December 4, 4-7pm

The Civic Center Plaza Holiday Tree Lighting

Things to Do

Explore the Asian Art Museum

Housing more than 18,000 items in its permanent collection, the Asian Art Museum features one of the most comprehensive Asian art collections in the world. They host public events, special exhibits and feature a renowned cafe, in addition to their daily museum hours.

See a Broadway Show at the Orpheum Theater

San Francisco has a number of theaters, but one of the most beautiful and well known is the Orpheum Theatre operated by Broadway SF. This historic theater hosts some of the nation’s largest Broadway productions, such as Hamilton, Wicked, and The Lion King.

Stop by City Hall

Built in the Beaux Arts style in 1915, this historic building is the heart of the Civic Center. Open daily, City Hall visitors can take in the grandeur under the dome as well as attend a docent-led tour (free for parties under 8 people).

Enjoy an SF Ballet Performance

One of the oldest ballet companies in the US, the San Francisco Ballet features a robust calendar of performances throughout the year. Their interpretation of The Nutcracker is still one of their most popular performances and occurs every December.

Listen to the World Class SF Symphony

Founded in 1911, the San Francisco Symphony features classic performances and popular movie-accompaniment events throughout the year.

Catch a Concert at the Bill Graham

Host to large-scale concerts and events, the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, operated by Another Planet Entertainment, has featured many of the biggest musical acts and artists since the 1950s.

Learn Its History on a Free Walking Tour

Learn fun facts and quirky lesser-known details about Civic Center and the surrounding area with a walking tour. Hosted by various organizations, find one that sparks your curiosity, such as Free Walking Tours By Locals or San Francisco City Guides.

See the SF Opera

Presenting both classics and world premieres, the San Francisco Opera features world-famous works by renowned artists throughout the year in the beautiful War Memorial Opera House.

Tours

Civic Center Walking Tours

Self-Guided Tour
Free Walking Guides offers a free, downloadable app to a tour of the Civic Center area via your phone. Each point of interest is a five to 10 minute walk from one another.

Tour of City Hall and the Civic Center
Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10am
City Guides, founded in 1978, is a non-profit organization with more than 200 trained volunteers who lead free history and architectural walking tours in San Francisco. Walks last from 1-1/2 to 2 hours. For a small donation per participant, group tours are also available. Find out more.

City Hall Public Tours

Monday-Friday at 10am, noon and 2pm.
Reservations: (415) 554-6139
San Francisco City Hall Docent Tour Program provides the tours to the public. All tours run 45 minutes to an hour. Reservations are required for groups of eight or more and must be made four weeks in advance to allow for scheduling. A fee is charged for private groups of eight people or more. There is no charge for school groups from the elementary-high school level. The sign-up location for tours is the Docent Tour kiosk, located in the Goodlett Place lobby next to the elevators.

 

Bike Tours

Streets of San Francisco Bike Tours
Guided bike tours start and finish at their location in Hayes Valley, 385 Linden St. Prices include bicycle and helmet. You should wear comfortable, layered clothing.

Sightseeing Tours

City Sightseeing
(415) 440-8687

Go Car Tours
(415) 441-5695

Open Top Sightseeing
(415) 920-9310

SF Sightseeing GrayLine
(415) 434-8687