United States California 18 Best Things to Do in San Francisco at Night By Betsy Malloy Betsy Malloy Facebook Twitter Betsy has been writing about California for nearly more than two decades as TripSavvy's expert on the state. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 04/24/22 Piriya Photography / Getty Images Like any big city, San Francisco has its share of evening fare: theater and performing arts, fine dining, and plenty of bars and nightclubs. But what if you don't like those typical after-hours pursuits or are traveling with a family? Never fear, there are still lots of things you can do in San Francisco after the sun goes down, whether you're into ghost tours, evening baseball games, or just want to see the best views of the city after dark. Here's a list of 18 of our favorites. 01 of 18 Take in Views from a Sunset Cruise Adventure Cat Sailing Charters End your long day of sightseeing with a relaxing sunset cruise on San Francisco Bay. Red and White Fleet offers a 90-minute sailing daily, during which you'll have the chance to sail past Alcatraz Island and underneath the Golden Gate Bridge and Oakland Bay Bridge. Adventure Cat Sailing Charters has a similar 90-minute experience, giving guests the chance to sail in sailboat under the Golden Gate Bridge — each ticket also includes a free drink per person. Whichever cruise you choose, remember to bring along a jacket, as it can get quite chilly on the water at night. View Map Address Pier 39 Dock J, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA Get directions Phone +1 800-498-4228 Web Visit website 02 of 18 Embrace the City's Rich Comedy Scene Punch Line San Francisco San Francisco is home to some of the greatest comedy clubs in the country, including the Punch Line, which brings in legends like Dave Chappelle, Jerry Seinfeld, Margaret Cho, and Dana Carvey, among other big names; Cobb's Comedy Club, frequented by Michael Ian Black, Dave Attell, and Michelle Wolf; and The Setup, home to a more underground comedy scene. If you prefer improvisational comedy, head to the Shelton Theater's Secret Improv Society show, which is based entirely off audience suggestions and is reminiscent of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" The same theater also hosts stand-up comedy shows by local, independent artists during its Cheaper Than Therapy sessions, which are also worth checking out. If you're short on time, opt for Dylan's Comedy Bus Tour for a BYOB 90-minute tour of San Francisco aboard a minibus, led by local comedians who share their best jokes and stories about the city as you make your way around town. View Map Address 782 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-932-6993 Web Visit website 03 of 18 Go to a Roller Disco Party at the Church of 8 Wheels The Church of 8 Wheels For something a bit more quirky and retro, head to the Church of 8 Wheels, where you'll get to live out your roller disco fantasies in a former church on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights alongside area locals. Don't worry about packing your skates—you can rent some for a small fee—or being a skating pro, as lessons are available on Fridays and Saturdays ahead of the skate night festivities. Check the website for more info on schedules and events and lean into the Church's mission: to spread the joy of skating throughout the land. View Map Address 554 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-752-1967 Web Visit website 04 of 18 Explore Jack Kerouac's San Francisco Gerald French / Getty Images Literary enthusiasts should stop by City Lights Booksellers and Publishers, the legendary North Beach bookstore where Jack Kerouac and his Beatnik buddies used to hang out in the 1950s. Visit Vesuvio Cafe, located just across Jack Kerouac Alley and still a San Francisco institution for local artists, writers, poets, musicians, and anyone who is fan of the writer, as well as Allen Ginsberg, Dylan Thomas, and some of his other contemporaries. If time allows, learn all about this fascinating group and the world they lived in around the corner at The Beat Museum. View Map Address 255 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-362-3370 Web Visit website Continue to 5 of 18 below. 05 of 18 Have a Drink at a Ritzy Hotel Bar The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco Kick off your evening at the swanky, swoon-worthy JCB Tasting Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, where this jewel box of a lounge seats about a dozen people in an eye-popping setting of black and gold, animal prints, and glittering crystal. Order a glass of passionate, provocative No. 9 sparkling wine or flirt over the flamboyant, sensual (and oh-so-yummy) No. 69 Pinot Noir. When this place fills up all its Baccarat crystal glasses, it won't accept another single soul, no matter how much you beg, so make reservations to avoid disappointment. For a gorgeous view from slightly less opulent surroundings, you can't beat the Top of the Mark at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco hotel, offering creative cocktails and epic views from its perch on the 19th floor since 1939. View Map Address 600 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108-2311, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-296-7465 Web Visit website 06 of 18 See the Lights on the San Francisco Bay Bridge TripSavvy / Betsy Malloy At sunset, the otherwise utilitarian San Francisco Bay Bridge transforms into a sparkling, LED light sculpture. Computer programs create incredible patterns that span the bridge and there are a few different places to best take in the view, whether you want to watch from the Embarcadero between the Ferry Building and the bridge or look down on the lights from the top of Telegraph Hill's Coit Tower. View Map Address San Francisco, CA 94111, USA Get directions Web Visit website 07 of 18 Explore Alcatraz at Night Matteo Colombo / Getty Images Touring Alcatraz during the day can be hot, cramped, and take away from valuable time elsewhere. But visiting the storied prison at night extends your daytime sightseeing opportunities and gives you a chance to experience special programs and activities not typically offered during the day. You'll also be the only group on the island, which can add to the slightly mysterious charm of this unique 2.5-hour guided tour. View Map Address Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, CA, USA Get directions 08 of 18 Catch a Baseball Game at Oracle Park DanCardiff / Getty Images Nighttime baseball games are a fun tradition anywhere, but catching a game at Oracle Park, formerly known as AT&T Park and home of the San Francisco Giants, is particularly enjoyable, especially if you're visiting with the whole family in tow. Grab a hot dog and a pint of beer and join in on the fun. The expansive ballpark also hosts a few different special events and concerts throughout the summer. View Map Address 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-972-2000 Web Visit website Continue to 9 of 18 below. 09 of 18 Visit Treasure Island for This View TripSavvy / Betsy Malloy Treasure Island is possibly the best place in town to watch the city lights come out at sunset. The tiny island is a fun place to explore during the day, with bikes, cocktails, and a winery, but you won't believe the photos you'll be able to get of the San Francisco skyline once the sun falls below the horizon each night. To get there, take the Bay Bridge toward Oakland and exit halfway across. View Map Address Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA, USA Get directions 10 of 18 Escape to the Marin Headlands TripSavvy / Betsy Malloy Natural Attractions 4.9 If you're interested in snapping more breathtaking sunset photos, this photo was taken from the Marin Headlands, located on the northwest side of the Golden Gate Bridge. The city lights behind the bridge are truly magical. To get there, go north across the Golden Gate Bridge, exit just past the north vista point and turn left to drive up the hill. View Map Address Marin Headlands, California, USA Get directions 11 of 18 Walk Along Pier 7 TripSavvy / Betsy Malloy Hidden away from other touristy spots in San Francisco, you'll find Pier 7 along the waterfront between Washington Street and Broadway. A short walk to the end of it gives a beautiful city lights view, and there are plenty of benches where you can relax and enjoy a perfect San Francisco evening, crowd-free. View Map Address Pier 7, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA Get directions 12 of 18 Climb to the Top of Coit Tower Thomas Winz / Getty Images Head to the top of historic Telegraph Hill, where you'll find San Francisco's 210-foot Coit Tower. While the ground floor of the tower sports colorful murals painted by local artists, the top level offers beautiful views of the glittering skyline. Pro tip: This view is very similar to what you can see from the top floor of the parking garage above the police station on Vallejo Street. View Map Address 1 Telegraph Hill Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-249-0995 Web Visit website Continue to 13 of 18 below. 13 of 18 Photograph the Transamerica Pyramid at Night TripSavvy / Betsy Malloy Whether you love it or hate it, San Francisco's iconic Transamerica Pyramid has always had a unique profile in the city. You can get some of the most iconic SF photos by shooting it from one of the city's many hilltops, set against the lights of Berkeley across the Bay. View Map Address 600 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA Get directions Web Visit website 14 of 18 Stroll Through the Streets of Chinatown TripSavvy / Betsy Malloy As soon as the sun goes down, Chinatown nearly turns into a ghost town. The few people who walk through it never seem to look up to see all the neon-lit signs or the glowing, red lanterns against the twilight blue sky. Don't be dull like everyone else. Take the short walk along Grant Avenue from Bush Street to Columbus just after the sun goes down—and don't forget to look up. View Map Address Chinatown, San Francisco, CA, USA Get directions Web Visit website 15 of 18 Take a Segway Tour at Night csfotoimages / Getty Images Why let your feet get tired when you can use a Segway human transporter to explore the cityscape at night? An evening tour with the San Francisco Electric Tour Company is more fun than you can imagine. Tours begin in Chinatown and cover the Embarcadero and Little Italy. View Map Address 757 Beach St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-474-3130 Web Visit website 16 of 18 Go Ghost-Hunting San Francisco Ghost Hunt The San Francisco Ghost Hunt promises to introduce you to San Francisco's most notorious ghosts on a 90-minute lantern-lighted walk through Pacific Heights. Tours are led by Christian Cagigal, a Bay Area magician and actor, so you know you'll be properly entertained. The Haunt offers 90-minute ghost-hunting adventures through Chinatown and the Jackson Square Historic District, focusing on the city's darker side. Guests also have the chance to use EMF monitors to detect paranormal activity during the tour. View Map Address 1801 Bush St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-754-8209 Web Visit website Continue to 17 of 18 below. 17 of 18 Visit a Museum After Hours Phil Bond / Getty Images Many of San Francisco's best museums offer late-night entry at least once a week. The California Academy of Sciences offers late-night admission every Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., while the de Young Museum, one of the city's best art museums is open late on Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Most museums' late-night programs include special talks and performances or sometimes food and drink. View Map Address 55 Music Concourse Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-379-8000 Web Visit website 18 of 18 See a Concert at The Fillmore The Fillmore This historic concert venue opened in 1954 and has hosted the likes of the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, and The Who, among many others. The landmark Geary Boulevard venue still showcases both rock legends and up-and-comers, making it a uniquely San Franciscan way to spend an evening. View Map Address Fillmore District, San Francisco, CA, USA Get directions Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email