Today I want to share my guide to summer in San Francisco with you. I grew up in the Bay Area and I’ve spent years living in the city. Over time I’ve developed a strategy for approaching this part of the year. Why? Because this season isn’t quite what you’d expect from California. Let me explain why.
Summer in San Francisco
Normally I wouldn’t be surprised by heat in summer, but this city is anything but normal when it comes to the weather. So much so that one of the most famous quotes about SF is “the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco”.
It can get incredibly foggy here in June, July, and August (and other months), but San Francisco surprises with heat sometimes, and I’ve learned to be prepared for anything.
Which is why, as a native, I’m going to share with you my California Wayfaring guide to summer in San Francisco.
Summer Weather in San Francisco
Since we’ve already started discussing the weather, I’ll continue with that theme to start. As I mentioned before, traveling to San Francisco can be a mixed bag in the summertime.
One day it will be blazing hot, and the next it will be so foggy you can’t see the Golden Gate Bridge from the toll both. Many days start out fogged in and freezing and end up sunny and warm, or vice versa.
The same is true for different parts of the City by the Bay. Each neighborhood has its own microclimate, and the weather can be completely different in one part of the city than another at the same time.
For example, the western part of the city tends to get a lot of fog, the southern and eastern parts get more sun and heat, and the northern part gets a lot of wind. On the same day at the same time it can be hot and sunny in Noe Valley, gusty and cool in the Marina, and foggy and cold in Golden Gate Park.
As such, I recommend basing yourself somewhere in the south or east of the city during your trip. You can see accommodation in the Mission here and places to stay on the Embarcadero here. They’re some of the best areas to stay in San Francisco in summer.
What to Wear in San Francisco in Summer
When it comes to clothing, the best way to prepare for summer in San Francisco is to wear layers and be ready to take on all weather at all times.
The worst way to prepare for summer in San Francisco is to pack for summer and end up buying a tacky sweatshirt at an overpriced tourist shop in Fisherman’s Wharf.
That’s not least because you’ll make yourself a target for locals who make a sport of laughing at visitors who travel here unprepared for San Francisco summer weather. And most of them do.
If all else fails, move around. San Francisco is a small city—it’s on a peninsula that constrains it to seven miles by seven miles—so if it’s cold where you are, you may not have to go far to find warmer weather. If it’s foggy at the Golden Gate Bridge, head south to Dolores Park and you might find yourself basking in the California sunshine.
San Francisco Summer Festivals
Adequately armed for all weather, my next tip for summer in San Francisco is to go to one of the city’s many annual festivals. One of my favorite things about the City by the Bay is that there’s a celebration of some kind in a different neighborhood almost every weekend throughout the summer.
From the Union Street Festival in Cow Hollow to the North Beach Festival, Carnaval San Francisco, the Juneteenth Freedom Celebration, the Pride Parade on Market Street, the 4th of July fireworks on the northern waterfront, and the Stern Grove Festival in the Sunset, locals make the rounds from late spring to early fall.
If you like a block party, Sunday Streets is a program that transforms miles of city roads into car-free community spaces. From the Mission to the Western Addition, these events take place all summer long.
If you’re into music, the Fillmore Jazz Festival in Pacific Heights is the perfect choice. It takes over the neighborhood with live music on multiple stages and offers stalls with lots of great food and drinks.
On a larger scale, Outside Lands takes over Golden Gate Park every summer. This 3-day festival celebrates music, food, drinks, art, and all the other good things about the Bay Area. For many locals, it’s one of the best things to do in San Francisco in summer.
If you like movies, Sundown Cinema is for you. This outdoor film festival experience offers a free outdoor movie series in parks across San Francisco throughout the summer. There are food trucks, entertainment, and other fun, too.
If you like the theater, SF Shakes is just the ticket. Established in 1983, this free Shakespeare in the Park program features professional live performances in green spaces around the San Francisco Bay Area all summer long.
If leather is your fetish, the Folsom Street Fair is for you. And if you like to run naked (yes, really), Bay to Breakers is San Francisco’s annual clothing-optional, costume-encouraged road race.
If you want to participate in the festivals like a local, befriend people in the neighborhood and snag yourself an invitation to a house party. Daytime parties line the celebratory streets, and they’re ideal for having authentic experiences.
San Francisco Beaches
If the weather cooperates, another fun thing to do in San Francisco in summer is head to the beach. There are only a few days a year that it’s warm enough to lie out in a bikini, but those rare occasions are truly spectacular.
Even if it’s not warm enough to sunbathe, the city’s beaches are beautiful. Many offer sweeping views of the city skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Angel Island, Sausalito, the Marin Headlands, and other parts of the Bay Area.
My favorite beach in San Francisco is Baker Beach. It’s a golden stretch of sand in the Presidio with views of the Golden Gate Bridge. The parking lot gets rammed on sunny summer days, so make sure to arrive early to beat the crowds.
The smaller beaches and coves in the Presidio are worth discovering, too. You can hike to gems like Marshall’s Beach, Mile Rock Beach, and Seal Rocks Beach along the Batteries to Bluffs trail. They offer rugged natural scenery and views of the Marin Headlands, the Golden Gate Bridge, and more.
If you want something closer to downtown, the beaches in Aquatic Park Cove and Crane Cove Park are great choices. These small stretches of sand are easy to get to from downtown San Francisco, and they enjoy more sun than some of the western beaches.
Ocean Beach is another good choice. This expansive stretch of sand is big enough to accommodate the crowds that head to the city’s Pacific coast on sunny summer days. It’s popular for surfing, too.
South of Ocean Beach, Fort Funston is another of my favorite beaches in summer in San Francisco. With dramatic cliffs and lots of space to spread out, it’s a winner.
Crissy Field East Beach is another popular place. I used to live near here, and I beat a path to the sand every time the sun came out. It has great views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge, and it’s popular for kite surfing and other water sports when the wind picks up (which it often does).
Farmers’ Markets in San Francisco
Another of the best things about summer in San Francisco is that the farmers’ markets are full of the most delicious seasonal fruit of the year. Something a lot of people don’t know about California is that much of the state is agricultural. Many of the local farms produce amazing peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, and other beloved summer produce.
From the Ferry Building to Fort Mason and Clement Street, there’s no shortage of markets where you can find the Golden State’s seasonal bounty.
If you head over to the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market on The Embarcadero on a Saturday, you can sample plenty of sweet summer produce. While you’re here, you can have a picnic on the waterfront with views of the Bay Bridge and Treasure Island.
The Fort Mason Center Farmers’ Market is another good choice. Open on Sundays, it features a range of vendors in a great waterfront location.
If you want something truly local, head to the Alemany Farmers Market on a Saturday. Established in 1943, this is the oldest farmers’ market in California. An SF institution, it offers fresh produce and more seasonal fruits and vegetables than you can imagine.
If it’s a Thursday or a Sunday and the weather isn’t nice, you can drive north to San Rafael and go to the Marin Farmers’ Market. It’s packed with stalls selling local produce and prepared foods, and there are plenty of places to sit and enjoy it.
Day Trips from San Francisco in Summer
As much as there’s a lot going on in summer in San Francisco, there are some good reasons to get out of the city. One of the best ways to cheat the weather gods in SF is to understand that when the city is foggy and cold, all it takes is a 10-minute drive to find yourself in weather 20 degrees (or more) warmer.
If you awake to fog in the city, simply head south to the Peninsula or travel across the Golden Gate Bridge or the Bay Bridge to escape the cold and spend a sunny day in the Bay Area.
Even if you’re lucky with warm weather in the city, it’s still worth taking some day trips from San Francisco while you’re visiting. Whatever you’re into, there’s one that will fit your tastes and interests.
If you want to do the classic San Francisco thing, you can rent a bike and cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito. There are great restaurants, cafes, shops, and waterfront bars here where you can enjoy a sunny summer afternoon before taking the ferry back to the city.
In the East Bay, a day trip to Berkeley will let you explore the famous university city and soak up its countercultural vibes. Visiting the hip areas in downtown Oakland is a great way to spend a day, too. Both are easy trips thanks to BART, the train system that connects San Francisco to other parts of the Bay Area.
A day trip to Napa or Sonoma is a must for wine enthusiasts. Head to Russian River if you’re a Pinot Noir fan like me, Dry Creek Valley if you love Zinfandels, and Napa Valley if you like big, bold Cabernet Sauvignons. And if you like a side of shopping and dining with your wine tasting, downtown Healdsburg is for you.
If getting outdoors is your thing, you’re in luck. There are great hiking trails in the Bay Area that will show you some of the natural highlights of Northern California. From Marin County hikes like the famous Cataract Falls Trail to dog-friendly hikes that will let you bring your furry friends, there’s no shortage of fun ones.
If you want to travel south, look no further than the beaches in Half Moon Bay and Pescadero. You can also spend one day in Santa Cruz if you want to see the famous West Coast surf mecca (just make sure to check the weather forecast first, as it can be foggy in all three places in the summer months).
If you’re a tech fan, Silicon Valley has a Computer History Museum in Mountain View. It’s not far from fun places like downtown Palo Alto and the beautiful Stanford University campus, both of which are worth exploring.
San Francisco Summer
Whatever you end up doing in summer in San Francisco, I’m sure you’ll enjoy your stay (especially if you come prepared for any weather!).
If you’re flexible with your timing, September and October tend to be much warmer and sunnier than the months preceding them. Visiting then will mean you’ll have a higher likelihood of blue skies and a temperate climate. But then you’ll miss out on all the summer fun.
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