13 Things to Do in San Francisco in October
Travelling to San Francisco in October is an excellent idea, the city is full of life and is getting ready to celebrate one of the most awaited celebrations for the little ones: 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 autumn colours in the air, October has everything to make your trip unforgettable.
With amazing festivals, tributes, air shows, bay cruises and even a sandcastle building contest, I can assure you that visiting San Francisco in October has it all. I've picked out 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 country's culture. 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 kicks off this month, with games almost every day. In basketball, the regular season starts in mid-October. Here are the must-see events in San Francisco in October:
- Oakland Athletics games: if you want to see the Oakland Athletics 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 there will be plenty of excitement for the home crowd as it will be packed with 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 neighbourhood, the Chase Center.
2. Visit the Castro Street Fair and stroll through an iconic neighbourhood
San Francisco is one of the pioneering 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 as a symbol for the community.
The Castro Street Fair's main objective is to celebrate the diversity of the neighbourhood, and this serves as an excuse to enjoy a large number of shows, delicious food and drink in the street and local artisan shops.
practical information
- Location: Castro Street and Market Street
- When: 2 October
- 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.
Spookily carved pumpkins, spider webs 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 US$10 and it's a great way for the kids to enjoy themselves.
Celebrate Halloween at Hoopla
Yerba Buena Gardens hosts Hoppla, a traditional Halloween celebration, totally free, with carnival games, contests and prizes for the best costumes, a monster parade and lots of entertainment for the kids to enjoy. It takes place within the week of Halloween.
Experience Halloween at The California Academy of Sciences
Getting tickets to the California Academy of Sciences and taking a tour is always a good idea, but if you're in San Francisco shortly before Halloween, the experience is going to be totally different.
Under the name Supernatural, the California Academy of Science, located in Golden Gate Park, also celebrates Halloween with an annual event full of surprises.
From costume parties, make-up artists for boys and girls, amazing shows, and the traditional trick-or-treaters. The entrance fee is around 50 U$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 just something you can do in New York to see the skyscrapers, you can also do it in the Californian city and it's actually an amazing 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? And on a helicopter flight over San Francisco, the pilot also acts as a guide and will tell you lots of interesting facts about the city.
Do you dare to add this spectacular experience to your itinerary?
5. Make the most of the good weather with a bike tour!
Another way to enjoy the good weather in San Francisco in October is by taking an electric bike tour of the city. As it is not a traditional bike, you will be less tired and enjoy it twice as much.
The activity usually lasts about 5 hours and goes around 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, doesn't it?
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 a terrifying experience during Halloween week?
You will visit the most haunted places in the city, houses with spirit apparitions and real crime scenes 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 sipping 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 the Oakland Oktoberfest
October has become synonymous with good beer. The traditional Oktoberfest is celebrated all over the world, and San Francisco is no exception. In the East Bay, in Oakland, the Oaktoberfest takes place.
With a Germanic flair all around, this popular event is ideal for the whole family. With entertainment, tasty German food, traditional music and of course the most delicious craft beer, Oaktoberfest has been gaining in popularity year after year.
This is a great opportunity to enjoy life around the bay and to browse the cafes and shops. This event can also be combined with a gastronomic tour of San Francisco to continue discovering the flavour of San Francisco.
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, honouring the United States Marine Corps. It's a truly amazing celebration with hundreds of activities for all ages.
In San Francisco, the Marina Green area hosts boat parades, a boat show, live music, food trucks and stands 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 across the bay.
This is a great opportunity to experience something different and feel part of the community. You'll be able to see huge warships and aircraft carriers up close, along with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, which 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 not-to-be-missed October festival in San Francisco is the traditional Brews on the bay. For lovers of craft beer, good food and... WWII battleships!
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.
It's an unbeatable opportunity to enjoy the food, sample some of the area's most incredible craft beers, take in the sights, attend live music shows and get an inside look at the ship. And if you still want to get to know the typical dishes of the area, I recommend you to take 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 not to be missed 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's like to be part of this tradition you don't have to leave the city, you can easily go to the classic Clancy's Pumpkin Patch, just a few metres from Golden Gate Park. Here you will find pumpkins of all sizes, colours and shapes. A must-see in October, especially if you are travelling to San Francisco with children.
12. Take part 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 children 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 in a wide variety of shapes. Of course, there is a competition where the most interesting and best sculpture is awarded a prize.
In this way children are introduced to the world of art and architecture. There are also live musical performances and many other recreational activities for the whole family.
practical information
- Location: Balboa Beach
- When it takes place: October 22nd
- Price: free
13. Celebrate Halloween without kids
If you're not travelling with children but still want to join in the Halloween festivities, don't worry, there are plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween without kids. One of the most popular is to join the classic Pub Crawls.
Although you can do this at any other time of the year, during Halloween week there are special events. As well as drinking a few beers, there are parties, both in the bars and in the streets, where you can dress up in costume and take part in games and competitions.
Another way to experience Halloween without the kids is to go to The Regency Ballroom, and join in 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'd like to leave you with some useful tips for your trip to San Francisco, those that never hurt.
What is the weather like in October in San Francisco?
October has an extremely pleasant climate during the day, with highs of 23 to 25 degrees Celsius and lows of 13 to 15 degrees Celsius.
It is not usually a city where it rains a lot, although October is already the beginning of autumn.
All in all, it's an ideal climate for outdoor activities near the bay.
What should I pack to visit San Francisco in October?
As I said, October is a month of pleasant temperatures and almost no rainfall, so you can do without carrying overly warm jackets or thick jumpers. I recommend bringing a light jacket, jeans, T-shirts, and of course, most importantly, comfortable shoes.
San Francisco is a walking city, so good trainers are a must.
How expensive is it 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 Oakland or Sausalito, which are just minutes from downtown San Francisco.
What's the best way to get around San Francisco?
The best way to get around in San Francisco is on foot. This way you'll be able to find other places that may not be as popular with tourists and you'll have a different experience.
But if you're not one of those who can walk for hours without getting tired, you're spoilt for choice, as San Francisco is one of the cities in the United States with the best public transport system. Whether by bus, Bart tram, streetcar, cable car, underground, taxi or Uber, you can get around the city safely, quickly and efficiently.