San Francisco Travel Guide
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Top Attractions
Cheap Flying Tips
Where to Stay
Things to Do
Your Guide to San Francisco
San Francisco is one of the top tourist destinations in the United States. Nestled on the coast of northern California, San Francisco has many cultural, historical, and modern entertainment destinations that other cities simply can’t match.
San Francisco has many things to do and see, including stopping by the famous Golden Gate Bridge and traveling by boat to nearby Alcatraz Island. There is also the well-known crooked Lombard Street and a variety of Airbnb experiences available.
In this guide, we’ll cover some of the best attractions and places to stay and visit while in San Francisco to make it easy to plan your next trip!
Top Attractions in New York
There is so much to do in San Francisco that it is almost impossible to list them all here. However, we’ve picked out the top three attractions worth visiting while you’re in town so you can take advantage of the complete San Fran experience.
Golden Gate Bridge
There is nothing more synonymous with San Francisco than Golden Gate Bridge. A giant structure that took four years to build in the 1930s, Golden Gate Bridge has an iconic orange tone with stunning blue waters below, making it one of the most photographed spots in the city and the country.
The bridge connects the greater city of San Francisco with more northern areas like Marian County or the waterfront city of Sausalito. From either side of the bridge, you can find great spots to take stunning pictures from.
On the San Francisco side, Nob Hill is full of historical mansions and other buildings in an area that offers beautiful views. On the other side of the bridge is the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which offers wonderful photo-op opportunities as well.
The best part about Golden Gate Bridge is the fact that not only cars can drive across it on US Highway 101 or SR 1, but pedestrians on foot and bicycle are also allowed on the bridge; although they are only allowed to cross from sunup to sundown, that still leaves plenty of time for one to walk or bike across the famous structure.
Alcatraz Island
While you are on the Golden Gate Bridge, if you look out to the east, you might be able to see a tiny island with a few buildings and a large tower: this is Alcatraz. Operating for only 30 years, Alcatraz Island has been home to numerous infamous criminals in its heyday, but now it serves as a tourist attraction.
Since 1973, visitors have taken a ferry over to Alcatraz to inspect and see what life was like for notorious criminals such as Al Capone and “The Birdman.” Using an audio recording that captures what life was like during the three decades of imprisonment for the criminals who stayed here, Alcatraz is a great destination for many that want to learn about the location’s history.
Fisherman’s Wharf
If you only have a few days in the city, Fisherman’s Wharf is the spot to go to if you want to see the essence of San Francisco. With over 100 shops, stores, and other attractions, you can spend an entire day here and still avoid visiting the same place twice.
At Fisherman’s Wharf, you can find different popular stops like:
- San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, with 19th and 20th-century ships restored to their former glory
- Ripley’s Believe it or Not!
- Ghirardelli Square
The Experience Flying into San Francisco Airports
Flying into San Francisco means you have three different airports to choose from:
- SFO (San Francisco International Airport)
- OAK (Oakland International Airport)
- SJC (San Jose International Airport)
Each of these airports has its pros and cons associated with their location, flight choices, and cost.
San Francisco International Airport
If you plan on staying in or around the city, SFO is the best choice because of how close the airport is. Just 13 miles south of town, your cab fares or Uber rides are not going to break the bank.
Alaska Airlines and United both use SFO as a hub for their flights, so you can find plenty of flights through those two airlines. The only downside with SFO is that weather and fog can cause more delays than the other two airports in the area.
Oakland International Airport
In the East Bay is OAK, where flights from smaller airlines like Allegiant, Norwegian, and Spirit make the trip a little more affordable for those willing to get away from more well-known airlines. Along with these airlines, Southwest has made OAK a hub for those who prefer this airline.
However, getting to San Francisco from OAK might cost a little more because it is a bit out of the way.
San Jose International Airport
If you want to visit Silicon Valley and the South Bay, SJC is the best airport for you. Just five miles from downtown San Jose, SJC has quickly become the second busiest airport in the area, behind SFO.
Southwest and Alaska Airlines both serve the most passengers to this airport, but there is no “hub” for any major airline.
It’s also worth mentioning that if you plan to visit San Francisco, it can take over an hour to travel to the city from SJC.
3 Tips to Fly Cheap to San Francisco
Flying anywhere in the country can be an expensive hassle, but if you plan on traveling to San Francisco, you may be able to find a relatively inexpensive flight to and from the city. Here are a few tips to improve your chances of finding cheap flights:
1. Find an airline that has one of the airports mentioned above listed as a “hub.”
This means the airline frequently has flights going to and from that specific airport, which means there will be more readily available flights and potentially cheaper seats.
2. Follow the “14-day rule.”
If you do not buy your plane ticket at least 14 days before the departure day, you probably missed out on the best price; once that 14-day mark hits, the price (normally) tends to spike upwards. With that said, it is typically best practice to purchase your tickets 30 to 90 days before your planned travel dates.
3. Keep supply and demand in mind.
The holidays, summertime, and spring break are times when more travelers are usually trying to book tickets, thus driving up the price of flights.
Popular Areas of the City to Stay
San Francisco is such a diverse city; there are numerous locations you could stay at and have a completely different experience from if you were to come back again and stay somewhere else.
Because of this wide array of options, finding the right place to stay depends on what kind of trip you want to have:
- If you are on vacation with your family, places like Nob Hill, Union Square, Marina, and Noe Valley are the way to go. Each of these places offers plenty of tourist-style attractions, with plenty of places to stay.
- For those looking to hit the food and bar scene in the city, places like Fisherman’s Wharf, SoMa, North Beach, and Chinatown are ideal, with so many different cultures and food options to explore.
Popular Hotels in those areas
If you’re traveling with family, there are a few kid-friendly options to choose from:
- Warwick San Francisco
- InterContinental San Francisco
- Holiday Inn San Francisco-Golden Gateway
- Grand Hyatt San Francisco Union Square
If you are traveling solo or as a couple, there are a few spots worth staying at that will put you closer to the food and drink scene:
- Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf
- The Fairmont Heritage Place-Ghirardelli Square
- Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf San Francisco
- San Francisco Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf
- Grand Plaza Hotel
(Source: SF Travel)
There are also plenty of Airbnb destinations in the area perfect for those traveling alone or with a group.
Popular Airbnb Places in Those Areas
In the Union Square and Marina areas, there are a few popular Airbnbs that can be rented during the time you’re in San Francisco, with one of the most well known in Nob Hill.
This Airbnb in Nob Hill offers the entire bungalow to be rented out for an extended period, with a slightly lower price than a hotel in the same area. It also provides ample free and low-cost parking nearby, which would otherwise be troublesome to find or pricey for those traveling with family or a large group.
For those looking in the Fisherman’s Wharf or North Beach area, there are plenty of Airbnb’s available that can be half as much as a hotel in the same area. The best part about some of these Airbnbs is that you can find a few options that allow you to have the entire place to yourself.
This North Beach Airbnb is a great example of what can be available for the right price. While this location does not allow you to rent the entire place, there are plenty of others in the area that will.
Top 3 Things to Do in San Francisco
Earlier in this guide, we covered a few things you can see while in San Francisco, but what if you want to participate in a few San Fran activities? Below is a list of the top three things you can do while in town:
- Watch a game at San Francisco’s Oracle Park, Chase Center, or Levi’s Stadium: Depending on the time of year, there’s bound to be a game you can attend with the multitude of professional sports teams in the San Fran area. Check out the Giants (baseball), Warriors (basketball), or 49ers (football) at one of their arenas or stadiums. All these locations are accessible via a quick car ride.
- Drive down Lombard Street: Although most times you’ll find the street blocked by parked cars or other drivers attempting to navigate down this zig-zag road, you may be able to visit at a time where it’s empty, so you can try to drive or walk down the street yourself.
- Walk among the Redwoods: If you’re the outdoors type, the giant redwood trees at Big Basin Redwoods State Park are a wonderful sight and the perfect excuse to get into some nature near the city. Take a stroll around these massive, ancient trees.
Coolest Airbnb Experiences in San Francisco
As you can guess, based on what we’ve covered so far, finding things to do in San Francisco is not hard. There are so many attractions and shops to go to, there may not even be enough time in your stay to get to everything.
However, for those looking for a unique adventure, Airbnb has an awesome feature that allows you to find opportunities for cool experiences you may not get from anywhere else you stay in the city. Some popular Airbnb experiences include:
- Sidecar Tours – Take a tour of the city, in the sidecar of Jerome’s motorcycle!
- Pizza and Bar Crawl – If you are in the North Beach area and want a little bit of the nightlife experience, this is the crawl to join. Pizza and beer; there’s nothing better!
- Walk the Haight – This experience offers a walking tour of famous residences in the city.
Of course, these are just some of the more unique Airbnb experiences in their options for things to do in the city. Be sure to check out all the options available before you go to ensure the best trip possible.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are plenty of things to see and do while you’re in San Francisco, from hitting up the various restaurants in the area to visiting some of the city’s most iconic landmarks and attractions. On top of that, it’s easy to find affordable flights to visit this popular northern California destination, making it a worthwhile spot to visit for those even on the tightest of budgets.
