August is a great month to be in San Francisco, it’s usually warm, the weather’s just a tiny bit more predictable, and here in the Bay Area you just have to make the most of those opportunities. In pursuit of helping YOU make the most of said time we’ve put together this list of the ten best things to do in SF, August 2022. Enjoy!

1. SUNDAY STREETS (AUGUST 21)

Sunday Streets is back this year with six events in SF. It’s a fantastic program that organizes traffic-free days in various neighborhoods around San Francisco, reclaiming the streets for residents and visitors, so everyone can enjoy them with fun and free activities. This month the event lands in SOMA, near the Financial District, in the heart of the city.

2. GO ON A CRIME & COCKTAIL TOUR OF SF (EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT)

We recently launched the Notorious SF: Scandal & Crime tour. San Francisco has a fascinating criminal history, that goes back to the Gold Rush era, when Vigilance Committee’s took over the “policing” of the city (which is where the term ‘vigilante’ originates). There were several red light districts in the neighborhood during the nineteenth and early twentieth century, opium dens were tucked into the basements of all the alleys in Chinatown and sailors had to be wary, lest they woke up on a strange ship, having been shanghaied in the infamous Barbary Coast (which is where that term was invented too). And we haven’t even mentioned the Fatty Arbuckle Scandal…

Join us on Union Square as we go on a cold-case true crime investigation into San Francisco’s dark past – and get cocktails in a couple of historic bars. Every Saturday night, at 6pm.

3. GO TO A CONCERT (DATES THROUGH AUGUST)

Seeing an artist that you really like perform live can be a really rewarding experience. We’re lucky we get a lot of great musicians coming though the Bay Area. This month Kid Cudi, Nelly/Ja Rule/Ashanti and Echo and the Bunnymen are performing here.

4. FREE MUSEUM DAYS (DATES THROUGH AUGUST)

For several days of the month (and for some special people on every day of the month) many SF museums are free. We have great museums – you should make the most of these opportunities.

Exploratorium: free admission for EBT cardholders and San Francisco Medi-Cal or CalFresh recipients. Also free for California public school teachers.

SF Botanical Gardens: free admission second Tuesday of every month.

Japanese Tea Gardens: free Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9-10 am.

De Young Museum: free first Tuesday of every month, also free every Saturday for Bay Area residents.

SFMOMA: free first Thursday of the month for Bay Area residents.

Legion of Honor: free Saturday’s for Bay Area residents and free Tuesday’s for all.

5. OUTSIDE LANDS (AUGUST 5-7)

Outside Lands is back in its usual timeslot this year and really rocking. The line-up for this three-day festival starts with Green Day, Post Malone and SZA. The event (which has been running since 2008) is located in Golden Gate Park and has a designated marijuana-enjoyment zone, called – you guessed it – grasslands. Could that be one of the single best things to do in SF in August 2022?

6. NIHONMACHI STREET FAIR (AUGUST 6-7)

What makes this street fair a uniquely San Francisco event is the broader cultural context participants can experience in addition to traditional Asian-Pacific influences. The Nihonmachi Street Fair organizers have a long history of including local entertainment that have spanned genres from Taiko to hip-hop to salsa, rock, and jazz. The street fair takes place in and around Japantown, near the Civic Centre.

7. STERN GROVE FESTIVAL (DATES THROUGH AUGUST)

The Stern Grove is celebrating its 85th season of free Sunday concerts this summer. However, although it is free you do need to go to the website at 2 pm on the Tuesday twelve days prior to the concert to get tickets (they may sell out, so don’t wait). The line-up this year includes Tower of Power and Too $hort, Liz Phair, Cold War Kids, Cat Power, Leann Rimes, the San Francisco Symphony, Taj Mahal, and Phil Lesh & Friends – so set the reminder on your smartphone now. To make the most of it, pack a picnic and bottle of wine (alcohol is permitted) AND layer up, because the weather in Outer Sunset can be fickle.

8. BATTLE OF THE BAY (DATES THROUGH AUGUST)

Experience the legendary rivalry between the Bay Area’s two Major League Baseball teams, first at Oracle Park on August 13 and 14 and again at Oakland Coliseum on August 24 and 25. Whether you’re more of a green-and-gold or black-and-orange type of person, grab a hat and head to the ballparks to get the real Bay Area baseball experience.

9. ENJOY SOME LIVE COMEDY (DATES THROUGH AUGUST)

We could all do with a good giggle right now, in fact many experts say that there’s nothing better for easing tension than a good belly laugh. Cobb’s, a legendary North Beach comedy club, has a series of show in August. Did I mention they’re free… 

10. SAN FRANCISCO FERRY BUILDING (ALL MONTH)

The Ferry Building is one of the city’s most iconic buildings, serving as a hotspot for tourists and locals alike. It’s a center for events, pop-ups, a farmers’ market, and countless excellent merchants who sell their wares daily in the building’s many stalls. During the course of the month there are a ton of events going on:

• Saturday Night Skate: 7-10 pm August 13
• Head West Makers Market: 11 am-5 pm August 7
• Ferry Fridays: 3-6 pm every Friday
• Fog City Flea outdoor market: 10 am-5 pm August 14 and 28
• Gardeneur Plant Market: 10 am-4 pm August 14
• Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market: 10 am-2 pm Tuesday and Thursday, 8 am-2 pm Saturday

If you have any feedback on the 10 Best Things to Do in SF, August 2022 please email us or reach out on social media, we’d love to hear from you.

– By Damien Blackshaw (Twitter)