This post covers the top ten things to do in San Francisco in September 2022, including concerts, free events, nighttime, as well as family-friendly activities.
You can find a few honorable mentions at the bottom of the post as well.
Be sure to check out our master post, Things to Do in San Francisco for even more ideas.
TOP TEN EVENTS AND THINGS TO DO IN SEPTEMBER
This section features our top 10 activities to enjoy in San Francisco throughout September.
For tips on the best activities in San Francisco, check out our schedule of pay-what-you-like walking tours and other popular pages:
Several of the items below are already included for free with the purchase of a tourist discount pass.
1. Major Concerts
San Francisco is seeing quite a few big-name artists coming through town this September! There is something for everyone in this month's lineup of bands and musicians.
- Kendrick Lamar | September 1st
- Gary Numan | September 1st
- Alicia Keys | September 2nd, 3rd
- Keith Urban | September 3rd
- Duran Duran | September 4th
- Motley Crue | September 7th
- Lady Gaga | Setpember 8th
- Imagine Dragons | September 8th
- Jackson Browne | September 9th
- Nine Inch Nails | September 11th
- Swedish House Mafia | September 16th, 17th
- Peabo Bryson | September 15th, 16th, 17th
- Gorillaz | September 21st
- Roger Waters | September 23rd, 24th
- Roxy Music | September 26th
- Crowded House | September 28th
Click here for a complete list of who’s playing in September.
2. Major Sporting Events
September is a great time for sports in San Francisco - you can catch the end of baseball season and see the beginning of football's regular season.
Baseball
Football
Click here for a complete list of who’s playing in September.
3. Theatre Performances
Hoping to see a musical or theatre production in September? There are a few choices in San Francisco in 2022.
From September 1st - 11th, at the Golden Gate Theatre, is Oklahoma, a musical so popular it's been performed regularly since 1943!
A more recent but just as popular musical is Moulin Rouge. This will be at the Orpheum Theatre from September 7th - 29th, with multiple showings most days.
From September 16th - October 16th is Aunt Jack, running at the New Conservatory Theatre Center.
There could be more productions announced before long, so make sure to check this complete list of what’s playing in September.
4. Sightseeing Tours
One of the best ways to see a city is by taking a tour - that way you won’t miss any important information. And we have quite a few San Francisco tours to offer this September!
If walking tours aren’t your style, we recommend taking a hop-on-hop-off bus tour as a convenient mode of transportation with live commentary about San Francisco.
Since San Francisco is right on the water, taking boat tours and dinner cruises are also quite popular.
Check out our schedule to see what we have available when you are here.
TIP: If you need somewhere to keep your bags while sightseeing, check out our posts on luggage storage in San Francisco.
5. Free National Park Day
To commemorate National Public Lands Day on September 24th, all National Parks will offer free entry!
The world-renowned Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, and Lassen Volcanic are within a day’s drive from San Francisco.
For more family-friendly activities, check out our full San Francisco with kids post.
6. San Francisco Donut Fest
Cure your sweet tooth at a festival dedicated entirely to donuts!
You can expect there to be tickets for at least 8-10 different donut samples, as well as both alcoholic and non-alcoholic brews to drink.
The Donut Fest is scheduled for September 26th, 2022 from 5 pm - 9 pm. Prices and locations have yet to be announced.
For more family-friendly events, check out our things to do with kids post for San Francisco .
7. Top Attractions in San Francisco
San Francisco is home to popular historic and cultural attractions, like the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.
September is the perfect time to visit them thanks to fewer crowds and comfortable temperatures.
If you’re a fan of true crime stories and interested in the prison that held Al Capone, we recommend taking an Alcatraz tour.
Baseball fans will enjoy taking a tour of Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. We even have tips for how to see 3 innings for free.
There’s also a free museum for almost everything in the city, from cable cars and maritime history to art.
If you’re looking for some hiking, Muir Woods is a popular nearby national monument park.
8. Portolo Music Festival
This two-day live music festival brings pop and electronic music artists together on September 24th and 25th.
This year the headliers are The Chemical Brothers and Flame. Dozens of other musicians join them in putting on a show in a 400,000 square foot warehouse on Pier 80.
Food, wine, beer, and cocktails will be on offer. Doors open at noon. Access is only for those aged 21 or older.
For tickets, visit the Portolo Festival Website.
9. Fringe Theatre Festival
See a performance as part of the largest grassroots theatre festival in the Bay Area!
The San Francisco Fringe Festival will host dozens of independent theatre performances at various venues throughout the city, from September 8th to September 17th, 2022.
This Fringe Festival is the second-oldest Fringe in the country and has been presenting performances since 1992.
Some tickets start as low as $5, and each show lasts no longer than 60 minutes.
100% of the ticket sales are returned to the performers, so this is a great way to support community theatre in San Francisco.
10. Tourist Attraction Discount Pass
Tourist passes save you money by combining multiple San Francisco attractions and tours into one discounted price. Sometimes the price can be reduced by up to 55%.
They also can save you time by giving you skip-the-ticket-line privileges on select attractions.
Some attractions included with tourist passes:
- Bay Cruises
- Historic Cable Car Transportation
- Alcatraz
- Muir Woods Tour
- Tour of Sausalito
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Sundown Cinema: Film Night in the Park
Grab a lawn blanket and take an evening to enjoy a free movie screening in parks around San Francisco. There are 8 films shown from July to October, with two film nights in September!
You can find more budget-friendly things to do in our full post here.
Find more family-friendly activities here, and more evening entertainment in this post.
Free Shakespeare in The Park.
This is the 40th anniversary of Shakespeare in the Park in San Francisco.
They are celebration with performances of Much Ado About Nothing, a humourous and fun play.
The performances takes place at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheatre in McLaren Park on September 3rd, 4th, 5th, 10th, and 11th from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm.
RELATED POSTS:
- Weather in San Francisco in September
- Tourist Attraction Discount Passes
- Luggage Storage in San Francisco
- Top Things to Do in San Francisco
