San Francisco’s Chinatown is the most prominent and one of the oldest Chinatowns in America. This city is the most favorite attraction in San Francisco, owing to its myriad of amazing traditional restaurants, alleys brims, old iconic streets, and the famous Dragon’s Gate. The city is one of the poorest regions of San Francisco and is mostly populated by the Chinese who sometimes communicate in English. There are many ways to experience Chinatown, from exploring the authentic gems in the fantastic little alleys and side streets to visiting Grand Avenue comprising numerous shops. You can also stay in the hotels in Chinatown for quick access to all the happenings. Similarly, the Airbnb vacation rentals in downtown San Francisco are superb portals to all the action. With several ways to experience this beautiful town, don’t miss out on these best things to do in San Francisco’s Chinatown, California.
1. Go on a walking food tour (from USD 89.0)
Chinatown is renowned for its rich culinary heritage and diverse flavors, making it a paradise for food enthusiasts. Led by a knowledgeable local guide, the walking food tour takes you on a culinary adventure, exploring hidden gems, authentic eateries, and bustling markets. You can sample various Chinese dishes, from dim sum and dumplings to savory noodles and delectable desserts.
As you walk through the colorful streets and bustling alleys, the guide will share insights into Chinatown’s history, culture, and culinary traditions, providing a deeper appreciation for this iconic neighborhood. This food tour in Chinatown, San Francisco, promises an enjoyable and delicious experience, allowing you to savor the authentic tastes of Chinese cuisine while uncovering the hidden culinary treasures of San Francisco’s Chinatown.
San Francisco: Chinatown Walking Food Tour
Duration: 3.0 hour
2. Enjoy delicious dim sum on a food tour (from USD 99.0)
Enjoying delicious dim sum on a food tour in San Francisco’s Chinatown is a mouthwatering and delightful activity that offers a culinary adventure like no other. Led by a local guide, the dim sum food tour takes you to some of Chinatown’s best dim sum restaurants and eateries. You’ll get to taste a variety of steamed and fried dumplings, buns, and other delectable dishes, each bursting with authentic flavors and fresh ingredients.
As you indulge in the delightful tastes, the guide will share insights into dim sum culture and the history of Chinatown, providing a deeper understanding of this iconic neighborhood.
San Francisco Chinatown Tea & Dim Sum Food Tour
Duration: 3 hours
3. Check out the events at Chinese New Year
The Chinese New Year also known as the Lunar New Year Celebrations is a fantastic event that takes place in Chinatown of San Francisco, leaving memorable impressions on the participants and the audience alike. Usually, the occasion begins with a parade consisting of 100 men carrying a vast Golden Dragon and accompanied by incredible firecrackers. Some popular events of this occasion include a Treasure Hunt comprising of about 1600 contestants, Miss Chinatown beauty pageant, decorated floats, lion dancers acrobats, stilt walkers, military processions and many more.
Chinese New Year
Address: 730 Sacramento St San Francisco, CA 94108 b/t Kearny St & Grant Ave Chinatown
Website: Chinese New Year
Opening hours: February 19, 2022
Price: 35 USD onwards
4. Stroll through Chinatown Dragon's Gate
No sightseeing in Chinatown, San Francisco, is complete without striking a pose at the Dragon’s Gate. Arguably the most photographed structure in San Francisco, the iconic spot is the main entrance into Chinatown, an authentic replica of Chinese gates found in Chinese towns. This gate was a gift from Taiwan in 1969 and was dedicated in late 1970. The beautiful structure is decorated by dragons and koi fish, flanked by enormous statues of four lions, aimed at guarding against evil spirits.
Have ones in a lifetime experience by walking through this prominent gate featuring three passageways to Grant Avenue leading to the heart of the city; the two smaller ones are for ordinary people while the large central entrance is meant for the Royals.
Dragon's Gate
Address: Bush St, Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108, United States
Website: Dragon’s Gate
Opening hours: 24/7
5. Visit the Fortune Cookie Factory
The iconic Fortune Cookie Factory in San Francisco has been serving sizzling handmade custom cookies since 1962. Tour this welcoming and working factory which is not huge, allowing you to get a close look at the barrels of already made cookies and how they are made. This factory distributes the cookies with different topping and flavors not only around the city or the US but all over the globe with a daily production capacity of 10,000 pieces. You can also order your custom fortune cookies for your corporate events, anniversaries or other special events.
Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory
Address: 56 Ross Alley, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA
Website: Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 9am-6:30pm; Sat - Sun: 9am - 7pm
Price: 64 USD onwards
6. Take a photo at Sing Chong Building
Don’t miss the sight of this neo-Chinese architecture (although not built by the Chinese) in the famous Grant Avenue, at the intersection of California and Grant while in this beautiful town. Two magnificent structures, both rebuilt after the earthquake in 1906, the Sing Fat and Sing Chong were erected in Chinese style to flaw the plans of relocating Chinatown to a less vibrant location as well as to attract visitors. The Sing Chong Building indeed attracted visitors with its great history and beauty making it one of the most photographed structures in Chinatown.
Sing Chong Building
Address: 601 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA
Opening hours: 24/7
7. Explore Waverly Place
Also known as the ‘The Street of Painted Balconies’ due to its tastefully decorated and colorful facades, Waverly Place is a historic site lined up with flag-festooned temple balconies and clinker-brick properties. Despite the catastrophic fire and earthquake of 1906 and the World Wars, this site remained calm. The Waverly Place is the second-most populous street in the town after Ross Alley and famous for its Chinese temples and benevolent associations. This alley was also the location for some movies including the “Dead Yellow Women” and the favorite “Joy Luck Club”.
Waverly Place
Address: San Francisco, CA 94108, USA
Opening hours: 24/7
8. Go to the Tien Hou Temple
The Tien Hou sits on the top floor of a three-story structure in Waverly Place. Although not so big, remains one of the oldest, still-functional Chinese temples in the United States and the oldest Taoist temple in Chinatown, San Francisco. The temple is the shrine of the goddess of the sea and heaven and is characterized by its strong smell of incense, fringed red lanterns and colored bulbs which adorns the ceiling, making the whole place colorful and beautiful. Entry is free of charge and taking photos is not allowed in the temple.
Tien Hou Temple
Address: 125 Waverly Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA
9. Head to Buddha’s Universal Church
Posted by Buddha's Universal Church on Thursday, 20 December 2018
Located in the heart of the City by Bay, a neighborhood in Chinatown, Buddha’s Universal Church is the largest Buddhist church in the United States and the largest assembly in the whole of San Francisco. The structure is a five-story building is a place to adore, especially the interior, comprising of a bamboo chapel, Buddha’s image created out of mosaics and gold; an altar in the shape of the ship of Dharma and a beautiful rooftop terrace and garden. Also experience the bustling activities of the downstairs featuring a recording studio, a mirrored rehearsal room, and a gourmet kitchen.
Buddha’s Universal Church
Address: 720 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA
Website: Buddha’s Universal Church
10. Taste egg custard tarts at Golden Gate Bakery
7/25/12: Open *BUT* only until their limited inventory today sells out, maybe until 1pm, but call before you go. They...
Posted by Is the Golden Gate Bakery Open Today? on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Sink your teeth into some of the best food to try in San Francisco’s Chinatown by visiting Golden Gate Bakery. When you are close to this bakery, you can easily spot it due to the long queue of patrons lining out the entrance all in the bid to get a slice of their sumptuous egg custard tarts.
Other favorite offerings include classic chocolate cookies, flavored napoleons, moon cakes, and lotus seed paste cakes. Their barbecue chicken pie and pork roll are also top-notch choices among the patrons of this bakery.
Golden Gate Bakery
Address: 1029 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA
Website: Golden Gate Bakery
Opening hours: 12pm - 8pm (daily)
Price: 2.5 USD onwards
11. Explore the streets of Chinatown on a segway (from USD 89.0)
Explore the city in a faster and more entertaining way with this guided tour which lasts for about 2.5 hours on a segway. If you have never operated a segway before, it’s nothing to worry about as your experienced instructor will guide you through the steps. The tour takes you through the busy North Beach featuring a line of fine Italian restaurants and prominent landmarks including Washington Square Park, Saint Peter, and Paul Church. From there, you will head to the historic adjacent Chinatown, the bright Bay Bridge at Embarcadero and finally to the beautiful Alcatraz Island and back. Important information on prominent landmarks will be communicated to you via a radio device throughout the tour making it more engaging and fun.
San Francisco Sunset Segway Tour with Chinatown, Little Italy
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
12. Experience Chinatown's food culture (from USD 78.0)
As with other historic locations, this historic Chinatown boasts of old and respected food culture. This food tour takes walks you through cultural landmarks of Chinatown including food markets to explore its traditional including fortune cookies, barbecue pork, dim sum, boba drink, tea sampling and many more. Your local guide, Cynthia has made this fascinating tour out of information from other locals, personal experience and extensive research to make it engaging and enjoyable.
Chinatown Food and Culture Walking Tour
Achieve the very best
Chinatown features the most robust Chinese culture outside of Asia due to its large Chinese population. Make the most of your trip by exploring the above-listed things to do in San Francisco’s Chinatown for families and friends.
Frequently asked questions about the best things to do in San Francisco's Chinatown
History
Get Trip101 in your inbox
Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data
Create an account to