Highest-rated things to do in San Francisco, according to Tripadvisor
Highest-rated things to do in San Francisco, according to Tripadvisor
"For those who are lost, there will always be cities that feel like home," Simon Van Booy wrote in his 2011 novel "Everything Beautiful Began After," and what better way to find the cities that might feel like home than to get lost? Travel beckons, and there are many great cities to explore in the U.S. From New York to Los Angeles, Chicago to Miami, and Las Vegas to San Francisco, metro regions in the U.S. offer an incredible range of activities, attractions, and cultural monuments to enjoy.
Every city has its own unique history—stories of industry, immigration, and imagination. Plus, each city offers its own geographical specificity: San Francisco's gorgeous heights and quad-killing hills; the bustling boroughs of New York and how they wind around bodies of water; the flat desert of Las Vegas with its tremendous, wide-open sky (try stargazing at the nearby Red Rock Canyon for awe-inspiring views of the heavens).
Each city also has its own flavor. Some metros are practically a Baskin-Robbins of adventure, featuring all kinds of flavors, some of which might be complex, unfamiliar, or even new. Los Angeles, for example, can be experienced in so many ways, from its history as the motion picture and entertainment capital to its modern incarnation as one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world—there are many versions of LA to visit, just as there are many iterations of San Francisco, New York, and Las Vegas. Cities, after you scratch the surface, reveal even more treasures within—but first, you must know where to begin!
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated things to do in San Francisco using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of May 31, 2024.
#30. Fort Point National Historic Site
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,089 reviews)
- Address: Long Ave. & Marine Drive Building 999 San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#29. San Francisco Botanical Garden
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,031 reviews)
- Address: 1199 9th Ave. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#28. Ghirardelli Square
- Rating: 4/5 (3,608 reviews)
- Address: 900 North Point St. At Polk St. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#27. Misalignment Museum
- Rating: 5/5 (155 reviews)
- Address: 1699 3rd St. Warriors Chase Center San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#26. Asian Art Museum
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,553 reviews)
- Address: 200 Larkin St. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#25. de Young Museum
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,196 reviews)
- Address: 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive Golden Gate Park San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#24. Japanese Tea Garden
- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,373 reviews)
- Address: 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive Golden Gate Park San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#23. Chinatown
- Rating: 4/5 (7,139 reviews)
- Address: Grant Ave. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#22. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,100 reviews)
- Address: 151 3rd St. Enter on Howard or Third St. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#21. Presidio of San Francisco
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,904 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#20. San Francisco Playhouse
- Rating: 5/5 (368 reviews)
- Address: 450 Post St. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#19. Coit Tower
- Rating: 4/5 (4,584 reviews)
- Address: 1 Telegraph Hill Blvd. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#18. San Francisco Bay
- Rating: 4.5/5 (7,353 reviews)
- Address: San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#17. Musee Mecanique
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,970 reviews)
- Address: Pier 45, Fishermen's Wharf foot of Taylor St. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#16. Cable Car Museum
- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,778 reviews)
- Address: 1201 Mason St. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#15. Lands End
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,877 reviews)
- Address: El Camino del Mar Point Lobos Ave. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#14. California Academy of Sciences
- Rating: 4.5/5 (6,053 reviews)
- Address: 55 Music Concourse Drive Golden Gate Park San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#13. Ferry Building Marketplace
- Rating: 4.5/5 (7,435 reviews)
- Address: 1 Ferry Building The Embarcadero at Market St. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#12. Twin Peaks
- Rating: 4.5/5 (6,433 reviews)
- Address: 501 Twin Peaks Blvd. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#11. Fisherman's Wharf
- Rating: 4/5 (19,635 reviews)
- Address: Jefferson St. Between Hyde and Powell Streets San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#10. Walt Disney Family Museum
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,839 reviews)
- Address: 104 Montgomery St. The Presidio San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#9. Palace of Fine Arts Theatre
- Rating: 4.5/5 (4,506 reviews)
- Address: 3301 Lyon St. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#8. Exploratorium
- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,566 reviews)
- Address: Pier 15 Embarcadero at Green St. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#7. Golden Gate Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (9,632 reviews)
- Address: 501 Stanyan St. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#6. Lombard Street
- Rating: 4.5/5 (18,400 reviews)
- Address: Lombard St. The Presidio east to The Embarcadero San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#5. Oracle Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (7,160 reviews)
- Address: King St. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#4. Pier 39
- Rating: 4/5 (22,974 reviews)
- Address: Beach St. & The Embarcadero San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#3. Cable Cars
- Rating: 4.5/5 (25,564 reviews)
- Address: San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#2. Golden Gate Bridge
- Rating: 4.5/5 (49,839 reviews)
- Address: US-101 San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#1. Alcatraz Island
- Rating: 4.5/5 (56,209 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Andrea Richards, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 100 metros.