Best Time to Visit San Francisco, California

Dry months, foggy summers

San Francisco doesn't follow the usual seasons. The dry stretch runs from May to October, and the wet one from November to March. Between them, April is a quiet, bright in-between month.

Summer is the odd one. June to August is almost completely dry, but the days are mild, not hot. Fog, which locals call Karl, rolls in through the Golden Gate and can sit over the Sunset and the bridge all morning. Mission and SoMa are often clearer. Fog can stay on the coast into the afternoon, so Ocean Beach is more for bundled-up walks than swimming.

Which month for which trip

September and October are the warmest, clearest months. September is the warmest of the year, and rain barely shows up before October. If you want views from Twin Peaks or a bike ride over the Golden Gate Bridge, aim here.

April and May suit hikers. Lands End and the Marin Headlands are green after winter, and the rain has mostly gone. November is rated Excellent too, with cooler days and a few showers. It's good for museums and long lunches in the Ferry Building.

December and January are the wettest, and rated Fair. Rain falls on about ten or eleven days a month. It's a fine time for city breaks if you're happy with cosy cafés in North Beach and the odd dry gap.

Crowds and events

High season is summer, when school's out and hotels fill. Fisherman's Wharf and Alcatraz tours are busiest then. Travelling with kids? July and August are easiest for timing, but you'll pay for it in queues. If you hate crowds, pick late April, May or early November.

Events help you plan. Chinese New Year lands in late January or February, with a big parade through Chinatown. Bay to Breakers, a famous costume-heavy run, is in May. Pride fills the city in late June. Fleet Week brings air shows over the bay in October, and Outside Lands music festival in Golden Gate Park is in August. Hotels get pricey around all of these.

My pick? September, for the sun, or May if you'd rather have fewer people.