San Francisco enjoys four different seasons, making it a pleasure to visit pretty much any time of the year. The best time to visit is the Autumn, followed by the spring. To the surprise of many, summers are cool in San Francisco and so are the winters, when the city also experiences frequent rain.
The weather in San Francisco is incredibly changeable and it is not unusual to experience four seasons in one day!
• Spring in San Francisco is March to June
• Summer in San Francisco is end of June to end of September
• Autumn in San Francisco is end of September to December
• Winter San Francisco is December to Mid March
Click here to read all our packing tips for San Francisco, no matter what time of year you are visiting.
SPRING IN SAN FRANCISCO (MARCH – JUNE)
Spring is a fabulous time to visit San Francisco. At this time of the year the days are usually warm, dry, and clear and the views over the bay are at their best.
SUMMER IN SAN FRANCISCO (JUNE – SEPTEMBER)
Summer is a popular time to visit San Francisco but temperatures often catch visitors by surprise. San Francisco’s summers are cold and look nothing like the ‘California summers’ many Europeans expect (you need to head farther South for those).
Summer in San Francisco tends to be bright and dry but the fog often falls onto the city and you will find yourself wanting to wrap up often.
AUTUMN IN SAN FRANCISCO (SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER)
Autumn in San Francisco is wonderful. This is the time of the year when the weather is warmest and the days tend to be bright and crisp.
This is a great time to enjoy San Francisco’s wonderful parks and outdoor scene, since the rain and fog tend to fall more rarely than in other seasons. Rain starts being more frequent in December when the true winter begins
WINTER IN SAN FRANCISCO (DECEMBER – MARCH)
Winter is rainy and grey in San Francisco. During winter months the city experiences frequent fog and precipitation making San Francisco sightseeing often frustrating although on clear days the views get remarkably crisp and bright.
If visiting San Francisco in winter, make sure you wrap up especially on foggy days.
Click here to go to our Family Guide to San Francisco.
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Tips for choosing the best time for visiting San Francisco and what to expect in each season