This post covers the best things to do in San Francisco in March and has been updated for 2024.
It includes a top 10 list, nighttime activities, free and family-friendly things to do.
Disclosure: While our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the full text.
This section features our top 10 activities to enjoy in San Francisco throughout March.
Be sure to check out our master post, Things to Do in San Francisco, for even more ideas.
For tips on the most popular activities in San Francisco, check out our other popular posts:
- Pay-What-You-Like Walking Tours
- The Best Bus Tours in San Francisco
- Which Boat Cruises To Take
- Tourist Discount Passes
1. Watch a Sporting Event
March is a great month in the world of sports as the baseball season is starting and both the basketball and hockey seasons are heating up.
Baseball
Basketball
Hockey
Check out this list for even more great sporting events to attend in February.
2. Go to a Concert
The Bay Area has some of the most popular venues in the world and attracts many talented musicians.
There are a number of musical artists coming to the San Francisco area in March.
Rock/Pop Concerts
- Bad Bunny | March 1st, 2nd
- Umphrey's McGee | March 22nd
- Neko Case | March 26th
- Bruce Springsteen | March 28th
Classical/Opera Music Concerts
Music Festivals
- Noise Pop Festival | February 22nd-March 3rd
- Jazz Bash By the Bay | March 1st-3rd
- San Francisco Heritage Festival | March 21st-24th
Check here for even more concerts in the Bay Area this March.
For more fun things to do after dark, check our things to do at night section below.
3. See a Performance on the Stage
The San Francisco area hosts a number of productions with talented people.
You are sure to find a number of musicals, plays, comedy shows, and more being performed in March.
Musicals/Theatre
- The 39 Steps | March 15th, 23rd, 24th, 29th, 30th
Dance
- San Francisco Ballet | March 1st-23rd
- The Joffrey Ballet | March 15th, 16th
Family-Friendly
- Seussical | March 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th
Other
- Cirque du Soleil - Kooza | March 1st-10th
Find even more theatrical productions in March here.
4. Enjoy Live Stand-up Comedy
There will be a handful of notable comedians performing stand-up sets in the San Francisco area throughout the month of March.
Comedy Shows
- Kelsey Cook | March 1st, 2nd
- Shane Gillis | March 16th
- Demetri Martin | March 24th
Comedy Clubs
Click on this list of stand-up shows for even more comedy events in March.
You’ll find even more great activities after dark in our things to do at night section.
5. Take a Free San Francisco Walking Tour
Our guided walks are free to join and operate on a pay-what-you-like basis.
This means that you decide what a tour was worth or what you could afford (even free) when the tour is over.
Here are a few tours we recommend for the month of March:
- San Francisco in One Day
- Lombard St, Little Italy, Fisherman’s Wharf
- Downtown San Francisco
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Billionaire’s Square
- Fisherman’s Wharf
- Chinatown
We also have self-guided tours and GPS-enabled audio tours of neighborhoods that you will likely visit as a tourist in the city.
Check out our homepage or look at our schedule to see what we have available when you are here.
6. Save Money With 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.
That said, the amount you save will depend entirely on how you use the pass.
There are currently four different types of tourist pass available in San Francisco: all-inclusive, flex, prepackaged and build your own pass.
Here are some of the more notable services included with tourist passes:
- Hop on Hop off Bus Tour |
$55 - California Academy of Sciences |
$40 - Six Flags Discovery Kingdom |
$75 - California’s Great America |
$38 - Golden Gate Bike Tour |
$55 - Bridge 2 Bridge Cruise |
$44 - Ripley’s Believe it or Not |
$23 - Aquarium of the Bay |
$24 - Madame Tussauds |
$26 - Exploratorium |
$30 - And more!
No matter how you use these passes, you should be able to save at least 20% - 50% off general admission prices.
For more details, please read our post covering San Francisco tourist passes.
Some of the passes can be purchased here:
All Inclusive - SF Go City | Explorer - SF Go City | Day Pass - SF Sightseeing | Flex Pass - SF Sightseeing | SF CityPASS
7. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
Celebrate this fun holiday with the west coast’s largest Irish event focused on its culture and history.
On March 16th, people of all ages can watch the San Francisco St. Patrick's Day Parade for free as it makes its way down Market Street to Civic Center Plaza.
Additionally, check out restaurants for menu and drink specials.
For beer based fun, try Lepracon St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl, Lucky's St. Patricks Day Pub Crawl, or head to San Jose on March 13th to see the Dropkick Murphys in concert.
8. Spend the Day at Golden Gate Park
There are plenty of activities available in March that you don’t have to spend any money to enjoy.
March is a great month to spend time seeing all of what Golden Gate Park has to offer, as the weather is typically mild.
Enjoy the bison paddock, Conservatory of Flowers (on its free day!), walk one of the park’s many trails, or join in on a drum circle on Hippie Hill during the weekends.
The Golden Gate Park Bandshell Concert series usually kicks off their season in March. They bring over 100 free concerts covering all types of music to the crowds.
Note: There is construction planned for the bandshell at end of 2023 and it's not clear when it will be completed.
There’s so much to discover and the park is free to explore! Check out our section below for more free things to experience in March!
9. Visit the Conservatory of Flowers for Free
With spring just around the corner, this is the perfect time to visit San Francisco's Conservatory of Flowers.
There will be many different breeds of plants and flowers in bloom this March.
If you're curious, make sure to check their website to see what's in bloom.
Best of all, if you're planning to visit early in the month, you might be able to get in for free!
The Conservatory of Flowers offers free admission on the first Tuesday of every month, which means you won't need a ticket to enter on March 5th, 2024.
If you're looking for even more beautiful plant life to see, consider visiting the Japanese Tea Garden.
For more great family fun, please check our family-friendly activities section below.
10. Attend a Festival or Event
There are a number of interesting events and festivals taking place in and around San Francisco in March.
Berlin and Beyond Film Festival | dates TBA
Fairfax Brewfest | March 16th
Oakland Marathon | March 15th-17th
Sonoma Internation Film Festival | March 20th-24th
Superfine San Francisco Art Fair | March 21st-24th
San Francisco Salsa Festival | March 21st-23rd
Holi Fest | March 23rd
San Mateo Wine Festival | March 23rd, 24th
THINGS TO DO AT NIGHT IN MARCH
Below is just a small sampling of the many things to do at night in March.
For suggestions on other nighttime activities, see our post Things to do at Night in San Francisco and watch the video below.
Take an Evening Bus Tour (Kid-Friendly!)
With the weather being milder in March, an evening bus tour (open-air or not) might be right up your alley!
See all of the city’s best sights and attractions as they light up for the night!
TIP: Night bus tours are available on more than one tourist discount pass!
Visit a Bar with a View
San Francisco has several dozens of fantastic restaurants and bars, but nothing quite beats drinking cocktails on a rooftop with a beautiful view.
These are some of our favorite places to grab a drink outside.
El Techo de Lolinda - A Mexican bar that offers spicy cocktails made of mezcal, honey, lime, and chipotle bitters.
They have large umbrellas to shade you from the sun, as well as heating lamps to warm you up during the winter.
Their food is also excellent, so be sure to come hungry!
Dirty Habits - Located on the 5th floor of Hotel Zelos, this little cocktail bar is a real hidden gem.
The decor is simple yet elegant, featuring candles and string lights. Food and cocktails both come highly recommended by visitors.
620 Jones - Located in the heart of the Tenderloin, one of the trendiest neighborhoods in San Francisco, is this simple rooftop bar.
Though you won't be able to see the waterfront or Golden Gate Bridge from here due to the tall buildings surrounding it, Jones does allow you to enjoy watching the action happening on the streets below.
Located on the 19th floor of the Intercontinental, Top of the Mark is a chic bar that offers sweeping views of San Francisco.
Enjoy a glass of wine or a (pricey) handcrafted cocktail and let yourself indulge in the twinkling lights of the City by the Bay.
Visit the Exploratorium
If you’re interested in spending a night at the museum, the Exploratorium offers special night hours every Thursday from 6 pm - 10 pm.
In addition to having free reign and enjoying discounted tickets, this event also typically includes live music, demonstrations and other fun activities.
Purchase tickets or learn more.
For suggestions on other nighttime activities, see our post Things to do at Night in San Francisco.
There are loads of free activities and attractions in San Francisco!
Some of the items we’ve listed above like the St. Patrick’s Day Parade are totally free of charge!
Here are a few more free things to do in March.
For even more free activities, see our Guide to Free Things to Do in San Francisco and watch our video below.
See San Francisco’s Redwood Grove
Did you know there is a small Redwood Park in the heart of San Francisco?
Make your way to the centrally located Transamerica Pyramid and check out the grove that is adjacent to the building.
This is a great spot to relax for a bit and get a nice photo of these stunning trees, and it won’t cost you a dime to enjoy the natural beauty!
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!
Enjoy the Views from Coit Tower
Coit Tower is a must-see landmark that sits on the top of Telegraph Hill.
Walking up to it and taking in the breathtaking views of the city is worth every step up the hill. Additionally, it’s home to a wild parrot colony!
For even more free activities, see our Guide to Free Things to Do in San Francisco.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES IN MARCH
San Francisco is welcoming to people of all ages!
A lot of the items we’ve listed in this post like visiting the Exploratorium or seeing a Giants game are family-friendly.
Here are a few more ideas for the month of March, but you can also find a lot of great activities on our post covering things to do with kids in San Francisco.
Join 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), or attend the 102nd Annual Easter Sunrise Service at the highest point in San Francisco, Mt. Davidson.
Most of these events will be taking place either the weekend before Easter.
Head to the Aquarium of the Bay
Located at Pier 39, the Aquarium of the Bay is a great experience for anyone who loves marine life.
See thousands of species of fish, sharks, seals, sea turtles, and more!
Tip: The Aquarium of the Bay is included for free with the purchase of a tourist discount pass!
Visit Madame Tussauds
This famous wax museum at Fisherman’s Wharf brings your favorite movie stars, singers, athletes, and more to life!
Kids love being able to get up close and personal with their idols--a great place for hands-on activity and selfies!
Visit the Musee Mechanique at Fisherman's Wharf
Tucked in a back corner of Fisherman's Wharf, this antique penny arcade (family-owned since 1933!) is full of fun for people of all ages!
Play vintage video games, antique tables games, and so much more! It's free to enter and open every day from 10:00 am - 8:00 pm.
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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