The Ultimate San Francisco Fall Bucket List

It’s somehow already fall, and we’ve got all you need to enjoy the season to the max. For San Franciscans, it’s prime weather: a cozy, warm temperature and comfortable breeze, with golden hues and crunchy leaves still rolling in. Wine Country is harvesting, the always amazing Fleet Week is approaching—and new for this year—the magnificent Outside Lands 3-day music festival has moved to Halloween! For all this and much more, check out our favorite attractions for autumn this year:

Walk through the Fall Foliage in the Japanese Tea Garden

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Sipping warm tea in a gold, red and yellow “leaf-ed” garden is calling our names. Before the weather gets too cold, stroll through the famed arched drum bridge, pagodas, stone lanterns, and zen garden of the Japanese Tea Garden. Visitors can then enjoy a meditative cup in the tea house in the center of the garden, overlooking the picturesque landscape and south-facing koi pond.

Tickets: Residents are $7, non residents are $10
Where: 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118
When: Open daily from 9 AM - 5:45 (3/1 through 10/31)

For more information on the SF Japanese Tea Garden.

Catch a 49er Football Game

Photo courtesy of Levi Stadium

Catch a 49er game now that we’re back to full stadium capacity! The premier Levi stadium is home for the 49’er faithful, and September means football is back in full force.

Where: 4900 Marie P DeBartolo Way Santa Clara, CA 95054

Find the Full 49ers Schedule Here

Explore one of the most haunted places in CA

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Spooky season is near—and we’ve been jonesing for some jump scares and ghost stories. For your Bay Area fix, you can hit the world famous Alcatraz Island, local Winchester Mystery House, or you can make it a whole haunted California road trip! We’ve rounded up a list of spine-shivering places from SF to San Diego, right here. P.S. the “world’s most haunted ship,” a a demented forest, and hollywood star-filled graveyard all made the cut.

The Most Haunted Places to Visit in California

The Alice: An Immersive Cocktail Experience

You definitely don’t want to be late to this cocktail party. Come along on a 90 minute topsy-turvy journey into the magical realm of Wonderland! Patrons will create two bespoke wonderland cocktails, solve riddles and challenges just like Alice, devious “eat me cake,” and much more.

Tickets: $47.00 per person
When: 9:30-11:30 PM Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays
Where: 1123 Folsom St. San Francisco 94103

For tickets and more information on the Alice an Immersive Cocktail Experience

Explore the Art of Banksy Experience

Photo courtesy of Banksy Exhibit

For the first time ever, there will be the world’s largest collection of privately owned Banksy art on display. The globally acclaimed showcase features, arguably, the most talked about political street artist of modern history, whose identity is still unknown today. See iconic works such as ‘Girl and Balloon’ and ‘Flower Thrower’ alongside rarely seen masterpieces.

Tickets: $50
When: Opens Nov 22nd in SF, ticket reservations are now underway.
Where: TBD

For more information on the Art of Banksy Experience.

Cozy Up Indoors and Take a Sushi Making Class

Ok let's get to the real best part of fall: friendsgivings, winter appetites, and cozy dinners! To help get you into cooking mode, Bucket Listers' Is excited to partner with CocuSocial to bring you a Sushi making class right here in SF. Located in Hotel Majestic, you can take a hands-on class from veteran CocuSocial Chef Instructor, Huong, to get all the tips and tricks to making your favorite rolls—including the signature California roll of course. Guests are also welcome to BYOB.

Tickets: $56 - 62 per person
Where: Hotel Majestic 1500 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA (classes are in person)

For tickets and more information on Sushi Making Classes in SF

Attend the Annual Castro Street Fair

Photo courtesy of Castro Street Fair

Don’t miss this LGBTQ community street celebration founded by Harvey Milk in 1974, supporting multiple local non-profits. The fair is always on the first Sunday of October, making it October 3rd this year.

When: Sunday, Oct 3rd 2021 at 11 AM - 6 PM
Where: Market Street and Castro St San Francisco, CA 94114

For more information on the Castro Street Fair

Watch the Blue Angels during Fleet Week

Photo courtesy of Fleet Week

The SF Fleet Week Air Show returns in October with the headlining U.S. Navy Blue Angels! (And, this year, they are bigger than ever with the new F-18 Super Hornet jets.) Held annually between the GG Bridge and Alcatraz, the Navy air show attracts fans from all over the globe. The waterfront event is headlined by the Blue Angels and is the only air show in the US with a commercial airliner—the United 777— to perform a fully choreographed act. For spectacular waterfront seating and hospitality, get your tickets now at Fleet Week SF.

When: Oct. 8th, 9th and 10th, at 3 PM each day.
Where: Marina Green 200 Marina Blvd.

For more information on Fleet Week

Listen to Live Music at Outside Lands

Photo of courtesy Outside Lands

Due to complications of the pandemic, SF’s premier 3-day music festival Outside Lands is on Halloween this year! Costume up to hear headliners Tame Impala, Lizzo and the Strokes ignite Golden Gate Park, enjoy wine/beer/cheese lands (whatever your poison!), see live painted murals, peruse cannabis tents, and devour all the best food and drinks of NorCal.

When: Oct 29 – Oct 31, 2021
Where: Golden Gate Park

For more information on Outside Lands

Head Into the Dark with this immersive Halloween experience at The SF Mint

Photo courtesy of The Terror Vault

Almost two years in the making, the Terror Vault has created a brand new, 60-minute fully immersive and completely terrifying show experience: “The Immortal Reckoning." The show is written and produced by David Mazochi and Joshua Grannell (aka "Peaches Christ"), and located at the magnificent SF Mint.

Need some liquid courage first? Visitors will start and end their haunted adventure at Fang Bang, an 80’s New Wave/Goth pop-up bar where you can partake in Halloween-themed cocktails and tasty, bloody bites.

Where: 88 5th St. San Francisco, CA 94103

For more information on Into the Dark SF

Have a Picnic in Golden Gate Park or Crissy Field

San Francisco is famous for its Indian summers, meaning we have that ephemeral part of October brimming with magic light and hot, still air. Everyone should soak up these coziest days with a fall picnic or lay in the grass at one of the many gorgeous parks in San Francisco.

Spend a Weekend Wine Tasting in Napa

Photo courtesy of Far Niente

While our wine intakes may have increased dramatically during quarantine (thanks to zoom happy hours and general), nothing beats sipping some whites and reds outside. Famous for its hundreds of hillside wineries, Napa County is the way to go for your tasting fix, as it's filled with gorgeous landscaped gardens, tasting packages, rare grapes and delicious snacks to boot. Check out our favorite NorCal wineries to sip your way through.

For more information on Wineries in Napa

See a Live Comedy Show

Bucket Listers is excited to bring you the most talented rising comedy stars for outdoor, live shows on a weekly basis! The top performers in SF as well as traveling headliners from LA will be showcasing their funniest material. This will be an epic series that is not to be missed. Comedians from CONAN, America's Got Talent, and HBO are sure to leave you with a night to remember.

For the schedule and more information the Set Up Live Comedy SF

Arata’s Pumpkin Farm

Photo courtesy of Arata's Pumpkin Farm

Trick or treat yourself to a day of fun at the Arata Pumpkin Farm in Half Moon Bay. Find the perfect pumpkin, get lost in the two-acre Minotaur’s Labyrinth hay maze, explore the six-acre corn field, get spooked in their haunted barn or relax in one of the picnic areas throughout the farm.

Where: 185 Verde Rd, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
When: Open everyday through October

For more information on Arata Pumpkin Farm.

Watch Free Movies with Sundown Cinema

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Nothing says fall quite like your favorite movies under the stars. Sundown Cinema gets bonus points for a particular spooky classic. ET, anyone? Movies are free with select showings throughout September and October.

When: September 23, October 7, October 22
Where: Various Locations

For more information on Sundown Cinema.

Virtually Attend Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

Photo courtesy of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

If you’re still not comfortable with in-person events, first of all, we don’t blame you. Second of all, we have the best fall virtual extravaganza for you. With 27 sets and three days of performances, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass will be live-streaming their fantastic line-up October 1st through the 3rd.

When: October 1-3, 2021
Where: Stream on hardlystrictlybluegrass.com

For more information on Hardly Strictly Bluegrass.

Mind Tricks Live Magic Event

Photo courtesy of Mind Tricks Live Magic Event.

Nothing says spooky season quite like a mind trick experience with magic and mentalist Jay Alexander. This unforgettable evening begins as you step off the busy streets of San Francisco and enter into a historic speakeasy with a Moroccan flair – the perfect setting for a remarkable evening. Jay Alexander‘s unforgettable performance combines magic, mentalism, and psychological feats such as human lie detection.

When: Times Vary
Where: Marrakech Magic Theater: 419 O'Farrell St, San Francisco, CA 94102