While San Francisco may be one of the most expensive cities to visit in the U.S., it certainly doesn’t have to be. Whether it’s eating street food or enjoying an afternoon at one of San Francisco’s many great public parks, there are plenty of things to do for cheap, and even free. While some of these activities are outdoors and only available during the summer months, many are year-round.

Here are 10 of the best free things to do in San Francisco throughout the year:

Sutro Baths

The Sutro Baths, the city’s version of ruins, are one of the most interesting landmarks in San Francisco. Formerly a large swimming complex along the rocky cliffs of the Pacific Ocean, the complex burned down in the mid-1960s, leaving the remains that stand today. This is an intriguing landmark, which offers one of the best views in San Francisco. It’s also the trailhead for the Lands End hiking trail.

Golden Gate Park

Few parks in the U.S. can rival San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. While it has the same shape of New York City’s Central Park, it’s nearly 25% larger. The park features museums, large and open green spaces, and paths for walking and bicycling. The park is convenient to the Haight and Inner Sunset districts, which have great dining and nightlife.

Tour of Anchor Brewing

Anchor is one of the most well-known breweries on the west coast, calling San Francisco home. It’s one of the few breweries that offers a free tour, culminating in a tasting session of Anchor beers. However, you’ll need to book your reservation weeks in advance (months in advance if you want to go on a Friday).

Free museum days

San Francisco features some great museums, including the California Academy of Sciences and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. While many of San Francisco’s museums aren’t free, they have free museum days, which are typically one day per month during the middle of the week. This is also when the museums are often the least crowded.

Cable Car Museum

In San Francisco, cable cars are truly part of the city’s culture. And when you see the hills of San Francisco, you’ll see why; you’ll be thankful for a cable car ride up those steep streets. The Cable Car Museum offers visitors a behind-the-cable look at this fascinating method of transportation.

Shakespeare in the Park

You’ll have to be visiting San Francisco during the summer months to take part in the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s Free Shakespeare in the Park. Each summer brings a new weekend afternoon and evening show. Bring a blanket and picnic and make a day of it. The plays take part at a couple of different locations in and around the bay area, but I recommend the Presidio location.

San Francisco Mime Troupe

Don’t worry, we’re not talking about any old mime performing on a street corner. The San Francisco Mime Troupe has been putting on a shows for years. Scheduled performances take place around San Francisco during the summer months, including Dolores Park in the Mission, Glen Park, and Washington Square Park.

San Francisco Maritime National Historic Site

The San Francisco Maritime National Historic Site is located near Fisherman’s Wharf, offers a chance to get close to several types of boats, including tugboats, ferries, and schooners. Self-guided tours of the boats are available for a nominal fee. Visiting the Site also allows for some great photo ops, since it has views of downtown San Francisco, Ghirardelli Square, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.

Sea lions of Pier 39

Pier 39‘s sea lions are celebrities in San Francisco. You may have to wiggle and squirm your way past other tourists at Fisherman’s Wharf to see them, but this is a great chance to see some local marine life. You can almost always find the sea lions at the dock at Pier 39; simply follow their smell.

Fort Point

Located on the southern side of the Golden Gate Bridge, Fort Point offers one of the best views of the bridge. While the Golden Gate Bridge is the main attraction, Fort Point also offers great views of the city. The historic site maintains normal business hours Thursday through Monday. Both guided and self-guided tours are available free of charge.

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Plus, if you swing by Brouwerij ‘t Ij on Fridays, you can take a free guided tour!

History a-brewin’

The Brouwerij ‘t Ij stands beside an enormous, classic Dutch windmill once used for grinding oats. (Now a private residence, the windmill serves as a helpful landmark for those looking for the brewery.) As for the brewery, it was once a large bathhouse, yet the only remains of its soapy past are the old tiled walls inside.

The brewery was founded by Kasper Peterson, a Dutch citizen who spent years as a “beer engineer” in Belgium. Peterson’s first beer creation was the floral, blonde tripel named Zatte, a Dutch term for being “a bit drunk” — and still available on tap.

While the Brouwerij ‘t Ij’s logo is a humorous cartoon ostrich standing in a desert with a windmill in the background, the name “Brouwerij ‘t Ij” literally translates to “brewery on the Ij” due to its location near the Ij River.

The brewery produces only about 200,000 liters per year, a small amount compared to Heineken’s massive 220 million liters.

Cozy and beer buzzy

An assortment of beer enthusiasts flock to the “‘t Ij” brewery on sunny, warm weekends to sample the beers, snack away, and chill out. Tourists, locals, and families brew up a chatty environment, and the staff is a friendly bunch of connoisseurs who honestly enjoy their job. It’s a relaxed and pleasing setting for even the quietest of introverts: everyone has a new best friend after a few rounds at Brouwerij ‘t Ij.

Inside, the decor includes a sizable collection of beer bottles from around the world. Old photos of windmills, ostriches, random faces, and news clippings are pinned above the beer-logged tables. (There will never be enough coasters to keep the counters clean, so stay outside if you can’t handle the scent of stale beer!)

A pure and simple beer recipe

Regardless of beer type, the Brouwerij ‘t Ij’s recipes strictly adhere to just three organic ingredients: water, hops, and malted barley. Yeast acts as a natural preservative and filtering system, making additives unnecessary, and giving the beer a cloudy, smooth, and frothy body.

Following the introduction of “Zatte,” Brouwerij ‘t Ij has added six Belgian-style beers available on tap year-round, plus a few seasonal specials. The list includes:

So many choices…

Plzen:  A light Czech pilsner. Cost: €1.90. (ABV: 5%)
Natte:  Dubbel and mildly bitter. Cost: €2.20. (ABV: 6.5%)
Ijwit:  Citrusy wheat beer. Cost: €2.20. (ABV: 7%)
Zatte:  Tripel with a floral aroma. Cost: €2.20. (ABV: 8%)
Columbus:  Bittersweet amber. Cost: €2.40. (ABV: 9%)
Struis:  Dark stout-like ale. Cost: €2.70. (ABV: 9%)

The Brouwerij ‘t Ij will be interesting to anyone who considers themselves a beer devotee. It will be enjoyed by anyone who wants to sample the Dutch tradition of sipping something bubbly while relaxing in the sun with friends.

Free tours every Friday

Guided tours revealing the ins and outs of the brewery are offered for free on Fridays by the current brewmaster. Tours start at 4 PM.

And don’t worry–you won’t go hungry. Trappist cheeses dipped in beer, sliced salami meats, and local sheep cheeses are a few of the snacks served while sipping the aromatic brews.

Brouwerij ‘t Ij
Funenkade 7
Transportation: Tram 10 and 14
Phone +(31)(0) 20 6228325
Open daily: 3 PM – 8 PM

More information is available on the brewery’s website.

Also consider:

Heineken Experience (The Official Tour)
Stadhouderskade 78
Trams: 7, 10, 16, 24 and 25
Phone +(31)(0) 20 5239222
Hours: 11 AM – 7 PM, daily

Tour prices: €15 (no discounts given, except for groups, in advance)
Website: www.heinekenexperience.com

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