Most of San Francisco’s rain falls between November and March, and summer brings fog and wind more than rain. Either way, the city has plenty to do indoors, and a wet day is a good excuse for the museums you might otherwise skip.
In this guide
This guide is part of our San Francisco attractions hub. Check the San Francisco weather by month guide to see when rain is most likely.
California Academy of Sciences
The Academy has an aquarium, a planetarium, a natural history museum and a four-story rainforest under one living roof in Golden Gate Park. You can easily spend half a day here. Buy timed tickets online, and arrive by foot, bike or transit for a small discount.
The Exploratorium
The Exploratorium on Pier 15 is a hands-on science museum with hundreds of exhibits about light, sound, perception and more. Adults enjoy it as much as children. It is on the Embarcadero, a short walk from the Ferry Building.
SFMOMA and the art museums
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in SoMa has several floors of modern and contemporary art, and visitors 18 and under get in free. The de Young in Golden Gate Park has a free observation tower with a view over the park. The Asian Art Museum is across from City Hall. See our guide to the best museums in San Francisco and the list of free museum days.
The Ferry Building
The Ferry Building’s main hall is covered, so you can graze on bread, cheese, coffee and oysters without getting wet. It is an easy place to wait out a shower before walking the Embarcadero.
Musée Mécanique
This arcade at Pier 45 in Fisherman’s Wharf has a large collection of antique coin-operated machines, from fortune tellers to player pianos. It is free to enter, and each game costs a coin or two. See the Fisherman’s Wharf guide.
Japantown
Japantown’s malls are connected and indoors, with shops, ramen and sushi restaurants, a bookstore and photo booths. Spend an afternoon there and finish with dinner.
Chinatown bakeries and tea shops
Chinatown’s covered shops, bakeries and tea rooms make it easy to duck in and out of the rain. Grant Avenue has the souvenir shops, and Stockton Street is where locals shop for groceries.
Cable Car Museum
The free Cable Car Museum in Nob Hill lets you see the giant winding wheels that pull the cables under the streets. Pair it with a ride on a cable car if the rain lets up. More in our cable car guide.
Catch a show
Check the San Francisco events calendar for theater, concerts and seasonal shows. In December, the San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker is a popular rainy evening.
Official resources: California Academy of Sciences, Exploratorium, SFMOMA, Ferry Building.
Frequently asked questions
When does it rain most in San Francisco?
Most rain falls from November through March. Summer is usually dry, though often foggy and cool.
What can kids do on a rainy day?
The California Academy of Sciences and the Exploratorium are the top picks. See our family vacation guide for more.
Is it worth visiting San Francisco in the rainy season?
Yes. Rain usually comes in storms with dry days in between, hotels can be cheaper, and the hills turn green.
Photo credits
Featured image: King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; SFMOMA and the art museums: Mark Miller / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain; The Ferry Building: JaGa / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.