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Thanksgiving Weekend: 12 Free Guided SF Walking Tours on Black Friday (2024)

Friday, November 29, 2024 - 10:00 am to 3:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Although the tour itself is free, the afternoon Japanese Tea Garden tour may require separate admission charge to the gardens.

All Over San Francisco | San Francisco, CA

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2024 Thanksgiving Weekend: 50 Free Guided Walking Tours (SF)

Relatives in town? Show off the beautiful city by taking them on one of San Francisco City Guides free guided walking tours of San Francisco’s greatest neighborhoods. There is a full slate of free tours on Thanksgiving weekend, Thursday through Sunday.

Tour starting times range from 9:30 am to 2 pm and there are 50 different tours for you to choose from over the four day weekend including the Japanese Tea Garden (yes, even on Thanksgiving Thursday), Alfred Hitchcock’s San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge and many more.

Tours are free, but donations to the tour guides are greatly appreciated.

2024 Thanksgiving Weekend Free Tours

Thursday, November 28, 2024 – 5 Tours

  • 10:00 am Chinatown
  • 11:00 am Gardens in the Sky: Salesforce Transit Center and Rooftop Park
  • 11:00 am Mission Dolores Neighborhood
  • 1:00 pm Japanese Tea Garden*
  • 2:00 pm Making Waves on the Waterfront

Friday, November 29, 2024 – 12 Tours

  • 9:30 am Japanese Tea Garden*
  • 10:00 am Cityscapes And Public Places
  • 10:30 am Palace Of Fine Arts/Marina
  • 11:00 1850’s San Francisco: Paris Of The Pacific
  • 11:00 am Fisherman’s Wharf: A Hidden History
  • 1:00 pm Architectural Gems South of Market
  • 1:00 pm Cityscapes And Public Places
  • 1:00 pm Japanese Tea Garden*
  • 1:00 pm Presidio: From Military Base to National Park with Tunnel Tops
  • 1:30 pm Gold Rush City
  • 2:00 pm Cable Cars: Halfway to the Stars
  • 2:00 pm Murals And The Multi-Ethnic Mission District

Saturday, November 30, 2024 – 18 Tours

  • 10:00 am 1840s San Francisco and the Astonishing Legacy of America’s “First Black Millionaire”
  • 10:00 am Chinatown
  • 10:00 am Coit Tower Murals
  • 11:00 am Ferry Building
  • 11:00 am Mission Murals
  • 10:30 am Golden Gate Park: East End Flowers & Tunnels & Bears, Oh My!
  • 10:30 am Telegraph Hill Stairway Hike
  • 11:00 am 1850’s San Francisco: Paris Of The Pacific
  • 11:00 am Castro: Tales Of The Village
  • 1:00 pm Japanese Tea Garden*
  • 1:00 pm Embarcadero Skyway and Art Tour
  • 1:00 pm Presidio: From Military Base to National Park with Tunnel Tops
  • 2:00 pm 1906: Earthquake And Fire
  • 2:00 pm Boom & Bust
  • 2:00 pm Gardens in the Sky: Salesforce Transit Center and Rooftop Park
  • 2:00 pm Japantown
  • 2:00 pm Land’s End: Sutro Heights
  • 2:00 pm Noe Valley: A Village Within the City

Sunday, December 1, 2024 – 15 Tours

  • 10:30 am Fort Mason To Aquatic Park
  • 10:30 am Mission Dolores Neighborhood
  • 11:00 am Alfred Hitchcock’s San Francisco
  • 11:00 am Billionaires’ Row: Outer Broadway Architecture
  • 11:00 am Castro: Tales Of The Village
  • 11:00 am Downtown Deco
  • 11:00 am Golden Gate Bridge
  • 11:00 am Haight-Ashbury
  • 1:00 pm Presidio: From Military Base to National Park with Tunnel Tops
  • 1:00 pm Japanese Tea Garden*
  • 1:00 pm Architecture Downtown
  • 1:00 pm Terrific Street: The Devil’s Playground
  • 2:00 pm Cable Cars: Halfway to the Stars
  • 2:00 Gold Rush City
  • 2:00 pm Nob Hill

*Although the tour itself is free, the afternoon Japanese Tea Garden tour may require separate admission charge to the gardens for non-San Francisco residents

Japanese Tea Garden Admission Fee
FREE – San Francisco Residents and Veterans
FREE for all – Mon/Wed/Fri between 9am and 10am

Non-Residents – Tickets

  • FREE for all – Mon/Wed/Fri between 9am and 10am
  • Adults: $18.75
  • Seniors (ages 65+ w/ID) $10.75
  • Youth (ages 12-17) $10.75
  • Children (ages 5-11) $6.75
  • Children (under 5) – FREE

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.


Cost: FREE*
*Although the tour itself is free, the afternoon Japanese Tea Garden tour may require separate admission charge to the gardens.
Categories: **Annual Event**, *Top Pick*, In Person, San Francisco, Walks & Tours
Address: San Francisco, CA

Friday, November 29, 2024

6:30 am   Free Ferry Ride Day: SF <-> Richmond Rides Free on Black Friday (2024)  FREE*
*Free rides every Friday on San Francisco Richmond Ferries from November 1 to end of 2024. No reservations required but seats are first come first served
9:00 am   Japanese Tea Garden’s Free Admission Hour (Golden Gate Park)  FREE*
*Free from 9-10am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; otherwise non-resident admission is $12 - $16 depending on the season. San Francisco residents are always free with valid ID
10:00 am   Black Friday at SF’s 40th Annual Great Dickens Christmas Fair  $45*
*General Admission is $45; special discounts available
10:00 am   SF’s Civil War Era Fort’s New Film Series (July – Dec. 2024)  FREE
10:00 am   2024 “IlluminOdyssey” Dazzling Winter Lights (Nov. 16-Jan. 26)  $27.95*
*$27.95 Adults; $23.95 Children, Students & Seniors
11:00 am   Free Museum Days at SF’s Contemporary Jewish Museum: Thanksgiving Weekend 2024 (Nov. 29-Dec. 1)  FREE*
*Book free tickets at thecjm.org
11:00 am   “Pay-What-You-Can” Taco Day at SF’s Tato (Every Friday)  FREE*
*Every Friday pay anywhere from $0 up to $10. When a customer pays the full price of $10, TATO will give a free meal to someone in need in The City. Please note promotion might end at any time
11:00 am   75% Off: Black Friday at SF’s Buffalo Exchange (Nov. 29-30)  FREE
12:00 pm   Black Friday at San Jose’s Holiday Ice Rink “Downtown Ice”  $21*
*$21 includes skate rentals
4:00 pm   Fan Expo San Francisco at Moscone Center (Nov. 29-Dec. 1)  $35
4:00 pm   The Dog Friday Art Show & Exhibition w/ Live Music (Berkeley)  FREE*
*Free to browse.
4:00 pm   Santa Rosa Winter Lights Tree Lighting Celebration (2024)  FREE
4:30 pm   Black Friday “Glowfari” 2024 Lights Festival at Oakland Zoo  $26.50*
*Adult admission tickets start at $26.50; The Zoo is using dynamic pricing, so ticket prices will vary based on date and time and purchase date. Buy early. Tickets do sell out in advance.
4:30 pm   Ghirardelli Square’s 2024 Holiday Lighting Ceremony  FREE
5:00 pm   $1 Drink Fridays: “Battle of the Decades” DJ Party (North Beach)  FREE*
*Free admission with RSVP on Eventbrite
5:00 pm   2 for 1 Deal: Black Friday Paint & Shop w/ Live Music (SF)  $36.52*
*Free entry but you can get 2 for 1 Black Friday deal for Paint Night for only $36.52
5:00 pm   SF City Hall Lights Up for Thanksgiving 2024 (Nov. 28-29)  FREE
5:00 pm   “Miracle” Christmas-Themed Pop Up Cocktail Bar: Opening Night (SF)  FREE
6:00 pm   2024 Festival of Lights Parade (Niles)  FREE
6:00 pm   San Jose’s 2024 “Christmas in the Park” Opening Day (Nov. 29 – Jan. 1)  FREE*
*Free, but donations are accepted
7:00 pm   “Rush Hour Comedy Night” w/ SFs Best Black & Asian Comedians (The Function)  FREE*
*RSVP Required
All Day   SF’s Black Friday Ice Skating Dance Party w/ WiLD 94.9 at Union Square  $20*
*$20 adult tix (includes skate rental)
7:00 pm   Laugh GPT: SF’s First AI-Powered Stand-up Comedy Show (2024)  FREE*
*Use secret code HUMAN for comp tickets, otherwise, $10 off with secret code FUNCHEAP
7:00 pm   SF’s HellaSecret “Crazy Funny Asians” Friday Night Comedy Showcase (7p + 8:45p)  FREE*
*Free tickets, but RSVP Required. Donations ($5-$10) greatly appreciated. Otherwise, $15 adv / $20 door tickets also available
7:00 pm   FREE: Oakland’s HellaSecret Comedy & Cocktail Night 2024 (7p + 9p Shows)  FREE*
*Limited free tickets with code FUNCHEAP (donations appreciated). Otherwise use code FUNCHEAP5 for $5 off early bird and general admission tickets
7:30 pm   A Season of Winter Wonder at Chabot Space & Science Center (Nov. 29 – Jan. 5)  FREE*
*Some events are free, some included with admission and some are paid tickets
7:30 pm   “Amadeus” Film w/ Live Orchestra from San Francisco Symphony (Nov. 29-30)  $99
7:30 pm   Multi-Platinum Recording Artist “G-Eazy” Live at the Fox Theater (Oakland)  FREE*
*WIN
8:00 pm   “The Stoner Comedy Jam” Friday Nights (SF)  FREE*
*Free with RSVP (21+ with Valid ID) - One item minimum purchase per person required
8:00 pm   SF’s 17-Year Run “Secret Improv Society” (Fridays & Saturdays)  $20*
*Normally $25, use secret code FUNCHEAP for $5 off tickets
10:15 pm   SF’s Free Late Night “Crazy Funny Asians” 10pm Comedy Show (Fri & Sat)  FREE*
*Free tickets, but RSVP Required. Donations ($5-$10) greatly appreciated. Otherwise, $25 door tickets also available
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