San Francisco is a beautiful city and it’s perfect for a round-year visit, but fall is definitely the best time to visit. It’s very sunny and warm, especially in October & November. Trust me, SF has the best weather in the fall, we call it indian summer. There are plenty of things to do in the city in the fall, whether you’re a local looking for fun things to do, or a visitor to San Francisco, looking for a seasonal adventure. In this post I created a list of my 5 favorite and unique fall acitivities in San Francisco. I’ll also add some recommendation where to find the pretties Halloween houses & best Golden Gate overlooks to watch stunning fall sunsets. If you love this post, feel free to share it, pin it on Pinterest, or you can also follow me on Instagram (@sarowly).

How is fall in San Francisco?

Fall brings a lot of sunny days with little rain and no fog. The best weather starts at the beggining of October and stays until mid November. After that, you get a typical fall weather, and usually around Thanksgiving it starts to rain more and cool down. I would say, that October is definitely the best time to visit San Francisco.

San Francisco is not really the best place for finding fall folliage, but there are some spots where you can admire leaf peeping, such as Telegraph Hill, North Beach, Golden Gate Park, Japanese Tea Garden. Remember that fall isn’t only about the fall foliage, but it’s also about golden hour with no fog! San Franciscans are finally happy that a real summer has finally arrived, because June and July are cold and foggy. San Francisco’s autumn is actual summer here.

Fall blossoms in Cow Hollow, San Francisco

Have fall picnic in San Francisco (near the Golden Gate Bridge or in one of the parks)

Since October is the warmest and sunniest month in San Francisco, it’s also the best time to have a picnic! Grab a blanket and some snacks, and head to one of the city’s parks (such as the Golden Gate Park, Washington Square, Crissy Field) or drive to Marin Headlands to have stunning views over the Golden Gate Bridge with no crowds. The spot from the picture below is Golden Gate View Point in Marin Headlands (Old Conzelman Rd, one stop before Battery Spencer). The second on is Washington Square Park.

Stroll around the streets of San Francisco and watch Halloween decorations and houses

The residents of San Francisco love to decorate their houses with Halloween decorations. The city is full of beautifully decorated houses, all you need to do is to stroll around the streets! You can obviously find the best decorations in the most expensive and rich neighborhoors in the city. The best areas to find them are: Marina, Russian Hill, Presidio, Pacific Heights, Castro.

Here are some addresses where to find the best Halloween houses in San Francisco:

Presidio Terrace
45 Upper Terrace
3001 Pacific Street
3368 Jackson Street
3925 Washington Street
and many more!

Watch sunset in Marin Headlands

Marin Headlands is located just north of San Francisco, about 30 min drive from the city. This place is known for cool hiking trails, rolling hills, beautiful beaches and stunning vistas over the city. There are so many wonders there, which I recommend you to visit in the fall, because of again, the best weather. My favorite places in Marin Headlands are Black Sand Beach, Rodeo Beach, Hawk Hill and Battery Spencer - all those spots are perfect for watching sunset over San Francisco!

Keep in mind that to get to Marin Headlands, you need to cross the Golden Gate Bridge and the best way to get there is by car. Avoid taking Ubers/Lyft’s, they usually have problem with going there and it costs lots of money!

Visit San Francisco Pumpkin Patch at Fort Mason

My favorite pumpkin patch in San Francisco is located at Fort Mason at the Guardsmen (2 Marina Blvd, San Francisco). You can admire or purchase different kinds of pumpkins, or get a carmel apple, beer or crafted cocktail. This places gives me all the fall vibes! The patch is open daily until October 29, you can find more information here.

Go to Ghirardelli Square and get a hot drink

When I first came to San Francisco, I worked at Ghirardelli Square for almost a year, so this place bring me all the memories! It’s nicely decorated during fall, there are planty of pumpkins around the fountain. You can warm up by getting a hot drink such as hot chocolate or pumpkin spiced latte, or just walk aroun the square.