San Francisco by season: choosing when to visit

San Francisco is packed with attractions – especially if you’re a real culture vulture. I think it’s one of the most exciting cities to visit in the US, but just because it’s in California, don’t make the mistake of assuming it’s the sunniest spot around. While San Francisco’s reasonably mild climate-wise, it won’t necessarily provide the weather you expect. So, it pays to be prepared before you go.

To that end, I’ve put together a brief guide to what the weather’s like in every season, and some of the main events that take place in each. What’s interesting about San Francisco’s weather overall, though, is that it’s got its own microclimate (driving across the Golden Gate Bridge and emerging in totally different conditions is a weird, but not uncommon, experience). Plus, the weather is often different across the city itself, so you really can chase the sunshine here!

Spring
Springtime is one of the wettest seasons in San Francisco, so you’ll definitely need to pack a raincoat. Typically, the bulk of the rain kicks off in early March and continues until May or June, when spring gives way to summer.

That said, this is also generally the time of year when the weather is least predictable – for instance, from time to time there is the odd pocket of beautiful sunshine. So, I think it’s best to come prepared for pretty much anything – think layers!

In terms of what you can get up to during the spring, one of the major highlights is the San Francisco International Film Festival. An absolute must for movie buffs, it usually features around 200 films, as well as a host of live events. This year, it runs from April 28th to May 9th.

Summer
You’d naturally think that summer would be when you’d get the best weather, but this actually isn’t really the case in San Francisco – a city that’s famous for its summer fog. This is usually present in the early morning, keeping temperatures quite cool, before the sun scorches through it. Not for long, though, because it usually returns in the late afternoon.

Plus, mid-afternoons are typically very windy. What all this means for travellers is that, once again, layers are the key things to pack. Expect to strip a few off only to end up putting them back on again a few times a day!

Summer is packed with great events, including the annual Gay Pride Parade, which this year takes place on June 30th (the whole festival runs on June 29th and 30th). Other things not to miss include the spectacular fireworks displays on July 4th and the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival in August.

Autumn
If you like the weather to be nice and predictable, you’re best off hitting San Francisco in the autumn (click here to see some good places to stay). In fact, a lot of people think this is the best time to visit, since often you get warmer temperatures and less fog and rain – particularly in September and October.

Plus, there are some fantastic events that take place at this time of year. Oktoberfest by the Bay, for instance, is great for beer and music, while chocoholics should definitely not miss the Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival, which this year runs from September 14th to 15th.

Winter
Winter can, as you’d probably expect, be fairly wet. More often than not, November and December are the wettest winter months, while sometimes the fog refuses to budge all day long. That said, the season is generally mild and snow is rare, which is good news if you’re averse to the cold like me!

If you do visit in the winter, I thoroughly recommend attending the Huntington Park Tree Lighting Ceremony in Nob Hill – a really magical event.