What's New in San Francisco in 2026: Construction, Closures & Price Changes

A lot has changed in San Francisco in 2026. Here, I'll give you updates on changes around the city, from construction projects at big attractions to airport delays, fare increases on transit, and a few new things of note. 

I'm Jill, and I live right here in the heart of San Francisco. I'm out walking around the city every day, so I see these changes as they happen. This is a great resource for both visitors and locals to know what's new and what's changing in our amazing city. 

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I cover all of these updates in the video below, or keep reading for the details.

1. Two Icons Under Construction: Alcatraz & the Golden Gate Bridge

Alcatraz

Let's start with Alcatraz. In the fall of 2025, the National Park Service kicked off a retrofitting project that will last until sometime in 2028.

It won't impact your visit too much, but you will see some construction.

The work is on the northern end of the cell house, so the hospital area and the dining hall are closed right now.

As you walk through the cellhouse, you will notice construction tarps and a few areas taped off that you are currently not allowed to visit.

The good news is that the ferries and the tours are running on schedule. They have adjusted the audio tour to account for everyone entering a temporary location, and they have removed some content about the dining hall since you can't enter.

One thing that hasn't changed — Alcatraz tickets sell out, especially in summer, often weeks ahead.

Book as early as you can.

You can check current dates and skip-the-line and combo options through GetYourGuide and Viator.

Not sure which tour is for you? Check out my guide.

The Golden Gate Bridge

This year, spring of 2026, the Golden Gate Bridge kicked off a ten-year retrofitting and improvement project.

They're mostly working on the roadways, but at times, they're working on the pedestrian walkways too.

If one walkway is closed, they'll make sure the other side is open, so it most likely won't impact your visit. However, you will see some construction while you're here.

One of the more exciting pieces of this project is that they are repainting the southern tower.

If you want the best view of the bridge, I always recommend spending some time on the water. Every bay cruise takes you right under it, and this is the one I often recommend for a first visit.

2. Flying In? Expect SFO Delays Through Early October

If you're flying into San Francisco in the coming months, plan for some delays. They've increased significantly over the last couple of months, and two things are driving them.

• First, one of the runways is under construction, and that work runs through early to mid-October.
• Second, the FAA recently decided that SFO can no longer do side-by-side landings. SFO has safely run those side-by-side landings on its parallel runways for many, many years, and that's something the FAA just recently decided to halt. That change cut the number of landings per hour from fifty-four down to about thirty-six.

How can you minimize your chances of delays? Records show that most delays occur for flights arriving between 1 pm and 9 pm.

My advice is to book a flight that gets in the morning. You'll have a much better shot at avoiding the worst of it.

3. What's New at Fisherman's Wharf

I live less than a mile away from Fisherman's Wharf, and I'm in this area almost once a week. Here are just some of the things I see going on right now in this district.

When you first get to Fisherman's Wharf, one of the first things you'll notice is the construction along the waterfront. They're doing some dredging right now, and that'll go on for a few more months.

It won't impact your visit too much, but it does affect the views between Pier 39 and Pier 41.

Alioto's is Gone, A New Public Space is Opening Soon

The famous restaurant Alioto's is gone.

The building it was in was torn down this spring, and it's being replaced by a public plaza.

It's going to be a great place to grab some lunch, sit for a while, and take in the views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The new plaza opens in the summer of 2026.

Umbrella Alley is open again

Umbrella Alley is open once again in Fisherman's Wharf.

Their new address is 33 Jefferson Street.

Right now, they have several murals along their walls, and more will be added soon. It's only a $5 donation to check it out and take some pictures. The money goes to their non-profit.

They also run private Jeep and Tuk-Tuk tours. I've taken them a few times, and they are a fun way to see the city if you want something different.

New Restaurants on the Way

Several restaurants are scheduled to open in Fisherman's Wharf between now and the end of 2026. A handful are large chains, but there are a few local favorites in the mix, too.

Here is what you can expect: 

• Saigon Sandwich will open in Q4 of 2026
• Little Sweet, a boba shop, is opening in Anchor's Landing in Q4 2026
• Everett and Jones BBQ is set to open in September 2026
• Raising Cane's will open in late summer
• Coldstone Creamery should open by this fall
• Chasca Rio, a Salvadoran restaurant, will open in early 2027
• Castagnola's set to reopen in late 2026 or early 2027

You can also find some of my favorite spots to eat in this district.

And Yes — Chonkers is Gone

My final update from Fisherman's Wharf is one a lot of you are not going to love.

Chonkers is gone.

He took over the internet this spring, here in San Francisco and around the country, and he's since moved on. He was around from about mid-April to sometime in May — we don't know exactly when he left, but he's been gone now for over a month.

The good news is there are still plenty of California sea lions hauled out at Pier 39, and they're absolutely worth a visit.

Plan for about 15 to 20 minutes to watch them — it never gets old.

Find out more about visiting our sea lions at Pier 39.

4. Chinatown: Portsmouth Square

In Chinatown, I have an update about Portsmouth Square. It's closed in June 2026 for a big improvement project.

The project will add some event space and more room just for the community to gather.

It's also going to remove the Kearny Street bridge — the walkway over Kearny Street that connects the Hilton to the square.

The completion date is sometime in the summer or fall of 2028.

Check out my guide for more fun things to do around Chinatown.

5. Prices Going Up: Cable Cars, the Bridge & Golden Gate Transit

Here are a few pricing updates. Some of these have already taken effect, and some are coming soon.

• First, the cable cars. Right now it's $9 for a single ride. Starting in January 2027, the cable cars will be $12 per ride.
• The cost to drive across the Golden Gate Bridge is now $ 0.50 more per ride.
• Prices also increased by $ 0.25 on Golden Gate Transit.

6. Getting to Muir Woods Just Changed

There are some major changes to the Muir Woods shuttles in 2026.

First, the Sausalito shuttle has been discontinued. 

As a result, they've expanded the Larkspur Muir Woods shuttle. It now runs on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It will run this schedule until sometime in October. 

So from San Francisco, you can get to the Larkspur Muir Woods shuttle in two ways:

• Take the ferry, which runs more often on Fridays than on Saturdays and Sundays, so Friday is the better day to go.
• Take two buses. Unfortunately, the 130 bus that used to drop off right there, which was a direct route from the city, has also been discontinued. 

So it's now either the ferry or two buses to reach the Larkspur–Muir Woods shuttle.

If this sounds like a lot of moving parts, it is, and it's exactly why a lot of visitors choose a guided redwoods tour that handles the transportation for you.

Many of these pair Muir Woods with Sausalito, so you get both in one trip without the transit puzzle.

7. A Few More Updates Around the City

Powell Street Improvement Project

The city recently announced a new improvement project along Powell Street between Market and Geary.

This stretch is where the cable cars run, including the Powell Street cable car turnaround.

The project will widen the sidewalks in spots and add seating, so you can grab a coffee or some lunch and watch the cable cars roll past.

It will start in the fall of 2026, with a grand opening planned for November 2027.

If you're riding the cable cars during construction, it won't affect the routes or the service.

You may just need to walk around some construction to reach a stop, especially at the Powell Street turnaround.

More about riding out cable cars!

Japantown's Peace Plaza

The Peace Plaza in Japantown has been under construction for about two years.

They've now removed the scaffolding from the pagoda, and things are moving along well — it's set to open to the public by the fall of 2026.

The Big Art Loop

The Big Art Loop is continuing to add new large-scale art pieces all around the city.

There's a large concentration along the Embarcadero, some in Fisherman's Wharf, more in Golden Gate Park, and out at the Sunset Dunes.

You don't have to wander around hoping to find them either — there's a full map on their website so you can see what's up and what's coming.

Find it at bigartloop.org.

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