California's 5 Most Overrated Attractions In San Francisco, Per Locals

When visiting a big city, you're bound to wind up ensnared in a few disappointing tourist traps. Boasting one of the most iconic landmarks in the U.S., the illustrious Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco is no exception. A popular California destination, the city draws over 23 million visitors per year. And, as is the case with most popular places, the Bay Area beauty is brimming with overrated attractions.

If you're planning a first-time getaway, it's only natural that you'll want to cross some of those attractions off your bucket list. (For instance, watching the sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge is a breathtaking wonder you won't want to miss). However, take it from the locals: Some of the places on your San Francisco itinerary may disappoint you.

I've had the pleasure of seeing San Francisco through the eyes of a tourist on half-a-dozen occasions, and I make it a point to take in different sights each time. Some spots — like Alcatraz, the infamous former penitentiary filled with mystery and history — are completely worthy of the hype. Meanwhile, other attractions fall flat. From a wildly popular destination dubbed the world's worst tourist trap to vibrant neighborhoods that peaked in the 1960s, here are five of the most overrated attractions in San Francisco, per the locals who've seen it all.

Consistently named one of the city's worst tourist traps, Fisherman's Wharf is a place most locals will tell you to avoid. Situated along Pier 39, the bayside destination comprises a long row of tacky souvenir shops and overpriced seafood eateries. Arguably, the worst thing about Fisherman's Wharf — and perhaps any popular attraction — is that it's almost always busy. Especially in the summer, tourists crowd the boardwalk like sardines in a tightly-packed can, shuffling between shops, restaurants, and lackluster museums like Ripley's Believe It or Not! The boardwalk is also known for scammers, so be wary of your wallet.

With so many people visiting one area, parking is another nightmare here. At $10 an hour and with a maximum daily rate of $50 on weekdays ($12/hour and max. $60 on weekends and holidays), securing a spot in the Pier 39 garage is quite expensive, too. Meanwhile, street parking is next to impossible. Even if you find the perfect place and brave the crowds unscathed, the Wharf's main allures (the shops and restaurants) are almost certain to be a letdown. On Quora, one San Francisco resident describes Fisherman's Wharf as "the Disneyland of San Francisco...full of expensive food and tchotchkes." Unless you want to shell out big bucks for mediocre seafood and fill your suitcase with tacky gifts, you're better off fishing for fun somewhere else.

However, according to some locals, it's not all bad. On Reddit, many users agree that the adorable sea lions make up for the horrors of Fisherman's Wharf. Sunbathing on the rocks down by Pier 39, the animals attract admirers with their playful barks and undeniable charm. So, if you simply can't skip a visit to Fisherman's Wharf, be sure to appreciate the sea lions.

If you love a good vacation shopping spree, you might have Union Square on your radar. Comprising a 2.6-acre section of downtown San Francisco, the vibrant neighborhood is a mecca of top-brand retail stores, high-end boutiques, and luxe hotels. However, not all that glitters here is gold.

Locals are quick to name their gripes with Union Square. As one Reddit user writes: "It has the same stores as so many other malls...nothing special." So, unless you don't have a Macy's, Cheesecake Factory, or Louis Vuitton wherever you're visiting from, it's probably safe to skip this stop. If you hate crowds, you have all the more reason to steer clear. According to mountains of Tripadvisor reviews, the area is almost always crowded, especially during holidays.

Additionally, locals lament that this attraction isn't what it used to be. While Union Square was once "the center of San Francisco," per one Reddit post, many residents agree it's become a shell of its former self in recent years, plagued by multiple retail store closures and increasingly dirty streets. Overall, Union Square used to be "THE place," according to a Reddit commenter, "now it is a boarded up toilet with zombies roaming about." If that's not enough to convince you, take it from a tourist who swung by Union Square only to find a restroom: The quick pit stop was a long enough visit. 

Another spot that doesn't get a lot of local love is Haight-Ashbury. Although the historic San Francisco neighborhood is famed for funky dive bars, chic boutiques, and bright lively streets, one Reddit user says it "really just feels like a neighborhood that peaked 50-odd years ago. There are more exciting things happening elsewhere in the city."

During the 1960s, Haight-Ashbury was in full bloom with flower power and free love. Drawing bohemians, musicians, artists, and misfits from near and far, the area became the epicenter of hippie counterculture, peaking in 1967 during the Summer of Love. Though that spirit is still alive in the vibrant murals that color the buildings here, locals argue that there isn't much to do in Haight-Ashbury. A resident on Reddit writes: "It's mostly smoke shops and streetwear clothing stores nowadays. And a lot of street people."

As a tourist who's visited twice, I'll admit that it's easy to see the neighborhood through rose-colored glasses at first. However, if you take this attraction's rich history out of the picture, it's just a funky street lined with expensive vintage retailers.

Like London's Abbey Road — the zebra crossing where thousands of tourists a year (per Guide London) line up to recreate The Beatles' most iconic album cover — some streets are so famous that they're attractions all on their own. Thus is the case with Lombard Street, a famously scenic San Francisco spot often called "the crookedest street in the world." Comprising an impossibly steep stretch of razor-sharp hairpin turns lined with sleek mansions and lush hydrangea bushes, the residential street is among the city's most popular and most photographed areas. However, locals tend to deem it overrated. Many, like this Reddit user, are quick to point out: "It's not even the curviest street in the city." In fact, that title technically belongs to Vermont Street between 20th and 22nd.

And yet, tourists flock to Lombard each day, lining up to take the perfect Instagram photo. Some are even bold enough to traverse the treacherous zig-zags by car, which has resulted in everything from fender benders to pedestrian fatalities. Locals insist that visiting is unnecessary and an annoyance to people that actually live on the street. One Reddit user writes: "It's basically a tourist novelty. There's no other practical reason for driving down Lombard street, you can easily drive around it." A commenter chimed in to add: "When I walked by it while visiting SF, there was a huge queue of cars waiting for their turn to drive down it. Must be infuriating for the people who live there."

If you don't mind getting a few eye rolls from locals or waiting in a long line to snap a selfie, then by all means, check out Lombard. However, if you prefer to take the road less traveled, it's best to keep on driving.

Don't get us wrong, the Golden Gate Bridge is a man-made marvel, and you can scope out the best crowd-free views of it at this free-to-visit site. Home to sweeping views that have been crowned the most iconic in the world, it is also San Francisco's most photographed attraction. However, many locals agree that walking across the bridge is overrated and hardly the cinematic experience that tourists envision. Stretching for 1.7 miles, the Golden Gate Bridge takes around 40 minutes to walk across, but if you're picturing a leisurely stroll by the bay, you may be disappointed. With about 112,000 vehicles crossing the bridge per day, the traffic is likely to make for a loud, sonically unappealing journey. 

"Bring earplugs," one Reddit user warns. Another comment in the same thread says, "Driving across it is an easier and better experience IMO. Unless you have someone who is dying to do the walk. It's pretty loud on there and can get crowded." Additionally, a San Francisco local on Reddit writes: "It's a road, and as with many [feats] of architecture it's better appreciated from a distance than on top of it. I see a lot of tourists with underwhelmed looks on their face."

San Francisco is a city of many attractions, from iconic bridges to historic neighborhoods. In order to weed out the region's most overrated spots, we turned to locals for their honest opinions on Fog City's tourist favorites. By scouring various Reddit threads and blog posts, we honed in on the most-commonly repeated attractions that locals deemed overhyped. I combined this Internet insight with my own and reflected on places I found underwhelming as a starry-eyed tourist.

Don't worry if you are planning a trip to San Francisco and have some of these attractions on your list; you don't have to skip them. Instead, remember that a city is more than its most famous sights. Hopefully, this list will inspire you to hop off the beaten path (or the curvy street) and mine for hidden gems in this beautiful city by the bay.