San Francisco, CA

Travel Guide
San Francisco featuring a house

San Francisco Travel Guide Video

The city with a beautiful bay, famous red bridge and infamous fog welcomes you to enjoy art, history, shopping and outdoor activities.

San Francisco is simultaneously romantic, exciting, relaxing and intriguing. Rent a bike, walk, ride the trolley or drive to fascinating destinations. Tour San Francisco Bay by boat for unique views from beneath Golden Gate Bridge. Stop at Alcatraz Island its former inescapable prison became famous in the film Birdman of Alcatraz.

At the bridge’s southern end is the Presidio, a former military base, now a large park with hiking trails, great bridge and shoreline views, Andy Goldsworthy sculptures, Baker Beach, the Walt Disney Family Museum and a life-size Yoda statue.

Entering the Marina District, attend a performance at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. Travel east to the Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood for shopping and dining. Enjoy a chocolate sundae at Ghirardelli, a local favorite for over 150 years. Visit the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park to see ships that sailed more than a century ago. Watch sea lions lounging on rafts near Pier 39. Continue on to the Embarcadero District. The Exploratorium at Pier 15 features interactive exhibits intertwining science, art and human perception. See the Giants play football at AT&T Park in South Beach.

Inland, shop at Union Square, drive down the very crooked Lombard Street and photograph the Painted Ladies Victorian row houses. Stand at the Haight-Ashbury corner, in the neighborhood where hippie counterculture developed in the 1960s.

Enter the Golden Gate Park to visit de Young Museum, filled with art, costumes and textiles. Explore botanical gardens, play golf or tennis, photograph the Japanese Tea Garden and wade in the Pacific Ocean.

Travel north to tall redwoods in Muir Woods, wineries in Napa and Sonoma and quaint shops in Sausalito. On a foggy day, stand atop Vista Point in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area at the bridge’s northern end and gaze south across the clouds to see Sutro Tower rising from Twin Peaks, with the rest of the city hidden. When the fog clears, San Francisco’s skyline is a gleaming gem at the end of the golden bridge.

Where to stay in San Francisco

Fisherman\'s Wharf showing a city and a marina

Fisherman's Wharf

4/5(38 area reviews)

Discover Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in this bustling tourist hotspot. Savor seafood at family-owned restaurants and explore the sea lion colony, while enjoying convenient cable car access.

Fisherman's Wharf
Downtown San Francisco featuring railway items

Downtown San Francisco

3/5(1,084 area reviews)

Serving as San Francisco's central business district, this area boasts Northern California's two tallest buildings, the Salesforce Tower and Transamerica Pyramid. Explore shopping malls like the Embarcadero Center and enjoy parks such as Sue Biermann Park, all easily accessible via Muni bus and rail lines.

Downtown San Francisco
Union Square which includes a high rise building and a city

Union Square

4/5(5,164 area reviews)

Major tourist destination in downtown San Francisco, Union Square boasts shopping, hotels, and theaters. Explore department stores, boutiques, and galleries, or catch a performance at various theaters. Enjoy the Dewey Monument and stunning views from nearby hotels. Easily accessible via cable car lines, buses, and subway systems.

Union Square
North Beach which includes skyline and a city

North Beach

4.5/5(2,699 area reviews)

Adjacent to Chinatown and the Financial District, this "Little Italy" boasts Italian restaurants, cafes, and bakeries along Columbus Avenue and Washington Square. Explore the National Shrine of Saint Francis of Assisi and City Lights Bookstore.

North Beach
Western Addition showing a coastal town, heritage architecture and a house

Western Addition

4/5(453 area reviews)

Travelers love Western Addition for its popular shops, and you can see more of San Francisco by jumping on the metro at Duboce Avenue & Noe Street Station or Duboce Ave & Church St Stop. You might spend time checking out top sights like Alamo Square and Painted Ladies.

Western Addition
Marina District featuring heritage architecture as well as a small group of people

Marina District

4/5(1,279 area reviews)

Featuring the picturesque Marina Green park and the iconic Palace of Fine Arts, this neighborhood offers a charming shopping and dining experience along Chestnut Street, with easy access via Lombard Street.

Marina District
Holiday Inn Golden Gateway, an IHG Hotel
Holiday Inn Golden Gateway, an IHG Hotel
3.5 out of 5
1500 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA
The price is $125 per night from Apr 9 to Apr 10
$125
$146 total
includes taxes & fees
Apr 9 - Apr 10
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in San Francisco. Enjoy free WiFi, a 24-hour fitness center, and onsite parking. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (2,360 reviews)
"Great hotel and views! All employees were nice and make you feel welcome. Room service made the bed while we were gone exploring which is a plus. Only negative was that I wish I would have know that you have to pay to park which was $45/ day."

Reviewed on Mar 25, 2024

Holiday Inn Golden Gateway, an IHG Hotel
Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman's Wharf
Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman's Wharf
4 out of 5
2500 Mason St, San Francisco, CA
The price is $124 per night from Apr 7 to Apr 8
$124
$179 total
includes taxes & fees
Apr 7 - Apr 8
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in San Francisco. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and a 24-hour fitness center. Our guests praise the breakfast and the ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (6,203 reviews)
"Amazing staff, hotel convenient Would go back!"

Reviewed on Mar 28, 2024

Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman's Wharf
King George Hotel
King George Hotel
3 out of 5
334 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA
The price is $89 per night from Apr 1 to Apr 2
$89
$114 total
includes taxes & fees
Apr 1 - Apr 2
Stay at this hotel in San Francisco. Enjoy WiFi, a 24-hour front desk, and daily housekeeping. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in our ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (1,389 reviews)
Very good hotel
"Really great value for money. Perfect location for us. Easy access from BART station. Cable cars just around the corner. Pleasant walk to Fisherman’s Wharf. Room had everything you could need and a really comfy bed. Coffee and pastries included for breakfast which was great for early starts and long ..."

Reviewed on Mar 26, 2024

King George Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Come enjoy this Beautiful Home ! Sunsets Optional !
Come enjoy this Beautiful Home ! Sunsets Optional !
San Francisco
Stay at this family-friendly vacation home in San Francisco. Enjoy free WiFi, onsite parking, and a garden. Popular attractions Golden Gate Park and Presidio ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (33 reviews)
St. Patrick’s Day Getaway Weekend
"It was a perfect getaway weekend!!! We left the car parked in the designated spot and took everything out of the car and we were not broken into and it was there every morning when I woke up. It was a beautiful place. It was a great drop off and sleep spot."

Reviewed on Mar 17, 2024

Come enjoy this Beautiful Home ! Sunsets Optional !
Cozy and Affordable Homes in Santa Ana
Cozy and Affordable Homes in Santa Ana
2.5 out of 5
5 Santa Ana Ave, Daly City, CA
Stay at this apartment in Daly City. Enjoy a refrigerator. Popular attractions Serramonte Center and Harding Park Golf Course are located nearby. Discover genuine ...
7.2/10 Good! (10 reviews)
"For my needs, it was conveniently located and easily accessible by freeway or public bus. Property needs an outdoor smoming area to be perfect."

Reviewed on Mar 4, 2024

Cozy and Affordable Homes in Santa Ana
Modern Trendy Spacious Homes SSFDowntown
Modern Trendy Spacious Homes SSFDowntown
2 out of 5
429 Baden Ave, South San Francisco, CA
Stay at this apartment in South San Francisco. Enjoy free WiFi, a Smart TV, and satellite TV. Popular attractions The Shops at Tanforan and Serramonte Center ...
7/10 Good! (4 reviews)
"It feel like home!"

Reviewed on Feb 25, 2024

Modern Trendy Spacious Homes SSFDowntown
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Getting around San Francisco

The best way to explore San Francisco’s downtown area is on foot, as it is compact and parking is sparse. Beyond the city center, get around using the Muni transportation network. Buy a daily pass that takes in buses, the light rail and the city’s historic cable cars, as well as the old-fashioned electric trolley cars of the F-line. Taxis are available in busy areas but they do tend to be expensive. Visit the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency website. Browse San Francisco rental cars.

Best time to visit

Perhaps surprisingly, San Francisco’s warmest season is in the fall. Aim to visit in September to enjoy the highest temperatures, with daily averages often being as high 70 F (21 C). Another advantage of visiting at this time of the year is that, as school summer vacations will be at an end, there may be far fewer visitors than in the summer months. That means more accommodations and shorter lines.

Popular places to visit

Reviews of San Francisco

4.3
Top Destination
5 - Excellent
5897
" "5 - Excellent 48.02117263843648%
4 - Good
4594
" "4 - Good 37.41042345276873%
3 - Okay
1339
" "3 - Okay 10.903908794788274%
2 - Disappointing
305
" "2 - Disappointing 2.48371335504886%
1 - Terrible
145
" "1 - Terrible 1.1807817589576548%

1/5 - Terrible

Verified traveler
Jun 3, 2020

I have lived here for 25 years and it’s become a filthy dirty stinky place to be I can’t wait to move away from San Francisco.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveler
Jun 2, 2020

San Francisco has beautiful things

5/5 - Excellent

Mr.NEH
Jun 2, 2020

love the city.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveler
Jun 2, 2020

Even though we were there during Covid and there weren’t many businesses open, we still had a wonderful stay.

3/5 - Okay

Mojo
May 30, 2020

Getting harder to enjoy. COVID an issue when I was there.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveler
May 30, 2020

I love SF !

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