San Francisco Travel Guide
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San Francisco Travel Guide Overview
San Francisco is always ranked at or near the top of any list of people's favorite American cities to visit. People often remark that it is America's most-European city, and while that may be true, San Francisco has a vibe that is all its own. Being surrounded on three sides by water forces it to be compact and fairly dense, but many of the famous attractions are still a bit spread apart from one another.
What to do
The city is very hilly and it's filled with classic architecture so views can be breathtaking in almost every direction. The downtown is centered around Market Street with handsome Union Square being the epicenter of the shopping experience. Touristy Fisherman's Wharf is a must-see and it's where you can take a short boat ride out to the small island that houses infamous Alcatraz Prison. The neighborhood of Haight-Ashbury still holds onto some of its hippie-movement roots and the area called North Beach is home to some interesting nightlife and many of the city's budget sleeping options along Lombard Street. The city's Chinatown is one of the largest and nicest in the country.
Getting there
When you are ready to book a flight to San Francisco you should be aware that there are three large airports in the area. San Francisco International (SFO) is south of the city and the most common for long-haul flights, but often deals into Oakland Intl. (OAK) across the bay and San Jose Intl. (SJC) about 50 miles south can be cheaper than flying into SFO itself.
If you decide to use the car to get to the airport save some time and money (not to mention your sanity) by paying for your San Francisco airport parking ahead of time. If you prefer to have a San Francisco airport shuttle pick you up from home and take you to the airport, you can book that online as well.
Where to stay
There are some very cool San Francisco hostels as well as hotels in all budget ranges. It's useful to stay in the northeast quarter of the city, as you'll be closest to most of the attractions, but there are options in many different neighborhoods.
Getting around
San Francisco has a subway system (the BART), but it runs diagonally through the city on one line that is mainly meant to shuttle downtown workers from their suburban homes to their offices and back. So it's not terribly useful for tourists except for the recently completed section that connects SFO airport with the city center. Buses are plentiful, but the way the city is laid out sometimes makes for complicated trips. The famous Cable Car line can be useful for the small area it covers. Parking is very limited and often expensive so renting a car is probably not worth the hassle until you want to visit places outside the city including the nearby wine country of Napa Valley.
Our friends at USA Tourist have guides to various U.S. cities, including a San Francisco Travel Guide, specifically geared toward visitors from outside the country.
