What's the best time to visit San Francisco?
The best time to visit San Francisco is between March and April or August through October. These months see mild to warm weather with tons of events, like SFFilm Festival and Outside Lands Music Festival, along with the best weather for sightseeing and outdoor recreation. Fall is warmer and drier, while spring is greener and milder with blooming flowers.
Vibrant San Francisco makes an awesome vacation, weekend getaway, or stop on a longer California tour. But if you don’t know the best time to visit San Francisco, you might not be able to experience this bayside city in its prime.
Riding cable cars up and down hilly streets, strolling the attraction-packed Fisherman’s Wharf, dining on global cuisine, admiring the Golden Gate Bridge, and visiting maze-like gardens with lakes and Japanese pagodas — there’s not much that you can’t do in San Fran.
But it’s no secret that San Francisco is better during certain months of the year. Its unique weather patterns mean summer is cool and foggy, while late summer and fall experience the warmest temperatures and clear conditions to view the best attractions and landmarks.
If you’re ready to start figuring out your travel dates, take a look at the best time to visit San Francisco below. We’ll also show you the cheapest, least busy, and worst times to visit, along with conditions to expect during each season — weather, prices, crowds, and events.
Overall Best Time to Visit San Francisco
The best time to visit San Francisco is from March to April or August to October. Spring is mild and lush with flowers blooming everywhere, while fall is warm and sunny with cool breezes that keep things comfortable.
The weather in San Francisco is delightfully mild, especially during these months. March and April see balmy, slightly wet weather you’d consider to be typical in springtime, while August through October is much warmer with very little rain.
- March: 51-63°F; 7-8 rainy days
- April: 53-65°F; 3-4 rainy days
- August: 57-70°F; 0-1 rainy day
- September: 58-72°F; 0-1 rainy day
- October: 56-70°F; 2-3 rainy days
In March and April, everything bursts into bloom — wildflower meadows around Twin Peaks trails, gardens and parks, cherry blossom trees, and container plants lining the waterfront — and the trees and grass return to their lush green tones after a little rainfall.
By August, warm weather finally makes it out of the 60s and into the pleasant 70s. It’s perfect sightseeing weather and you’ll love the sunshine while you wander Fisherman’s Wharf or Golden Gate Park’s beautiful trails past lakes and the Japanese Tea Garden.
Bike or walk across the Golden Gate Bridge in the pedestrian lane, then check out the Bridge Welcome Center Plaza’s exhibits and coffee shop. Opt for a bay cruise for great views of the bridge and nearby islands while you enjoy the great weather.
This is the prime time to take a ride on one of San Francisco’s historic cable cars. Ride from the Powell/Market Street turntable down to Fisherman’s Wharf, where you can explore hundreds of attractions, eateries, and shops down by the water while the area buzzes with life.
Pack a picnic and visit Golden Gate Park. There are 1,000+ acres here with eateries, walking paths, lakes, a Japanese Tea Garden with pagodas and bridges, and sports fields to enjoy on a warm and lovely day by the bay. But save some room for a burrito from the Mission District later!
La Cumbre and La Taqueria are some of the best spots to grab an over-stuffed burrito with seasoned fillings jammed into a steamed flour tortilla and wrapped in foil for portability while you walk the streets and explore cool spots like the Mission Dolores Basilica and nearby music venues.
The Haight Street Fair in September gives you a great excuse to head to the Haight-Ashbury district to take in some historic spots that were at the center of the 60s hippie movement — Amoeba Records, homes where the Grateful Dead and Jimi Hendrix lived, and more.
We drilled down data from Google Hotels and Skyscanner to find out how much you can expect to pay per night for a hotel and the lowest airfare prices you can find for each of these months:
- March: $262/night; flights from $90
- April: $208/night; flights from $83
- August: $213/night; flights from $48
- September: $469/night; flights from $48
- October: $239/night; flights from $48
While September has the highest average nightly hotel rate of the year, it makes up for it with cheap flight prices (as do August and October). March and April see affordable flights under $100 round trip with moderate prices on hotels — not bad for the best time to visit San Fran!
There’s a lot going on during these months while the weather’s nice and San Francisco is at its best. From music festivals and cultural fairs to flower and film festivals, you’re sure to find something that interests you:
- San Francisco International Chocolate Salon (Mar) is an event highlighting artisan chocolates and confections as the biggest festival of its kind on the West Coast with tastings, demonstrations, and more
- SF Beer Week (early Feb) starts with an Opening Gala and features tastings and parties at microbreweries, tap rooms, and restaurants around the city with new releases and live music
- TulipMania Festival (mid-Feb) at Pier 39 on the waterfront brings over 30,000 tulips grown in barrels lining the walkways and bridges to explore the pier in spring color as the weather begins to warm
- St. Patrick’s Day Parade (Mar 17) begins mid-morning through the afternoon with a huge, green-tinged parade from Civic Center Plaza with live music, parties, food, and drinks
- CAAMFest (Mar) was formerly known as the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival and still brings Asian filmmakers’ new works to the public with food, art, discussions, and screenings
- Cherry Blossom Festival (mid-Apr) is a 2-weekend celebration of the blooming cherry blossoms around the city in Japantown with cultural music performances, food, and themed vendors set up
- Bay Area Brew Festival (mid-Apr) gives you the chance to taste beer and wine from local and global brewers and vineyards and try gourmet street food from rows of popular food trucks on the Presidio main lawn
- SFFilm (late Apr) spans 5 days, showcasing films and speakers from short animated flicks to feature-length films and dramas from top and rising filmmakers all over the world
- Outside Lands Festival (early Aug) is a massive outdoor music festival in Golden Gate Park with tons of booths set up to grab food, drinks, artwork, crafts, and more
- Nihonmachi Street Fair (early Aug) rolls American and Asian Pacific cultures together with concerts, artwork, handicrafts, food, and drinks with 2 live music stages and kid’s activities
- Fringe Festival (Aug) is a big, 100+ show festival featuring theater performance groups bringing some of your favorite characters and plays to life throughout the month of August at the Cutting Ball Theater
- Chinatown Mid-Autumn Moon Festival (Sept) begins with a colorful, costumed parade on the weekend with live concerts, traditional Chinese food, offerings, and cultural traditions in Chinatown
- A Taste of Greece Food Festival (Sept) is the only Greek food fest in SF, bringing Greek classics and fusion food to the Mission District with ouzo and wine, Greek music, vendor booths, and more
- Haight Street Fair (mid-Sept) features 3 stages where bands big and small perform all day long, while booths selling handicrafts, products, food, drinks, and art are set up
- Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (early Oct) is a free 3-day music festival during October’s first weekend at the lush and lively Golden Gate Park, where bands, speakers, and poets perform on 6 stages around the park
- Castro Street Fair (Oct) in the famous LGBT district offers live music, 100 vendor booths with food, drinks, and art, and closed-down streets to wander and celebrate at the Market Street/Castro Street intersection
- Fleet Week (Oct) brings a massive military airshow, ship parade, concerts, and veteran art exhibits to the San Francisco waterfront with ship tours, a STEM center, high school band competitions, and more
While San Francisco’s fog season — Karl the Fog, as locals call the phenomenon — used to run from May to October, it’s not extending as far into fall these days or lasting as long each day. That means you’ll enjoy better visibility during the best time to visit San Francisco.
Cheapest Time to Visit San Francisco
April through August is the cheapest time to visit San Francisco overall. This is when you’ll find the lowest airfare and prices on hotels around the city with cool temperatures that are well-suited for sightseeing and outdoor activities.
April and May are the quietest months in San Francisco in terms of tourism, leading prices on flights and hotels to drop in sync with demand. As the fog season rolls in around May-June, mornings and nights are cooler and it feels less like summer than you’d expect.
- April: 53-65°F; 3-4 rainy days
- May: 54-67°F; 2 rainy days
- June: 55-69°F; 0-1 rainy day
- July: 56-70°F; 0-1 rainy day
- August: 57-70°F; 0-1 rainy day
You’ll find a few rainy days here and there in April and May, but June through August is very dry and warm. August is actually one of the best months to visit the city overall, so it’s one of the top choices if you’re looking for an affordable, pleasant month.
April through August is a great time to visit the Palace of Fine Arts and its lush, landscaped grounds in the Marina District, where you’ll see some of the coolest architecture in the city close to other attractions like the Golden Gate Bridge and Presidio.
Take the ferry over to historic Alcatraz Island, once a prison and now an intriguing museum you can tour with an audio guide. Book your tickets at least a month in advance if you’re visiting between June and August because slots fill up fast during these busier months.
This is a good time to take a hike up Twin Peaks, two hills overlooking San Francisco with a nice little trail under a mile long leading to the hilltop park with the best views you’ll find in the city and down to Glen Canyon Park on the other side. If you come in April, the hills will be alive with greenery and wild lupine.
April is also the time when San Francisco’s cherry blossom trees come into full bloom and festivals take place at venues around the city. Check out brew festivals, film festivals, and a host of street fairs on famous Union Street, North Beach, and Post Street in Japantown.
June is the perfect month to do some exploring in the Castro District, San Francisco’s LGBT village with historic gay bars, homes, and activism history that really comes to life during Pride Month with parades, concerts, parties, and events.
But when say this period is cheap, how cheap are we talking? Taking a look at data from Google Hotels and Skyscanner, we found out how much you can expect to pay for your hotel per night and the lowest flight prices found per month:
- April: $208/night; flights from $83
- May: $202/night; flights from $45
- June: $216/night; flights from $46
- July: $199/night; flights from $55
- August: $213/night; flights from $48
May is the overall cheapest month to visit San Francisco with the lowest airfare of the year and the second-lowest average nightly rates on hotels around the city. July is when you’ll find the cheapest hotels, but all of these months offer you a bargain on accommodations and flights.
You’re going to love the huge variety of events and festivals that happen between April and August — this is the densest concentration of street fairs, film festivals, and music festivals in the city:
- Cherry Blossom Festival (mid-Apr) is a 2-weekend celebration of the blooming cherry blossoms around the city in Japantown with cultural music performances, food, and themed vendors set up
- Bay Area Brew Festival (mid-Apr) gives you the chance to taste beer and wine from local and global brewers and vineyards and try gourmet street food from rows of popular food trucks on the Presidio main lawn
- SFFilm (late Apr) spans 5 days, showcasing films and speakers from short animated flicks to feature-length films and dramas from top and rising filmmakers all over the world
- Taiwanese American Cultural Festival (early May) brings tasty foods, music, and products popular in Taiwan to Union Square in this free event
- Mission Carnaval (late May) on Memorial Day weekend is a street fair that pays homage to colorful Carnaval celebrations with dancers, floats, parades, and abundant food and drinks in the Mission District
- SF Jazz Fest (early Jun) features 40+ years of history with as many shows taking place at 4 venues over nearly 2 weeks during this jazz showcase festival with well-known and rising artists performing
- Union Street Festival (early Jun) in the Marina District offers a summer kickoff event with live music and entertainment, kid’s activities, food booths, vendors, and arts and crafts on Union Street
- North Beach Festival (mid-Jun) wakes up the North Beach neighborhood with summertime fun featuring food trucks and vendors, crafts and artwork, street painting, beer and wine gardens, play areas for kids, and more
- San Francisco Pride Parade and Celebration (late Jun) features huge concerts and celebrations at the Civic Center, a City Hall party, and art exhibits, all culminating in a colorful parade with creative floats
- Stern Grove Festival (Jun-Aug) offers free concerts in Sigmund Stern Grove with thousands in attendance for up-and-coming and well-known bands and artists performing on outdoor stages each afternoon in the summer
- Fillmore Jazz Festival (early Jul) in the Pacific Heights neighborhood is a huge jazz festival with hundreds of vendor and food booths set to up to enjoy in between back-to-back concerts over 2 days
- San Francisco Free Folk Festival (mid-Jul) brings a day packed with folk musicians and bands playing free concerts (donations accepted) with classes and workshops offered in the lovely Golden Gate Park
- Outside Lands Festival (early Aug) is a massive outdoor music festival in Golden Gate Park with tons of booths set up to grab food, drinks, artwork, crafts, and more
- Nihonmachi Street Fair (early Aug) rolls American and Asian Pacific cultures together with concerts, artwork, handicrafts, food, and drinks with 2 live music stages and kid’s activities
- Fringe Festival (Aug) is a big, 100+ show festival featuring theater performance groups bringing some of your favorite characters and plays to life throughout the month of August at the Cutting Ball Theater
If you’re coming with hopes of sticking to a smaller budget, you can’t beat April through August — especially May and July with the cheapest prices on hotels and flights overall.
Least Busy Time to Visit San Francisco
March to June is the least busy time to visit San Francisco, with April and May being the quietest months in the city. These spring and early summer months are mild and laid-back with perfect conditions for exploring the city in peace.
You won’t be here for the warmest weather of the year between March and June, but conditions will be moderate and relatively dry. March is rainier, while April, May, and June see less rain. June is one of the driest months of the year here with balmy highs around 70°F.
- March: 51-63°F; 7-8 rainy days
- April: 53-65°F; 3-4 rainy days
- May: 54-67°F; 2 rainy days
- June: 55-69°F; 0-1 rainy day
You couldn’t ask for better weather for strolling through San Francisco’s historic and famous districts, visiting food trucks and parks, riding cable cars along hilly streets, and checking out museums, galleries, and attractions around the city.
While things are less busy, it’s the perfect time to go to Chinatown — the oldest and biggest in the country. Explore charming shops with festive motifs, eat your fill of Chinese cuisine and street food, check out a festival or event, and tour the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.
Not far away is the famous 3-story City Lights Bookstore, popular since its beginnings during the Beat movement in the 50s and always a hub for alternative and counterculture literature. Author signings, readings, and events take place here all the time.
These months are great for a ferry ride over to the secluded and quiet Angel Island State Park. Naturally beautiful with no crowds, there are hiking trails, wildflower meadows and beaches that spring into life in March, and museums like the Immigration Station and Barracks Museum to explore.
There are plenty of cultural, flower, and music festivals that take place between March and June. March, April, and May see fewer events and may be better if you’re serious about avoiding crowds.
June, on the other hand, has some of the biggest events of the year (like SF Pride and Stern Grove Festival) that are sure to be inundated with thousands of visitors — keep this in mind if you want to avoid crowds altogether.
You’ll avoid the most expensive months of the year by coming between March and June. You’ll be able to score the cheapest hotels in May and great prices on airfare during any of these months, according to Google Hotels and Skyscanner data:
- March: $262/night; flights from $90
- April: $208/night; flights from $83
- May: $202/night; flights from $45
- June: $216/night; flights from $46
We’ve covered the events that take place between March and June in sections above, but here’s a quick recap of what you can look forward to during these months:
- San Francisco International Chocolate Salon (Mar)
- St. Patrick’s Day Parade (Mar 17)
- CAAMFest (Mar)
- Cherry Blossom Festival (mid-Apr)
- Bay Area Brew Festival (mid-Apr)
- SFFilm (late Apr)
- Taiwanese American Cultural Festival (early May)
- Mission Carnaval (late May)
- SF Jazz Fest (early Jun)
- Union Street Festival (early Jun)
- North Beach Festival (mid-Jun)
- San Francisco Pride Parade and Celebration (late Jun)
- Stern Grove Festival (Jun-Aug)
The great thing about March, April, May, and June is that these are also some of the best and cheapest months to visit in addition to being the least crowded. March and April are two of the best, while April, May, and June are some of the cheapest.
Worst Time to Visit San Francisco
December through February is the worst time to visit San Francisco. The winter months are chilly, rainy, and foggy as the winter tule fog settles over the area and drapes the vibrant city in gray skies and gloomier vibes.
These months see the most rainfall of the year, making it a lot harder to plan on outdoor activities. With highs in the upper 50s, it’s not as comfortable to be outside for sightseeing, hiking, or attractions during the winter:
- December: 47-57°F; 8-9 rainy days
- January: 46-57°F; 8 rainy days
- February: 49-60°F; 8 rainy days
While it’s not actually cold in San Francisco, this isn’t the best time to visit because the temperatures are the coolest of the year. While afternoons can feel pleasant (a little chilly), mornings and evenings are typically in the 40s with heavy fog.
Fisherman’s Wharf won’t be as lively as during the spring, summer, and fall, but you can still find some indoor attractions to hold your interest in winter. Musée Mécanique, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, Cartoon Art Museum, and tons of eateries are here.
In Golden Gate Park, you could visit the California Academy of Sciences — one of the biggest natural history museums in the world with thousands of exhibits and a planetarium.
Head up to Coit Tower in Pioneer Park after the fog burns off to overlook the city from 210′ high on Telegraph Hill and see impressive murals and frescoes painted in the tower base.
This is a good time of year to take in a show and admire the decades of music memorabilia on the walls of the Fillmore, where legendary musicians and bands have been playing since the 1950s.
You’ll also find tons of operas and ballets scheduled between December and February at the Bayview Opera House and War Memorial Opera House if you want a little dose of culture during your visit.
As far as pricing goes, data pulled from Google Hotels and Skyscanner shows that these months can be affordable or expensive, depending on when you choose to visit:
- December: $197/night; flights from $90
- January: $226/night; flights from $90
- February: $316/night; flights from $160
December is the month with the cheapest hotel prices of the year and affordable prices on flights. February is the most expensive month for flights and sees higher hotel prices. January is somewhere in the middle, offering fair deals if you’re okay with the cooler weather and rain.
On the upside, you’re not likely to run into big crowds of tourists outside of December and all the rainfall helps transform the landscape back into its lush green state. The rainfall also keeps wildfires at bay.
You’ll also find several events, ranging from holiday celebrations and film festivals to flower festivals and cultural parades, between December and February:
- Great Dickens Christmas Fair (Nov-Dec) brings a Dickens’ style Christmas to life with plays, concerts and carols, booths with food, drinks, and holiday crafts, and more at the Cow Palace
- Another Hole in the Head Film Festival (Dec) is almost a month of cinematic showcases from Sci-Fi to horror genres with screenings, live theater, and discussions at 4 venues around the city
- Martin Luther King Jr. Festival and March (Jan) honors MLK Jr. with a full day of art, films, a massive march with thousands of participants, and food and drink booths
- ZinEx (Jan) is a Zinfandel wine expo and festival with some of the top producers in California participating with tastings and food at the Four Seasons and Presidio
- Chinese New Year Festival and Parade (Jan/Feb) celebrates the lunar new year in Chinatown with a big fair featuring costumes, floats, traditional dance and art, Chinese food booths, lion dancing, and cultural activities
- San Francisco Indie Fest (Feb) is one of the biggest film events in SF with independent filmmakers showcasing their works with screenings that would otherwise fly under the radar
- SF Beer Week (early Feb) starts with an Opening Gala and features tastings and parties at microbreweries, tap rooms, and restaurants around the city with new releases and live music
- TulipMania Festival (mid-Feb) at Pier 39 on the waterfront brings over 30,000 tulips grown in barrels lining the walkways and bridges to explore the pier in spring color as the weather begins to warm
December, January, and February aren’t terrible months to visit, but with other months offering better weather, cheaper prices, and smaller crowds, they’re our least favorite months to be in San Francisco overall.
San Francisco by Month: What to Expect
Now that you’ve got an idea of which season will be better for your visit, take a look at what you can expect month-to-month in San Francisco to get closer to pinpointing your travel dates.
January
Cool, rainy January gets around 8 days of rain with highs around 57°F. It’s not the best time to visit San Francisco, but the MLK Jr. Festival and March, boozy ZinEx wine festival, and Chinese New Year Festival and Parade (can be in Feb.) happen this month. You’ll pay around $226/night for a hotel and $90+ for round trip flights.
February
February sees slowly warming highs that hit around 60°F with an average of 8 rainy days. It’s still winter, but events like SF Beer Week, the TulipMania Festival at Pier 39, and the huge San Francisco Indie Film Fest take place if you need things to do. Hotels cost more, around $316/night, and flights start at $160 round trip.
March
March is one of the best and least crowded months to visit with highs around 63°F, spring flowers, and festivals like the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, International Chocolate Salon festival, and CAAMFest Asian American film festival. There are still 7-8 rainy days and hotels cost about $262/night with flights as low as $90.
April
April is where San Fran hits its stride with highs around 65°F and 3-4 rainy days. With the Cherry Blossom Festival, Bay Area Brew Festival, and SFFilm festival this month, it’s one of the best and cheapest months to visit with rooms around $208/night and flights from $83. It’s also one of the least crowded months.
May
Another of the cheapest and least busy months to visit, May sees the lowest airfare to SF starting at $45 round trip and affordable prices on hotels (about $202/night on average). With highs approaching 70°F and just 2 days of rain, it’s a fine time to be outside and enjoy events like the Taiwanese American Cultural Festival and Mission Carnaval parade and celebrations.
June
As one of the least busy months in San Francisco, June is warm with highs around 69°F and sees little to no rain. Flights are cheap, starting at $46 round trip, and hotels cost around $216/night. Check out street festivals on Union Street and North Beach, go to the SF Pride Parade, or listen to concerts at the Stern Grove Festival.
July
July is one of the cheapest months to visit San Francisco with hotels just $199/night on average and flights from $55. You’ll love the warm highs around 70°F and dry weather this month for sightseeing and outdoor recreation. Check out the Fillmore Jazz Festival and San Francisco Free Folk Festival this month for fun outdoor concerts.
August
August is one of the best and cheapest months to visit the city with highs around 70°F, almost no rain, and flights as low as $48 round trip. You’ll pay around $213/night for a hotel with cool events like the Outside Lands Festival in Golden Gate Park, Nihonmachi Street Fair in Japantown, and Fringe Festival all month long.
September
Enjoy the warmest and best month of the year in San Fran during September with highs around 72°F, no rain, and festive events around the city from Chinatown Mid-Autumn Moon Festival to a Greek food festival and Haight Street Fair in the Haight-Ashbury district. Hotels are expensive — around $469/night — but flights are cheap and start at $48.
October
The “Indian Summer” continues in October with highs around 70°F and 2-3 rainy days, great conditions for the outdoor Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival, Castro Street Fair, and Fleet Week airshow that happen this month. You’ll pay about $239/night for a hotel and upwards of $48 for a round-trip flight.
November
November is mild and when the winter rainy season kicks off with 6 days of rain, highs around 63°F, and holiday events like tree light ceremonies and parades. Check out the Hip Hop International Dance Fest this month. You’ll pay around $227/night for your hotel, but flights can be as low as $48 round trip.
December
Chilly December sees highs around 57°F with up to 9 rainy days, making it the poorest weather of the year in SF. Hotels are cheap at around $197/night and flights start at just $90 round trip, but there’s less going on outside of holiday events like Great Dickens Christmas Fair at the Cow Palace and Another Hole in the Head Film Festival.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you still have questions about figuring out the best time to visit San Francisco, these FAQs might help!
What is the best month to go to San Francisco?
April is the best month to go to San Francisco with great weather, smaller crowds, and cheaper prices. The city is verdant and colorful as flowers bloom in spring, highs hit a comfortable 65°F, rain is limited to 3-4 days, and vibrant festivals like the Cherry Blossom Festival, Bay Area Brew Festival, and SFFilm Festival happen this month.
What is the cheapest month to visit San Francisco?
May is the cheapest month to visit San Francisco overall with the lowest prices on airfare (starting at $45 round trip) and deals on hotels with average rates around $202/night. With warm weather around 70°F and almost no rain, it’s surprisingly one of the less busy months of the year to visit, too.
What is the rainy season in San Francisco?
Winter and early spring is the rainy season in San Francisco. From November to March, the city sees anywhere from 6-9 rainy days each month and cooler highs in the upper 50s and low 60s. Festivals slow down a bit, but there are still tons of indoor attractions and clear days for enjoying parks, hiking trails, and concerts.
How many days do you need to enjoy San Francisco?
You need about 4 days to enjoy San Francisco fully. Spend 2-3 days if you’re only focused on hitting a few of the main attractions, like the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Haight-Ashbury district, and cable cars. Plan on 4-6 days if you want to do more sightseeing.
Do you need a car in San Francisco?
You don’t need a car in San Francisco because the city has nice public transportation options, like the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), historic cable cars and street cars, the Caltrain commuter rail, Muni buses, and more. You’ll find lots of bike paths in the city if you prefer getting around on two wheels!
So, When’s the Best Time to Visit San Francisco?
The best time to visit San Francisco is during March and April or August-October. Spring is mild with blooming flowers and greenery, while fall is warmer and drier with tons of music festivals and events.
April through August is the cheapest time to visit San Francisco with crazy drops in airfare and hotel prices. You’ll find flights as low as $45 round trip and hotels as cheap as $199/night during May and July!
Stick to March, April, May, or June if you want to avoid crowds (but steer clear of June’s pride parade and jazz fest). Avoid the winter months from December to February when it’s rainy, chilly, and foggy in the city.