Top San Francisco Scavenger Hunt Ideas

Steeped in captivating history and exciting start-up culture. The Golden City is the USA's second-most densely-populated city, with a population of residents belonging to a diverse mosaic of cultures.

We've listed some of the city's most recognizable landmarks in our San Francisco scavenger hunt list. Feel free to use our list for inspiration if you're organizing a group scavenger hunt event, a photo scavenger hunt, or an urban adventure race.

If you're using Goosechase to run your event, you can even click the blue button below to add these missions to your account as a duplicate game. Still planning your scavenger hunts on paper? Take a look at our How It Works page to see how easy it is to get started on Goosechase!

San Francisco Goosechase Mission Ideas

• Afternoon Tea at the Japanese Tea Garden (Photo) - The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park is the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States. Take a photo of you or your team enjoying a pot of your favorite blend on location!

• Ancient Arcade (Video) - The Musée Mécanique at Fisherman’s Wharf contains over 300 antique arcade games and pinball cabinets. Find your favourite machine and take a video of you taking a shot at the high score!

• AT&T Park (GPS) - AT&T Park stands along the San Francisco Bay and serves as the home stadium of the Giants, the city's Major League Baseball team. Head over and check in to complete this GPS Mission!

• California Academy of Sciences (GPS) - Founded in 1853, the California Academy of Sciences has prevailed through numerous earthquakes and contributed to a forward-thinking direction in natural science advancements. The current building was completely rebuilt and made its debut in 2008. Head over and complete this GPS Mission!

• Chinatown Dragon Gate Lions - Grant Avenue (Photo) - Dragon Gate is the southern entrance to the oldest Chinatown in North America and the largest Chinese enclave outside Asia. Proudly present yourself next to one of the two lion statues on location and take a photo!

• Crissy Field Center (GPS) - Crissy Field provides a convenient viewpoint of the San Francisco Bay area, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Crissy Field Center serves as an environmental education center that provides programs for youth. Take a visit and complete this GPS Mission!

• Davies Symphony Hall (GPS) - Davies Symphony Hall is the permanent home of the world famous San Francisco Symphony. Head over to complete this GPS Mission and maybe grab tickets to a performance as well!

• Lombard Street (Text) - San Francisco’s Lombard Street is famous for one particularly scenic section nicknamed the “Crookedest Street In The World.” How many hairpin turns is this world famous downhill street known to have?

• Painted Ladies (Photo) - Sometimes known as "Postcard Row", this row of Victorian Houses are at 710-720 Steiner Street, across from Alamo Square Park. The houses make frequent appearances in movies and television shows. Take a family photo with your team in front of one of these dream houses!

• Pier 39 Sea Lions (Photo) - A shopping center built right on top of a pier, Pier 39 is also famous for the California sea lions that lay out on the docks. Head there and grab a selfie with one of these majestic creatures in the background!

• Public Transportation (Video) - The San Francisco cable car system is the world’s last manually operated cable car system. Take a video of one of these historical streetcars cruising by!

• San Francisco Zoo (Text) - San Francisco Zoo houses over 1000 animals representing 250 species. What is the name of the famous Gorilla that was born there?

• The Diner at Ghirardelli Square (Text) - Originally the headquarters of the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, Ghirardelli square now consists of shops and a 5-star hotel in San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. What is the name of the 50’s style diner located there?

• The Thinker at the Legion of Honor (Photo) - The Legion of Honor has outside its doors one of 28 bronze castings of Rodin’s famous “The Thinker” statue. Take a photo of you or your team deep in thought next to him!

• Bonus: Alcatraz Island (GPS) - Reachable by ferry ride from Pier 33, Alcatraz Island is most famous for the abandoned high-security federal prison that was once knows as the toughest in America. It now exists as a public museum. Check in via GPS at this location for some massive points to put your team in the lead!

Be sure to also check out our other city-based scavenger hunt lists and theme-based scavenger hunt ideas!

What is Goosechase?

Goosechase is an online platform that helps organizers create and run digital scavenger hunt experiences for team building, learning, public engagement, or a variety of other events. Sign up and try creating a free recreational game, or contact us to learn more about our enterprise solutions!