Free Stuff to do in San Francisco

SF MOMA Being on your own means you have a lot more “free” time. Well, honestly, it’s not free, because any time you waste now is your own time. And time is money.

But if you’d like to take a break from business and do something cost-effective (read: free), then here are some suggestions:

Parks

Take a nice stroll through one of San Francisco’s wonderful parks. Walk your dog, read a book, go for a run. Or just breath in the fresh air.

Golden Gate Park
Presidio of San Francisco
Crissy Field
Stern Grove
Fort Point National Historic Site
Marin Headlands
Mount Tamalpais
Muir Woods National Monument
San Francisco Parks Trust – for more parks

Museums, Art Galleries, & Zoos

Soak in some culture and brain candy at these great institutions. After all, one of San Francisco’s main charms is its culture! Some are free only on certain days of the month, others are free all the time.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art – first Tues each month
Asian Art Museum of San Francisco – first Tues each month
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts – first Tues each month
Legion of Honor – first Tues each month
de Young Museum – first Tues each month
Museum of Craft and Folk Art – first Tues each month & all Tues in 2007
Cartoon Art Museum – first Tues each month is “Pay What You Wish Day”
San Francisco Museum of Craft+Design – first Thurs evening each month
SF Open Studios – always free
San Francisco Art Institute – always free
California Academy of Sciences – first Wed each month
The Exploratorium – first Wed each month
San Francisco Maritime Museum – always free
Mission Dolores – always free, donations expected
Chinese Cultural Center of San Francisco – always free
Chinese Historical Society of America – always free
San Francisco Cable Car Barn & Powerhouse – always free
San Francisco Fire Department Museum – always free
San Francisco Botanical Garden – always free
Wells Fargo History Museum – always free
San Francsico Zoo – first Wed each month

Tours

Tours can be full of fascinating knowledge and surprisingly fun. At the very least, they make for interesting conversation pieces or help jump-start your brain when you’re in a mental standstill.

Movies & Concerts

Sometimes it’s fun to just relax and watch a good movie or listen to a good performance. During the summer and fall, San Francisco is full of such fun events.

Book Readings & Story Tellings

Another great way to get your creative juices flowing is to experience the creativity of others. These bookstores and organizations offer book readings and story tellings by established and up-and-coming authors.

Free Wifi Cafes

And what list of free stuff would be complete without free wifi cafes? These sources all list lots of great free wifi hotspots in San Francisco.

I’m sure there are a ton of other free things you could do in San Francisco. This city is a treasure trove of culture and activities. I haven’t even listed the yearly events that take place. That could be a whole other article in itself.

Do you know of any other great free activities?