we have gone down this street and for us, it’s a relaxing little ride through history. The homes that line the street are stunning and you will really enjoy this little joy ride.
To experience Lombard, you can start from to top and drive down, or walk down using the side walk and get an amazing glute workout hiking back up (not for us, but we are cheering on all the pedestrians). The views of the Bay area and the Hydrangeas along the road make for some stunning photo ops. Word for the wise, there is ALWAYS a rush, yes, you will get your turn, yes you will be going slow, and yes, it is worth the wait. Please be nice to the people trying to get in line, they are just trying to get their crooked street love on as well <3
TIP: Please please be a nice visitor (we know you all are) and DON’T HONK while going down the street, there are people who actually live in the homes and if it were us, we would be super annoyed by unnecessary honking.
To get to the top of Lombard Street: 1070 Lombard Street, San Francisco, California, 94109
3. Fisherman’s Wharf
The Waterfront
You absolutely cannot visit the Bay Area and miss out on a trip to the Fisherman’s Wharf. San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf is considered unique among the scenic waterfront attractions of the world. The Fisherman’s Wharf we enjoy today is actually resting on land created from the rubble of buildings destroyed in the earthquake and fire of 1906.
With all the amazing food options, historical spots, stunning waterfront views and of course the famous Pier 39, plan your day so you land at the Wharf around lunch, so you can enjoy the Bay weather as well as some of the fabulous food. What we love is that most of the dining options are small, local businesses versus huge franchises.
While walking about don’t forget to say hello to the Sea Lions at pier 39. We love the Wharf for a great, feel-good afternoon. You can spend hours walking around and just absorbing the atmosphere and enjoying the delicious smells coming from the restaurants. Oh, and don’t forget to indulge in some DELICIOUS sourdough bread and fresh sea food! Our favorite spot is Boudins but there are tons of great bakeries around town.
So go on! forget your carb counting and get your bread on!
Tip: If you are driving, give yourself a few minutes to look for parking, sometimes the lot parking is super expensive and if street parking is available, it’s worth the time it takes to find a spot.
4. Walk to Ghirardelli Square
Dessert + Bay Views + Shopping? - ‘Nuff Said
One of the many things we love about this city is that many of the attractions are a nice walk from each other, that is true for Ghirardelli Square. After you finish grabbing a bite and absorbing the vibe of the wharf, walk on over to the famous Ghirardelli Square. It’s a beautiful 10- 15 walk and you’re treated to such beautiful views of the Bay that it’s the ideal way to get the most of your route. Not to mention the destination is pretty great as well.
Despite popular belief, there is more to this spot than just some great chocolate and ice cream (not that we’re complaining) this beautiful landmark was indeed originally the manufacturing site for Ghirardelli Chocolate, but what makes it even more special is that when locals found out the company was moving the factory in the 1960’s, they purchased the area and decided to re-use the space but keep the original structure to preserve its history and beauty.
While you are enjoying your treats from the shop, make sure to check out the trams and hop on for a ride if possible. (Just remember where you got on so you don’t get lost)
Ghirardelli Square Address: 900 North Point St Suite 52, San Francisco, CA 94109
5. Drive Across the Golden Gate Bridge
Let’s be real, we are almost positive when you think of San Francisco one of a 2 things happens:
- You hear the theme song for Full House
- You imagine the Golden Gate Bridge
Okay so the Full House reference might not apply, but nothing screams San Francisco more than the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. The 1.7-mile suspension bridge has arguably been called one of the most photographed bridges in the world. The construction itself was historical and groundbreaking at the time and even though the world has advanced, we can’t help but marvel at the engineering abilities in the 1930’s
What we found interesting was just how BIG the towers are when you are actually driving underneath them (746 ft’). Although there are bridges that are longer and taller, few have the fame and photo creds. The drive is fairly easy and when you cross the bridge there is an actual Vista point where you can part and take some beautiful shots. We tried to record one of our drives and mannn was it WINDY. Did we mention the whooshing sound of the wind? Let’s just say the fact that we managed to hold on to our phone was a MAJOR accomplishment.
Tip: Go right before sunset, park at the vista so you can get the best of views as well as pictures. Take a light jacket because the evenings are always chilly.
Final Thoughts
There are THOUSANDS of activities to do in a city like San Francisco. From hiking, biking, shopping to eating, this vibrant city has something for everyone. We know most activities and vacations in general require some spending of money, so we wanted to give you some free activities to add to your itinerary. We hope you have a great adventure in one of our favorite cities!
Stay Safe and Healthy!
-xoxo Sophie and Aamir
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Find out how our dining experience was at Zareen’s. The iconic Pakistani eatery in the Bay Area
26 Comments
I have done 4/5 .. looking forward to seeing the twin peaks ! Thank you for the great recommendations! This is a beautiful city !
Nice! You will LOVE the sunsets from the Twin Peaks 🙂
Such a lovely post! What a beautiful place. Looks like a perfect spot for pictures and relaxing.
Thank you! San Francisco is full of perfect pots for photp ops.
That viewpoint looks fantastic! I love knowing about free things to do before I visit a new city, so thank you!
Yay! We know how much money you can spend when you set out to travel so it’s always nice to have some activities that are easy on the wallet 🙂
We loved visiting San Francisco! Ghiradelli Square is definitely free to walk around…but I couldn’t resist buying a bit of chocolate 😂
We don’t blame you at all. We ended up buying ice cream, chocolates and tons to take away 🙂
San Francisco is expensive, so free things are definitely in order. Looking forward to hitting twin peaks on my next visit!
We went for a weekend and after seeing how much we spent, we really wanted to post about some free activities. You will love the twin peaks, try to go early, the sunrise is unREAL 🙂
SF is so fun – great post!
San Fran really is a vibrant city! Glad you liked the post.
Great post! I can’t believe I still haven’t been to San Francisco. It’s definitely on my bucket list!
You will REALLY love the city. It has such a positive and energetic vibe, paired with beautiful outdoor activities. We hope you are able to explore it first hand soon!
These are all great free activities! I remember as a kid going down Lombard Street and loving it so much. It definitely catches your eye. The seafood and sourdough bread is so good there and making me realize I need to take another trip up there!
Right!! SF has a way of going to the back of the mind until someone mentions it and then it sounds more and more appealing 🙂
Been to SF twice already but would love to go back again. You’re right I remember our stay was a lot more expensive than other cities buut there was so much to do and see for free which balanced it out at the end.
yess!!! SF is one of those cities where there is always something to see and discover. No matter how many times we go, there is always a new eatery or exhibit going on. Good to hear other people have also mangaged to have budget balanced trips 🙂
I didn’t know about Twin Peaks, but that sure is a gorgeous view! I loved Fisherman’s Wharf and Lombard Street when I visited San Francisco several years ago. Thanks for sharing!
Twin Peaks is a more of a local gem, we have heard from a lot of people that they have not been. The Wharf is such a vibrant place, it is an easy place to love.
My dream is to watch the seal lions at the pier! Good to know that all stops won’t break the bank in this city!! LOL
You will love watching them just laze about! We always laugh at how lovely their lives are 🙂 Your bank account can be safe too!!! Cost of food can range but we figure if you balance with some wholeosme free fun, you can have a really memorable trip 🙂
We visited San Francisco two years ago and absolutely loved it. Yes, it’s not cheap. But we’ve done loads of things for little money. Seeing the sea lions down by the pier for example. Or walking up and down all those hills 😉 would love to come back for another visit.
The sea lions are always a riot to watch. SF is appealing to soo many people because of all the fun outdoor activities 🙂
Love this. We are planning to fly to Vegas (if the borders open) in December and tie the knot, and looking at where we want to go after that. I think SF is a strong contender! Really good post thanks you.
Congrats!!! Fingers crossed you are able to get here safely and tie the knot. You will LOVE the change of pace in SF compared to vegas.