Things to Do in San Francisco in Winter: 7 Ideas

Winter is a good time to see San Francisco if you plan for rain. The city stays mild, the museums are open, and the seven things to do in San Francisco winter weather allows all work around the rain. If you are looking for a free walking tour San Francisco, our city tours page lists the guided walks and what each one costs.

1. California Academy of Sciences: the best indoor day

The California Academy of Sciences is the best single answer for a rainy winter day, because the listing promises nearly 60,000 animal residents and hands-on exhibits under one roof. The museum is open 365 days a year, according to its hours page. It opens at 9:30am Monday to Saturday and at 11am on Sunday, and the last entry is at 4pm.

The museum lists an adult ticket at $49 on regular days and $55 on peak days, and peak pricing covers the November and December holiday periods. In past years it kept shortened hours on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. The 2026 holiday hours were not posted when this guide was checked, so look at the page before you go.

The California Academy of Sciences entry ticket is from €43.62 per person on GetYourGuide. The California Academy of Sciences operates it, and the listing shows a 4.5 rating from 747 reviews. It includes general entry, and food and drinks are not included. You get free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund, so you can book it and still watch the forecast. The ticket covers the museum's aquarium, rainforest and planetarium under one roof. You can also buy the same entry from the museum at the prices above, so the choice is a skip-the-line listing against the official page.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 23 October 2026.

2. Union Square ice rink and the holiday lights

The Union Square Ice Rink is the easiest holiday outing in the city, and it is open every day from 4 November 2026 to 18 January 2027. It stands at 333 Post St. Its own page lists $22 for adults and $17 for children aged 8 and under, with skate rental included. Sessions last one hour and start every 90 minutes, so you can skate and still have time for dinner. Doing it yourself costs $22 per adult with skates included, and no guide adds anything here.

The rink stays open on Christmas Day, and San Francisco Travel says a second rink, San Francisco On Ice, is new at Fisherman's Wharf in 2026. A light-art show called Illuminate SF has run through the holiday season in past years. The date of the 2026 tree lighting in Union Square is not published, so check the city's event pages before you plan around it. San Francisco On Ice and Illuminate SF have no price or 2026 dates on the pages checked, so the Union Square rink is the one holiday outing with a published price. On Christmas Day, the zoo (10am to 5pm), the Botanical Garden, the PIER 39 shops and the Academy of Sciences are also open, as entry 7 explains.

You do not need a tour for this one. Walk to Union Square, buy a session and stay for the lights after dark. For more evening ideas, read our guide to San Francisco at night.

3. A gray whale cruise from December to February

Gray whales pass San Francisco heading south from December to February, with the peak in mid-January, according to NOAA's Greater Farallones sanctuary. That makes a whale cruise one of the few winter outings you cannot do in summer. Humpback and blue whales peak later, from March to August.

The Whales of the Bay Cruise takes 2.5 hours and costs from €66.76 per person. San Francisco Cruises (The Red and White Fleet) runs it from Pier 43 1/2, and the listing shows a 4.6 rating from 65 reviews. That is a small number, so the rating can shift with a few new reviews. It names gray, humpback and blue whales, with a live naturalist and indoor and outdoor seating. Meals, transport to the pier and tips are not included.

Nobody publishes a sighting guarantee, and winter water is cold and rough. Wear warm layers and a hat. The listing handles a storm forecast with cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

Things to Do in San Francisco's count of GetYourGuide listings in October 2026 found that 25 of the 39 day trips (64 %) offer free cancellation. For longer outings beyond the city, see our guide to day trips from San Francisco.

Pro Tip Book the cruise first and the museum second. Both listings allow free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead, so a storm forecast the night before costs you nothing.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 23 October 2026.

4. A city lights cruise for the early winter dark

A city lights cruise is the best use of a winter evening on the water, because the skyline is lit well before dinner. The San Francisco City Lights Cruise takes 2 hours and costs from €51.63 per person. San Francisco Cruises (The Red and White Fleet) runs it, and the listing shows a 4.6 rating from 2,674 reviews. Its route passes Coit Tower and the Transamerica Pyramid.

The group can have up to 100 people. Food, drinks and tips are not included, though the operator sells drinks and snacks on board. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund.

Dress for the deck. Winter lows average about 47°F, and open water feels colder. A cruise is the wrong choice if you get seasick easily. The ice rink or a walk along the Embarcadero gives you lights without the swell.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 23 October 2026.

5. SFMOMA on a wet afternoon

SFMOMA is a good wet-weather afternoon, because the museum holds more than 33,000 modern and contemporary works under cover. Its visit page lists hours of 10am to 5pm on Monday, Tuesday and Friday to Sunday, noon to 8pm on Thursday, and closed on Wednesday. It is also closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. An adult ticket costs $30.

The SFMOMA entry ticket is from €26.71 per person, with a 4.5 rating from 162 reviews. SFMOMA operates it. It covers the museum entry, but surcharged shows are not included. You can cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund. For the museum itself, read our page on SFMOMA.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 23 October 2026.

6. Walk the Golden Gate Bridge on the first dry day

The Golden Gate Bridge is worth a walk in winter if you pick a dry, clear day, and the walk costs nothing. Pedestrians use the east sidewalk, and winter hours run from 5am to 6:30pm during standard time, according to the bridge district. The sidewalk can close an hour early on some weeknights.

Fog is the catch. The National Weather Service says spring and fall bring the most cloud-free days, so winter views are a bonus rather than a promise. Look at the forecast the morning you go. Our page on the Golden Gate Bridge covers the ways to see it.

Key Takeaway December to February brings highs of about 58 to 60°F and 4.4 to 4.8 inches of rain a month, so book one indoor stop for every outdoor stop.

Winter in San Francisco is mild but wet, so the best plans keep a roof within reach.

7. Places that stay open on Thanksgiving and Christmas

Only a few places stay open on the big holidays, so plan these two days first. On Christmas Day, San Francisco Travel lists the Union Square ice rink, the San Francisco Botanical Garden, which opens its gates to everyone, and the shops at PIER 39. The San Francisco Zoo is open every day of the year from 10am to 5pm, according to the zoo's page. The California Academy of Sciences is open 365 days.

SFMOMA, the de Young, the Legion of Honor, the Asian Art Museum, the Exploratorium, the Ferry Building Marketplace and the Cable Car Museum are closed on Thanksgiving, which falls on 26 November 2026, and on 25 December. Alcatraz is closed on both days and on New Year's Day, according to the Park Service. Check the NPS notice, because the island also closes from 26 October to 18 November 2026 for dock repairs.

A tour is often the wrong choice on the holidays, because so many places it visits are closed. Read the cancellation line on each listing, and check the opening days of the place it visits.

How to choose things to do in San Francisco in winter

Choose by the weather first and the clock second. Pick the museum on rainy days, the ice rink and the cruises for the evenings, and the bridge and the whales for the dry days. No official source publishes monthly hotel prices or crowd levels, so this guide cannot say winter is cheaper or that the crowds are smaller. The Academy's $55 peak ticket in November and December is the one official price signal. For places to sleep, see our guide to where to stay in San Francisco.

If you have only one day, combine the museum and the ice rink. The California Academy of Sciences takes the day, and the rink takes the evening. For free ideas, read our guide to free things to do in San Francisco, and for a longer plan, our San Francisco itinerary.