San Francisco is a great town for tourists. The city has lots to do, there’s lots to see, and it’s easy to walk or take public transportation nearly anywhere you might want to go.

One of the downsides to visiting is cost. San Francisco is one of the country’s most expensive cities; the cost of living is exceeded only in Manhattan and Honolulu, according to one popular index.

But it’s possible to spend time there without breaking the bank. San Francisco offers many terrific inexpensive and free activities. We mentioned some in an earlier column — a visit to Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill, a stroll through Golden Gate Park and walking across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Here we’ve expanded on some of those activities on the cheap and noted others. The adage “you get what you pay for” doesn’t have to apply in this city, where some of the best things are free.

Chinatown

This enclave – eight blocks long and three blocks wide, with 15,000 residents – is teeming with human action. Shops, produce markets, restaurants and its general chaos make a stroll in Chinatown memorable. Chinatown is without peer when it comes to people watching. Also, there is no cheaper place in the city to shop or eat. Enjoying an egg tart, still warm from the oven, at Golden Gate Bakery is reason enough to make you thankful to have visited the city.

Golden Gate Bridge

The iconic bridge is open to walkers and bikers who wish to experience the thrill of crossing the Golden Gate under their own power. Walking on the bridge is usually a cold, windy experience, but it offers breathtaking views. Doing so when a big ship passes underneath the bridge is a real treat. An information center, restaurant, and parking area are on the south end of the bridge. Parking is limited, so it is best to take public transportation.

Presidio

The former military base, now operated by the National Park Service and the Presidio Trust, is a gem. Visitors can bike, hike, picnic, fly kites and explore San Francisco history, and it doesn’t cost a cent. A free museum in the Officers’ Club has exhibits and offers an excellent film. A wonderful Walt Disney museum (fee charged) is near the former parade ground. Free Presidio buses provide access to nearly all points of interest in the city, including the Golden Gate Bridge. A separate, free bus serves San Francisco’s city center.

Cable Car Museum

Learn about the history and workings of San Francisco’s iconic cable cars, which have been shuttling people through these streets since 1873. The building in the Nob Hill neighborhood also serves as the powerhouse for all the city’s cable cars. Visitors can watch and hear the hum of huge engines and winding wheels that pull the underground cables that pull the cars. The free museum is located at the corner of Washington and Mason streets.

Golden Gate Park

This marvelous, three-mile long, half-mile-wide urban park has walkways and bicycle paths winding through and around grassy meadows, hills, lakes, sports fields, a children’s playground, a Dutch windmill and even a paddock with a small herd of American bison. The park is a beautiful place to visit itself. It also has science and art museums, an arboretum, Japanese tea garden, carousel, and a flower conservatory, most of which charge for admission. A free shuttle bus operates within the park on weekends and holidays.

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

The National Park Service unit on the west end of Fisherman’s Wharf includes a visitor center with multiple exhibits and a museum in a 1939 bathhouse, both of which are free.

Hyde Street Pier is home to a number of historic ships, including a beautiful 1895 three-masted schooner. A fee is charged to walk onto the pier, climb aboard and tour the boats. Holders of an America the Beautiful or senior pass can access the pier without charge.

City Hall

Many consider San Francisco City Hall, which opened its doors in 1915, the city’s most beautiful building. The exterior of the Beaux Arts building is impressive, and the interior is magnificent, as well. Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe were married here in 1954, and the building continues as a popular venue for weddings. We counted six brides in a variety of white dresses during our own brief visit. Free, guided tours of 45 minutes to an hour are offered weekdays at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m.

Walking tours

San Francisco City Guides offers free walking tours of various buildings, parks and historic areas. An entire trip to the city could be planned around these offerings. Tours during our stay included Alfred Hitchcock movie locations, the city’s Gold Rush history and the North Beach and Haight-Ashbury districts. Though tours are free, donations are accepted. A listing of tours is available at www.sfcityguides.org.

Amoeba Music

Located for 19 years in a former bowling alley, this store, which bills itself as the largest independent record store in the world, is a heaven for music lovers. With more than 200,000 new and used LPs, and 500,000 CDs, a visitor could spend hours wandering through the store with walls covered by old posters of rock stars. Located in the Haight-Ashbury district, there is no end of odd sights nearby.

Ferry Building

One of the city’s most iconic landmarks, the Ferry Building opened in 1898 as a transportation hub for ferryboats and railroads. After the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge, the Ferry Building fell into a long period of deterioration. It was restored during a four-year renovation and reopened in 2003 as a first-class food market. If you visit, be sure to stop at Acme Bread Company for some of the finest artesian breads we’ve ever enjoyed.

David and Kay Scott are authors of “Complete Guide to the National Park Lodges” (Globe Pequot). Visit them at www.valdosta.edu/~dlscott/Scott