Where to base yourself
Union Square. The central hotel district, with the best transport links, the cable-car turntable and shops. A few blocks west and south the Tenderloin is rough; check a hotel’s exact location.
Fisherman’s Wharf. Convenient for Alcatraz ferries, bay cruises and bike hire, and popular with families. Quieter at night and further from the rest of the city.
Embarcadero and Nob Hill. Smart hotels near the Ferry Building or high on the hill with classic views; pricier but pleasant.
Marina and Hayes Valley. Residential areas with good restaurants and a more local feel, for visitors who have been before.
Food & drink
Try clam chowder in a sourdough bowl at the wharf, Dungeness crab in season (roughly November to early summer), a Mission-style burrito in the Mission District and dim sum in Chinatown or the Richmond. The Ferry Building Marketplace gathers local producers under one roof, with a farmers’ market on several mornings a week.
Money-saving and safety tips
- A Muni visitor passport or day pass covers buses, trams and cable cars and soon pays for itself if you ride the cable cars more than twice.
- Multi-attraction passes such as San Francisco CityPASS or Go City can save money if you plan to visit several paid museums and take a bay cruise; add up the individual prices first.
- Car break-ins are the commonest crime affecting visitors. Leave nothing in a parked car, including in the boot, particularly at viewpoints.
- Parts of the Tenderloin, Civic Center and South of Market have visible homelessness and drug use. They are mostly safe to pass through by day; take a taxi late at night.
- Carry a windproof layer at all times. The temperature can drop sharply when the fog rolls in, even in August.
Sample plans
One day
- Morning ferry to Alcatraz
- Lunch at Fisherman’s Wharf and the sea lions at Pier 39
- Cable car up to Lombard Street and Union Square
- Sunset at the Golden Gate Bridge
Two days
- Day one as above
- Walk or cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and return by ferry
- Afternoon in Chinatown and North Beach, with Coit Tower
Three days
- Days one and two as above
- Morning at Muir Woods on a half-day tour
- Afternoon at the Painted Ladies, Haight-Ashbury and Golden Gate Park
Where to stay in San Francisco
Stay around Union Square or the Embarcadero for the best transport links, or at Fisherman’s Wharf if you want to walk to the Alcatraz ferry and the bay. Budget for parking if you bring a car.
