San Francisco Awaits: A Season of Culture, Creativity, and Community

As we look into last minute summer getaways, San Francisco keeps its gates open to Canadian travellers with a season full of vibrant experiences that celebrate our shared love of culture, cuisine, and connection. From world-class music festivals to cultural celebrations, foodie events, and stylish new hotels, the city offers something for everyone looking to connect with both new and longstanding experiences. Whether you’re drawn to immersive art, neighbourhood charm, or stylish new stays, this is a time to reconnect—with the city, with each other, and with the joy of travel. 

• Outside Lands: The 17th edition heads to Golden Gate Park with headliners Tyler, The Creator, Hozier, Doja Cat, and more than 100 acts across diverse genres. And it’s also a festival for food and arts, showcasing 100% local vendors, art installations, wine and beer experiences.  

• Portola Music Festival: An electronic dance music extravaganza at Pier 80, featuring LCD Soundsystem, Christina Aguilera, The Chemical Brothers, Peggy Gou, The Prodigy, and more—an immersive, 21+ celebration of sound. 

• Yerba Buena Gardens Festival:Celebrating its 25th anniversary, this beloved festival hosts over 80 free performances in the heart of downtown, from jazz and world music to contemporary dance and spoken word. 

• Golden Gate Park Concert Series: Golden Gate Park Concerts at the Polo Field offers an unprecedented opportunity for fans to enjoy once in a lifetime music programming after dark at one of the most iconic and world-renowned urban parks in the United States. Upcoming performances in August include those by Dead & Company and Zach Bryan.   

• Pier Party at the Wharf: The celebrated concert series that transforms the heart of San Francisco’s iconic Fisherman’s Wharf into a vibrant musical hub every 2nd and 4th Saturday till September.  

• Meski: Opened in April, this restaurant delivers an avant-garde diasporic concept, reimagining contemporary Afro-Latin cuisine through an Ethiopian lens. Co-founded by NBA Champion Draymond Green, restaurateur Guma Fassil, and Top Chef’s Nelson German, the restaurant offers an elevated yet soulful take on diasporic cuisine. Meski features lush interiors inspired by Black Girls Green House and a cocktail program as adventurous as the menu. 

• Morella: San Francisco’s first Argentinian-Italian restaurant, celebrates the gastronomicinfluences that immigrants from European countries, particularly Spain and Italy, had onArgentinian cuisine in the decades following the mass migrations at the turn of the 20th century. 

• Bombay Brasserie: The restaurant takes diners on a journey through India’s culinary landscape, from the aromatic spices of the North to the coastal flavors of the South, all meticulously crafted with a French twist under Executive Chef Thomas George.  

• Altamirano: This restaurant by Chef Carlos Altamirano celebrates the rich Peruvian culture while incorporating local California produce for a contemporary twist, bold flavors and unique preparations. The restaurant is in NOPA (north of the Panhandle) and features an outdoor dining courtyard with a fire pit, ample seating, and a bar. 

• Balloon Museum: The acclaimed EmotionAir: Art You Can Feel exhibition makes its U.S. debut at San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts. Spanning 7,500 square feet, the exhibition features large-scale interactive installations, projections, and performances that take visitors on a sensory journey. Created by 22 internationally renowned artists, the artworks are on view through September 7. 

• Institute of Contemporary Art, SF (ICA SF): They have debut the largest presentation of Masako Miki’s paintings, sculptures, and installations. The fully site-responsive exhibition brings Miki’s paintings, “Night Parades,” to life in experiential form, featuring throngs of Miki’s signature felted character sculptures in a dramatically darkened, immersive environment. Running in tandem (May 16 to December 7) is a site-specific solo exhibition by David.  

• Museum of Craft and Design: They now have an ongoing installation, A Roadmap to Stardust (May 10–September 14), featuring new site-specific work by acclaimed artists Neil Forrest and John Roloff (collaboratively known as OortCloudX). 

• Taj Campton Place: This spring, Taj Campton Place revealed its redesign, which reflects the hotel’s unique blend of neoclassical California charm and subtle Indian-inspired expressions. In addition to renovating the hotel’s lobby and meeting rooms, the Campton Bar + Bistro unveiled a refreshed look, joining Bombay Brasserie, the dining destination helmed by South Indian native Chef Thomas George. 

• The Westin St. Francis: For an Insta-worthy stay, visitors can book The Westin St. Francis’s “In Bloom Suite” through July 31. The suite features thousands of silk flowers spilling from the ceiling and along the walls, immersing guests in a lush, otherworldly garden. 

• Hotel Zeppelin: Hotel Zeppelin is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the legendary Grateful Dead with a Deadicated Stay package. The offer includes a suite equipped with a vintage record player, handpicked selection of vinyl albums, a copy of The ABCs of The Grateful Dead, a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream, and a 10% discount on food and beverage from the hotel’s restaurants, including PLS on Post, which serves Jerry Garcia’s favorite meal: a special gourmet hot dog paired with a Cherry Garcia milkshake.