The Unofficial Guide
to San Francisco Tourism
...insider tips from a local

COVID-19 Status: at midnight on Monday, March 16, San Francisco was placed under a "shelter-in-place order.

All residents were ordered to stay home, except for necessary trips to grocery stores and essential medical visits, and solo outdoor activities like hiking.

The city had been gradually reopening of many businesses and activities, but has just come under a strict, stay-at-home directive.

Most recently, December 6, SF has moved to a very restrictive status due to a sudden increase in infection and hospitalization rates.

Public transportation options have been cut way back. See SF transit for more info.

See COVID rules for current SF status.

Mask rules: everyone in SF is now required to wear a mask when they are outside and within 30 feet of other people.

Masks must be worn in stores and places of business  and people not within the same household must stay 6 feet apart.

What is open? Muir Woods, the Botanic Gardens, Golden Gate Park, Japanese Tea Garden, SF beaches, Golden Gate Bridge, and Twin Peaks (by foot or bike) are all open.

Parking lots for SF beaches and the Golden Gate Bridge are open. But the Welcome Center lot and Merchant Road lot are closed.

Restaurants were open for indoor as well as outdoor dining, but as of Friday, Nov 13, indoor dining was suspended, due to an increase in Covid cases. And as of Dec 6, outdoor dining is also suspended.

Businesses can allow customers inside, but on a limited, 20% capacity, basis. This now applies to grocery stores as well.

The SF Zoo is now closed again.

Alcatraz is closed as of Dec 6. They are selling tickets for Jan 4, 2021, and beyond, but that's iffy. See Alcatraz.

Dec. 6 changes: hotels, gyms, tour buses, and boat cruises are closed again. Also indoor hair and nail salons/barbershops are closed.

Museums are closed.

Hotels aren't accepting reservations (except for essential workers and locals needing quarantine).

Exploratorium: opening spring 2021.

Playgrounds: open.

Schools: many private schools have begun reopening; SF public schools still on hold, except for a few charter schools.

On hold: indoor swimming pools and indoor movie theaters are still closed.

Last to open will be concerts, live theater, sporting events, nightclubs and festivals.

For info on what's open in other cities and counties of California, see California reopening schedules.

See coronavirus news in the SF Chronicle for articles and updates.

Also see site closures for the National Park Service (Alcatraz, Muir Woods, etc).

Plus helpful info on which parks and hiking trails are open in the Bay Area.

And to check the air quality (fires) in SF and the Bay Area, see airnow.gov and the SF Chronicle map showing current tests.