San Francisco, USA

Best Time to Visit San Francisco

The best time to visit San Francisco is September to November (warmest), May to June.

Here's a month-by-month breakdown to help you pick the perfect time for your trip.

The year at a glance

Choose a month on the ring to see what it's like.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Best timeMayCool, dry

Averages 14°C (57°F) with 15 mm of rain over the month.

5 of 12 months are a best time to visit.

Quick answer

Visit San Francisco in September to November (warmest), May to June for the best weather and experience. Budget travelers should consider shoulder season for lower prices. A typical hotel night is $162, and daily spend is $45–$150 a person, hotel not included. What a trip costs →

  • Best time: the months named above
  • Good: either side of the best months
  • Off-peak: expect trade-offs, and often deals

Month-by-month guide

  1. January

    Off-peak

    Cool, wet. Averages 11°C (51°F) with 109 mm of rain over the month.

  2. February

    Off-peak

    Cool, wet. Averages 11°C (52°F) with 83 mm of rain over the month.

  3. March

    Off-peak

    Cool, wet. Averages 12°C (53°F) with 88 mm of rain over the month.

  4. April

    Good

    Cool, some rain. Averages 13°C (55°F) with 34 mm of rain over the month.

  5. May

    Best time

    Cool, dry. Averages 14°C (57°F) with 15 mm of rain over the month.

  6. June

    Best time

    Mild, dry. Averages 16°C (60°F) with 2 mm of rain over the month.

  7. July

    Good

    Mild, dry. Averages 16°C (61°F) with 1 mm of rain over the month.

  8. August

    Good

    Mild, dry. Averages 17°C (62°F) with 0 mm of rain over the month.

  9. September

    Best time

    Mild, dry. Averages 17°C (63°F) with 3 mm of rain over the month.

  10. October

    Best time

    Mild, dry. Averages 16°C (61°F) with 30 mm of rain over the month.

  11. November

    Best time

    Cool, some rain. Averages 13°C (55°F) with 49 mm of rain over the month.

  12. December

    Good

    Cool, wet. Averages 11°C (51°F) with 135 mm of rain over the month.

What the weather actually does in San Francisco

Monthly averages from ten years of recorded weather (2014–2023), not a forecast.

San Francisco is warmest in September (17°C / 63°F) and coolest in January (11°C / 51°F). December is the wettest month at 135 mm of rain, and August the driest at 0 mm. On weather alone, the most comfortable months for walking around (roughly 18–26°C without heavy rain) are April, May, June, July, August, September and October.

Average temperature and rainfall by month in San Francisco
MonthAvg tempRainComfort
Jan11°C 51°F109 mm
Feb11°C 52°F83 mm
Mar12°C 53°F88 mm
Apr13°C 55°F34 mm
May14°C 57°F15 mm
Jun16°C 60°F2 mm
Jul16°C 61°F1 mm
Aug17°C 62°F0 mm
Sep17°C 63°F3 mm
Oct16°C 61°F30 mm
Nov13°C 55°F49 mm
Dec11°C 51°F135 mm

Comfort scores 18–26°C and under 30 mm of rain highest. Weather data: Open-Meteo historical archive (CC BY 4.0).

The cheapest month to fly to San Francisco

Lowest fare found from New York for each departure month over the next year.

Flying from New York, the cheapest month to go is March, with round trips from $183. May is the priciest at $424, so the month alone can move the fare by about 57%. Of the best-weather months, November is the cheapest to fly, from $311.

  1. $323Oct
  2. $311Nov
  3. $342Dec
  4. $292Jan’27
  5. $408Feb
  6. $183Mar
  7. $424May

The lowest round-trip fare Aviasales travellers found for each departure month from New York, via Travelpayouts, refreshed weekly. It's the floor rather than the typical fare: the San Francisco trip cost uses the typical fare we track.

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