Best Time to Visit San Francisco
Choosing the best time to visit San Francisco depends on your tolerance for fog and sticker shock. Most travelers assume summer is the peak season for sunshine. They are wrong. June and July bring "June Gloom," where a thick marine layer keeps the city grey and chilly. If you want the warmest weather, clearest skies, and manageable crowds, October is the best month to visit San Francisco. This is the city’s true summer. You get temperatures in the 70s, the famous fog recedes, and the summer tourist rush has finally thinned out.
Month by Month
January
San Francisco in January is cool and represents the peak of the rainy season. Expect highs of 58°F and lows of 46°F. This is one of the cheapest months to secure a hotel. Pack a waterproof shell and layers. While outdoor dining is less appealing, the city is quiet. You can visit the SF Sketchfest, a major comedy festival that spans several weeks and venues, featuring big-name stand-ups and improv troupes.
February
Weather in February remains crisp and damp, with temperatures ranging from 48°F to 61°F. It is the second wettest month. Crowds are thin, making it easy to get reservations at Michelin-starred spots. The standout event is the Chinese New Year Festival and Parade. It is one of the largest celebrations of its kind outside of Asia, featuring massive floats and a 280-foot golden dragon winding through Chinatown.
March
March marks the transition to spring. Temperatures sit between 49°F and 62°F. The rain begins to taper off, and the hills of the Presidio turn deep green. Tourism is still moderate, and hotel rates are fair. This is the best time for the Ocean Beach Fire Permits to start becoming popular again. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the parade and festival at Civic Center Plaza, which draws a lively local crowd.
April
April brings consistent sunshine and highs around 64°F. Wind speeds pick up, so the "wind chill" factor is real near the Golden Gate Bridge. This is the start of the baseball season; catching a Giants game at Oracle Park is a quintessential local experience. You should visit the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown. It is one of the city's most colorful spring events, celebrating Japanese culture and traditional arts.
May
May is breezy and pleasant, with temperatures between 51°F and 65°F. The heavy influx of summer tourists hasn't arrived yet, keeping the popular piers manageable. This month hosts Bay to Breakers, a legendary footrace that is more of a giant costume party than a serious athletic event. Thousands of people run (or walk) from the Embarcadero to Ocean Beach in extravagant, often eccentric, outfits.
June
June is deceptive. While the rest of the country heats up, San Francisco enters "June Gloom." Highs stay near 67°F, but the fog often obscures the sun until mid-afternoon. Bring a heavy sweater. This is a busy month due to summer break. The San Francisco Pride Celebration and Parade is the highlight. It is one of the oldest and largest LGBTQ+ pride events in the world, centered around Civic Center.
July
July is the height of the "fogust" precursor. Expect highs of 68°F, but it can feel much colder when the mist rolls in off the Pacific. It is the most crowded month for families. If you are here on July 4th, watch the fireworks from the waterfront—just know that the fog often hides the pyrotechnics. It is a great month for the Fillmore Jazz Festival, the largest free jazz festival on the West Coast.
August
August remains cool and grey, with temperatures ranging from 54°F to 69°F. The fog is most persistent this month. Prices for flights and hotels remain high. This is the month for Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park. This massive three-day music, food, and wine festival brings world-class headliners and local culinary talent to the foggy meadows of the park. Wear flannel and boots.
September
September is when the weather finally breaks. The fog clears, and temperatures climb to an average high of 71°F, though heatwaves can push it into the 80s. This is technically the start of peak season for locals. The Fringe Festival takes place in September, showcasing independent theater and edgy performances across the city. It is a prime time for outdoor rooftop bars and walking the hilly neighborhoods.
October
October is the gold standard for San Francisco weather. Highs average 70°F, and the skies are almost always blue. This is the best time for photography and views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Fleet Week occurs in early October, featuring Blue Angels flyovers that roar directly over the city skyline. Prices are high because everyone wants to be here, but the atmosphere is unbeatable.
November
November sees the return of the chill and the first rains. Temperatures range from 50°F to 64°F. Crowds drop significantly after the first week, and you can find better deals on lodging. It is a comfortable time for urban hiking. The Illuminate SF Festival of Light begins after Thanksgiving, featuring light art installations across the city's parks and buildings, turning the evening streets into an outdoor gallery.
December
December is festive but cold and damp, with highs of 57°F and lows of 46°F. The city clears out of tourists, aside from the holiday peak between Christmas and New Year’s. Shopping in Union Square is the main draw, highlighted by the giant Christmas tree and the ice rink. Visit the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill to see their world-famous, two-story tall gingerbread house.
Cheapest Time to Visit San Francisco
If you are traveling on a budget, book your trip for January or February. These months have the lowest hotel occupancy rates. Because the weather is predictably rainy and cool, hotels drop their prices to attract guests. You can often find luxury rooms at 30% to 40% less than their October peak.
Avoid visiting during major tech conferences. Events like Dreamforce (usually in September or October) can cause hotel prices to triple overnight. Always check the Moscone Center calendar before booking. If your dates coincide with a 40,000-person convention, your "cheap" trip will become expensive regardless of the month.
Mid-week stays are also significantly cheaper than weekends. San Francisco is a heavy business travel hub, but weekend leisure travel often keeps rates high. Staying Sunday through Wednesday in the winter months is the winning strategy for the lowest possible rates.
When to Avoid San Francisco
Avoid San Francisco in June and July if you are coming for the "California sun." You won't find it here. Many tourists arrive in shorts and sandals only to spend their first afternoon buying overpriced sweatshirts at Fisherman's Wharf. The "summer" weather is damp, grey, and windy.
You should also avoid the city during the aforementioned Dreamforce conference. During this week, the downtown core becomes incredibly congested, public transit is packed, and even mediocre hotels charge upwards of $600 a night. Unless you are attending the conference, there is no reason to be in the city during this window.
Lastly, try to avoid the week between Christmas and New Year’s if you hate crowds. While the city is beautiful, the popular spots like Pier 39 and Alcatraz become nearly impossible to navigate comfortably.
Best Time for Good Weather
For the best weather, visit between September and October. This is the city’s "Indian Summer." While the rest of the Northern Hemisphere is cooling down, San Francisco is warming up. The offshore winds push the fog back into the ocean, resulting in clear, windless days.
During these months, you can actually wear a T-shirt during the day. This is the only time of year when San Francisco feels like a Mediterranean climate. It is the best window for:
- Biking across the Golden Gate Bridge.
- Taking the ferry to Angel Island.
- Picnicking in Dolores Park.
- Hiking the Lands End Trail.
If you visit during any other window, you must dress in layers. Even on a "warm" day in April, the temperature can drop 15 degrees the moment you step into the shade or a gust of wind hits from the bay.
Best Time for Fewer Crowds
To have the city to yourself, visit in the "shoulder" periods: late October through mid-November, or the month of March.
Late October is a sweet spot. Most of the summer tourists and the Fleet Week crowds have left, but the weather is still pleasant. You can walk into popular restaurants without a month-long lead time on reservations. The museums, like the SFMOMA and the De Young, are much quieter during these weeks.
March offers a similar reprieve. The winter rains are ending, but the spring break and summer crowds haven't arrived. If you plan to visit Alcatraz—which requires booking weeks in advance during the summer—you benefit from much higher ticket availability in March. Generally, if you avoid the major holidays and the mid-summer peak, the city is much more walkable and the lines for the cable cars are significantly shorter.