This post covers the best things to do in San Francisco in April.
We include nighttime, free, as well as family-friendly events and activities, all updated for 2023.
- Top 10
- Free Things to Do
- Nighttime Activities
- Family-Friendly
- How's the Weather
- Things to Do in San Francisco (any time of the year)
This section features our top 11 activities to enjoy in San Francisco throughout April.
For tips on the most popular activities in San Francisco, check out our popular tour posts:
Several of the items below are already included for free with the purchase of a tourist discount pass.
1. Enjoy a Concert
San Francisco attracts musicians throughout the year, and you'll find some big names visiting in April.
Here are a few concerts you might find of interest:
- Keith Sweat/New Edition | April 9th
- Muse/Evanescence | April 14th
- Sabrina Carpenter | April 14th, 15th
- Gipsy Kings | April 21st (San Jose)
- Tyler Childers | April 27th
- Jon Pardi/Priscilla Block | April 29th
If your interest lies in classical music, the San Francisco Symphony will have concerts as well.
For even more musical performances, check out this list of concerts in April.
2. Attend a Sporting Event
The San Francisco area has a number of sports teams. There are a number of games to see in April!
Baseball
Basketball
Hockey
Soccer
For even more games to attend, check this list of sporting events in San Francisco.
3. Enjoy A Performance on the Stage
There will be plenty of shows to enjoy in San Francisco this month, including some famous traveling Broadway musicals.
Here are some shows you might find interesting:
- Six the Musical | April 1st - 9th
- Sweat - The Play | April 1st - 16th
- Clue the Musical | April 9th - 22nd
- Pretty Woman | April 25th - 29th
Companies with planned performances in April:
Click here to visit other performances in San Francisco.
4. Enjoy a Stand-up Comedy Special
If you’re in need of a good laugh, you can find it in San Francisco.
There will be several well-known comedians performing in the Bay Area this month.
Here are just a few of the comics doing stand-up in April:
- Jeff Ross | April 1st
- Creed Bratton | April 6th (Berkeley)
- Jerry Seinfeld | April 13th
- Matt Rife | April 16th
- Noel Miller | April 20th
Discover other opportunities to chuckle in San Francisco.
5. Visit One of the Painted Ladies
If you’ve ever wanted to see the houses featured in the hit television show Full House, you can do that in April.
There are plenty of tours that will introduce you to the Painted Ladies, but only one of them includes admission to one of the Victorian houses in the area.
Take Walks offers a tour of the Painted Ladies which will take you inside one of the houses on Alamo Square, giving you a rare opportunity to see the interior of one of the most expensive and historic homes in the city.
When you finish taking a look inside this mansion, you’ll head over to the Painted Ladies for a chance to take pictures in front of the famous landmarks.
6. Consider a Tourist Pass
If you want to get the most bang for your buck in San Francisco, you might consider purchasing a tourist discount pass.
These passes are so value-packed that once you’ve done a couple of activities, everything else on the card doesn’t cost you a dime!
The following attractions are included on most of the tourist attraction discount passes in this city:
- California Academy of Sciences
- Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
- Walt Disney Family Museum
- California’s Great America
- Golden Gate Bay Cruise
- Hop on Hop off Bus Tour
- Ripley’s Believe it or Not
- Aquarium of the Bay
- San Francisco Zoo
- Madame Tussauds
- Oracle Park Tour
- Exploratorium
- And more!
Depending on which pass you choose and how you use it, you should be able to save at least 20% - 50% off or more.
For more information, please read our post covering San Francisco tourist attraction discount passes.
Or, you can purchase a pass here: All-Inclusive - SF Go City | Explorer - SF Go City | Day Pass - SF Sightseeing | Flex Pass - SF Sightseeing | SF CityPASS
7. Take a Walking Tour
We offer a variety of different pay-what-you-wish walking tours in San Francisco, and April is an excellent time to take one (or more) of them!
Here are a few of the tours you may want to consider during the spring:
- Lombard Street, Little Italy, Fisherman’s Wharf
- The Original San Francisco Tour
- San Francisco in One Day
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Chinatown
We also offer self-guided walking tours and GPS-enabled audio tours for those who want to save even more money or just explore the city at their own pace.
Check our list of San Francisco walking tours for even more excellent options to consider.
8. Cherry Blossom Festival
A prominent spring event, the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival takes place in Japantown from April 8th-16th, 2023.
This festival draws nearly a quarter of a million people and is free to attend (although some specific activities may have a fee).
Festival-goers can enjoy cultural programs, a grand parade, live entertainment, arts & crafts, food, and much more!
For even more free activities to enjoy in April, see our free section below.
9. Take a Food Tour
Whether you want to learn about the culinary history of San Francisco or you just want to experience some of the flavors of this city, Secret Food Tours offers an outing you’ll enjoy.
During their food tour, you’ll have a chance to sample a variety of great dishes including a Mission-style burrito, clam chowder, lumpia, pupusa, locally made ice cream, and more.
This tour is 3 - 3 ½ hours long and they keep it to a maximum of 12 guests, ensuring that everyone gets a chance to try the food and it’s never too crowded.
Purchase tickets or learn more.
10. Head to the SFFILM Festival
If you're a movie buff, this month will actually be one of the best times to visit San Francisco, as the SFFILM Festival runs from April 13th-23rd, 2023.
This is the longest-running film festival in the Americas, and they always manage to show some fantastic movies.
Tickets start at $18 and run up to $95, depending on what and how many films you want to see.
Learn more or purchase your tickets here.
THINGS TO DO AT NIGHT IN APRIL
Below is just a small sampling of the activities you can do at night in San Francisco.
Some of the items we’ve already mentioned in this post like attending a Golden State Warriors game or seeing a musical.
For suggestions on other nighttime activities for any time of the year, visit our post on things to do at night in San Francisco.
Take an Evening Boat Cruise
Enjoy a sunset sail on a catamaran with Adventure Cat. This sail takes off from J Dock at Pier 39, and sails past Alcatraz Island and out under the Golden Gate Bridge before turning back.
You’ll enjoy beautiful views of the city, the bridge, and everything else the Bay has to offer!
Enjoy the Street Performers at Pier 39
One of the most popular tourist attractions in San Francisco, Pier 39 is loaded with fun street performers to watch.
At any time, experience performances from magicians, musicians, living statues, artists, and more!
Visit Alcatraz After Dark
Did you know you can actually hop on a boat and head to Alcatraz at night?
These tickets can be a little difficult to come by, and the after-dark experience is always different than tours offered during the day!
For more details on how to enjoy this activity, please read our post covering Alcatraz tickets and tours.
TIP: For many more ideas, be sure to take a look at our post, Things to do at Night in San Francisco.
FREE THINGS TO DO IN APRIL
Spring offers a handful of free festivals and events in San Francisco and April is not shy of them.
Some of the items we’ve listed above like the Cherry Blossom Festival and Easter celebrations do not charge any admission fees.
Here are a few more activities to enjoy for free in April!
For even more free activities, see our guide to Free Things to Do in San Francisco.
Free Entry at the National Parks for a Week
Incredible National Parks such as Muir Woods, Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia are just a few hours' drive from San Francisco.
These parks will waive their entrance fee for one week starting on on April 16th and welcome everyone. Plan ahead as crowds can be large and parking less available.
Visit the Fortune Cookie Factory
Somewhat hidden at the end of Ross Alley in Chinatown sits the famous Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory where these delicate cookies are still made by hand daily.
Stop in to watch the employees hand-folding them and take some home with you!
TIP: The cookie factory is part of what you’ll see on our Chinatown walking tour!
Celebrate Earth Day
Join dozens of nonprofits, speakers, and presenters as people come together to celebrate Earth Day in the heart of the Civic Center on April 22nd.
This free event is family-friendly and will also have live entertainment and music, demonstrations, kids' activities, and more.
TIP: Our Guide to Free Things to do in San Francisco lists a number of activities and events that won't cost you a dime!
FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES IN APRIL
San Francisco is very welcoming to people of all ages.
Some of the activities we’ve listed in this post like an evening sunset sail and Monster Jam are fun for the whole family!
Don’t forget that some of the best family attractions are included with San Francisco tourist attraction discount passes.
Walk the Golden Gate Bridge
April is one of the nicest months in San Francisco weatherwise, so take advantage of the sunny days and walk the Golden Gate Bridge!
You’ll take in spectacular views of the city skyline, Alcatraz and Angel Islands, and the deep blue waters of the Bay all while walking across one of the most remarkable landmarks in the world!
Tip: Consider joining our Golden Gate Bridge guided walking tour!
Eggstravaganza in Golden Gate Park
There are a lot of ways to celebrate Easter in San Francisco.
Keep an eye on restaurants for brunch and dinner specials, head to the Eggstravaganza in Golden Gate Park, (typically held in the Robin Williams Meadow), hunt for eggs at Fort Mason, or spectate at the adults-only annual Hunky Jesus contest.
Most of these events will be taking place either the weekend before Easter (April 1st-2nd) or the weekend of Easter (April 8th-9th) in 2023.
Bay Area Dance Week
Enjoy hundreds of free live performances, classes, and workshops throughout the city with the annual Bay Area Dance Week!
This incredible family-friendly event has in the past featured 700 different types of groups, artists, and organizations.
The festival runs April 21st-30th, 2023.
Climb Up Lombard Street
See the “windiest street in the world” when you climb up Lombard Street in North Beach to take in the view!
Cars crawl down the hairpin turns amongst beautiful landscaping and row homes. A sight not to miss!
Lombard Street is also visited on our Little Italy and Fisherman’s Wharf walking tour!
Tip: For more ideas of things to do with kids in San Francisco, see our post Things to do in San Francisco with Kids.
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