September is perhaps the best month to be in San Francisco weatherwise. It’s about the warmest it ever gets here, the weather’s just a tiny bit more predictable, and when the Bay Area is like that you just have to make the most of the opportunity. With the objective of helping YOU make the most of said opportunity we’ve put together this list of the 10 best things to do in SF in September. Enjoy and stay safe!

1. VISIT A NATIONAL PARK (ALL MONTH)

At any time one of the best things to do in the US is to visit one of our amazing array of National Parks, they’re almost like the country’s crown jewels. California is particularly blessed with them – Lassen, Yosemite, Sequoia, Muir Woods (just outside San Francisco), Joshua Tree and Death Valley – just to name probably the best known (and Lassen isn’t nearly as well-known as it should be). Make the most of National Parks Day (September 24) and visit one, it’s gotta be one of the single best things to do in SF in September.

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 (ALL MONTH)

Seeing an artist that you really like perform live can be a really rewarding experience. We’re lucky in that we get a lot of great musicians and performers coming though the Bay Area. This month Kendrick Lamar, Elton John, Lady Gaga and Roger Waters are all performing here. Check for tickets here.

4. VISIT ONE OF OUR AMAZING MUSEUMS (ALL MONTH)

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 (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 Saturday’s for Bay Area residents and free Tuesday’s for all.

5. PORTOLA (SEPTEMBER 24-25)

Portola is back this year and really rocking. The line-up for this two-day festival includes Chemical Brothers, James Blake and MIA. The event is located South of the Mission, on the bay at Pier 80.

6. WATCH A MOVIE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS (ALL MONTH)

As mentioned above the weather is usually good in San Francisco – so it’s the best time to go to an outdoor movie screening. The SF Parks Alliance produce a program every year, from May to October, called Sundown Cinema. This year some of the films on the schedule include Raiders of the Lost Ark and Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

7. GO TO THE THEATRE (ALL MONTH)

Live theatre, you can’t beat it. If you do enjoy it you’ve probably been feeling a little deprived over the last year or two. Well, now’s the time to prive. If you’re a fan of the bard then Shakespeare in the Park is producing Much Ado About Nothing at the Jerry Garcia Auditorium (for their 40th anniversary). The Golden Gate Theatre is presenting Oklahoma, the famous Rodgers and Hammerstein musical and this month the SF Fringe Festival is taking place, with eighty-four performances, by twenty-one different companies.

8. BECOME A RUM AFICIONADO (SEPTEMBER 4)

This September the annual San Francisco Rum Festival is holding its 7th event. With tastings, talks and cocktail books on sale, this just might be the time to become an expert on something that you love.

9. ENJOY SOME LIVE COMEDY (DATES THROUGH SEPTEMBER)

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, the legendary North Beach comedy club, has a series of shows throughout the month. Did I mention they’re free (although there is a two drink minimum)?

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 from the building’s many outlets. During the course of the month there are a ton of events going on, including Ferry Friday’s (with live music performances), outdoor yoga, a flea market and a roller-skating rink.

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

– By Damien Blackshaw (Twitter)