Fall color near San Francisco
Fog-belt evergreens keep San Francisco mostly green, though Japanese maples glow in Golden Gate Park's tea garden and street ginkgos turn very late in the season. For bigger color, locals head to Napa and Sonoma's amber vineyards or make the long day trip to Yosemite Valley, where oaks, maples and dogwoods color beneath the granite.
Fall activities in San Francisco
Little classic fall color reaches San Francisco itself, so these are the closest real shows, ranked by distance.
Drag the date slider to see when color moves through the country around San Francisco, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
State park
Peak November 19
A 4,000 acre park in the Mayacamas Mountains above Kenwood, where big-leaf maple, buckeye, and a mix of oaks color the creek canyons while…
in California
In San Francisco itself
Peak: November 22–November 26
Color builds from November 10 · mostly bare by December 17
Sampled at San Francisco’s own coordinates rather than a regional average. Dates are computed for San Francisco itself at 18 m elevation. Street trees vary block to block, so check locally before you plan a weekend around it.
74 weather points cover California, and the model shifts their answer 3 days later, which is what it takes to match 3 published peak dates from monocounty.org and explorefall.com. This year's weather has the peak running 1 day later than a normal year. California does not turn all at once, and the gap from the earliest corner to the latest runs about 30 days. How the forecast works
Where locals go
Things to do in fall in San Francisco
Orchards, cider, haunts, and harvest season. These are the iconic fall stops within a day trip of San Francisco.
SF Ghost Hunt
Ghost tourColor nearby peaks November 25
A 90 minute walk through Pacific Heights past mansions with a history of ghost sightings, led by a guide who has told these stories since…
Lemos Farm
20 miPumpkin patch
Color nearby peaks November 23
A small family farm on Highway 92 above Half Moon Bay that turns into a pumpkin patch every fall, with pony rides, a mini train, hayrides…
in California
Fall festival
Color nearby peaks November 24
Half Moon Bay calls itself the World Pumpkin Capital each October, closing Main Street for two days of giant-pumpkin weigh-offs (entries…
in California
Arata Pumpkin Farm
27 miPumpkin patch
Color nearby peaks November 23
A working pumpkin farm on the San Mateo coast, a few minutes from downtown Half Moon Bay, where a six acre cornfield called Pumpkin River…
in California
Haunted attraction
Color nearby peaks November 22
Vallejo's marine themed amusement park swaps its usual show animals and coasters for scare zones and haunted mazes each fall, without…
in California
Scenic railway
Color nearby peaks November 21
Restored Pullman cars roll from Napa's 1868 depot up-valley through vineyards turning red and gold during harvest, pairing the crush season…
in California
Guides
Frequently asked
- Does San Francisco get fall colors?
- Some, but it stays understated. Expect scattered street trees rather than a hillside, with the color worth planning around out toward California and Nevada.
- Where's the closest good foliage to San Francisco?
- California, about 165 mi away, peaking around November 16. Eastern Sierra aspens turn gold along the June Lake Loop, Bishop Creek Canyon, and Lundy Canyon, often paired with turning black oak in the foothills. Peak color generally arrives in early-to-mid October at elevation.
- When does San Francisco see what color it gets?
- The model predicts the area's late-season change around November 22–November 26. It stays subtle in town, and it is no match for a trip toward California and Nevada.
- What are the best things to do in fall in San Francisco?
- Beyond the leaves: SF Ghost Hunt (1 mi); Lemos Farm (20 mi); Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival (22 mi); Arata Pumpkin Farm (27 mi); Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Fright Fest (27 mi). All of them are mapped on this page.