It’s often said that the best time to visit San Francisco is from September to November. However, the winter months should never be overlooked if you want to save some time and money on a Bay Area trip. Although local weather can be windy and rainy, temperatures typically reach the 60s or higher. What’s more, low temperatures rarely get below 40 degrees. Coupled with world-famous landmarks and gourmet options, see why San Francisco is worth visiting in winter.
Visiting San Francisco in the Winter
Better Hotel Rates
Hotel rates are far more affordable over winter except holidays and significant events. While November and December offer the lowest average rates, selections in February are nearly as attractive. What’s more, there are more choices from mid-February through April. That’s according to the official tourism entity, San Francisco Travel. If that’s not all, you can find excellent deals from travel sites. For instance, Expedia, Kayak, HotelTonight, and TripAdvisor offer great rates. Of course, there are even more travel sites to consider, like Booking.com, Orbitz, Trivago, and Hotels.com.
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Booking Direct Can Save More Money
Although you can get great rates through booking sites, you should also consider booking directly with hotels. For example, connect directly with hotels like InterContinental San Francisco and San Francisco Marriott Marquis. Almost every central hotel offers winter discounts. Additionally, moderately priced hotels like Hotel Union Square and Hotel Zoe are worth visiting. That’s not to mention even more hotels like the Mark Hopkins, Fairmont, Ritz-Carlton, and the St. Regis.
Related: FAQs For The First Time Visitor To SF
Best Rates For Flights
Like a lower average nightly price for hotels, rates for airfare are typically cheaper during the winter. But you should book at least two months to find the best rates. Kayak.com says January is the best winter month to fly to visit San Francisco, although the last airfare purchases may still be available. Although Kayak also says February and March are in the high season, airfare still averages under $270. Looking beyond March, you’ll notice that rates are noticeably higher. Other factors are price comparisons and the best day to buy tickets. Many experts say Tuesday afternoon is best, although Expedia says Sunday is the best. Either way, you should compare prices between sites to get a great rate.
The Attractions
What draws travelers worldwide to San Francisco is its wealth of leading attractions, like the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Alcatraz. However, San Francisco offers so many points of interest that it might require a repeat visit. While the Golden Gate, the world’s most photographed bridge, is a must-see, other recommendations exist. To illustrate, Chinatown, Ferry Building, Union Square, and Golden Gate Park. Of course, there are also world-class museums like the Asian Art Museum, De Young, Legion of Honor, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). With this in mind, you may prefer to visit indoor attractions, even in San Francisco, just because it’s winter.
More San Francisco Attractions
Even further attractions may include Ghirardelli Square, Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco Presidio, and cable cars that “climb halfway to the stars.” Additional stops may be Land’s End, Crissy Field, Mission Dolores, Chase Center, Exploratorium, and Academy of Sciences. Other famous landmarks like Alamo Square and Lombard Street can also be included. However, it also requires you to be mindful of its residents and ongoing traffic. Overall, you will have plenty of options for things to see and do.
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The Food
Routinely cited as one of the world’s finest culinary destinations, San Francisco is home to many; the City by the Bay offers more restaurants per capita than any other American destination. On top of that, the Bay Area also has the largest concentration of three Michelin-starred restaurants in the country, including San Francisco’s Atelier Crenn, Benu, and Quince. Even more Michelin-starred restaurants like Al’s Place, Commonwealth, Kin Khao, and State Bird Provisions are affordable.
San Francisco Seafood
Seafood lovers will enjoy perennial local favorites when visiting San Francisco, like Fog Harbor Fish House, Hog Island Oyster Bar, and Waterbar. There are hundreds of other outstanding places to dine, representing many culinary styles and flavors. Neighborhoods like the Financial District, Mission District, North Beach, and SoMA offer superb dining, while others like the Fillmore, Richmond, and Japantown are also worth considering.
Affordable San Francisco Dining
Visitors on a tight budget should also visit some of the many food trucks in the city, with a high concentration at StrEat Food Park and Off the Grid. Lastly, the City’s hot new restaurants are also extraordinary, including the fabulous ONE65 near Union Square, Nari in Japantown,, and Tsuta, from the founder of the world’s first Michelin-starred ramen eatery in SoMa.
Smaller Crowds
Like any popular destination, San Francisco does have its fair share of crowds, especially at hotspots like Fisherman’s Wharf and Union Square. However, crowds are smaller. Furthermore, lines to get in at museums and restaurants are typically shorter. Restaurant reservations will also be much easier, and it’s likely there’ll also be less waiting to be seated. Of course, the weekends are always much busier at tourist attractions, mainly if the weather stays nice. Be that as it may, if you hope to visit San Francisco this winter, you won’t be disappointed.
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About The Author
Randy Yagi is an award-winning freelance writer who served as the National Travel Writer for CBS Local from 2012 to 2019. More than 900 of his stories still appear in syndication across 23 CBS websites, including CBS New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco. During his peak years with CBS, Randy had a reported digital audience reach of 489 million and 5.5 million monthly visitors. Additionally, his stories have appeared in the Daily Meal, CBS News, CBS Radio, Engadget and Radio.com.
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