February is a great time to be in San Francisco in terms of events and things to do, there’s the Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day, dance parties at museums and a beer and comedy festival for God’s sake! It may only be the second month of the year, but SF is definitely getting its groove on for it. If you’re looking for guidance on what to do in the Bay Area this month then you’re in the right place. These are the 10 best things to do in SF in February. Have fun!

Events & Activities in San Francisco This Month

1. VISIT CHINATOWN FOR THE LUNAR NEW YEAR PARADE AND STREET FAIR (FEBRUARY 15)

Take the opportunity of the celebration of the Lunar New Year to visit San Francisco Chinatown, the oldest, biggest and most vibrant in North America. The centerpiece of festivities is the opening day ceremony, on February 17, which inaugurates the year of the Fire Horse, no less. This is a rare and dynamic combination of the Horse sign with the Fire element (this particular pairing only comes around every sixty years). The Horse symbolizes energy, freedom and a lively spirit, with the Fire element adding passion, drive and intensity.

This is one of the largest such events outside of Asia and it’s definitely one of the best things to do in SF in February.

More information here.

2. CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH (ALL MONTH)

Check out More Than a Month at San Francisco Public Library, a celebration of Black history highlighting Black creators. The current exhibition emphasizes the theme of resistance, and includes film screenings, musical performances, panels and more.

We honor the richness of Black culture during SFPL’s Black History celebration called More Than a Month, where we recognize the importance of Black History beginning on Martin Luther King Jr. Day through February and all year round at the library. 

San Francisco Public Library

More information here.

For another idea, take this African American Excursion.

3. THE NOTEBOOK (FEBRUARY 10-MARCH 1)

Based on the best-selling novel that inspired the iconic film, THE NOTEBOOK tells the story of Allie and Noah, both from different worlds, who share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart. “Full of butterfly-inducing highs and beautiful songs” (Entertainment Weekly), THE NOTEBOOK is a deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love.

BroadwaySF

The show is appearing at the Orpheum Theatre, on Market Street. More information here.

4. SAN FRANCISCO BEER WEEK (FEBRUARY20-MARCH 1)

San Francisco Beer Week drops this month and it’s a special opportunity to explore some of the best craft beers the Bay Area has to offer. A myriad of large and small local breweries are putting on special promotions and events, including tap takeovers (whatever that may be), blind tasting challenges, parties and games. Best thing to do in SF in February? It’s up there. Literally, it’s at Salesforce Park.

More information here.

5. SAN FRANCISCO FERRY BUILDING (ALL MONTH)

The Ferry Building is one of the city’s most iconic, historic buildings (one of the few survivors of the 1906 Great Fire), serving as a hotspot for visitors and locals alike. It’s also a center for fun events too, including all sorts of nteresting pop-ups, a thrice-weekly farmers’ market, mahjong meetups, yoga and food and wine tastings, amongst other fun things. 

More information here.

6. NOTORIOUS SF: GHOST & CRIME TOUR (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 old Chinatown, which was full of opium dens, brothels and gambling hellholes during that period.

After pausing so guests can get a refreshment at one of the oldest bars in SF, we walk the streets of the infamous Barbary Coast, where crimps would try to drug and shanghai sailors onto ships for the East  (which is how the term was invented). Over the course of the evening we’ll also share some of the scariest ghost stories you’ve ever heard. It’s a fun night.

More information here.

7. SAN FRANCISCO EXPLORATORIUM: AFTER DARK (VARIOUS DATES)

San Francisco’s Exploratorium, on the waterfront at Pier 15, is always an exciting place to visit, but the After Dark series is a must for scientifically-curious party people. The events take place on Thursday evenings from 6-10 pm, with a different theme every week, featuring DJ’s, cocktails, the museum galleries and over 600 interactive exhibits.

The event on February 12 is known as Sexpolorations –

You know, the transfer of genetic information through sperm and eggs…. Explore the history of pleasure with vintage vibrators and slide into the science of pole dancing with a tantalizing and educational performance.

San Francisco Exploratorium

Sounds like the perfect Valentine’s Day date, right? More information here.

8. NIGHTLIFE AT THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (VARIOUS DATES)

NightLife is a popular ongoing event series at the California Academy of Sciences. Thursday nights at the museum feature DJ sets, live music, food, interesting cocktails, ambient lighting and a lot of culture and learning – alongside the institution’s forty thousand animal residents. As the saying goes: get a nightlife.

More information on creatures and cocktails here.

9. VISIT A SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM (ALL MONTH)

For several days of the month (and for some special people on every day of the month) many San Francisco museums are free. We have a lot of great museums (partly because of all the rich people that have lived here) – 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.

Cable Car Museum: free every day, and one of the most interesting museums in all of San Francisco.

Other museums well worth visiting:

The Walt Disney Family Museum

California Academy of Sciences

Museum of the African Diaspora

10. DEAR SAN FRANCISCO (FROM FEBRUARY 5)

This show tells the history of the city through acrobatics and music, at Club Fugazi in North Beach.

Bursting with heart-pounding excitement and death-defying acrobatics, Dear San Francisco will leave you awestruck and fired up! Take a 90-minute joy ride through our City by the Bay’s busts and booms in a breathtaking aerial extravaganza perfect for your next night out. Powered by mind-blowing circus acts, live original music, and more, the historic Club Fugazi—former home of Beach Blanket Babylon—is delighting audiences with a curated menu of cicchetti (small bites) and beverages to imbibe during this new resident production, right in the heart of North Beach. 

A love letter to San Francisco, told through circus

Club Fugazi

It sounds like a special night. Another Valentine’s Day idea? More information here.

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

– By Damien Blackshaw (Twitter)