San Francisco events & things to do in December 2026
Start with Cable Cars and Cable Car Museum, de Young Museum, plus Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39. December in San Francisco averages 15°C / 58°F highs, 7°C / 44°F nights, and about 11 rainy days.
Expect 15°C/58°F days and about 11 rainy ones in December. Start with these:
- Cable Cars and Cable Car Museum★ 4.7 · 6.9k reviewsSan Francisco's cable cars date to 1873 and still run on Powell-Hyde, Powell-Mason, and California Street lines.
- de Young Museum★ 4.6 · 9.6k reviewsThe 2005 Herzog & de Meuron building in Golden Gate Park holds American, African, Oceanic, textile, costume, and contemporary collections.
- Jalen NgondaDec 1August Hall · Source: SeatGeek
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By TripSapien Research · Updated June 3, 2026
San Francisco in December 2026
Weather
TempTemperature
58°F / 44°F
14.7°C / 6.9°C
RainPrecipitation
11d
4.1in · 105mm
LightDaylight
9.4h
Sea
55°F
12.8°C
December is cool and rainy, with holiday lights, crab season, and museum-heavy plans working best.
Events & festivals
Event calendar- Dec 1 – Dec 29
- Dec 1
- Dec 2
Show all 39 events for December
- Dec 2
- Dec 2
- Dec 3
- Dec 3
- Dec 3
- Dec 4 – Dec 5
- Dec 4
- Dec 5
- Dec 5
- Dec 5
- Dec 6 – Dec 7
- Dec 6
- Dec 6
An Evening with Squirrel Nut Zippers: Christmas Caravan 2026
Music · Jazz.
From $0
Source: Ticketmaster
- Dec 7
- Dec 7
- Dec 8
- Dec 9
- Dec 9 – Dec 10
- Dec 9
- Dec 10
- Dec 10
- Dec 10
- Dec 11 – Dec 12
- Dec 11
- Dec 11
- Dec 12
- Dec 12
- Dec 12
- Dec 13
- Dec 13
- Dec 15 – Dec 19
- Dec 16
- Dec 18 – Dec 23
- Dec 19
- Dec 23
- Dec 31
Holidays, observances & long weekends
Holiday and observance schedules can affect services and venue hours; confirm each place directly.
- Dec 25Christmas DayPublic holiday
- Dec 25-Dec 27Long weekend
About San Francisco
City overview
San Francisco occupies a compact peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, with steep hills, fog belts, cable cars, Victorian streets, and bay crossings making short distances feel different by block. The Mission, SoMa, Castro, Haight-Ashbury, Chinatown, North Beach, Marina, Pacific Heights, Sunset, and Richmond each sit in a distinct microclimate and cultural lane.
Food & drink
San Francisco food is neighborhood-specific: Mission burritos wrap rice, beans, salsa, meat, and foil into a full meal, sourdough carries a tangy starter tradition, Dungeness crab anchors winter seafood counters, and cioppino turns crab, clams, mussels, and tomato broth into a North Beach stew. Use the Ferry Building, Chinatown's Stockton Street, the Mission's 24th Street, North Beach, Fisherman's Wharf, and Richmond District Clement Street for dim sum, oysters, Irish coffee, bakeries, and roasters.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39
- 2Golden Gate Bridge
- 3Golden Gate Park
- 4Alcatraz Island
- 5Coit Tower and Telegraph Hill
- 6Painted Ladies and Alamo Square
- 7Chinatown and Dragon Gate
- 8Mission Dolores and Mission District murals
1Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39
4.6★ · 136,668mixedThe waterfront district mixes fishing boats, seafood counters, souvenir shops, bay cruises, and the Pier 39 sea lions. It is touristy but practical for Alcatraz, cable cars, and bay views.
2Golden Gate Bridge
4.8★ · 85,468outdoorThe 1937 suspension bridge links San Francisco with Marin County across the Golden Gate strait. Visitor viewpoints include Battery East, Fort Point, Crissy Field, Baker Beach, and the north-side Vista Point.
Wikipedia
3Golden Gate Park
4.8★ · 44,361outdoorOpen dailyThe 1,017-acre park stretches from the Haight to Ocean Beach, with de Young Museum, California Academy of Sciences, Japanese Tea Garden, Conservatory of Flowers, lakes, meadows, and windmills. The western end is foggier than the eastern museum zone.
Wikipedia
Show 3 more sights
- 4Alcatraz Island
- 5Coit Tower and Telegraph Hill
- 6Painted Ladies and Alamo Square
Neighborhoods
1Mission District
The Mission is sunnier and food-heavy, with 24th Street taquerias, Mission Dolores, Clarion Alley murals, Valencia Street bars, and Dolores Park.
2SoMa and Embarcadero
SoMa and the Embarcadero mix museums, convention blocks, Oracle Park, Salesforce Park, Ferry Building, waterfront piers, and newer towers.
3Castro and Noe Valley
The Castro is LGBTQ-history central, with Castro Theatre, Harvey Milk Plaza, rainbow crosswalks, bars, and quick climbs toward Twin Peaks; Noe Valley adds calmer cafes and shops.
Day trips
25km / 45-60min by car or shuttle from San Francisco
Muir Woods and Sausalito
Coastal redwoods, Marin viewpoints, Sausalito waterfront, and Golden Gate Bridge crossings make the classic north-bay day.
80km / 1.5h by car from San Francisco
Napa Valley
Napa adds winery tastings, Yountville restaurants, vineyard roads, and hot-air balloon or spa options, with reservations important on weekends.
20km / 25min by BART from downtown San Francisco
Berkeley and Oakland
UC Berkeley, Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley Art Museum, Oakland Museum of California, Lake Merritt, and Temescal food make an easy East Bay day.
Getting around
Muni runs buses, light rail, streetcars, and cable cars, while BART handles airport, Mission, downtown, and East Bay trips using Clipper cards or mobile Clipper. Walk neighborhood clusters, use BART for Mission or airport moves, use Muni for Golden Gate Park and western districts, and carry layers because Sunset fog and Mission sun can sit 30 minutes apart.
Planning a San Francisco trip?
Add your dates and we'll check every place for closures, limited hours, and booking needs in December.
Common questions about San Francisco in December
- What to pack for San Francisco in December
Pack for December's weather, not a generic San Francisco checklist.
- Layerable daytime clothes for average highs around 15°C / 58°F.
- A heavier evening layer because nights average 7°C / 44°F.
- Compact rain gear and shoes that handle wet pavement across about 11 rainy days.
- How many days do you need in San Francisco
- 4 days covers the main San Francisco highlights at a realistic pace. Add 3 extra days if you want the listed day trips.
- Is San Francisco worth visiting in December
- Yes. December in San Francisco averages 15°C / 58°F highs, 7°C / 44°F nights, and about 11 rainy days.
Ready to plan San Francisco?
You've seen what's on — now get a day-by-day San Francisco plan for December 2026, every place checked for your exact dates.