“San Francisco in the Spring” may not have the ring that “Paris in the Spring has”, but it is a great time to be in the Bay Area. Weather’s getting warmer and a little more predictable, and there are – as you might expect – a lot of things to do here. We could have listed 20 or 30 events but, as usual, we limit ourselves to what we think of as the 10 best things to do in SF in April, so you make the most of this month’s opportunities without going completely bonkers.

1. GO TO A CONCERT (VARIOUS DATES)

Going to a concert can often be a great experience, particularly if you really like the band or artist. Every month we get some big acts coming to perform in the Bay Area and this April New Edition, Muse (supported by Evanescence) and Underworld are all playing.

More information here.

2. CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL (APRIL 8-9 AND 15-16)

San Francisco stages a massive binational, bicultural celebration every year to coincide with the blooming of the beautiful cherry blossom. Hundreds of artists from the Bay Area and Japan gather here for the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, sharing their craft and passion. There are sword displays, origami workshops, music and calligraphy, amongst many other things. This year organizers are expecting about a quarter of a million visitors.

More information here.

3. BUY – OR JUST PERUSE – SOME ART (APRIL 20-23)

Art Market SF has partnered with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco to invite thousands of visitors to view and – and potentially buy – some art at this show. The event, based at Fort Mason, right on the waterfront, features a hugely impressive selection of contemporary and modern pieces, from more than seventy-five contemporary art galleries. If you’re an art lover this is definitely one of the best things to do in SF in April.

More information here.

4. SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (APRIL 13-23)

Perhaps surprisingly this is the longest-running film festival in the Americas. It’s a fantastic showcase of cinematic discovery and a major cultural event in the Bay Area, featuring documentaries, narrative shorts and feature films from all over the U.S. and around the world. A must do if you’re a cinephile!

More information here.

5. VISIT AN AMAZING MUSEUM FOR FREE (DATES THROUGH APRIL)

For several days of the month – and for certain people on every day of the month – some 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 Saturdays for Bay Area residents and free Tuesday’s for all.

6. CESAR CHAVEZ PARADE & FESTIVAL (APRIL 29)

Join thousands of Bay Area residents, families, schools, religious groups, labor unions and community organizations in celebration of Cesar Chavez’s huge legacy. Over the years the SF parade and festival has become one of the largest events honoring Chavez in California. The Mission is always a great place to visit, but that’s especially true on this day, since the neighborhood is the spiritual heart of the Latino community in the city. Every year this is one of the best things to do in SF in April.

More information here.

7. GO TO THE BALLET (DATES THROUGH APRIL)

There are a pair of beautiful, and romantic, ballets being staged this month by San Francisco Ballet. First up is Cinderella, followed by Romeo and Juliet. Sergei Prokofiev, who first set foot on U.S. soil in San Francisco when he arrived here after the Russian Revolution, wrote the first during the Second World War and you can definitely feel that in the work. Romeo and Juliet (another of his masterpieces) involves:

Passionate dancing, spine-tingling swordsmanship and stunning set and costume designs, bring Shakespeare’s tale of star-crossed lovers brilliantly to life. Set to the hauntingly beautiful Prokofiev score…

San Francisco Ballet

More information here.

8. GO TO A BEER AND COMEDY FEST (EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT)

Beer and comedy seem to go together like chicken and chips, or a burger and fries. This festival is held at the Speakeasy Brewery at Hunters Point.

Each week features a new handpicked lineup of top local comics (along with some visiting special guests) who regularly perform at clubs like Cobb’s, Punch Line, shows like Crazy Funny Asians, HellaFunny Live at Thrive City or have performed at festivals like SF Sketchfest, Clusterfest or Outside Lands.

More information here.

9. ENJOY JAZZ AT A HIDDEN TEAHOUSE (DATES THROUGH APRIL)

Jazz is a true American art form, developed by African Americans in the Old South at the end of the nineteenth century, but you can enjoy it here in San Francisco at this incredible venue.

Experience the thrill of the unknown with our secret concert series, featuring new bands every Friday and Saturday. Discover a wide range of jazz styles, from 1920s swing to latin, funk, fusion, hip-hop, bossa, and original compositions. 

A little more about the hidden location:

Located in the heart of SF’s famous Golden Gate Park, there’s a lovely boathouse known only by a few locals. Every Friday we transform this space into a non-conventional intimate music venue. Nearby you can start off your evening by visiting the best Gold Gate Park has to offer.

More information here.

10. EXPLORE THE DARK SIDE OF SF (EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT)

San Francisco has a fascinating and unique criminal history. On this tour we start off by transporting guests back to the Gold Rush era, when Vigilance Committee’s took over “policing” of the city (which is where the term ‘vigilante’ originates). Then we stroll through back alleys that were red light districts in the nineteenth century. After that we explore Chinatown, hich was full of opium dens, brothels and gambling hellholes during that period. Finally, we walk the streets of the infamous Barbary Coast, where sailors had to be wary of what they drank in the bars and dance halls, in case crimps would drug and shanghai them onto a ship leaving San Francisco for the East  (which is how the term was invented). And we haven’t even mentioned the Fatty Arbuckle Affair, the original Hollywood sex scandal (which is why ‘the morality clause’ was inserted into contracts).

During the tour there are a couple of opportunities to visit some historic bars and speakeasies from those eras.

More information here.

If you have any feedback on the 10 Best Things to Do in SF in April please email us or reach out on social media, we’d love to hear from you. For more general info on things to do here check SF Info, here on our website.

– By Damien Blackshaw (Twitter)