The 13 Biggest Lies About San Francisco: The Truth From a Local Who Lives Here

You've probably heard a lot of lies about San Francisco. Things such as it's too dangerous to visit, you can see the whole city in a day, and it's foggy and gray all year long.

As someone who lives right here in the heart of the city, I can tell you most of what you've heard is either exaggerated or flat-out wrong, and believing it could cost you a great trip.

I'm Jill, and I've been writing about San Francisco for years. I also live here, so I'm walking around it daily.

Below, I'll bust the 13 biggest lies I hear about this city and give you the truth behind each one, so you arrive prepared and make the most of your visit.

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All 13 at a Glance

1. The whole city is unsafe
2. Summer is the best time to visit
3. San Francisco is foggy all year long
4. There are always a lot of sea lions at Pier 39
5. The Golden Gate Bridge is just a photo stop
6. Most restaurants stay open late
7. The airport is close, so getting downtown is quick
8. You can see San Francisco in one day
9. You can quickly tack SF onto your LA trip
10. Cable cars are how you get around
11. Fisherman's Wharf isn't worth it
12. Alcatraz is overrated
13. A few more myths that won't die

Lie #1: The Whole City Is Unsafe

I'll start with the one I hear over and over again. It's that San Francisco just isn't safe and it's too dangerous to visit. Let me set the record straight.

San Francisco is actually one of the safest large cities in the country. We do have challenges. Homelessness is visible, and there are a few neighborhoods where you'll want to be more aware. But in general, it's a safe city.

The places you'll actually spend your time — Fisherman's Wharf, the Embarcadero, Chinatown, the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, and the Presidio — are safe and full of people from all over the world every single day.

Just be aware of your surroundings, the way you would in any big city, and don't let exaggerated headlines keep you from coming.

Lie #2: Summer Is the Best Time to Visit

The next two lies are about the weather. The first is that summer is the best time to visit.

It's our busiest season and when many families take their vacations, but it's usually gray, foggy, and quite windy.

That doesn't make summer a bad time to visit. You just need to come prepared for real San Francisco weather.

The fog isn't kind to us in summer. It hangs around some days, and at times it won't leave for days.

We even have names for each month. We start with June Gloom, move into No Sky July, and finish with Fogust, because August is the foggiest month of all.

All summer long, the fog rolls in off the ocean, sits heavy in the mornings, and hangs thickest near the water — Fisherman's Wharf, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the western edge of the city in Golden Gate Park, the Sunset, and the Richmond.

It's not gray all the time, though. Some days start and end in fog, with a little sunshine in the afternoon.

Some summer days are completely clear.

Others are 100% foggy.

If you were picturing warm, sunny beach days in July, that's not the summer you'll get here.

So how do you prepare? Layers, every day:

• A light jacket or hoodie you can add and peel off
• Long pants
• Closed-toe shoes

Don't pack a suitcase of just shorts and sandals. Some days you might use them, but most summer days you won't.

Bring something warmer for the foggy mornings, for any time you're near or on the water, and especially after sunset, when it can dip into the 50s even in July.

Pack for a cool city with sunshine mixed in, and a summer trip here can be wonderful. You just have to come ready for it.

More about how to pack in the summer:

• June weather
• July weather
• August weather

Lie #3: San Francisco Is Foggy All Year Long

This next lie is also about the weather: that it's foggy and cold all year long.

Also not true.

We just covered the summer fog and what to expect. Here's what the rest of the year actually looks like.

San Francisco isn't covered in fog all year, even in summer. So when someone tells you it's gray and foggy year-round, it's simply not true.

• September and October are gorgeous — the warmest, clearest, sunniest weeks we get all year. If good weather is your priority, this is the time to visit.
• November through March is our rainy season. The fog and gray come back, but it's a different kind — not that thick summer fog, more like overcast days with a lot of sunshine mixed in between.
• April and May aren't quite as warm as fall, but they're mild, with a decent amount of sun, and the best part: everything is in bloom.

So San Francisco isn't foggy all year. Yes, it can be foggy any day of the year, but we get a great mix of mild, sunny days in between.

For a full month-by-month breakdown to help you plan and pack, see my San Francisco weather page.

Lie #4: There Are Always a Lot of Sea Lions at Pier 39

Here's one I get asked about constantly — the sea lions at Pier 39. You might think there are always hundreds of them piled on the docks year-round.

Sometimes there are.

Sometimes it's just a handful.

Let me explain.

There's a cycle to the sea lion population, and it ebbs and flows throughout the year. Come in the fall and you'll find them piled on top of each other, barking loud enough to hear a block away. Come in the middle of summer and you might only spot a dozen or so.

Here's why: almost all the sea lions at Pier 39 are male, and around the start of summer most of them head south for breeding season.

They start leaving in June, so there are only a handful here in July, which, unfortunately, is peak visitor season,  but they return in larger numbers around mid-August. There are also fewer around from about November to March.

So if seeing a lot of them matters to you, plan your visit to the docks for March to May or mid-August to late October.

But don't write off the sea lions in summer. There are almost always a few hanging around, and there's plenty to do on and around Pier 39 too.

And if you do catch the docks packed, it's one of those only-in-San-Francisco sights you won't forget. They're loud, they're smelly, and they're completely wonderful.

Lie #5: The Golden Gate Bridge Is Just a Photo Stop

Lie number five: the Golden Gate Bridge is just a quick photo stop — snap your picture and move on. But if that's all you budget for, you'll miss most of what there is to see and do here.

Start with the viewpoints. There are several, each with a completely different angle on the bridge, all within a small area.

Then there's walking on the bridge itself — you can go partway or all the way across (it's 1.7 miles long), and it's the highlight for many visitors. Take your time and soak in the views.

But that's not all there is:

• Outdoor exhibits on how the bridge was built and how it works
• A welcome center and gift shop
• The Round House Café — one of my favorites, a place to grab coffee, escape the wind, and warm up before you keep going

Most people plan fifteen minutes and end up staying two hours. Set aside at least an hour, more if you can.

Don't treat the bridge as a drive-by photo. Give it real space on your itinerary, and you'll be glad you did.

Lie #6: Most Restaurants Stay Open Late

This one surprises a lot of people. You might figure you can grab dinner whenever you want because restaurants here stay open late — but a lot of them don't.

San Francisco eats early.

There was actually a 2024 study that found San Francisco eats dinner earlier than any other major city in the country. What that means for you is that many restaurants stop seating around 8 or 9, and the later it gets, the thinner your options.

So if you're arriving late or you just like a late dinner, plan ahead.

Every neighborhood has a few places that stay open later, but you don't want to be wandering around at 9:30 pm hoping to get lucky.

Lie #7: The Airport Is Close, So Getting Downtown Is Quick

The next lie is that SFO is really close to San Francisco. It's only 13 miles away, but the journey can take longer than you think.

The trip between SFO and the city can take anywhere from 45 minutes to more than an hour:

• BART takes about 35 minutes once you catch the train, plus another 15 to 20 minutes on foot to your hotel and longer if you have to connect to a bus or taxi.
• A Rideshare might take 30 minutes on a good day, but most of the time the whole journey runs an hour or more, especially in traffic.

Set aside about one to two hours, a little more if you checked bags.

That breathing room is what lets you catch the Alcatraz ferry on time or make your dinner reservation without sweating it.

If you're not sure of the best way to get from SFO into the city, I break down all your options in my SFO to Union Square and my SFO to Fisherman's Wharf guides so you're prepared when you arrive.

Lie #8: You Can See San Francisco in One Day

I get it — your time is limited. But the idea that you can really see San Francisco in a single day isn't true.

San Francisco is a small city, only about 7 miles by 7 miles, so on a map it looks like you can cover it quickly.

But it takes longer to move through than it looks — the hills, the crowds, the traffic, the transit all add up. In one day you can hit the highlights, but you won't really get to experience them.

So how many days do I recommend to really see the city? I'd plan for four to five — that's the sweet spot.

Enough to see the big sights and actually enjoy them, with room to wander without feeling rushed.

If a single day really is all you have, that's okay — I put together a one-day itinerary so you can see as much as possible.

Just don't be surprised if you're already planning your next trip before this one ends. 

Lie #9: You Can Quickly Tack SF onto Your LA Trip

The next big lie is that you can tack San Francisco onto a trip to Los Angeles. It's easy to assume it's all California — how far apart could they be? Pretty far.

San Francisco and Los Angeles are about 380 miles apart. That's a solid seven-to-eight-hour drive on the fast route, or a short flight that still eats half a day once you factor in both airports.

Each city deserves its own time.

If you want to do both well, plan on more than a week. Two weeks is ideal.

Don't shortchange San Francisco as a side trip to LA. Give it its own days, or pick one of the two cities and do it right.

Lie #10: Cable Cars Are How You Get Around

The cable cars might be the most San Francisco thing there is. But here's where people get them wrong: they think they'll take them all over the city. Let me tell you how they really work.

There are only three cable car lines — Powell-Hyde, Powell-Mason, and California Street — and they cover a small slice of the city.

Each route is only about 1.5 to 2 miles, so they won't get you to most of the places on your list.

At busy times, the lines at the three turnarounds can stretch close to an hour. If you try to use the cable cars like a bus, you'll burn half your day waiting.

So ride them because they're fun, and because they're a piece of living history you won't find anywhere else.

If you happen to visit on a really busy day and you're short on time, try the California Street line. It's usually far less crowded, and you'll get a great view heading up or down the California Street hill.

For the rest of your trip, use Muni buses, rideshares, or your own two feet to actually get around.

Lie #11: Fisherman's Wharf Isn't Worth It

I'll say it before you do. Fisherman's Wharf is touristy.

But skipping it completely? That's a mistake.

Fisherman's Wharf is one of the best spots in the city for visitors — packed with attractions, activities, and restaurants:

• Pier 39 with its fun activities, restaurants, and shops
• Ghirardelli Square with its shopping, restaurants, and chocolates
• The Musée Mécanique and its vintage arcade games
• The Buena Vista Cafe and its famous Irish Coffee

The district is full of history, too.

You can climb aboard the USS Pampanito, a World War Two submarine, and the SS Jeremiah O'Brien, one of the last working Liberty ships — perfect for military history buffs.

And if you love art, check out Umbrella Alley, a fun photo stop with colorful murals.

The bay cruises also leave from here, and they're one of the best ways to see the Golden Gate Bridge from the water. They're worth booking ahead — here's the one I recommend.

Is this where locals spend every weekend? No.

But go in knowing what to expect, and you'll see why it's still one of the most visited places in San Francisco.

For more, here's my guide to the best things to do in Fisherman's Wharf. 

Lie #12: Alcatraz Is Overrated

Whenever I hear that Alcatraz is overrated, it almost always comes down to one thing: the price.

So let me tell you why I love this place, even after visiting dozens of times.

The fun begins before you even reach the island, on the ferry (about a 12-minute ride). You'll get sweeping views of the skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the island as you approach.

Once you arrive, you'll climb to the main prison building — about 13 stories up — for a gripping audio tour with former guards and inmates telling their stories.

After that, the island is yours to explore on your own:

• Temporary exhibits
• A ranger-led talk or walk
• The gift shop
• The grounds and buildings, where you can read about the island's history
• The views

Plan for about two and a half to three hours start to finish, and take any ferry back when you're ready.

One thing to know: Alcatraz tickets sell out weeks ahead, especially in summer, so don't wait until you arrive to try to find them. 

Find out more about all three tours here.

Lie #13: A Few More Myths That Won't Die

Let's finish with a lightning round — a few myths I still hear all the time that just aren't right:

• The Golden Gate Bridge isn't golden. The name comes from the Golden Gate Strait, the opening it stretches across between San Francisco and Marin County. The bridge is painted International Orange, chosen to stay visible in the fog.
• Lombard Street isn't the crookedest street in the city. Famous as it is, that title technically belongs to Vermont Street, over in Potrero Hill.
• Mark Twain probably never said the famous quote. "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco" is often credited to him, but there's no evidence he ever said it. After one cold, foggy afternoon out on the bridge, though, it's easy to see why people believe he did.

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