Ultimate 2 Days in San Francisco Itinerary

A 2 days in San Francisco itinerary will include charm, ocean views, and good food! It will be packed, but also fun and totally doable! Of course, when you are short on time, it’s always good to have a plan!

I’ve been to San Francisco twice and there is a lot to do in a relatively small area, which is great if you are short on days! While you can absolutely fill more days, 2 days is great for hitting this California city’s highlights.

Here’s how I would suggest spending 2 days in San Francisco after having visited twice.

Quick Overview: 2 Days in San Francisco

DAY ONE | Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, and North Beach

During my California road trip, my friend and I drove across the Golden Gate Bridge and I had booked an affordable hotel with free parking about a thirty-minute walk to the closest point of the Presidio.

Since we had arrived in the late afternoon, we checked in and made our way to the Golden Gate Beach to watch the sunset. However, you can head here in the morning if it works better with your schedule. For those iconic Golden Gate Bridge photos and just to enjoy the beauty of the bay, this area is a must.

We had driven across the bridge, but you can walk or bike if you’d like! This would give you a chance to really savor the views! Of course, the Presidio grounds are expansive, so you might elect to bike or electric scooter around there as well.

You can easily spend several hours exploring this area or just come for the views.

Five popular ideas for Presidio:

1. Golden Gate Bridge Photo Spots – Golden Gate Bridge Overlook, Baker Beach, Marshall’s Beach and more!
2. Walt Disney Family Museum – Disney Fans will NOT want to miss this!
3. Presidio Officers’ Club – Free Museum of Presidio History and often hosts cultural events.
4. Andy Goldsworthy’s Art Installations – Experience all four of his installations by hiking on a three-mile loop.
5. Crissy Field – Excellent Views of Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz and features a long beach, walking trails, and picnic areas.

Lombard Street

We started by making a slight detour to stop at Lombard Street on the way to Fisherman’s Wharf! The famous winding street is beautiful and the hill offers great views! Just be warned, I did say hill and our legs felt it!

Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39

After taking in Lombard Street views, we made our way over to Fisherman’s Wharf to see the sea lions!

We walked to Pier 39 to observe them! My friend LOVED watching them, so animal lovers will want to plan for some extra time here.

If you’re hungry head to Boudin Bakery for the famous sourdough. Of course, if that doesn’t sound good, there are no shortage of options in this area including the famous West Coast burger chain, In-N-Out Burger! Grab dessert at Ghirardelli Square or The Baked Bear or there’s also ice cream and cookie options on Pier 39 also!

Ferry Building Terminal

Since we didn’t do Alcatraz and we weren’t hungry, we continued walking and visited the Ferry Building Terminal. While we weren’t hungry for lunch, any time is a good time for ice cream!

Humphry Slocombe is famous for unconventional flavors, but I didn’t brave it and stuck to something I knew I’d like.

Little Italy | North Beach

For dinner, make your way to Little Italy! After a full day, you’ll want some carbs to replenish your energy.

A few top rated restaurants to consider are Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, Sotto Mare Oysteria & Seafood, The Italian Homemade Company or Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe. Of course, there are plenty more options!

If you have a sweet tooth like me, you’ll want some dessert stops in your 2 days in San Francisco itinerary. So while in Little Italy, head to the iconic Caffe Trieste, known first for espresso, they have desserts as well and stay open until 10PM (according to google). Other dessert options in the area include Stella Pastry & Cafe, Caffe Greco, The Baked Bear or Lush Gelato!

DAY TWO | Golden Gate Park, Haight-Ashbury, and the Mission

Golden Gate Park

The next morning, make your way to Golden Gate Park (different from the Golden Gate Beach area). Visit California Academy of Sciences or de Young Museum and/or stroll through Japanese Tea Garden. You can also try to spot some Bison in the Bison Paddock.

If you want to explore more of the park, rent a bike or book a Golden Gate Park Bike Tour!

Haight-Ashbury

After you’ve explored Golden Gate Park, head to Haight-Ashbury for lunch. Some top rated options include Sandy’s (sandwich shop), Cha Cha Cha (Caribbean), Parada 22 (Puerto Rican), DragonEats (Vietnamese), Street Taco (Mexican) or Slice House by Tony Gemignani (Pizza).

So just pick your lunch mood and you’re bound to find a spot that satisfies! If you’re into vintage shops, this is a great area for you!

Painted Ladies

Head to Painted Ladies to view the iconic homes! If you were a fan of Full House, it’s a good place to hum the theme song and maybe even explore the Alamo Square. This area should not be confused with the “Full House” house located in another part of San Francisco. This scene, of course, is in the opening of the show.

If you decide to walk from Haight-Ashbury to the Painted Ladies, it’s about 22 minutes or more, depending on your exact location and your walking pace.

My friend and I rented some electric scooters to head to this area and then onto Mission District. It’s a fun way to get around! The day we were exploring was a weekend day, so there was less traffic around. I recommend assessing the situation first, but if you’re up for it, your legs might enjoy the break from the hills of San Francisco.

Castro and Mission Districts

Very different from the iconic San Francisco, yet I enjoyed Mission District as well! It’s definitely dirtier and grittier. It had strong hipster vibes with plenty of thrift stores around.

When I was last in the Mission District, it had the most people and the most life! This may be different now, but overall I enjoyed exploring this area.

If you have time and want to continue exploring, head to the Castro District.

Chinatown and Financial District

Rounding out your 2 days in San Francisco itinerary, make your way to Chinatown or the Financial District for dinner! If you don’t want dinner in Chinatown, but still want to make a stop in this area, visit the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. Right next to Chinatown is Little Italy, so you could opt for dinner there!

The Financial District can also be part of day one if you don’t do Alcatraz. Just keep walking along the Embarcadero like we did, until you get to the Ferry Building. There you will find some restaurants and shops.

For sunset dinner views or drinks and nighttime views, you can go to Cityscape! Coming from Mission District area, you will pass Cityscape before Chinatown or Financial District, so just keep that in mind in your planning! Or you can enjoy the Bay with a sunset cruise!

Check availability for San Francisco Bay Sunset Cruise

Tour Ideas for 2 Days in San Francisco Itinerary

With only two days in San Francisco, a tour can really help you maximize your trip! It’s not necessary as you can do a lot on your own in this 2 days in San Francisco itinerary. However, something like a hop-on hop-off bus tour can help you hit all the major sights without worrying about transportation.

Check availability for San Francisco: Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour

What to See Around San Francisco

San Francisco is also an easy launching pad to other places like Napa Valley or Muir Woods! With only two days, you can easily fill your time with only San Francisco, but if any of these destinations are important to you, there are tour options from the city!

I’ve visited Napa Valley twice. Once on a day trip during my first time in San Francisco and also as a stop on my California road trip before heading to San Francisco. It’s a gorgeous area and even though I’m not really into drinking, I’ve enjoyed visiting!

Muir Woods is not something I have done, but it’s definitely on my radar for a return trip.

Yosemite is even an option, but I think it’s too far as a day trip. I loved my 3 days in Yosemite, and really think it’s worth a proper visit.

How to Get Around

There are plenty of options for getting around during your 2 days in San Francisco. The city’s public transit system, Muni, includes buses, light rail (Muni Metro), cable cars, and historic streetcars.

I did a lot of walking and it’s a great option to really allow you to soak in the local atmosphere. When needed or was just too tired to continue walking, I used Uber or Lyft which are widely available.

I also had fun with the electric scooters around San Francisco! Of course, bikes are also an option and there are bike shops that offer rentals.

Be prepared for San Francisco’s famous hills

However, be prepared for San Francisco’s famous hills. Coming from flat Florida, it’s noticeable. Parking can be challenging and expensive in popular areas, so I don’t recommend driving. I stayed somewhere offering free parking and never drove again until it was time to leave.