5 Fun Things To Do During Your San Francisco Airport Layover

Long layovers are a normal part of the travel experience, especially on international routes that require connections through major airport hubs. Take a flight from Lisbon to Sydney, and it could include a 20-hour stop in Doha, offering ample time to wander the souq or visit the National Museum of Qatar. A trip from Miami to Mumbai might call for a layover in Istanbul, and if long enough, travelers can explore a bazaar and sample Turkish delight, dried fruit, and baklava. 

While some might see layovers as a frustrating part of traveling, others reframe them as unexpected gifts — an opportunity to explore a city that wasn't originally on the travel itinerary. A curious mindset can turn downtime into adventure time, and there are even blogs and travel hacks that intentionally help people book flights with built-in layovers to maximize this. A layover at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), named the most beautiful airport in the world in 2025, can be a particularly promising spot for a lengthy layover, as the Bay Area has numerous vibrant offerings that are oh-so accessible from the airport.

The city center is about 15 miles away, reachable in about 30 minutes via the Bay Area Rapid Transit rail system, lovingly known as BART, making it easy to break free from the terminal. We compiled this list of activities around San Francisco by drawing on travel forums, blogs, and social media, prioritizing activities that balance accessibility for shorter layovers as well as engaging all-day affairs for longer layovers. From nearby San Mateo Central Park and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, to the Filoli Historic House and Garden, city of Burlingame, or a laid-back hop-on hop-off bus, there's no shortage of things to do near SFO.

To get to San Mateo Park from SFO, travelers won't have to go far. By taxi, it's an 8-mile drive taking about 15 minutes, or you can get there in about 40 minutes with the bus. Just south of the airport, this 16.5-acre urban oasis at 50th East Avenue in San Mateo is the city's first public park. The park provides numerous opportunities for recreation with baseball fields, tennis courts, picnic spots, playgrounds, horseshoe pits, and a gazebo often used for special events. During the summer, Thursday evenings at the park are alive with the free music series from 6 p.m. onwards. During the winter, an ice skating rink provides festive cheer, and a mini train moves throughout the park for a whimsical feel. 

The standout gem of the park is the Japanese Tea Garden, designed by Nagao Sakurai, a landscape architect from Tokyo's Imperial Palace. The garden has a granite pagoda, tea house, koi pond, bamboo grove, and the quintessential cherry trees, which blossom from late winter to early spring. This is a great layover spot for those who want to spend their time chilling in a beautiful park or sipping on tea.

If you went to the Bay Area and you didn't see the Golden Gate Bridge, did you even go to the Bay Area? Getting there from the airport takes about 30 minutes by car, traffic depending. Taking BART and a bus will get travelers there in about an hour. It's best reserved for those who have longer layovers.

Construction of the bridge began in 1933 and finished in 1937. This engineering marvel spans the Golden Gate Strait, the entrance to the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean, and is one of the most photographed bridges in the world. When it was first constructed, the 4,200-foot-long bridge was the longest in the world. It now sits in ninth place. Its towers reach nearly 750 feet above the water, and it weighs over 840 million pounds — heavier than the Empire State Building. It is a true testament to human ingenuity. The reddish-orange color pops against those blue California skies.

An exhibit near the parking lot displays sections of the bridge's massive cables to help provide perspective for the sheer size. If you time your layover right, you can join a free walking tour on Thursdays and Sundays to learn more about the history, science, and construction of the bridge — it'll also give you an eerie look at Alcatraz off in the distance. The surrounding area of Golden Gate National Recreation Area has numerous scenic trails with great viewpoints for photo opportunities, so pack your camera and walking shoes in your carry-on. Check out this first-timer's guide to walking the bridge for more great tips.

Found in Woodside on 650-plus acres along the coastal slopes sits the historic Filoli house. It originated as a private estate and opened to the public in 1975 under the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Hailed as one of the 20th century's finest country estates, it can be reached easily from SFO in just 20 minutes by car. Public transportation isn't as straightforward, so consider grabbing a taxi or booking a rideshare.

The estate features a 54,000-square-foot Georgian Revival mansion, 16 acres of English Renaissance gardens, a 6.8-acre orchard, and surrounding natural lands that contain six different ecosystems and a great trail network. There are so many wonderful things to check out here while on a layover, but the Railway at the Redwoods is not to be missed. This storybook miniature train exhibition through the mossy paths and bridges will delight both kids and adults. Other special events include Stories in Bloom, which features lectures, music, and art exhibitions on diverse topics. You can also grab a snack or find a souvenir at the cafes and shops on site. It's a manicured paradise full of blooming flowers, elegant decoration, antiques, and a sense of peace. You might even forget you're in the middle of a long-haul journey.

This city in San Mateo County is perched on the San Francisco Peninsula and blends suburban ease with bayfront appeal. Found between San Jose and San Francisco, it's only 5 miles away from SFO, a mere 10-minute drive, making it a perfect destination for those with a layover. 

Known as the "City of Trees" for its leafy tree-lined streets, the city offers a sophisticated charm in a compact package. Two walkable shopping areas are well known here: Broadway Avenue and Burlingame Avenue. Broadway has a more traditional small-town vibe, with mom-and-pop shops, while Burlingame, also known as "The Ave," is adorned with high-end boutiques and curated stores. It's a great place to pick up a souvenir for those back at home. 

The San Francisco Bay Trail is accessible at the Anza Lagoon, right off of Airport Boulevard, and is a 350-mile path for walkers, cyclists, or more along the water's edge. It's a great place to stretch your legs in between flights. Burlingame is also full of fabulous restaurants with seafood, steaks, American fusion, Peruvian food, and desserts; it has it all. There are numerous green spaces and parks to roam after a meal as well. It is a walkable city with many attractions, so there is lots to see on an extended layover.

The hop-on hop-off bus tour starts at Fisherman's Wharf, which can be reached in 40 minutes by car from the airport or in about an hour with public transport. The tours begin at 10 a.m., with the final tours starting at 5 p.m., but visitors can hop on or off at any stop along the tour. It just might be one of the best ways to see the city's famous landmarks.

The open-top buses are quintessentially San Francisco, and they loop through all of the city's most well-known and beloved highlights, including the Painted Ladies Victorian homes, Fisherman's Wharf, Lombard Street, and the Golden Gate Bridge. The full circuit tour can take around 2.5 hours, but the best part of the tour is its flexibility. If you're keen on staying at a location longer, just hop off the bus and hop on the next tour bus that swings by. Live commentary from the drivers gives travelers insider info on the city's history and tips. Even longtime residents have raved about the top-deck views and this bus tour experience. 

It's great for those who have lengthy layovers and have never been to the city but want to catch all the highlights quickly. It is also great for those who don't want to do any of the planning themselves — just arrive at the station and they do the work for you! 

To create this list, we focused on authentic user-driven recommendations for layovers at SFO, sourcing information from travel blogs, Reddit threads, and forums dedicated to the best layovers at SFO. We looked at the best options for those with short and long layovers and wanted to include experiences that even those who have been to the Bay Area before could be surprised and delighted by.