When Frederick Law Olmsted, architect of New York's Central Park, gazed in 1865 upon the plot of land San Francisco Mayor Frank McCoppin wanted to turn…
Simone Anne / Stocksy United
San Francisco
If there's a technology still unimagined, a poem left unspoken or a green scheme untested, chances are it's about to happen here. Goodbye, inhibitions; hello, San Francisco.
Explore San Francisco
- Golden Gate Park
When Frederick Law Olmsted, architect of New York's Central Park, gazed in 1865 upon the plot of land San Francisco Mayor Frank McCoppin wanted to turn…
- Haight Street
Was it the fall of 1966 or the winter of ’67? As the Haight saying goes, if you can remember the Summer of Love, you probably weren’t here. The fog was…
- Chinatown Alleyways
If you look close today at the clinker-brick buildings lining these narrow backstreets, past the temple balconies jutting out over bakeries, acupuncture…
- City Lights Books
No one could have predicted the cultural force City Lights would become when it first opened in 1953. Sure, it had a proletarian ethos suggested by its…
- San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
When the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art expanded in 2016, it was a mind-boggling feat that nearly tripled the institution's size to accommodate a…
- Coit Tower
If you want to really see San Francisco, head to Coit Tower, a 1933 art deco beaut designed by Arthur Brown, Jr. and Henry Howard that sits high up on…
- Golden Gate Bridge
Few cities boast a structure so iconic as the Golden Gate Bridge, commemorated in everything from films like The Maltese Falcon to not one but two emojis…
- Dolores Park
Welcome to San Francisco's sunny side, the land of street ball and Mayan-pyramid playgrounds, semiprofessional tanning and taco picnics. Although the…
- Clarion Alley
The Mission District has a long history of street art and muralismo – an oft-political school of public art prevalent throughout South and Central America…

Featured Story
San Francisco's 20 best parks to relax in
11 min read — Published Jul 8, 2021
Lonely Planet EditorsWriter
Regularly ranked as the greenest city in North America, San Francisco blooms with parks, gardens and pockets of green space. These are the best.
Latest Stories from San Francisco
Planning Toolkit
Discover some of the most unique and fulfilling experiences your next destination has to offer.
Golden rules to keep in mind when traveling to this destination.
Add visiting these must-see local hot spots and culture centers to your next travel itinerary.
Deals and tips on ways to save without sacrificing the fun on your next trip.
Plan a day trip full of local flavor and get back in time with these same-day options.
Browse the various transportation options to make your trip that much easier when you arrive.
Ways to maximize the fun without spending a dime on your next great adventure.
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout San Francisco.
See
Golden Gate Park
When Frederick Law Olmsted, architect of New York's Central Park, gazed in 1865 upon the plot of land San Francisco Mayor Frank McCoppin wanted to turn…
See
Haight Street
Was it the fall of 1966 or the winter of ’67? As the Haight saying goes, if you can remember the Summer of Love, you probably weren’t here. The fog was…
See
Chinatown Alleyways
If you look close today at the clinker-brick buildings lining these narrow backstreets, past the temple balconies jutting out over bakeries, acupuncture…
See
City Lights Books
No one could have predicted the cultural force City Lights would become when it first opened in 1953. Sure, it had a proletarian ethos suggested by its…
See
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
When the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art expanded in 2016, it was a mind-boggling feat that nearly tripled the institution's size to accommodate a…
See
Coit Tower
If you want to really see San Francisco, head to Coit Tower, a 1933 art deco beaut designed by Arthur Brown, Jr. and Henry Howard that sits high up on…
See
Golden Gate Bridge
Few cities boast a structure so iconic as the Golden Gate Bridge, commemorated in everything from films like The Maltese Falcon to not one but two emojis…
See
Dolores Park
Welcome to San Francisco's sunny side, the land of street ball and Mayan-pyramid playgrounds, semiprofessional tanning and taco picnics. Although the…
See
Clarion Alley
The Mission District has a long history of street art and muralismo – an oft-political school of public art prevalent throughout South and Central America…
Featured videos
Take a magical road trip on California's Highway 1
3:0