What to Wear in San Francisco

What to Wear
Mark Twain reportedly said the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco, and whether or not he actually said it, the sentiment holds up. The city rarely gets properly cold, but it rarely gets warm either — expect somewhere between 12 and 21 degrees year-round, with marine fog capable of rolling in unannounced even on what started as a sunny summer day.

Layering isn’t optional here, it’s the whole strategy: a t-shirt base, a warm mid-layer like a fleece or jumper, and a windproof or water-resistant outer shell. You’ll genuinely need all three on the same day, given how fast things can shift between a sunny inland neighbourhood and a foggy waterfront one a few blocks over.

Don’t underestimate the hills. Several of the city’s most iconic streets have grades steep enough to make you work for it, and good walking shoes with real grip matter more here than in almost any other major American city.

No dress codes to worry about at the major sights — this is purely a climate question, and the climate here genuinely earns the extra packing thought.