San Francisco is a compact hilltop city of about 874,000 people on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, known for the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, Alcatraz, Victorian houses, fog and a food scene built on Bay Area produce and seafood.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Ghirardelli chocolate
Chocolate squares, sundae sauce and gift boxes from the Ghirardelli Chocolate Marketplace and grocery stores.
Price: $5-30
Where: Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point St
Sourdough bread and bakery gifts
Boudin sourdough, fortune cookies from Chinatown bakeries and Mission pastries.
Price: $5-25
Where: Boudin Bakery at Fisherman's Wharf; Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, 56 Ross Alley
Beat literature and poetry
Signed and used books, City Lights publications and zines in North Beach.
Price: $10-40
Where: City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Ave
Haight-Ashbury vintage clothing and vinyl
Vintage clothes, tie-dye, posters and used records from Haight Street and nearby stores.
Price: $10-120
Where: Haight Street and Amoeba Music, 1855 Haight St
California-made gifts
Ceramics, textiles, prints and housewares from independent Bay Area makers.
Price: $15-150
Where: Hayes Valley and Valencia Street boutiques
Japantown stationery and ceramics
Japanese stationery, tea sets, anime goods and snacks.
Price: $5-80
Where: Japan Center Malls, 1737 Post St
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
Foodwise-run farmers market outside the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero; Saturday is the largest day, with Tuesday and Thursday smaller.
Where: Embarcadero
Hours: Tue and Thu 10:00 AM-2:00 PM; Sat 8:00 AM-2:00 PM (year round)
Ferry Building Marketplace
Restored waterfront ferry terminal with indoor food shops, cafes and gift stores, opening onto the bay and connected to the farmers market outside.
Where: Embarcadero
Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00 AM-6:00 PM; Sat 9:00 AM-6:00 PM; Sun 11:00 AM-5:00 PM (merchant hours vary; check site)
Heart of the City Farmers Market
Long-running twice-weekly market in UN Plaza with lower prices than the Ferry Plaza and a mix of farmers and food vendors.
Where: Civic Center / UN Plaza
Hours: Wed and Sun, daytime; check the market site for current hours
Alemany Farmers Market
The city's original farmers market, held on Saturdays on Alemany Boulevard, with growers selling fruit, vegetables, eggs and flowers at low prices.
Where: Bernal Heights / Bayview
Hours: Sat early morning to mid-afternoon; check the SF Recreation and Park listing
Stockton Street Chinatown Markets
The working-grocery spine of Chinatown, lined with produce stalls, fish markets, bakeries and herbal shops where locals shop daily; mostly cash.
Where: Chinatown
Hours: Daily, early morning to evening; many shops close by 6:00 PM
Shopping districts
Neighbourhoods known for retail.
Malls & modern shopping
Air-conditioned, international brands, and food courts.
Union Square
The city's central shopping district, with big department stores on Stockton and Geary and designer boutiques on Maiden Lane and Grant Avenue.
Hours: Most stores Mon-Sat 10:00 AM-8:00 PM; Sun 11:00 AM-6:00 PM
Embarcadero Center
Five-block office and retail complex near the Ferry Building with mid-priced chains, cafes and restaurants on elevated walkways.
Hours: Most stores Mon-Fri 10:00 AM-6:00 PM; shorter hours on weekends
Japan Center Malls
Indoor Japanese retail complex in the Western Addition with the Kinokuniya bookstore, gift shops, restaurants and the Peace Pagoda outside.
Hours: Common areas daily; individual shops generally 10:00 AM-7:00 PM; confirm on site
Haight Street
Famous counterculture street with vintage boutiques, record shops and costume stores running from Masonic Avenue to Golden Gate Park.
Hours: Most shops daily 11:00 AM-7:00 PM
Amoeba Music
Large music store in a former bowling alley near Golden Gate Park, selling new and used records and hosting in-store events.
Hours: Daily, typically 11:00 AM-8:00 PM; check site
Hayes Valley
Walkable neighborhood of independent designers, home stores and boutiques surrounding a small park with food kiosks.
Hours: Most shops daily 11:00 AM-6:00 PM
Valencia Street
Mission corridor of indie boutiques, bookstores and secondhand stores mixed in with restaurants and bars.
Hours: Most shops daily from late morning to early evening
Union Street
Upscale neighborhood street with fashion boutiques, home stores and restaurants set in Victorian houses between Gough and Fillmore.
Hours: Most shops daily 10:00 AM-6:00 PM
Fillmore Street
Pacific Heights shopping street known for upscale clothing stores, beauty shops and cafes.
Hours: Most shops daily 10:00 AM-6:00 PM
Ghirardelli Square
Historic chocolate factory complex above the waterfront, now with the Ghirardelli Chocolate Marketplace, restaurants and gift shops.
Hours: Daily; most shops 10:00 AM-9:00 PM; check site
Pier 39
Pier-top waterfront shopping area with about 90 stores, restaurants, street performers and views of the resident sea lions.
Hours: Daily, generally 10:00 AM-8:00 PM; hours vary by season
City Lights Booksellers
Historic bookstore with three floors, a poetry room upstairs and a publishing house that issued Allen Ginsberg's Howl.
Hours: Daily, typically 10:00 AM-10:00 PM; check site
Bargaining tips
Negotiate like a local.
Prices are fixed in stores and markets; bargaining is not customary, except mildly at Chinatown souvenir shops buying several items.
Many Chinatown produce and herbal shops are cash-only or prefer cash; carry small bills.
Vintage shops on Haight Street may negotiate modestly on high-priced items; ask politely.
Check return policies at vintage and souvenir shops; many sales are final.
Customs & restrictions
What you can and can't take home.
California sales tax is added at checkout (about 8.6% in San Francisco, depending on the purchase); visitors cannot reclaim it., Many shops are card or phone-wallet friendly; some farmers market and Chinatown vendors are cash-only., Many stores close earlier on Sunday; independent boutiques often open later than 10:00 AM. The former Westfield San Francisco Centre at 865 Market St closed in January 2026, so do not plan on it as a shopping stop., San Francisco charges a bag fee of at least 10 cents at checkout; bring a reusable bag.