2 Days in San Francisco Itinerary: 10 Things to Do

Whether it’s your first time or your tenth time visiting San Francisco, here is a list of known and a few lesser-known spots that you must hit in 2 days in San Francisco.

San Francisco—the city of sun, sea, city, beach and Karl the Fog (yes, locals have named their famous fog). If you’re into a city surrounded by nature, this is the place for you. Before you plan your 2-day San Francisco travel guide, it’s important to know how to pack. Long pants, sweaters (layers…layers…layers!) and scarves are a must. And yes, I mean year round. The weather stays static all year and can go from high 78°F during the day to low 50°F at night. Sneakers are a necessity as well, especially since San Francisco is full of really steep hills. With so much to do, where do you even begin? On my second trip to San Francisco, I decided to do a bit more digging into the known and lesser-known spots of SF. Here is what to do in 2 days to see the city at its best.

WHERE TO STAY

Most hotels are located in and around Union Square, but if I have to be honest that is not my favorite San Fran location. Maybe it’s because of the homeless population that lives right next to it or maybe it’s because it feels a little bit more commercial. Whatever the case may be, you are in the city that invented AirBnb so you might as well take advantage of it! Pat and I stayed in the Inner Richmond area, right next to the University of San Francisco. It’s quiet, it’s quaint, and it’s packed with locals. This is the spot to stay in, if you’re looking to experience a more local side of San Francisco.

DAY 1

BREAKFAST: Arsicault Bakery

You smell fresh baked croissants before you even reach the door and you almost always see a line out the door. Flaky yet soft, buttery yet crispy golden—voilà, this is why it’s been named one of the best bakeries in America. It only has a few items on the menu: Croissant, chocolate croissant, chocolate almond croissant, almond croissant, ham and cheese croissant, kouign amann and a morning bun. The menu never changes. They only serve one type of coffee. The place is simple, small and only has 4 tables, but the croissants are out of this world, or at least out of this State. They taste like something directly from Paris.

Tip: Get here before 10AM, especially on weekends, or the bakery will sell out fast. While we were there Pat and I tasted a bit of everything and you can’t go wrong. If we had to pick a favorite though…the chocolate almond croissant!

MORNING: Painted Ladies, Lombard St, Fisherman’s Wharf

There are some things you can’t miss in San Francisco, aside from the Golden Gate Bridge and we decided to get them all done in one morning. These are the essential MUST-SEEs for a first-timer in 2 days in San Francisco.

The Painted Ladies are one of the most photographed spots in San Fran. Remember the opening scenes of Full House? This is the place. The Victorian houses are backed by San Fran’s downtown skyscrapers. They provide a stunning contrast between a piece of San Fran history and modern day San Fran.

Walk farther up north and you’ve reached Lombard St. I recently watched Ant Man, so Pat and I were laughing the whole time calling it an “Ant Man” movie set tour more than a San Francisco walking tour. All the scenes in Ant Man were filmed in these iconic San Fran areas, including Lombard St. It’s famous for it’s hilly and winding 8 hairpin turns.

As you make your way from Lombard St to Union Square, I recommend you stay up North. Pat and I have walked to Union Square on multiple occasions and almost every time we would hit this densely populated homeless area that felt very unsafe and it lies right outside Union Square. To avoid this area, make sure you stay UPHILL, on the Northern side of San Fran and avoid crossing on the Southern side.

Union Square is the heart of San Fran. It’s full of stores, cable cars, restaurants, plazas and shopping. Your usual city center. For something a bit different head just a couple of blocks north to China town. From here you can walk straight up to Fisherman’s Wharf for lunch and some fun sightseeing.

Fisherman’s Wharf literally has everything you could think of. Celebrity wax figures, shark feedings, 3D interactive films, theater, dancing, comedy, clubs, live music, an aquarium, and of course the famous sea lions. Get lost in here for an hour or so before your next stop.

AFTERNOON: Alcatraz Tour + Lands End Trail

I’m really big into anything that has really cool history tied to it. The Pyramids, old salt Cathedrals, houses of old famous artists, and yes world-famous prisons are on that list too. For those who are wondering if it’s worth it, it really is. The tour comes with a well-detailed and super interesting audio guide that takes you through the famous prison that housed some of America’s most ruthless criminals, including Al Capone.

If you’re looking to break away from all of the standard San Francisco itineraries out there, then Lands End is for you. When I travel, I always like to do a mix of must-visit places and more off the beaten path to get a feel for the real local spots. This 2 day San Francisco itinerary is no exception. Every time I mentioned I was doing Lands End to a non-local, no one knew what it was or where it was. Lands End Trail is located on the undiscovered West coast of San Francisco. The hiking trail starts at the abandoned Sutro Baths and continues till the Golden Gate Bridge. If you’re looking for views of the coastline and a different angle of the Golden Gate Bridge than this is for you. Must-do stops include Lands End Labyrinth, Lands End Point, and Mile Rock Beach. It isn’t too long so you can walk the entire trail in an hour and it isn’t too intensive, no hiking experience required. Remember to pack a scarf though, the coast gets really windy! More details on my trip to Lands End Trail in my post Hidden Hikes in San Francisco: Lands End Trail. 

If you’re not up for a hike, I recommend you go grab a drink from 2 very unique places in San Francisco. One is the Tonga Room at the Fairmont Hotel. They’ve turned the old swimming pool area into a Tiki Restaurant and Bar, with live music playing from a barge floating in the middle of the old pool! Tables surround the pool as you sip on some exotic cocktails. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience to say the least. Unfortunately, you can’t make reservations in advance if you are not a Fairmont guest so make sure to get there early and preferably on a week day. My second recommendation is to grab drinks at The View at the Marriott Marquis. Take an elevator up 39 floors and the doors open to a glass clocktower with stunning views of San Francisco. Remember to make sure to get there on a day when it’s not foggy or you won’t see anything!

DINNER: Chapeau!

This French Bistro was actually a recommendation from our AirBnb host and god, did he have good taste in food! Chapeau literally means hat in French, but when you add an exclamation point at the end the word turns into the saying, “hats off to the chef!” Step in and you are immediately greeted with bisous (or kisses) by the Chef Philippe Gardelle. He makes you feel straight at home as he seats you and starts a friendly conversation with his guests. Throughout the night you see him buzzing around the restaurant as he checks in on his guests, he was quite the host! Pat and I ordered the onion soup, duck and roasted lamb, and chocolate mousse and french toast dessert (which they are known for!). Needless to say, even though Pat and I were full we cleaned every single one of our plates. The food tasted like it was straight out of France. So did we “hats off to the chef”? Well yes, yes we did. Our check came in a small chapeau believe it or not, so we got to literally do a “hats off to the chef!” The place is packed almost every single night, so remember to make reservations before going.

DAY 2

MORNING: Bike to Kirby Cove + Sausalito

Today is the day you commute like a real San Franciscan—by bike! The number one means of transportation in this large city. But be prepared to tackle those steep hills. Rent a bike from one of the many bike rental places for just $5 an hour with a cap at $25 for the day. Tip: Remember to ask for a lock for your bikes so you can wander around if you choose to. You can rent bikes near Fisherman’s Wharf or around Golden Gate Park. We rented from the latter. From here, you begin your bike towards the Golden Gate Bridge. Be prepared for strong winds and hard-core cyclists, they are a bit dangerous and love zooming by you really fast so make sure to keep your balance. Once you cross the bridge you’ll see everyone stopping at a viewpoint, but don’t stop just yet, the best view is yet to come. Follow the steep hill from the view point. Once you make it to the top, you’ll be rewarded with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge view.

Again, if you’re looking to break away from the usual San Francisco travel guide, enjoy the views from down below. Just off of the viewpoint lies a path that leads you to Kirby Cove Campground. Lock your bikes up and head down the path. At the end you will find a small pebble beach perfect for picnics with stunning views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s a secret kept among locals, but I highly recommend the 1-mile trek!

If you’re starting to get hungry, than start pedaling to Sausalito. No 2 day San Francisco itinerary is incomplete without a stop at Sausalito. You’ll notice that as you pedal away from San Francisco, the fog and haze around you will start to clear up and the sun will begin to shine as you near Sausalito. Sausalito is a small coastal town rich in restaurants, stunning properties and cute boutique stores. In order to explore it you’ll need to lock your bike in one of the bike lots. I recommend you go to the one farther down towards the ferry dock, it only costs $3 per bike, so avoid stopping at the first bike lot you see which will charge you double or triple the price. Once you’ve locked your bikes take a stroll down Sausalito and find a place to eat. One of our personal favorites is Barrel House Tavern. They have a beautiful terrace with sea views of San Francisco on a clear day. But you’ll need to call in advance and make reservations if you want to eat outside. We had the blackened snapper sandwich and we highly recommend it!! 

AFTERNOON: Palace of Fine Arts

If you are not tired, ride your bikes back across the Golden Gate Bridge and make your way to the Palace of Fine Arts. If you are tired, your alternative option is to take the ferry over with your bikes from Sausalito to Fisherman’s Wharf. In either case, you should visit the Palace of Fine Arts for some European style architecture! It was originally constructed in 1915 to exhibit works of art. 

So there you have it! My 2 days in San Francisco itinerary. There’s so much more to do and see beyond my 10 things to do in San Francisco. If you have a third day I recommend you visit areas such as the Point Bonita Lighthouse, Tiburon if you are up for a longer bike ride from Sausalito, the wave organ, and the Haight Ashbury area just to name a few. In my guide we hiked up Kirby Cove and Lands End Trail, but there are other hikes such as Slacker Hill where you can get gorgeous views of the Golden Gate. So many articles can be written about this quirky and natural city..I guess I’ll just have to keep going back till I’ve covered it all! 

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