Exploring dog-friendly San Francisco

We first visited San Francisco in 2015 (without a dog) and so had experienced many of the main touristy attractions, including Alcatraz (which is not dog-friendly). When we planned to visit the second time, I was excited to see how many things we’d able to do with Beatle as had previously really enjoyed exploring the city and beautiful Golden Gate Park.

While we saw a lot of homeless people during our first visit and were advised by the hotel to avoid certain areas, I wasn’t prepared for how much the city had changed since then.

In parts of the city, the streets were filthy and covered in rubbish, many buildings were empty and boarded up, the amount of homeless people had increased substantially and the Police cars looked like they were from an 80’s movie…

However, I think that if you take standard safety precautions there are still pockets of the city that are well worth visiting - and the areas by the waterfront are always busy with tourists so have quite a different feel to downtown. We also loved the amount of great outdoor areas that there are to explore and you never get tired of seeing the amazing Golden Gate Bridge (when the fog clears!)

THINGS TO DO

Downtown and Union Square

Downtown San Francisco is dog friendly in terms of dogs being able to walk around the streets and inner city parks. However expect to see a lot of rubbish, waste and other nasties - so keep a good eye on your dog to make sure they aren’t eating anything they shouldn’t… Also expect to be approached for money regularly if walking in these areas.

While the central city has a number of shops and malls that are operating, once you go back a block or two you will start to see more that are empty.

If you are in downtown then its worth checking out Union Square, which has plenty of spots to sit, some grassy areas, small eateries, and a good Police presence. It’s also where the Hop On Hop Off buses depart from so there are always plenty of people around and so this area felt pretty safe.

There are good spots to get pics in Union Square

Visit Chinatown

San Francisco has the oldest Chinatown in North America and its only a ten minute walk from Union Square.

The entrance, called Dragon’s Gate is located at the intersection where Grant Ave and Bush St meet and from here you can wander along Grant Ave and explore the various shops, restaurants, galleries, gift stores and check out the street art.

You’ll love looking at the interesting buildings and quirky shopfronts and your dog will love all the delicious smells coming from nearby eateries.

If you want to continue on to Fisherman’s Wharf after visiting Chinatown, its a 35 min walk from Dragon’s Gate.

See Pier 39

This popular spot is very touristy - but its also lots of fun and full of colourful buildings, rides and places to eat.

Dogs are allowed to visit the outdoor common areas at the Pier, including some of the dog-friendly restaurants that have patio seating. They are not allowed on any of the rides, or inside places selling food - and you’ll need to check the individual policy before entering any giftware or non-food related stores.

At the lower left hand side of the Pier are the famous Sea Lion docks which are a must see if visiting San Francisco. These playful and noisy characters are most active at certain times of the year and provide unlimited free entertainment. There are barriers in place to protect both people and the Sea Lions - so while there is no risk of your dog getting to them, do ensure you have them securely on lead and restrained as they may not understand what these weird looking creatures are if seeing, smelling and hearing them for the first time.

Directly outside the Pier is a large open area with vendors selling food (watch out for the gigantic, clever gulls who will literally rip a hotdog out of your hands!) and grassy parkland that includes brass sculptures - including the very cool giant crab!

The Pier can get very crowded at peak times, so if taking your dog avoid the busy weekends.

Historic Fisherman’s Wharf

From Pier 39 its a quick walk along the waterfront, past the Pier 43 Ferry Arch (and Pier 41 where you can catch the dog-friendly Blue and Gold ferries) to the iconic Fisherman’s Wharf and its prominent crab / wheel sign.

Fisherman’s Wharf is one of the most popular spots to visit

The buildings here are similar to those on Pier 39, so expect lots of colour and variety. Your first stop should be Taylor Street where any of the famous seafood restaurants are. San Fran is well known for its seafood chowder served in a bread bowl - and while this is on many people’s ‘must do’ list, expect to pay tourist prices for it in this area.

You and your dog can then explore the surrounding streets and wharf area and try more delicious food as plenty of places have outdoor seating.

There are some great buildings and lots of places to eat in Fisherman’s Wharf

You also have the option to catch the Powell-Mason Street Car from Taylor and Bay Streets back into the city from here or head towards the Ghirardelli Square area via Aquatic Park. To get here, take a leisurely ten min walk along Jefferson Street.

Aquatic Park

Walking along Jefferson Street from Fisherman’s Wharf you’ll reach a large waterfront park called Aquatic Park. The Park is located in a great spot right on the bay and offers amazing views across the harbour to the bridge. Its a great place to stop and relax and you can also watch people swimming in the harbour, brrrrr!

In the top left corner of the park is the turnaround area for the Powell/Hyde Cable Car. Even if you don’t plan on riding the Cable Car, this is one of the best locations to get some good photos as they arrive and depart. Right behind the park you’ll find Ghirardelli Square and Umbrella Alley.

Aquatic Park has great views and is located next to the bay

Ghirardelli Square

From Aquatic Park you can’t miss the the huge ‘Ghirardelli’ sign, which is like a beacon inviting you to try some of their delicious sweet treats including; chocolate, ice cream and pastries. While dogs are not allowed inside, there is outdoor seating on their patio, or you can get takeaway to enjoy in the park.

Here you’ll also find Ghirardelli Square, which is made up of beautiful old brick buildings and covers an entire block. The square is full of unique stores and places to eat and has an open courtyard in its centre that’s worth looking around.

You’ll even find a dog-friendly beer garden at San-Francisco Brewing if you need a refreshing beverage after a long day of exploring.

If getting here by public transport then the Powell/Hyde cable car terminates at Aquatic Park or it’s a twelve minute walk from Fisherman’s Wharf.

From here, its only a two minute walk to the very cool Umbrella Alley.

Umbrella Alley and the ‘Greetings from San Francisco’ Mural

We loved visiting this fun, unique spot in San Francisco. The alley is full of colourful, hanging umbrellas and has lots of bright and interactive murals covering its walls - but best of all, your dog is welcome to explore all the great art with you!

We loved walking through and checking out the amazing work by local artists. We had lots of favourites, but the Greetings From San Francisco mural was a highlight as it was so vibrant - but there was so much great art to see that we spent a while wandering around.

The vibrant Greetings from San Fran mural in Umbrella Alley

There is no entrance fee, but they do have a donation box and it’s well worth the suggested amount, especially if you intend to take a lot of photos.

If getting here by public transport then the Powell/Hyde cable car terminates at Aquatic Park or its a ten minute walk from Fisherman’s Wharf.

Cable Cars / Street Cars

Dogs are allowed on the historic cable and street cars but only during off-peak hours. This means that they can only ride with you between the hours of 9am and 3pm - or after 7pm on weekdays.

While there are three different cable car routes to choose from in the city, two of these are the most popular lines; Powell/Hyde and Powell/Mason - and both start downtown at the intersection of Powell and Market.

Powell/Hyde terminates near Ghirardelli Square and this is the busiest line as it provides passengers with the classic steep San Fran hills experience, a peek down Lombard Street and fantastic views over the bay - including out to Alcatraz.

Note that during busy times there will be long queues for this tram line at both ends (sometimes 30+ mins) and they get jam packed, so consider this if planning to take your dog. The price is currently $8 per person and per dog one way - so it’s not the cheapest experience, but is on many people’s ‘must do’ list.

We didn’t take this line with Beatle as we didn’t think it would be very comfortable for her, but we did catch one of the 60’s style ones on the Powell/Mason line from Fisherman’s Wharf back into the city. These street cars also look fantastic, they’re very retro and are painted in a variety of colours and styles.

Officially dogs must be leashed and muzzled and can only ride on the lap of the rider or under their seat. We didn’t have a muzzle with us on the day, but it didn’t seem to be an issue as nothing was said when we boarded (we actually didn’t know one was required until after). I also read afterwards that there is only supposed to be one pet per vehicle - but wasn’t sure how you would confirm that before getting on…? However, the Street Car wasn’t very busy on the day we traveled which might be why it wasn’t a problem - and Beats enjoyed looking out the window as we rambled along the streets.

Lombard Street

If you’re catching the Powell/Hyde cable car you have the option to get off at the top of the hill to explore Lombard Street, which is famous for being like a giant zig-zag (or the world’s most crooked street) with eight hairpin corners. Use the Hyde Street / Lombard St stop if you want to visit. The street itself is quite hard to photograph, but you can walk up or down it for a better look. Back at the tram stop you’ll also get great views over the bay while you wait for the next tram to come along.

If you’re catching the Powell/Mason cable car, it also passes close to Lombard Street but at the base rather than the top, but its much easier to photograph from here as you can see more of the street. You’ll need to get off at the Columbus Ave / Lombard St stop and then its about a five min (uphill) walk from there.

Do watch out for cars on Lombard Street, it is often full of vehicles wanting to drive the tight corners who are often more focused on the experience as well as taking photos and videos to watch out for pedestrians and their four legged buddies.

There’s always lots of traffic on Lombard Street!

Alamo Square and the Painted Ladies

Admit it, ever since you first watched ‘Full House’ you’ve always wanted to visit the park that features in the opening credits with the famous row of ‘Painted Ladies’ and hum the theme song. Or maybe that was just me…

To get to Alamo Square from downtown, its a relatively easy 35 min walk - or you can catch the Muni from Union Square to shorten the walk at the end to a few minutes.

The park itself takes up a whole block so is a good size and was very green when we visited with lots of shady trees. There were lots of other people there enjoying the day (and I’m guessing all humming the same theme song…) and it provided the exact view of those beautiful, colourful houses that I saw on TV all those years ago.

A beautiful little lady in front of the colourful ‘painted ladies’

Not only that, but you also get sweeping views back over San Francisco and the skyline - it really is a postcard worthy view. We spent a bit of time here, just enjoying the ambience and views which made the walk well worth it. If you head towards the back of the park you’ll also find a Dog Park which is handy if your pup wants to have a run around and there are also water fountains available.

From here, its only a ten minute walk to Haight Street and the Haight Ashbury District.

Haight-Ashbury District

When you think of 60’s hippie America, you think of San Francisco and the famous ‘Summer of Love’. While that might have occurred in 1967, the feelings and vibe it spurred are still very much alive and visible in the Haight-Ashbury District.

If you want to visit the main area, you’ll find it on the intersection of Haight and Ashbury Streets. Here you’ll find lots of street art, unique stores, vintage and vinyl shops as well as lots of inexpensive places to eat.

Many of the bars, cafes and restaurants have seating outside and Beatle was allowed to join us as we shopped in a few non-food related stores, so overall we really enjoyed walking around the colourful and eclectic streets and found the area to be really dog-friendly.

If you walk all the way to the end of Haight, you will have reached Golden Gate Park. From here you can either take a break in this huge, grassy park before heading home, or continue on.

Golden Gate Park

Golden Gate Park is huge, like really huge. It spans over 1,000 acres and includes lots of dog-friendly pathways, off leash areas and attractions to explore.

Officially, dogs must be on-leash (except when in designated off-leash areas) as the park gets busy with traffic, bikes and wildlife (including Coyotes). While we saw some people who had their dogs off leash, I think its not worth the risk as it would be difficult to find them if they ran off into the woods and you also put the animals that live in the park at risk. There are plenty of off-leash spots in the park so your dog won’t miss out on being able to have a decent run.

There are so many great places to explore in Golden Gate Park

The biggest of these is the super-sized Golden Gate Dog Park - located at the North East end of the park. I’d never seen an urban dog-park as big as this one! It has two areas to choose from (in theory big and small dogs, but when we visited it was mixed), loads of space to run around and tree trunks to sniff and climb over. It was pretty busy when we visited, but great to see so many dogs enjoying everything this space has to offer. There was also seating for people and access to fresh water and poop bags.

There are three other spots within the park that are off-leash, but its probably easier to provide a link to a map (or just check where they are on the directions boards when you enter the park).

On the other side of Golden Gate Dog Park is the Bison habitat which is fun to visit if you’ve never seen these giants before. Beats wasn’t quite sure what to make of them, but this area is well fenced so there was no risk of her getting too close. At this end of the park you’ll also find the Dutch Windmill which is a pretty spot with gardens. While dogs not allowed into the gardens here, you can still get some good photos from the path.

From here you can continue to explore the rest of the park as there are many different trails and paths to pick from.

At the opposite end of the park (the city end) there are a number of interesting buildings to check out including; the California Academy of Sciences, which is a beautiful building with lovely grounds, the De Young Fine Arts Museum and the Conservatory of Flowers and its stunning gardens. While dogs aren’t allowed inside any of these buildings they can largely explore the exteriors on leash (and signage will indicate areas they cannot enter).

The Conservatory of Flowers building and gardens in Golden Gate Park

If you get peckish while walking, head to the Stow Lake Boathouse, which is located next to Stow Lake in the centre of the park. Here you can purchase drinks and basic foods, like hotdogs and burgers and there is plenty of outdoor seating. The Boathouse also rents row boats and pedal boats which are dog friendly (but may charge a $5 fee). For more information click here

If you are up for a hike, in the middle of Stow Lake is Strawberry Hill, which is the highest point in the park and has some great views.

Golden Gate Bridge

Unfortunately dogs are not allowed to walk on the Golden Gate Bridge, due to the limited path space and high congestion (its full of pedestrians and bikes). We biked over it on our first visit and saw firsthand how busy it gets, so dogs would likely not really enjoy the experience as they would need to be so restricted, plus the bridge can be windy and loud from all of the traffic.

However there are still plenty of spots on both sides where you can get great views of this massive structure and I’ll cover these in more detail in other parts of this post.

OTHER THINGS TO DO

Palace of Fine Arts

The Palace of Fine Arts is a large rotunda located in the Marina District that sits in front of a large curved exhibition centre. Out front is a pretty lagoon that has curved pathways to explore, places to sit and plenty of grassy spots to sniff. Its located at 3601 Lyon Street and and dogs must be on leash when visiting.

Presidio

Open 24/7 and free to enter, the Presidio is a 1,491 acre park that surrounds the San Francisco side of the Golden Gate Bridge. This park was formerly a military base but is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

The Presidio has lots of dog-friendly trails of varying lengths and open spaces that are perfect for exploring. It also offers some great views across the Golden Gate Bridge and back across the bay and city as well as some great public art.

As there is wildlife living in the park (including Coyotes) ensure you read and abide by any signage in the park and follow rules around leashes etc. Click here to see the Presidio pet policy

A fantastic new feature within the Presido is Tunnel Tops, a 14 acre area that looks amazing and is dog-friendly! It has food trucks on site each day, picnic areas and art - as well as lots of big, open spaces to sit and look out across the bay. For more info about this area click here

Crissy Field

This dog-friendly beachfront park is very popular as offers amazing views to the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz - and is especially pretty at sunset. Best of all the beachfront is an off leash area, so if you have a dog who loves to run and swim its the perfect spot to bring them to play.

Crissy Field is located at the base of the Presido so you can continue your adventures there depending on your energy levels. It also has is free parking on site as well as restrooms. If you want to stay a bit longer, there is a cafe and plenty of places to sit or picnic.

Take a Dog Friendly Cruise

If you love the idea of taking your dog on a sightseeing cruise, or a day trip to the pretty seaside town of Sausalito then you’re in luck as your dog is welcome to join you on the Blue and Gold Fleet that departs regularly from Pier 41 at Fisherman’s Wharf.

If you’re keen on doing some sightseeing from the water, your best bud can join you on a 60-minute tour where you’ll get to see some of the bay’s highlights including, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and Pier 39. If you do have the option to leave your dog for a few hours, then I highly recommend visiting Alcatraz as you get to learn so much about its interesting past.

If you’re wanting to explore Sausalito then it’s about a 30 min trip each way. The ferry drops you off centrally and from there you can explore the Mediterranean style village which has lots of great stores and restaurants to visit. Well behaved, leashed dogs (or those in a carrier) are allowed on the Blue and Gold Fleet vessels and you can get more information here

Tip: don’t confuse the Blue and Gold Fleet with the commuter focused San Francisco Bay Ferry which only allows pets in enclosed carriers that fit on your lap.

Visit Sausalito

Sausalito is a pretty Mediterranean style village that is a quick ferry ride from San Francisco and is a great way to spend a whole or half day.

The dog-friendly Blue and Gold Fleet has regular sailings that take approx. 30 mins each way and allows well behaved, leashed pets on board. The ferry departs from Pier 41 in Fisherman’s Wharf and drops you off centrally in Sausalito.

From the Sausalito Ferry Terminal it’s only a couple of minutes walk and you’e at the Sausalito Town Square, which has grass and shady areas. From here you can head any way to explore the surrounding shops, boutiques and art galleries, some of which allow dogs. I found some really cute souvenirs here too - so bring your credit card!

Make sure you also bring your appetite, as there is such a great variety of food options in Sausalito. You’ll find everything from ice-cream parlours and casual fish n’ chipperies to fine dining establishments. There are also a number of eateries here that sit on piers that jut out over the water and most that have outdoor seating will allow dogs. For a list of dog-friendly places to eat in Sausalito click here

As you continue down the main street of Bridgeway you’ll have shops on one side of the road and great views back over the bay from the other, so its worth walking both sides. If you’re a boat person you can also check out the nearby harbour and marina.

If you choose to drive here, you’ll cross the Golden Gate Bridge. As you reach the Sausalito side there are signposted pull outs / vista points where you can stop to get some great photos back across the bridge and bay.

If your dog enjoys some beach time, then a 15 min drive from Sausalito is pretty Rodeo Beach which is dog-friendly (but can have large swells so ensure your dog is supervised and under voice command if you let them off leash).

SLEEP

We stayed at the Stay Pineapple which had the comfiest beds and cutely decorated rooms. While the hotel itself is very dog friendly - unfortunately they seemed to put all the pets on the same floor next to one another and haven’t done much to minimise sound travelling. This resulted in a lot of barking as they could all hear one another and it was pretty annoying at times.

But on the upside, Beats got a special dog bed, treats and even a furry friend to keep her company (they had a bit of a love/hate relationship…)

While the hotel was in walking distance of the city, the surrounding streets were pretty rough, with lots of homeless people and rubbish and so we were really careful taking Beatle out for her late night pee.

If we came back again, I would probably look at staying closer to the wharf area and avoid downtown all together. But wherever you end up staying, check in with the hotel reception / concierge to get more information about the area, including any areas to avoid. You can see more about Stay Pineapple’s pet policy here

Beats wasn’t too sure about her new friend at the Stay Pineapple

GETTING AROUND

The public transport system is San Fran is reasonably dog-friendly. I won’t re-explain the cable cars / street cars as they are already covered above, but pets can also accompany you on local buses and trains.

Dogs are required to have their own ticket and can only travel during non-peak hours (between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and after 7 p.m.) and only one pet per Muni vehicle is allowed. But I’m unsure how this would be checked as you would not necessarily know if other dogs were on board…? Their website also states that dogs must be leashed and muzzled and can only ride on the lap of the rider or under their seat.

When we rode with Beatle we hadn’t actually checked the rules before hand and didn’t have a muzzle with us - but she was still allowed to travel and enjoyed looking out the street car window as we rolled along. You can see their official pet policy here

The retro Street Cars are a fun way to travel, but quite expensive

If travelling by ferry then use the Blue and Gold Fleet - which is a dog-friendly sightseeing ferry. This service is different to the commuter focused San Francisco Bay Ferry which only allows dogs if they are in an enclosed carrier that fits on your lap. You can get more information about their dog policy here

If you want to travel further out of the city, or to Golden Gate Park, the Presidio etc. then a car may be useful, but is not necessary to get around the inner city. Also note, if you are arriving by car, hotel parking can be very limited and is expensive.

IN SUMMARY

While we really enjoyed the activities that we did with Beatle, we definitely didn’t venture out much at night due to safety concerns. I think there is a lot of work to be done to make San Francisco feel safer for visitors, particularly in the inner city and surrounding areas.

While the city has always had a certain amount of grit, it felt very different to our first visit in terms of how we felt walking around and this prevented us from visiting more bars and restaurants. Would we personally rush back, I don’t think so - but if it’s on your wish list then you’ll definitely find plenty of things to do with your best bud.

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