13 Things to Do in San Francisco in October
Traveling to San Francisco in October is an excellent idea, the city is full of life and prepares to celebrate one of the most anticipated celebrations for children: Halloween!
San Francisco | ©Victor R. Ruiz
If you want to know what to see and do in San Francisco in one of the most interesting months of the year, this article is for you. With pleasant weather and fall colors in the air, October has everything to make your trip unforgettable.
With amazing festivals, tributes, air shows, bay cruises and even a sand castle building contest, I can assure you that visiting San Francisco in October has it all. I've picked for you the top 10 things to do in this charming city, the most famous city on the West Coast of the United States.
1. Experience the magic of the sporting spectacle
You already know that Americans live their sports games, both baseball and basketball, to the fullest. At these tournaments you can experience the adrenaline, the excitement and a part of the culture of the country. Do you want to live the experience and be one of them? October is one of the best times to do it.
The Major League Baseball season starts this month, with games almost every day. As for basketball, the regular season starts in mid-October. Here are the events you can't miss in San Francisco in October:
- Oakland Athletics games: if you want to see this team play at home you can do so at the RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland, California, which is only a 20-minute drive from San Francisco.
- San Francisco Giants games: this is the quintessential San Francisco team and Oracle Park is where they play their home games, so the excitement of the crowd there is at its peak, as it will be full of home fans.
- Golden State Warriors games: if you are more of a basketball fan and want to experience the NBA from the inside, I recommend you to go to a Golden State Warriors game, the San Francisco team, in their own wide located in the Mission Bay neighborhood, the Chase Center.
2. Visit Castro Street Fair and stroll through an iconic neighborhood
San Francisco is one of the pioneer cities in defending and vindicating gender diversity. That is why every year, in one of its most historic districts, a massive festival is held in the street. This is the Castro Street Fair, which has been held since 1974.
The Castro District is always included in the LGBT themed tours for being a symbol for the community.
The Castro Street Fair has as main objective to celebrate the diversity of the neighborhood, and this serves as an excuse to enjoy a lot of shows, delicious food and drinks in the street and stores of artisans of the region.
practical information
- Location: Castro Street and Market Street
- When: October 2
- Price: free
3. Experience Halloween in style
If you are visiting the city of San Francisco in October, you can't miss the celebration of one of the most typical American traditions: Halloween.
Chillingly carved pumpkins, cobwebs everywhere, ghosts, terrifying monsters walking the streets, and most importantly... Hundreds of candies! I assure you that experiencing Halloween with your children in the city of San Francisco is truly magical.
There are many festivals in the days leading up to Halloween. Check your calendar and take note.
Scaregrove
With parades, games, live shows, delicious food and prizes for the best costumes, the Scaregrove festival is held every year in Stern Grove Park a week before Halloween. Admission is around 10 U$S and it's a great way for kids to enjoy themselves.
Celebrate Halloween at Hoopla
Yerba Buena Gardens hosts Hoppla, a traditional Halloween celebration, totally free, with carnival games, contests and prizes for the best costumes, monster parade and many shows for the kids to have a great time. It takes place during the week of Halloween.
Experience Halloween at The California Academy of Sciences
Getting your hands on tickets to the California Academy of Sciences and taking a tour is always a good idea, but if you're in San Francisco shortly before Halloween, the experience is going to be totally different.
Under the name Supernatural, the California Academy of Science, located in Golden Gate Park, also celebrates Halloween with an annual event full of surprises.
From costume parties, make-up artistry for boys and girls, amazing shows and the traditional and infallible "Trick or Treat". The entrance fee is around 50 U$S. It takes place a week before Halloween.
4. Discover San Francisco from the air
San Francisco's weather in October is incredibly pleasant, making it the perfect time to fly in a helicopter. Yes, yes, you heard that right, flying in a helicopter. This is not something you can only do in New York to see the skyscrapers, you can also do it in the Californian city and, in fact, it is an incredible experience.
Can you imagine seeing the Golden Gate Bridge from above with all the little cars passing by? Or Alcatraz Island in the middle of the water? In addition, on a helicopter flight over San Francisco, the pilot also acts as a guide and will tell you a lot of interesting facts about the city.
Do you dare to add this spectacular experience to your itinerary?
5. Take advantage of the good weather with a bike tour
Another way to enjoy the good temperatures of San Francisco in October is by taking an electric bike tour around the city. As it is not a traditional bike, the fatigue will be less and the enjoyment twice as much.
The activity usually lasts about 5 hours and goes through the main tourist attractions of the city. But not only that, there is also a stop for a chocolate tasting and to recharge your batteries. Sounds good, right?
A local guide will also accompany you on wheels while explaining the curiosities of the city. In my opinion, this is a fun and different way to get to know an area, and get away from the typical walking tour.
6. Take a spooky Ghost Tour
Taking a ghost tour of San Francisco has become a new classic. But what about having a terrifying experience during Halloween week?
You will visit the most haunted places in the city, houses with apparitions of spirits and scenes of real crimes where strange and disturbing things are heard and seen.
With an expert guide on the subject of the supernatural, you will learn all the secrets of the other San Francisco, the city that remains hidden to most people.
7. Take a cruise around the bay
As you may have noticed, everything in San Francisco revolves around its beautiful bay. Festivals, events, the incredible Golden Gate Bridge? Everything seems to lead to its calm waters. So what better than to take a two-hour sunset cruise and enjoy a totally different experience?
Board a luxury sailboat at Pier 39 and get ready to set sail. You can be sure that seeing Angel Island and the old Alcatraz prison up close, while savoring a glass of California wine or a beer, is unparalleled.
This is definitely one of the best ways to enjoy San Francisco Bay and you'll have the perfect opportunity to take some amazing photos and blow up Instagram.
8. Enjoy Oakland's Oktoberfest
It is well known that the month of October has become synonymous with good beer. Everywhere in the world celebrates the traditional Oktoberfest, and San Francisco could not be less. In the East Bay, in Oakland, the Oaktoberfest is celebrated.
With a Germanic air covering everything, this popular event is ideal to enjoy with the whole family. With shows, tasty German food, traditional music and of course the most delicious craft beer, the Oaktoberfest has been gaining more and more fans year after year.
This is a great opportunity to enjoy life around the bay and also visit its cafes and stores. This event can also be combined with a gastronomic tour of San Francisco to continue discovering the San Francisco flavor.
practical information
- Location: Fruitvale and Mac Arthur, in the Dimond District
- When it takes place: October 1st and 2nd
- Price: free
9. Experience Fleet Week like a local
In October, Fleet Week is celebrated across the country every year, honoring the United States Marine Corps. It is a truly amazing celebration with hundreds of activities for all ages.
In San Francisco, the Marina Green area hosts boat parades, a fair with shows, live music, booths and food trucks with the most delicious food and drink, boat rides and the must-see Blue Angels air show, which will speed over your head. All with incredible views of the entire bay.
This is a great opportunity to live a different experience and feel part of the community. You will be able to see huge warships and aircraft carriers up close, along with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, where you can also take a bike tour.
practical information
- Location: along the SF Bay Area
- When it takes place: October 3 to 11
- Price: free
10. Attend the Brews on the bay Festival
Another must-attend festival in October in San Francisco is the traditional Brews on the bay. For lovers of craft beer, good food and... WWII warships!
Yes, the quality that makes this event completely unique is that much of it takes place aboard the Jeremiah O'Brien, an imposing warship anchored at Pier 45.
This is an unbeatable opportunity to enjoy the gastronomy, taste some of the most incredible craft beers of the area, enjoy the views, attend live music shows and get to know the ship from the inside. And if you still want to know more about the typical dishes of the area, I recommend a gastronomic tour of San Francisco.
practical information
- Location: on the SS Jeremiah O'Brien, Pier 45
- When it takes place: to be confirmed
- Price: free
11. Decorate your traditional Halloween pumpkin
One of the typical Halloween activities you can't miss is pumpkin carving.
This tradition is almost as old as Christmas. As Halloween approaches you will begin to see how all of San Francisco is filled with spooky decorations and monstrous pumpkins carved and lit from the inside.
If you want to experience what it feels like to be part of this tradition you don't need to leave the city, you can go to the classic Clancy's Pumpkin Patch, just a few meters away from Golden Gate Park. Here you will find pumpkins of all sizes, colors and shapes. A must-see in October, especially if you take a trip to San Francisco with children.
12. Participate in the traditional Leap Sandcastle Classic
A classic San Francisco event in October is the Leap Sandcastle Classic, an annual sandcastle festival that has been held since 1974 and is ideal for the little ones to enjoy the bay while building original sand sculptures.
It's not just about castles, as each year children design, build and name huge sculptures with the most varied shapes. Of course, there is a competition where the most interesting and best sculpture is awarded.
This brings children closer to the world of art and architecture. In addition, there are live musical performances and many other recreational activities for the whole family.
practical information
- Location: Balboa Beach
- When: October 22nd
- Price: free
13. Celebrate Halloween without kids
If you are not traveling with children but still want to join the Halloween festivities, don't worry, there are many ways to celebrate Halloween without kids. One of the most popular is to join the classic Pub Crawls, which in Spanish is something like "rodar de bar en bar" or "irse de copas".
Although this can be done at any other time of the year, during the week of Halloween there are special events. In addition to drinking a few beers there are parties, both in the bars and in the streets, where you can go in costume and participate in games and contests.
Another way to experience Halloween without children is to go to The Regency Ballroom, and join the traditional Nightmare on Van Ness, a very popular costume ball, where only those over 21 are allowed to enter.
Some tips for your trip
Before I say goodbye, I would like to leave you some useful tips for your trip to San Francisco, those that never hurt.
What is the weather like in October in San Francisco?
The month of October presents a very pleasant weather during the day, with maximum temperatures of 23 or 25 degrees Celsius and minimum temperatures between 13 and 15.
It is not usually a city where it rains a lot, although October is already the beginning of autumn.
All in all, it is an ideal climate to enjoy outdoor activities near the bay.
What should I pack to visit San Francisco in October?
As I tell you, October is a month of pleasant temperatures and almost no rain, so you can do without carrying too warm jackets or thick sweaters. I recommend that you bring a light jacket, jeans, t-shirts, and of course, the most important thing: comfortable shoes.
San Francisco is a walking city, so good sneakers are a must.
Is it expensive to stay in San Francisco in October?
You should know that San Francisco is one of the most expensive cities in the United States, so I must say that yes, staying here is not cheap.
However, there are always options for tighter budgets, you just have to look a bit outside the most popular areas. Maybe in Oakland or Sausalito, locations that are just minutes away from downtown San Francisco.
What is the best way to get around San Francisco?
The best way to get around in San Francisco is on foot, this way you will be able to find other places that may not be as frequented by tourists and you will be able to live a different experience.
Although if you are not one of those who can walk for hours without getting tired, you have to choose, since San Francisco is one of the cities in the United States with the best public transportation system. Whether by bus, Bart streetcar, streetcar, cable car, subway, cab or Uber, you can move safely, quickly and efficiently around the city.