- HOME
- BEFORE YOU GO
- Books
- Free San Francisco
Free San Francisco
Kindle Guide to 101 Free Attractions
101 free San Francisco attractions and things to do are in the Kindle guide, 101 Free Things to Do in San Francisco, in the Travel Free eGuidebooks series.
Free San Francisco? Well, it's an expensive city but there are plenty of free things to do and free attractions (if you know the right days to turn up). In fact author Daniel Davidson has found 101 of them, included in the San Francisco guide in his admirable series of Travel Free eGuidebooks.
You can see from the Table of Contents what's covered in the guide. We'll also show a screenshot of the first page of Chapter 1, the Free Museums and Galleries. It doesn't show the museums and galleries covered in that chapter, but does show you how helpful the book is.
The reference to 'over 200 museums in San Francisco' takes you to a Wikipedia page listing all of San Francisco's museums, which has photos and, in turn, links to Wikipedia's entries on each museum, with of course links from there to the museum websites.
The page also shows one example of the bonus material included in the guide - free attractions that the author found in the wider Bay Area that were too far away to include in the main part of the book.
Click on the image below to enlarge it
So What's Free in San Francisco?
If the book merely listed obvious free attractions like parks and markets, there wouldn't be much special about it. It's still useful to have them, but as a reader I'd expect more than that.
And the book delivers. Who would have thought you could get free food and drink in an expensive city like San Francisco? And I don't mean the Soup Kitchen. The author tells you where you can get a free pizza and free beer (yes, really), a free sake tasting, free chocolate, and even free oysters.
The book also lists some free walking tours, and other tours where children go free. There's a separate chapter on free activities for kids, too.
But what's most impressive about the book is the generous way the author shares what he's found. There are links to organizations that can help, phone numbers, information about magazines, and loads of other extras like a link to a Google map where the author has pinpointed all the kids' playgrounds in the city, and another link to a web page listing 44 kid-friendly parks in Marin County.
Alcatraz
It is a little cheeky to include Alcatraz as a free attraction. Technically it is, as there's no charge to get onto the island itself. You do have to pay for the ferry there and back, though!
To be truly free you'd have to swim both ways. But I suppose if you're going to list the attractions with free admission, you can't not include this major San Francisco landmark.
I did find one or two little technical errors, which I hope the author corrects. In my version, although there is a Table of Contents at the front of the book, I was unable to click on 'Table of Contents' on my 'Go to' menu to take me back there. And in that Table of Contents, when I click on item 2, Interactive Map, I'm taken not to the map but to the very end of the book.
Free San Francisco Interactive Map
The Interactive Map is there, and what a bonus it is for an ebook compared to a printed guidebook. If you have an internet connection you can access it online, and it lists all 101 of the free things to do in San Francisco.
In fact, thanks to the wonders of technology, you can see the map here:
View 101 Free Things To Do In San Francisco in a larger map
If you're staying in or near San Francisco you can use the map to get your driving directions. You also get the address, phone number, a link to the website if there is one, the chance to search nearby for other attractions in the area, and read other people's reviews of the place. One other feature is that it shows you when the map entry was last updated. I was very impressed to see that although the book first came out at least 12 months ago, the map was last updated just over three weeks ago as I write this review.
Free San Francisco: Amazon Reviews
It's always useful to check out the Amazon reviews for Kindle travel guides, as there are some real rip-off titles out there - sometimes just a few pages in badly-written English. Fortunately this isn't one of them, and it has mostly 4-star and 5-star reviews.
I can't believe the 1-star review which says the book only has the same free tips that are available in any city. What? Did we read the same book? Can you get a free sail-boat ride in San Francisco Bay in any city? Or free urban bicycling workshops? Or get a free sake tasting? I don't think so.
The 101st Free Thing to Do in San Francisco
I'm not going to spoil the fun but I love the author's listing for the 101st free thing to do in San Francisco. It's highly appropriate.
Buying this Guide to Free San Francisco Attractions
We really do recommend this book highly, if you're planning to visit San Francisco. Even if you're not too bothered whether something is free or not, the author has still unearthed lots of fun things to do in the city. The guide will work best if you have a good internet connection, but even if you're using a standard Kindle with poor connectivity, it's still worth it.
101 Free Things to Do in San Francisco is available for the Kindle at Amazon in the USA, Amazon in the UK, And at other Amazon stores worldwide.
CityPASS San Francisco
If you're going to be spending any time in San Francisco then we really recommend doing what we did, and getting a San Francisco CityPASS. Not only does it get you into some of the top attractions like the California Academy of Sciences and the Aquarium of the Bay, it also includes a 7-day Cable Car and Muni Bus Passport and a free cruise in San Francisco Bay. We definitely got full use of ours!
Other San Francisco pages
Los Angeles Travel Guide
The Los Angeles travel guide book from Lonely Planet also covers San Diego and Southern California, including Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, and Disneyland.
San Francisco Best Chinatown Restaurants
San Francisco has some of the best Chinatown restaurants in the USA, and its Chinese restaurants provide superb dining. Here are our top eating places.
Visiting the Golden Gate Bridge
Pacific Coast Highway Travel's guide to visiting the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco including how to get there and free walking tours of the bridge.
California Bed and Breakfast Inns
The guide to California Bed and Breakfast Inns lists over 250 boutique hotels, wine country cottages and more.
Olympic Peninsula Travel Guide
Pacific Coast Highway Travel reviews an Olympic Peninsula Travel Guide published by the Beautiful Pacific Northwest website.
Washington State Travel Guide
The Washington State travel guide from Frommer's covers hotels in Seattle, driving the Pacific Coast Highway, Olympic National Park, where to eat and more.
Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Guide
Pacific Coast Highway Travel reviews the Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Guide book covering the drive from Vancouver to San Diego.
Pacific Coast Highway Road Trips: Lonely Planet Guidebook Review
Review of the Pacific Coast Highway Road Trips book from Lonely Planet, which includes a California Driving Guide, by the Pacific Coast Highway Travel website.
Ten Best Things to Do in San Francisco
Pacific Coast Highway Travel lists the ten best things to do in San Francisco, including Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, and Fisherman's Wharf.
Gardens Of the Pacific Coast Highway
Plant lovers can visit hundreds of gardens along or near the Pacific Coast Highway,ranging from lush gardens in the Pacific North-West to southern California.
Photos of the Golden Gate Bridge
A selection of the best Photos of the Golden Gate Bridge on the Pacific Coast Highway Travel website, for travel and photographic inspiration.
Coastal California Guidebook
Lonely Planet's Coastal California guidebook is the ideal travel guide for driving or cycling the Pacific Coast Highway from the Oregon border to Mexico.
Pacific Coast Highway Moon Guide
Pacific Coast Highway Travel reviews the Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip guide from Moon covering California, Oregon and Washington
San Francisco Music Tour on the Magic Bus to Haight-Ashbury
Take a San Francisco Music Tour with Magic Bus, a trip through the musical past to Haight-Ashbury, the City Lights Bookstore and the Summer of Love.
Road Food Guide
West Coast Road Eats is a road food guide covering the Pacific Coast from California through Oregon to Washington, giving the best road trip food stops.
San Francisco Airport Hotels
San Francisco Airport hotels include a Grand Hyatt, La Quinta, Westin, Marriott, Super 8 and bayfront hotels ranging from budget to 5-star luxury.
Culture Trails
Pacific Coast Highway Travel reviews the book Culture Trails by Lonely Planet, which has a section on Vintage Hollywood alongside 51 other perfect weekends.
Best Museums in San Francisco
The best museums in San Francisco include the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California Academy of Sciences, de Young Museum and Exploratorium.
California Living and Eating
California Living and Eating by Eleanor Maidment is a handsome coffee table book celebrating the food and lifestyle of the Golden State with 80 tasty recipes.
California Backroads
Some of the best California Backroads are included in Backroads of the California Coast, with 24 highly recommended driving tours off the Pacific Coast Highway.
Lighthouses of the Pacific Coast
Lighthouses of the Pacific Coast, published by Voyageur Press, is a guide in words and pictures to historic lighthouses along the Pacific Coast Highway.
Touring Alcatraz
Touring Alcatraz, the former island prison, is one of the best things to do in San Francisco and attracts over 1.5 million visitors a year.
Epic Drives of the World
Epic Drives of the World from Lonely Planet describes 50 of the world's most exciting road trips, including, of course, the Pacific Coast Highway.
Books About the Pacific Coast Highway
Books About the Pacific Coast Highway in California, Oregon and Washington including travel guidebooks, route guides, restaurant guides, and many more.
Recent Articles
-
Portion of PCH closed since Palisades Fire to open for essential travel only
Feb 20, 25 10:47 AM
Officials at the California Department of Transportation on Wednesday announced the expansion of the “soft closure” of Pacific Coast Highway to residents who need it for essential travel. A portion of… -
Severe storm brings flash flood warnings, mudslides and full PCH closure in Malibu
Feb 15, 25 11:03 AM
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for the Franklin Fire burn scar in Malibu, in effect until 8:00 PM tonight. Heavy rainfall is creating dangerous conditions, with a high r… -
PCH closed again due to fears of landslides
Feb 13, 25 11:07 AM
Drivers who have never had an accident may be getting whiplash none-the-less this week as the Pacific Coast Highway has closed yet again. The latest development in the ongoing fiasco of accessing the…
FTC Disclosure: If you make a purchase via a link on this site, we may receive a small commission on the transaction - at no added cost to you. Thank you!
LATEST BOOKS
Take a look at our latest books: 101 Best Things to Do on the Pacific Coast Highway and 101 Budget Hotels along the Pacific Coast Highway. Click on the covers to learn more.
LATEST NEWS
Recent Articles
-
Portion of PCH closed since Palisades Fire to open for essential travel only
Feb 20, 25 10:47 AM
Officials at the California Department of Transportation on Wednesday announced the expansion of the “soft closure” of Pacific Coast Highway to residents who need it for essential travel. A portion of… -
Severe storm brings flash flood warnings, mudslides and full PCH closure in Malibu
Feb 15, 25 11:03 AM
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for the Franklin Fire burn scar in Malibu, in effect until 8:00 PM tonight. Heavy rainfall is creating dangerous conditions, with a high r… -
PCH closed again due to fears of landslides
Feb 13, 25 11:07 AM
Drivers who have never had an accident may be getting whiplash none-the-less this week as the Pacific Coast Highway has closed yet again. The latest development in the ongoing fiasco of accessing the…
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases, but at no cost to you.
Buy an inexpensive journal to record your own Pacific Coast Highway adventure!
If you're planning a PCH road trip, take a look at our guide to hotels along the way:
FOLLOW OUR PCH VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
The Best PCH Guide
We've read lots of guides to the Pacific Coast, and easily the best one is the Moon Handbook. You can read our review here, or buy it through the Amazon link below.
No words or images to be used without prior permission.
We do not sell personal information: see our Privacy Policy.
California Consumer Privacy Act - CCPA: Sale Of Personal Information
Pacific Coast Highway Travel does not sell any information it gathers for any reason. It has not collected or sold any personal information in the last twelve months or ever in the past.
This website was built using Site Build It!
