San Francisco: Cheap Flights & Best Hotels

San Francisco Travel Guide

The City by the Bay

San Francisco squeezes an astonishing variety into a small, hilly peninsula. Victorian houses climb streets so steep that cable cars still haul people up them, fog rolls through the Golden Gate on summer afternoons, and each neighbourhood has a distinct personality, from the murals of the Mission to the dim sum of Chinatown and the rainbow flags of the Castro. It is a city of innovation and counterculture, of world-class food and of wild coastline minutes from downtown.

Weather: Pack Layers

San Francisco's microclimates mean it can be sunny in the Mission and foggy at Ocean Beach on the same afternoon. Summer (June–August) is often cool and foggy, especially near the coast, which surprises many visitors. September and October frequently bring the warmest, clearest days of the year and are arguably the best time to visit. Spring is mild with wildflowers in the parks, and winter is the rainy season but rarely cold. Whenever you come, bring layers and a windproof jacket.

Essential Sights

Golden Gate Bridge. Walk or cycle across the bridge for views of the bay, then continue to the waterfront town of Sausalito and catch a ferry back. Good viewpoints include Crissy Field, Battery Spencer on the Marin side and Fort Point beneath the southern end.

Alcatraz. The former federal prison on its island is reached only by the official ferry from Pier 33. Tickets often sell out, so book in advance through the official concessionaire. The audio tour, narrated in part by former inmates and guards, is excellent.

Cable cars. The surviving lines are a moving National Historic Landmark. The Powell–Hyde line has some of the best views; queues at the turnaround points can be long, so try boarding further along the route.

Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39. Touristy but fun, with sea lions lounging on the docks, clam chowder in sourdough bowls and boats to the bay.

Golden Gate Park. Larger than New York's Central Park, it holds the de Young Museum, the California Academy of Sciences, the Japanese Tea Garden and the Conservatory of Flowers.

Neighbourhoods. Walk through Chinatown, one of the oldest in North America, and neighbouring North Beach, the old Italian quarter linked to the Beat poets. See the Painted Ladies at Alamo Square, the murals of Clarion and Balmy Alleys in the Mission, and the hippie history of Haight-Ashbury.

Viewpoints. Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill, Twin Peaks and the Lands End trail (with the ruins of the Sutro Baths) give very different perspectives on the city.

Museums. SFMOMA for modern art, the Exploratorium for hands-on science and the Asian Art Museum, with one of the largest collections of Asian art in the Western world.

Day Trips

Wine country in Napa and Sonoma is about an hour or so north; Muir Woods protects towering coast redwoods (parking or shuttle reservations are required); Silicon Valley lies to the south; and Yosemite National Park is a long day or, better, an overnight trip.

Food

San Francisco's food scene is legendary. Try a Mission-style burrito, sourdough bread, Dungeness crab in season, cioppino seafood stew, and dim sum in Chinatown or the Richmond District. The Ferry Building Marketplace gathers artisan producers, with a farmers' market on several days a week. The Bay Area has a large South Asian community, so excellent Indian food is easy to find, as are vegan and vegetarian restaurants.

Getting There and Around

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the main gateway, with flights worldwide; Oakland (OAK) and San José (SJC) are alternatives. BART trains connect SFO and Oakland airports to downtown.

Within the city, Muni buses, light rail, historic streetcars and cable cars are operated by the SFMTA; the Clipper card or contactless payment covers them, and visitor passports are available. BART crosses the bay to Oakland and Berkeley, and ferries run to Sausalito, Tiburon and Oakland. Driving is stressful thanks to hills, traffic and expensive parking; never leave valuables visible in a parked car, as car break-ins are common.

Where to Stay

• Union Square: Central, with transport links and many hotels.
• Nob Hill: Classic hotels on the cable-car lines.
• Fisherman's Wharf: Family-friendly and close to Alcatraz ferries.
• SoMa: Near SFMOMA and the convention centre.
• Marina and Pacific Heights: Upscale, residential, close to the bridge.

Budget Tips

• Many viewpoints, parks and the Golden Gate Bridge walk are free.
• Use a Muni visitor pass for unlimited transport.
• Eat in the Mission and Chinatown for value.
• Hotel prices rise sharply during large conferences, so check the events calendar.
• voyagiro.com compares 27+ booking sites for free, which helps when comparing flights into SFO, Oakland and San José.

Practical Information

• Entry: Visa Waiver travellers need an ESTA; others need a US visa.
• Currency: US dollar (USD); tipping is expected in restaurants and bars.
• Safety: Stay aware in areas such as parts of the Tenderloin, and secure belongings.
• Plugs: Types A and B, 120V.