San Francisco · United States
November
Prices drop sharply after Thanksgiving, weather still acceptable — underrated autumn value.
Strong option
#6 of 12 months
There are better months for San Francisco — see the full ranking below.
See when to go instead →Climate
High
16.5°C
Low
9.5°C
Rain
75mm
Sun
6hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How November scores in San Francisco
Weather
Good
Value
Very good
Crowds
Very good
Events
Above average
Atmosphere
Very good
What you gain in November
- ↑November represents the best value shoulder window between the high summer and the wettest winter months. Hotel rates drop noticeably after the first week — outside of Thanksgiving weekend (when rates spike and domestic travel surges), mid-November is among the cheapest periods of the year with weather still comfortably in the 16°C range.
- ↑Thanksgiving in San Francisco is a genuine experience — the city's food culture is exceptional and restaurants that would otherwise require month-in-advance booking open Thanksgiving menus with more availability. The Ferry Building Marketplace hosts a special Thanksgiving market that draws the city's best farmers and artisan food producers in the week leading up to the holiday.
- ↑The wave season on Ocean Beach begins in earnest in November, attracting serious surfers to one of the most powerful beach breaks on the West Coast. Watching the surf from the Cliff House or Land's End trail above the beach is spectacular in November swell season.
What you sacrifice
- ↓Rain returns meaningfully in November — 75mm across the month means regular wet days, and the seasonal shift from the dry Mediterranean summer to the rainy season is unmistakable by mid-month. The outdoor café culture that defines September and October retreats significantly.
- ↓Thanksgiving weekend (fourth Thursday and surrounding days) is one of the most expensive and crowded travel weekends in the US. Hotels spike, airports are chaotic, and the city's visitor numbers temporarily surge in a way that November otherwise avoids.
How November compares to October (best month)
| Factor | November | October ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 6 | 9 |
| Value | 7 | 6 |
| Crowds | 7 | 6 |
November in other destinations
Lisbon (16.8°C)Barcelona (16.5°C)Tokyo (16.6°C)Bali (30.8°C)Santorini (17.5°C)Paris (10.5°C)New York (11°C)Marrakech (21.3°C)Amsterdam (9.2°C)Maldives (30°C)Rome (15.5°C)Bangkok (30.2°C)Istanbul (13.8°C)Vienna (7.8°C)Seoul (10.4°C)Dubrovnik (15.4°C)Rio de Janeiro (28.8°C)Kyoto (16.9°C)Phuket (31.7°C)Cape Town (23.7°C)Prague (7°C)Amalfi Coast (16°C)Mexico City (22°C)Medellín (27°C)Fiji (29°C)London (11°C)Sydney (24°C)Iceland (4°C)Tulum (29°C)Dubai (29°C)Singapore (31°C)Hoi An (27°C)Chiang Mai (29°C)Miami (27.2°C)Florence (13.6°C)Queenstown (18.5°C)Madrid (13°C)Porto (17°C)Edinburgh (9°C)Copenhagen (8°C)Budapest (9°C)Kraków (6°C)Tbilisi (11°C)Palawan (30°C)Hanoi (25°C)Osaka (16°C)Goa (32°C)Cusco (21°C)Buenos Aires (26°C)Mykonos (17°C)Zanzibar (30°C)Sri Lanka (30°C)Costa Rica (25°C)Cancun (29°C)Krabi (32°C)Athens (18°C)Seville (18°C)Cartagena (31°C)Siem Reap (29°C)Havana (27°C)Split (15°C)Taipei (23°C)Kuala Lumpur (32°C)Valletta (20°C)Ho Chi Minh City (32°C)Hawaii (28°C)Cappadocia (12°C)Dominican Republic (29°C)Jamaica (30°C)Tanzania (26°C)Seychelles (29°C)Nepal (21°C)Jordan (19°C)Azores (19°C)Bora Bora (29°C)Los Angeles (22.1°C)Cairo (25.3°C)Kenya (25.8°C)Jaipur (27.8°C)Las Vegas (20.5°C)Madeira (21.5°C)Vancouver (9.2°C)Muscat (31.2°C)Lima (21.5°C)Cinque Terre (15°C)Kotor (15°C)Tel Aviv (22°C)Santiago (26°C)Bogotá (18°C)Bruges (9.4°C)Penang (30.8°C)Lombok (31.2°C)Cape Verde (27.5°C)Fez (19.8°C)Kerala (31°C)Kigali (26°C)Hong Kong (23°C)Oslo (5°C)Auckland (20°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within San Francisco, not across destinations. Methodology →