San Francisco FAQs

Find out all you need to know about visiting San Francisco.

When is the best time to visit San Francisco?

Thanks to its location on a peninsula on the northwest coast of California, San Francisco has a mild climate characterised by cool, wet winters and pleasant dry summers. The best time to visit San Francisco is between the months of May to October when the temperatures are at their highest, sunshine is plentiful, and all activities can be partaken in. The average temperature throughout these months is a comfortable 23°C, ideal for city exploration, and outdoor pursuits like alfresco dining and sailing on the San Francisco Bay. August to October is usually singled out as being an exceptional time to go as the summer crowds will have thinned and the weather will be at its peak thanks to the regularly occurring Indian summers.

San Francisco and much of the Bay Area are prone to fog in the mornings thanks to low pressure fronts coming in from the North Pacific, but it usually clears by mid-morning.

Winter is the low season in the Bay Area as the weather tends to be cloudy, rainy and cool from November to March. Daytime highs don’t reach above 15°C and average monthly rainfall is around 97mm.

What is the time difference between the UK and San Francisco?

GMT – 8 hours

What places combine well with San Francisco?

Benefitting from an international airport and excellent transport connections, a trip to San Francisco is also a gateway to other parts of California. Wine lovers will be able to head to north to the states’ Wine Country and experience the lush vineyards and fine dining the region has to offer. Nature lovers can drive south to the beautiful coastal towns of Monterey and Carmel, and even continue on a road trip past Big Sur on the Pacific Coast Highway. San Francisco is also an ideal starting point for a road trip to the world-famous Yosemite National Park and the Redwood National Park in the northern part of the state.

What are the main cultural events in San Francisco?

January – SF Sketchfest (comedy festival)
January/February – Chinese New Year
April – San Francisco International Film Festival
April to September – the USA’s baseball season with games including the San Francisco Giants
May – Carnaval (the largest annual multicultural event in California)
June – San Francisco Pride (the world’s oldest and largest Pride festival)
June – Haight-Ashbury Street Fair
July – Fillmore Jazz Festival
October – Litquake (annual literary festival)
November to January – Illuminate SF Festival of Light (more than 60 lighting installations around the city)