December Overview
- High temperature: 58°F (14°C)
- Low temperature: 47°F (8°C)
- Hours daylight/sun: 5 hours
- Water temperature: 55°F (13°C)
December in San Francisco tends to be sporadic and can at times feel mild with highs of 58°F (14°C). If the wind is blowing in from the Pacific Ocean it can feel quite cold but in the absence of this, it’s quite bearable for this time of year with lows of 47°F (8°C). It never drops below freezing and the last time it snowed in San Francisco at all was 1976. December can be quite overcast with only 5 hours of sunshine each day on average. December is also one of the wettest months in San Francisco with 8 rainy days on average to be expected. The water temperature of the bay remains consistently cold with 58°F (14°C) throughout the year and in December.
December in San Francisco sees the city starting to embrace the holiday season and one of the top events is the 555 California Tree Lighting Ceremony. The Christmas Lights at City Hall are also wonderful to see. Keeping with the lighting theme, you can also head to Fisherman’s Wharf to see the Lighted Boat Parade where locals decorate their boats for the viewing enjoyment of the onlookers from the shore. The New Year’s Eve fireworks are spectacular although the visibility may be limited if San Francisco is embraced by its customary fog.
Best Time to Visit San Francisco
San Francisco has the best weather conditions to offer from May until the end of October. Due to the fine weather and given the school holidays, July and August are the busiest and most expensive months. Late summer and fall are actually the warmest months and with less of a crowd, the very best time to visit.
Between December and March temperatures are often cool and it does rain quite frequently. So winter isn’t the best season to visit in terms of the weather but you are sure to find a great deal.
Sometimes you might also be lucky enough to have good weather already in April and even November. You will be likely to find better deals in these shoulder months.
Things to know about San Francisco
First time visitors to San Francisco are likely to be shocked by the number of homeless people in downtown, especially around Union Square and the Tenderloin district just to the west. This latter area is best avoided as it can feel quite intimidating. Paradoxically, this central area of downtown around Union Square is also where the high end, luxury shops are to be found as well. Once you’ve paid a cursory visit to the epicentre of the city, Union Square, there are much more pleasant, relaxing and aesthetically pleasing areas to be found around this beautiful city.
Fisherman’s Wharf Locals and regular visitors to San Francisco may stay well clear of Fisherman’s Wharf, labelling it a tourist trap. However, if visiting for the first time or if you’ve never been before, it is a must see in San Francisco! There are a lot of shops, restaurants, arcades, attractions and events on the northern shore here.
Things to do in Fisherman’s Wharf:
- Visit the famous Pier 39 where sea lions can be seen in abundance.
- Take a trip to the renowned former island prison of Alcatraz with boats departing from Pier 33.
- Hyde Street Pier from where the Golden Gate Bridge can be clearly seen. There is also the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park and Visitor Center hosting free to visit exhibits.
- Take a cruise around San Francisco Bay.
- Explore the Musée Mécanique, a quirky place featuring vintage arcade games and antique mechanical instruments.
- Go aboard the SS Jeremiah O'Brien, a fully functional Liberty ship built during World War II that serves as a living museum.
- Check out the Aquarium of the Bay.
SOMA (South of Market)
This is a very trendy, up and coming neighborhood featuring several cafes, restaurants and bars that are worth visiting. The architecture and design sees a lot of new high rises mixed in amongst warehouses.
Things to do in SOMA:
- Visit the renowned San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
- Shop til you drop at the giant Westfield mall.
- Grab a drink in Novella, one of San Francisco’s coolest bars.
- If travelling with children, visit the Children's Creativity Museum.
- Stop and relax in Yerba Buena Gardens.
- Pass by the San Francisco Mint, a historic and architecturally impressive building that was originally built to serve the gold mines of the California Gold Rush in the 1800s.
- Catch a San Francisco Giants game at the baseball stadium a short walk away.
Financial District/Embarcadero/Telegraph Hill Whilst the activity in a lot of major cities’ financial/downtown districts shuts down towards the end of the day and over weekends, San Francisco’s Financial District and the surrounding area stays quite vibrant.
Things to do in Financial District:
- Go to and/or climb to the top of Coit Tower. The views from here are spectacular and there is also a well known mural to see.
- Visit San Francisco’s oldest restaurant, Tadich Grill.
- Grab a drink at Comstock Saloon, an old fashioned saloon serving vintage cocktails with live music.
- Explore the Ferry Building, a restored 1898 space and a mecca for food lovers.
- Walk around Chinatown- one of the most famous Chinatowns in the world.
Haight-Ashbury/Golden Gate Park
The intersection of Haight and Ashbury is famous as ground zero for the Summer of Love in 1967 where up to 100,000 convened in a celebration of freedom of expression. This area is therefore commonly considered to be the origin of hippie counterculture. Today, the crowds are less intense and it makes for a pleasant place to visit.
To the west is Golden Gate Park which stretches for over 3 miles. You can walk from one end to the other although this may take up to a couple of hours. Renting a bike is a popular way to see all that the park has to offer.
In the middle of Golden Gate Park is the California Academy of Sciences which makes for an interesting place to visit. Next to this is the Japanese Tea Garden, Music Concourse, Shakespeare Garden and de Young Museum housing a diverse collection of fine arts.
As you pass further west through the park, you’ll encounter Stow Lake which has a boathouse from which boats can be rented. Next up are a couple of picnic areas follow by a polo field and then quite uniquely, Bison Paddock featuring a grazing herd of bison.
Finally, as you approach the Pacific Ocean, you’ll encounter the Dutch Windmill which was originally constructed in 1903 and then you can enjoy a well earned drink and/or meal at the historic Beach Chalet Brewery and Restaurant.
Pacific Heights/Presidio Heights
Pacific Heights is probably the most upmarket residential neighborhood in San Francisco. This is where the most expensive and spectacular houses are to be found with unparalleled views of the bay. A short walk down the hill is the Marina District with Lombard Street hosting several bars and restaurants.
Golf enthusiasts should note that Presidio Heights houses the closest golf course to the city, Presidio Golf Course which is in a national park. However, for a truly unique golfing experience it’s worth venturing further west to Lincoln Park Golf Course. While Presidio Golf Course is always in immaculate condition, Lincoln Park is a much cheaper public course offering the most breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge, downtown skyline and Pacific Ocean.
Even if you’re not into golf, it’s worth heading out to Lincoln Park Golf Course as within the course is the Legion of Honor which has 4,000 years of ancient and European art in a most impressive building. Just next door is Lands End Lookout which allows for hiking with the most outstanding views, the Sutro Baths and the Lands End Labyrinth. If you’re feeling peckish, Cliff House serves Californian cuisine whilst looking out over the ocean.
Mission Districty The Mission District is commonly referred to as “The Mission” and is the most avant-garde part of San Francisco (whilst a lot of people love it, you may want to consider whether to visit or not if you’re not comfortable with counterculture).
- Relax in Dolores Park, one of the main landmarks in the Mission.
- Visit the Mission San Francisco de Asís, the oldest standing building in San Francisco.
- Check out the murals.
- Sample the vibrant nightlife and music scene.
- Indulge in a burrito- the large local Mexican community perfects these.
- Saunter through the many vintage clothing stores
Getting around in San Francisco: Public transport, Rental cars or Uber
- San Francisco is a surprisingly small city and a lot of it can be explored by foot, especially once you’re in the central districts. For example, it would take about 30 minutes to walk from Union Square all the way north to Fisherman’s Wharf. However, one big thing to be aware that is not always interpretable on the maps is the hills! In particular, just how steep the hills are- until you see and experience walking up them it’s hard to believe that a city can have such intense gradients!
- Cable cars are a historic and pleasant way to get around, especially up some of the hills and down the other side. These are more of a novelty these days as they’re probably too expensive for regular transportation but a must once or twice!
- The BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) trains can take you quickly from point A to B, especially from the Financial District to the Mission and on to the airport. However, its coverage within San Francisco is limited and it’s designed for moving around the wider bay area.
- Muni Metro works well for connecting you from downtown to the west such as Golden Gate Park or the San Francisco Zoo and there is an extensive although tricky bus network serving the city.
- Renting a car is not advised as parking is very limited and the short distances between various places in the city doesn’t really warrant it.
- Outside of public transport and walking, Uber and Lyft are very quick and efficient ways to get around. The headquarters of both companies are in fact in San Francisco!
