san francisco travel vlog

The Ultimate San Francisco Itinerary

From the Golden Gate Bridge and the fortress of Alcatraz, to the murals of the Mission District and the bright lights of Chinatown – this San Francisco itinerary will give you a great introduction to the city.

Welcome to San Francisco! Surrounded by lush hills and Californian coastline, and filled with famous monuments such as the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco has plenty to offer visitors.

You can satisfy your food cravings in Chinatown, marvel at the vibrant murals of the Mission District, and tour the city in a traditional cable car. And don’t worry about that ethereal fog that sometimes looms over the bay – it’s all part of what makes this city unique.

To help make your travel dream a reality, I’ve put together the ideal itinerary for 3 days in San Francisco, aimed at first time visitors and taking in some of the city’s best sights, sounds and smells.

If you’re looking for things to do in San Francisco, simply use my San Francisco itinerary, travel tips and guide for inspiration!

Oh, and if you fancy making your trip extra special, check out my pick of the best hotels in San Francisco with a view .

Best Time to Visit San Francisco

In terms of weather, San Francisco is known for the fog that descends in the bay area. Added to that, its coastal location means that the city never gets too hot, even in peak summer. Winter and spring, however, can be unpredictable and rainy, so to experience the best weather, I’d recommend visiting in autumn. Temperatures hover around 22 degrees Celsius, the main sights won’t be too crowded, and you’ll get to see the Californian forests in their colourful autumn tones.

San Francisco Itinerary

Cross the golden gate bridge.

Nothing can quite prepare you for the sight of the gleaming Golden Gate Bridge, which spans the mile-long strait connecting San Francisco to Marin County. This breath-taking feat of human engineering is the iconic symbol of the city, and crossing it is one of the most popular things to do in San Francisco.

If you just want to relax, the Golden Gate Bridge can be admired at your leisure from Crissy Fields, a park which offers excellent views of both the bridge and Alcatraz.

Alternatively, hire a bike at Fisherman’s Wharf, traverse the 1.7 mile-long bridge, and spend the day exploring the coast on the far side of the bay. If you’ve got the energy, it’s even possible to get all the way to Muir Woods by bike, where you can explore the grove of giant sequoia trees.

Grab Lunch at Fisherman’s Wharf

Classic San Francisco destination, Fisherman’s Wharf has become something of a tourist trap in recent years. As the major jumping-off point for tours to Alcatraz, this bustling waterfront is often criticised for high prices and long queues.

However, despite the crowds, Fisherman’s Wharf is definitely worth a visit, if only to taste fresh crab or a delicious clam chowder from the street vendors. Don’t miss the noisy sea lions at Pier 39 – a unique attraction that should definitely be part of your San Francisco itinerary!

Wander Through Chinatown

San Francisco’s Chinatown is one of the best places in the city to wander, explore, and eat to your heart’s content!

Leave space in your San Francisco itinerary for a meal here during your stay, and take advantage of the colourful shops and streets. If you love taking photos, you’ll be in your element.

Ride the Cable Cars

Did you even visit San Francisco if you didn’t ride one of the city’s iconic streetcars?

They transport passengers across the city, all the way from Union Square up to the top of Nob Hill. Atmospheric, creaking and beautifully decorated, a ride on the cable cars is one of the most unusual things to do in San Francisco.

The Powell-Hyde line will take you from Fisherman’s Wharf past some of the city’s most iconic sights. Don’t miss Lombard Street too, the famous flower-clad hill known for its sharp hairpin bends.

Admire Coit Tower

Perched on the top of Telegraph Hill, Coit Tower is one of the city’s most famous landmarks.

Ascend the tower for a fabulous panorama of the city and the bay, or stay at ground level to admire the murals that adorn the base – painted by local artists during the Great Depression of the early 1930s.

Take a trip to Alcatraz

While spending the morning doing an audio tour of a former prison might not sound like a reason to get out of bed, you can’t visit San Francisco and not take the trip to Alcatraz. It was a real highlight for me.

Be sure to book in advance as a lot of the slots sell out. The tour offers a fascinating insight into the various attempted escapes and the big name criminals who used to be imprisoned there. It’s pretty eerie, but will definitely strike a chord.

Eat a Burrito in the Mission District

After a busy day exploring some of the most popular tourist attractions in San Francisco, head to the Mission District for great views over the city from Dolores Park, and some of the best Mexican food you’ll taste in California.

This trendy, diverse neighbourhood offers buzzing nightlife, as well as some of the city’s best bookshops, and vintage clothing stores. When I visited I went on a great food tour , during which I learned all about the history of the area and tasted some incredible and diverse cuisine. I’d definitely recommend adding that to your San Francisco itinerary if you have time.

Chill out in the Golden Gate Park

The Golden Gate Park is a lovely place to spend an afternoon. It features a traditional Japanese tea garden, a beautiful arboretum and several museums, all surrounded by tranquil walking trails.

Don’t miss the California Academy of Sciences – one of the most eco-friendly museums in the world! This vast park is a wonderful place to come in spring and summer, when it’s decorated with colourful flowers in full bloom.

Explore Haight-Ashbury

San Francisco is synonymous with the hippie movement of the 1960s, and Haight-Ashbury is where it all began. Although it’s become somewhat gentrified in recent years, this iconic neighbourhood still belongs on any San Francisco itinerary.

You’ll find vintage bookshops, cool cocktail bars, and colourful painted houses (including the former home of the band members of the Grateful Dead!).

Party in the Castro

Top off your San Francisco itinerary with a night out in the rainbow-clad streets of the Castro.

Home of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, this vibrant part of the city is a wonderful place to explore. You’ll find thrift stores, vintage clothes, bars, and clubs – everyone is welcome and you’ll be in for a fabulous night out.

Stay at a Luxurious Hotel in San Francisco

Palace hotel.

Located in downtown San Francisco, just off Market Street, the Palace Hotel is one of the city’s most glittering jewels. This stunning hotel is decorated in the Beaux Arts style, and has hosted plenty of Hollywood stars and international celebrities over the years.

You’ll find a restaurant decked out in glittering chandeliers and a beautiful domed ceiling, a state-of-the-art spa, and some of the most luxurious rooms in the city.

Check availability and latest prices at the Palace Hotel here

Huntington Hotel

Located in a great location in Nob Hill, the Huntington Hotel is one of San Francisco’s classiest offerings.

This luxury hotel offers spacious rooms and an uber-cool piano bar with regular live music. If long days of sightseeing have worn you out, take advantage of the wonderful spa facilities – the ideal way to unwind during your San Francisco travel itinerary.

Check availability and latest prices at Huntington Hotel here

Loews Regency San Francisco Hotel

The Loews Regency San Francisco Hotel offers, without doubt, the best view of any hotel in San Francisco.

With stunning vistas over the bay and the bridge (the hotel even provides binoculars so you can really make the most of it), it’s hard to beat for location.

What’s more, the service is warm, friendly and attentive, and the hotel has everything you might expect from a luxury place to stay. The ideal spot for those seeking a little luxury in a memorable location.

Check availability and latest prices at Loews Regency San Francisco Hotel here

Search for other hotels in San Francisco using this handy map

Tours in san francisco, straight to the gate: escape from the rock bay cruise.

Alatraz is one of San Francisco’s most notorious monuments, an impenetrable prison located on an offshore island, once home to some of America’s most dangerous and deadly criminals.

This cruise circles the island, giving you the best view of the city, the bridges and the island itself, and you’ll be entertained along the way with some gruesome stories of escape attempts over the decades.

Check prices and availability here

Redwoods and Wine Country

San Francisco offers easy access to some of California’s most beautiful natural spots, and this tour is a great way to experience the best marriage between nature and culture.

In the morning you’ll explore the Redwood Forests, filled with towering, gargantuan redwoods. In the afternoon, you’ll tour some of the Napa Valley’s best vineyards, sampling some wine and learning more about this diverse industry.

Looking for other cool places to visit in California? Don’t forget to check out my Los Angeles itinerary , which is packed full of amazing food recommendations, fun day trips and great views.  

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Chloe Gunning

With a passion for food, fun and adventure, Chloe is the content creator behind one of the UK's top travel blogs Wanderlust Chloe. From volcano boarding in Nicaragua, to sailing around Sicily and eating her way around Japan, her travels have taken her to some of the coolest spots on the planet. Named Travel Influencer of the Year in 2022, Chloe regularly works with a number of tourism boards, producing inspirational travel content across multiple platforms. Find out more about Chloe here.

1 thought on “The Ultimate San Francisco Itinerary”

About two years ago I visited San Francisco for the first time – it was amazing. Think I covered mostly everything in your itinerary. I didn’t see Redwoods Forest though which was a shame!

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Weekend in San Francisco: My 2nd Vlog

My new favorite travel app: detour.

But while I was walking around those same areas, I did actually learn a lot more about them. And that was because of this new app Detour that I happen to discover when I was reading online about things to do in San Francisco.

I love exploring a city on foot. But there’s only so much you can learn about a city by reading a travel guide. That’s why tours with a local are often great. But then you have to find one, sign up for a tour and be at a specific time and place to meet them. Not ideal when I don’t have much time and don’t know exactly what my day is going to look like.

So what Detour does is it offers ten walking tours in different neighborhoods, on your phone. It’s pre-recorded, but because of GPS they know exactly where you are, what walking directions to give you and what story to tell you when. After the first five minutes I wished I had more time so I could do them all. They’re fantastic.

I did two of them, ‘Beyond the Painted Ladies’ and ‘Haight-Ashbury’ (with actor Peter Coyote as your tour guide). Both take about an hour, and I learned so much about the history and the people, interesting things that happened in certain houses that you otherwise would have never known. Or they tell you to go into a building that doesn’t seem to look that interesting, to find a hidden gem on the inside. I loved it!

San Francisco is the first city with these tours, but they’re launching other cities around the world soon.

Okay, so now here it is: my San Francisco travel vlog. Enjoy (better in HD!)

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Watch my San Francisco video

I can’t put my finger on what it was that I loved so much about San Francisco. The city just has SO MUCH going on! From the piers and waterfront to the hustle of the city, the magic of China town, the impact of the Golden Gate bridge and the beauty of the Golden Gate Park… I feel like I only saw the tip of the iceberg.

Anyway, I finally got round to sorting through my zillions of video clips from the trip. If you’ve never been to San Francisco before (or if you have, and want to relive it!) then check out my travel video below… I’ll also be sharing a second video in the next week or so, which is all about our trip to Yosemite National Park, so make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss that one.

San Francisco travel video

I’m also just finishing off the last bits of my San Francisco travel scrapbook ( read more about that here ). Once I’m done, I’ll share a full page-by-page walkthrough, so you guys can see exactly what we got up to on each day of our holiday. I don’t normally keep scrapbooks, so it’s going to feel weird blogging about that! Can’t wait to see what you think.

Finally, if you guys have been anywhere cool this summer, do drop me a comment and let me know! I’m currently keeping the wanderlust at bay by thinking of where I’d like to travel to next… so tips and suggestions would be awesome please! 🙂 Thanks guys! – Mike.

Hello, I'm Mike! I started this blog in 2013, and it's since become a part-time job for me. I've always been obsessed with crafts (my very first memories are of making things... and I've never grown out of it!). So it really is a dream come true that I can now share this joy with people like you, every single day. Thank you for being here! READ MORE

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San francisco travel blog — the fullest san francisco travel guide for a great trip for first-timers.

San Francisco, a city that feels close to anyone coming here, is located at the tip of a peninsula between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Coast. Many tourists who traveled here share the same comment that having not visited San Francisco is like not coming to America. Because this place is known as the most attractive city on the West Coast of America, there are many beauftiful places to visit. San Francisco is famous for its summer fog, Victorian architecture, cable car and stunning views. So, what to do and how to visit San Francisco? Let’s check out our San Francisco travel blog (San Francisco blog) with the fullest San Francisco travel guide (San Francisco guide) from how to get there, where to stay, top things to do, best places to visit … to clear the answer!

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San Francisco travel blog: Overview of San Francisco

San Francisco is the leading cultural and financial center of Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area, USA. This is one of the most visited cities in the world. According to historical records, the city of San Francisco dates back to 3000 BC. Currently, San Francisco has an area of ​​about 121.4 square kilometers with approximately 900 thousand residents. San Francisco is famous for its cool, foggy in summer, steep hills, diversity in architecture and unique landscapes such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the old prison on Alcatraz Island or Chinatown …

People often say, “Only in San Francisco” has a reason for it. Well-known for its diverse culture, music and picturesque scenery, San Francisco is an inspiring city that attracts many visitors from all over the world to visit. Here you will see various mixed styles, from Hippie people to university students and other cultures (French, Spain, Asian, Latino…). San Francisco is one of the most exciting and great cities in America and it is also the most expensive city in America.

Read more: San Francisco itinerary 3 days — What to do in San Francisco in 3 days & How to spend 3 days in San Francisco?

San Francisco travel guide: Is San Francisco traveling safe?

San Francisco is a dynamic but quite complicated city, and full of dangers like Los Angeles. Especially when we went to the subway station in downtown. OMG, this place is extremely messy because tourists are crowded and homeless people are no less crowded. As far as I know, there are nearly ten thousand homeless people in San Francisco, so you can meet them anywhere, especially downtown area. And you must be extremely careful when strangers come enthusiastically to guide the directions, like us, when we just got off the subway, they came and ask where to go and give directions, so I thought they helped us, but when we said thanks, they ask for money. Not to mention that some people ask for money, we did not give, then they were following and cursing. In this case, we also dare not say anything, just quietly go quickly and find ways to avoid crowded places like this.

San Francisco blog: When to visit?

San Francisco’s climatic character is reflected in writer Mark Twain’s quote “The coldest winter I have ever experienced is a summer in San Francisco”.

The city is endowed with a Mediterranean-like climate, characterized by mild, humid winters and warm, dry summers. Because its three sides are surrounded by sea, the climate of San Francisco that is strongly influenced by the cold ocean currents of the Pacific tends to be less different in terms of climate between the seasons.

The average temperature in summer: Highest: 70°F (21°C) and lowest 20°F (9°C). In winter, the highest temperature is 60°F (15°C) and the lowest temperature never reaches freezing. The combination of the cold seawater and the heat of continental California creates fog in the western half of the city in all day during the summer, with less fog in the east. There are about 160 clear days and 105 cloudy days a year.

The best time to visit San Francisco is spring or autumn (September to November). Coming here in the summer, you will experience exciting activities such as swimming, surfing, scuba diving … You should not travel to San Francisco in winter, although the cost may be cheaper but the inclement weather will interfere your trip.

San Francisco travel guide: How to get?

San Francisco International Airport (SFO), located 21 kilometers to the south of the city. Some airlines in Vietnam operating direct flights to San Francisco must be mentioned such as Vietnam Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, Asiana Airlines …

• Hanoi – San Francisco (connecting flights) with fares ranging from $859.38 – $3,222.67. You can buy airline tickets such as Vietnam Airlines, American Airlines, ANA All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Asiana Airlines, Korean Air …
• Ho Chi Minh City – San Francisco (connecting flights) with the fares ranges from $730.69 – $3,440.97. You can buy tickets from some airlines such as: Philippine Airlines, American Airlines, ANA All Nippon Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Japan Airlines, EVA Airways …

How to get from San Jose to San Francisco?

From San Jose you can take a free bus to the train station to get to San Francisco. We take the Dash bus number 201. Note: only the bus with word “Dash” take you to the station, do not be confused with other buses.

Then from the station you can take the Caltrain’s train from San Jose to San Francisco costs $10.5 per person and takes about 1 hour 30 to 1 hour 45 minutes to arrive. This fare is valid for 4 hours, which means if you buy the ticket at 11AM, you have to take the train at that time until you get off the train at 3pm will expire, so during this time instead of going straight to San Francisco, you can get off at the mid-road stations to visit, such as stop by Redwood city, then catch the next train to continue going to San Francisco.

The ticket cannot be pre-purchased but must be purchased within the same day. That means you have to use it immediately. Every 30-45 minutes there will be 1 trip from San Jose to San Francisco.

From the Caltrain train station to the hotel, you have many options. If you have abundant time like us, you can take the bus, train, high-speed train, subway … But before take public transport to your hotel, you have to walk across the street, the opposite side Caltrain train station to catch N train.

Note: If you do not see the security guard to ask, you should try to find them, do not ask the stranger lest you get in trouble. This is also the advice of the guard I asked, she wrote the instructions very detailed on a paper, I went straight to my hotel just thanks to her guide without asking anyone else.

Getting from downtown San Francisco to the airport

To getting from the city center to the airport you can choose shuttle that pick you up at the hotel for 15 USD or take the train to the airport like us. Or go by BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) train, every 15 minutes with a trip, travel time to get to the airport about 30 minutes. Tickets can be purchased from BART vending ticket machines at subway stations, with a one-way fare of $9.65. After that, you will go to SFO by take the yellow train line, the last station is the airport so you can rest assured.

Check-in at the airport is also quite takes time, although the notice board opening check-in time was from 6am, so we queued long, but until 6:30am, the staff shows up and they finished pretty soon, so it’s best if you come 3 hours before flight time for the long-haul flight.

San Francisco guide: Public transportation in San Francisco

The public transport in San Francisco is quite developed, giving you many choices in moving from one street to another. You can choose public transport: F-Street Cars, Trains, Buses, Streetcars, Cable cars… in which, bus and cable car are the two most used means in this beautiful city.

• San Francisco CityPASS

You should buy MUNI tickets to use all public transport (except iconic cable cars). It covers 30 bus routes as well as subway services to all corners of the city. Ticket price: $1.5 / adult, children under 5 years old are free, and valid within 2 hours.

If you travel a lot, you should choose MUNI Passport , you can travel for free unlimited, applicable to all buses, street cars and cable car with its prices: $11 for 1 day passport, 18$ for 3 days, 24$ for 7 days. If you have any question, you can contact: +1 (1) 415 – 673 – MUNI or +1 (1) 415 – 673 – 6864.

F-Street car

The route starts from Castro Street and Market Street to Jones Street and Beach Street. The car runs from 6 am to midnight. Ticket price: $1.5/person/trip. For this type of vehicle you can also use the MUNI Passport.

This is a popular means of transportation in San Francisco, BART is The heavy rail elevated and subway system connects San Francisco with the East Bay, Oakland and surburbs. BART only runs until midnight. In the city center, BART trains run underground along Market Street. Contact phone number: +1 (1) 510 – 465 – 2278.

Serving route from San Francisco to Marin County and parts of Sonoma. Ferries depart from a wharf located at the end of Market Street to Larkspur and Sausalito. For more information call: +1 (1) 415 – 455 – 2000.

There are 3 routes running from 6:30 am to midnight. Ticket price: $5 / person (from 7AM – 9PM) and $1 for the rest of the day. There are two popular cable car routes:

• The Powell – Hyde (Line 60) runs from a terminal at Powell Street and Market Street, through Nob Hill and Russian Hill, to Hyde Street and Beach Street at Fisherman’s Wharf. See details here.
• The Powell – Mason (Line 59) also departs from a terminal at Powell Street and Market Street, via Nob Hill to North Beach to the Bay and Taylor at Fisherman’s Wharf. See details here.

San Francisco travel blog: Best places to visit and top things to do

From the downtown you can easily take the bus or other means to all the attractions in San Francisco.

This is an experience that no one definitely wants to miss when traveling to San Francisco, as these cable cars cover all routes of the city, and pass through many tourist attractions or beautiful landscapes with up and down slopes are very romantic. In downtown, I chose to take the cable car on the Powell-Mason Line 59, in near Powell Street and Market Street in downtown. If you could, you should wake up early to catch the trip at 7 a.m., even though we arrived at 7 a.m., but when we got there had to line up for an hour before our turn, during rush hours you might have to wait up to 3 hours. Of course, to take beautiful pictures and videos, you should enlist early to get the best seats in front.

Cable car ticket price: $7/trip or a one-day ticket is 20 USD.

Tips: You just sit and head to the Fisherman’s Wharf stop, not get off at the middle of the road, because it will be difficult to get on the next ones because they are always full. When you reach the last stop or choose to stop at Lombard Street, you can head up to explore this most beautiful, winding road.

Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, and Ghirardelli Square

This is an area covered with many rocks along the riverbank and is one of the most visited places in San Francisco. There are quite a few street art performers here, souvenir shops, and many upscale restaurants. This is an attractive place to visit and explore but do not eat here, the food is too expensive and not delicious.

Fisherman’s Wharf

Fisherman’s Wharf is a good place for anyone who likes to eat seafood but the price is quite high, as far as I remember 1/2 lobster costs up to $25, excluding taxes, a portion of fish and chips is $17. There is also a sour bread with clam chowder that costs more than $8 per/portion. You can try the delicious fresh seafood in San Francisco, I really like to eat it at Waterbar and Anchor Oyster Bar.

Mechanical Museum: In Fisherman’s Wharf, there is also a museum of old games / equipment for you to visit and can be played for 25 cents or more per game.

Then we headed towards Pier 39, which is the busiest piers in the San Francisco, and there is also selling fresh fruit of farmers (this place is also known as the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market). I bought 2 oranges, 2 peaches, 12 strawberries, 4 figs for expensive price of $32, so to buy cheap fruit, you just go to Chinatown. For example, I paid $7 for 2 oranges at Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, but the previous day I bought it in Chinatown for only 82 cents.

Ferry tickets to gettingn around the bay are also available at Pier 39 to visit San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz Prison with traveling time on board is 1-2 hours.

Mission Quarter

Mission District is the perfect place to visit at night. After a busy day of visiting, let come and relax in Dolores Park and enjoy stunning views of the city, tasting Mexican food, and relax at vibrant bars, clubs and food court.

Golden Gate Bridge

The very famous symbol all over the world of San Francisco. To get to the Golden Gate Bridge, we took the blue tram from Pier 39 towards Fisherman’s Wharf. Then continue to took the red bus No. 28, this is the easiest route to go because the bus only stops at the Golden gate bridge. To the last stop you just step down to visit. You should come here in the afternoon to be able to see the bridge in the beauty of the day and in the evening, each time has its own beauty.

Note: The wind here is very strong and with the addition of sea smoke from the sea, so remember to bring your jacket to keep warm.

Golden Gate Park

You also should spend a day to explore Golden Gate Park, visit Rose Garden, Japanese tea garden, De Young museum, and many trekking, hiking trails… MUNI bus number 28 with the last stop is Road 19 will stop at Park Presidio Boulevard and Fulton street, from here you walk through Rose Garden and turn left at John F. Kennedy Drive to get to the De Young museum.

With a length of 3 miles stretching about 30 blocks (units of measure) towards the sea, this park is 20% larger than New York Central Park. If you walk through the park it will take about half a day.

The Palace Of Fine Arts

This Roman-style art palace is a remnant of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. This is one of the most photographed spots in San Francisco.

Address: 3601 Lyon St, San Francisco, CA 94123, United States Opened: 1915 Hours: 10AM–5PM/Monday: Closed

Besides Chinatown in New York, this is the famous and largest Chinatown in America. The first Chinese immigrants arrived on the west coast and opened stores in San Francisco. Because of the racial segregation, this neighborhood has become an all-Chinese neighborhood, and even though the racism had been abolished, the area is still only Chinese. Chinatown is a great place to enjoy Chinese food. There are also teahouses, bars, souvenir shops, and cookies. Well, on Stockton Street there is a lot of food and fruit.

You can take bus number 30 to get to Chinatown. To get back to downtown and end the day in San Francisco, you can take bus 30 to Powell Street.

Take a ferry around the Bay

Let take a ferry and cruising around the bay in the afternoon to see the city from the water. You will take a lot of beautiful photos, learn more information about the bay or wildlife and river life. There are many tourist businesses here, but the economical way to visit the harbor is to use a public ferry for about 7 USD. You can refer to the prices and routes in advance on the website of the ferries.

Castro District

Castro is a gay area in San Francisco and a great place to go out at night. This area has a number of ethnic and modern restaurants that serve quite famous organic food.

Haight Ashbury District

As the birthplace of the anti-cultural movement in America, Haight became a vacant lot during the summer of 1967, also known as the Summer of Love. The Hippies used to live here, but since the young people moved in, they bought all the colorful houses in Haight-Ashbury and replaced the old shops into upscale and most modern boutiques, restaurants and cafes.

Transamerica Pyramid

Is the tallest skyscraper in San Francisco. Located in the heart of the financial district, another famous landmark of San Francisco apart from Golden Gate Bridge.

Lombard Street

When riding a cable car, you definitely will recognize Lombard Street and find it the most winding road in the world. Watching cars and bicycles alternately move through the zigzag-shaped road is also a pretty enjoyable experience.

One more landmark of the city is the Coit Tower, located at the top of the Telegraph hill. Built in 1933 with the main purpose to adorn the city, Coit tower walls are painted by 27 paintings by contemporary artists. From the top of the tower, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city (ticket to the top of the tower is 8 USD). If you do not want to spend money for the ticket, you can also explore the grandeur of the monuments and paintings painted on the walls.

Alcatraz Prison

This is an old federal prison on Alcatraz Island, where the most serious criminal inmates in America are held. The prison closed in 1970 and became a national monument where everyone can visit. There is no fee to visit the island, but you have to pay to take a boat to get there. I recommend you take a tour, go to meet the site manager for more interesting information about this island. You should book a ferry early to reach the island if you travel in the summer because this season is quite crowded (Daytime ticket is $36 USD, night is $43).

Crissy Field

If you walk along the harbor towards the center of town, you will find a park with stretch of beach and restaurants, fishing docks and discus play areas, locals jogging, dog walking, or lying on the beach. Here you also get a panoramic view of the harbor.

Quite close to the city center, Napa and Sonoma are world-famous as wine lands, if you like wine and have time, give it a try. There are many day trips to the Napa valley, but you should try to stay and explore one night here, which is very enjoyable.

Muir Woods National Monument

Muir Woods is the closest area to San Francisco where you can see the giant maple trees. You won’t find large conifer trees here (only available in Sequoia National Park but quite far away). However, if you want to explore the green areas near the center then this is a great suggestion.

Just cross the Bay Bridge from San Francisco (about 5 minutes drive) to reach Oakland. With its own history and culture (including arts, music, festivals, food, and sports teams), Oakland is famous for its hippie and bars and specialty restaurants. You will explore many things if you stay here for a day or two.

Across the bay and near Oakland is the exciting city of Berkeley: Home to music, hippies, students, and left-wing college of Berkeley. There are many vegetarian restaurants, street art performances, and eclectic shops (including jewelry shops and other street items).

San Francisco blog: What to eat?

Dungeness crab.

One of the most legendary foods in San Francisco is Dungeness crab. You can go to Crab House at Pier 39 to enjoy the best Dungeness crab in the city.

Pizza is a famous dish of San Francisco people. You can easily buy pizzas in the food stores of the city.

San Francisco is widely known for its international culinary culture. And Thai food is no exception. The city has many restaurants for you to enjoy great Thai curries and delicious pad Thai.

Ghirardelli Ice Cream

The ice cream here is extremely delicious, guys. At Ghirardelli, remember to order Banana Split to try (this dish here is also called the Golden Gate). If you go with two of you, you should only order one part is enough, because they also promote two more chocolate ice cream. In addition to ice cream, Ghiraredelli is also famous for its chocolate, also yummy.

Address: 2 New Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94105, United States

Dining at Ferry Building

Ferry building is one of the top culinary paradise worth trying in San Francisco. There are usually lots of food and drink stalls outside the building, and a farmer’s market on weekends. Inside the building, you will find a restaurant or a food court that sells local dishes, as well as cheese stalls, wine bar, and more.

Address: 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 94111, United States Hours: 7AM–10PM

Relax with alcohol drinks

After all the exploration trips, you should not miss the moment enjoying the great taste of beer at regional breweries. There are also many bars and beer clubs in the center. Mission and Castro neighborhoods are two of the best nightlife venues.

Japanese neighborhood

There are delicious sushi here, popular with Japanese and Korean food. Shabu Sen restaurant has delicious ramen you should not miss!

Note: Food costs in the US are quite expensive. A normal meal (for example in Mc’s Donald) costs about $5 – $10, but if you eat in other restaurants, in addition to the cost of the meal, you have to tip 5 – 10% because this is American culture. In short, if you eat out, you will likely spend 50 – 100 USD for food every day!

San Francisco travel guide: Shopping

Shopping in San Francisco is very convenient. Nordstrom Rack (Address: 901 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94103, United States) has a lot of discounted brand items, from a few tens to thousands of dollars per each. Macy’s (Men and Women) right in the city center, near Union Square filled with clothes and cosmetics, the price isn’t too expensive either. Bloomingdale’s on Market Street are just as plentiful, but there may be more premium brands with higher of prices compare with Macy’s. In addition, on Market Street, there are various stores of clothing, shoes, accessories, supplements.

You can also buy essential items at Target on Mission Street, with the symbol of a red-white circle-shaped with red dot at center, exactly like the meaning of the its name (target). For electronics, Best Buy is a true paradise, at 13th Street and Harrison Street, take the bus number 49 to street 14th Street and walk down to 13th Street to come. There are also iPhone, iPad, smartphone, laptop, all kinds of accessories for electronics, cameras … However, the price is not very cheap. After buying, if you don’t like, it can be returned, but it seems like no more than 3 times. In general, the culture in America is that after you buy, and do not like, let keep the label, the invoice, easy to return, get refund to your credit card or in cash. That’s why I told you will crazy with shopping.

If you want to buy medicine and supplements, you should go to Costco (Address: 450 10th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, United States) , waiting for their promotions. For clothing, shoes and bags are the easiest to buy at outlets, otherwise wait every month in 1 or 2 days, the shopping malls will have discount programs, tourists are normally given a voucher of 10% discount, you remember to go upstairs of Macy’s and Bloomingdale and ask Customer Service, show your passport and receive the voucher.

City Lights Bookstore (Address: 261 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, United States) still owned by the talented poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti is also worth a tour and chooses to buy some of the best books for your favorite genre.

Some souvenirs you should buy for loved ones are: San Francisco Pictures, Keychains, Postcards, Golden Gate Bridge model, T-shirts, or paintings, Ghirardelli Chocolate, Canned Fog, Napa and Sonoma Wine.

San Francisco travel blog: Where to stay?

Below we recommend more best cheap, budget, mid-range and upscale hotels with good ratings and reviews you can refer to.

• Staypineapple, An Elegant Hotel, Union Square , a top rated 4-star hotel with room rates from $149/night (Check rates on Agoda.com or Booking.com ).
• Fairmont San Francisco , a top rated 5-star hotel with room rates from $325/night (Check rates on Agoda.com or Booking.com ).
• Club Quarters Hotel in San Francisco , a top rated 4-star hotel with room rates from $99/night (Check rates on Agoda.com or Booking.com ).
• San Francisco Marriott Marquis , a top rated 4-star hotel with room rates from $159/night (Check rates on Agoda.com or Booking.com ).
• Grand Hyatt San Francisco Union Square , a top rated 4-star hotel with room rates from $159/night (Check rates on Agoda.com or Booking.com ).

You can find more, check rates, availability & book for hotels in this city on Agoda.com or Booking.com .

San Francisco travel blog: Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to San Francisco you can refer to

• San Francisco Grand City Tour (with Optional Muir Woods and Sausalito Combo Tour)
• Go San Francisco – All Inclusive Pass
• San Francisco Mega Pass
• Go San Francisco – Explorer Pass
• San Francisco City Tour & Golden Gate Bay Cruise
• San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Ticket
• Golden Gate Bay Cruise
• San Francisco: 1-Hour Bay Cruise by Boat
• San Francisco: Golden Gate Bay Cruise
• San Francisco Zoo Admission Ticket
• San Francisco: Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour
• San Francisco: Half-Day Wine Country Excursion with Tastings
• SF: Alcatraz Ticket w/ 2-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Bus & Night Tour
• San Francisco: Yosemite National Park & Giant Sequoias Hike
• San Francisco: California Sunset Boat Cruise
• San Francisco: Muir Woods, Giant Redwoods, & Sausalito Tour
• GoCar Tour: Golden Gate Bridge & Lombard Loop
• San Francisco: Muir Woods Redwoods and Wine Country Tour
• From San Francisco: Muir Woods and Sausalito Half-Day Trip

Are you looking for more top things to do in San Francisco: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Let’s check it out here . And San Francisco itinerary 3 days — What to do in San Francisco in 3 days & How to spend 3 days in San Francisco?

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Discover the allure of San Francisco in this video

Here's why travelers leave their hearts in this California city.

In 1967 nearly 100,000 people flooded San Francisco ’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, creating a movement now dubbed the Summer of Love . More than five decades later, travelers still head to Haight Street, home to vegetarian cafés, smoke shops, and a sprawling Amoeba Music.

San Francisco isn’t exactly hippie headquarters anymore. Tech moguls moved in, housing prices have skyrocketed (making San Fran one of the most expensive cities in the United States), and high-rises are reshaping the downtown skyline. (Discover where to get amazing views .)

But even with all the changes over the past 50 some years, there’s still plenty to love about California’s City by the Bay. 

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FASHION | MODELING | LIFESTYLE

Recently, I started to make videos as a way to improve my confidence in front of the camera, especially the talking parts. I also found making videos a more efficient way of showing the audience what happened.

July 4th 2019, I traveled to San Francisco from Irvine. The entire trip was a blast with awesome food, gorgeous views, friendly locals, and more. The essence is in this vlog video and I hope you can enjoy it. 😀

Which place do you want to travel to the most if you get a week off!? Let me know your thoughts and maybe I will make it my next destination :D.

All Comments are Welcomed

Recent comments, recent posts.

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SFO jet bridge collapses on plane during deplaning process

A jet bridge at San Francisco International Airport is under investigation after it collapsed onto a Hawaiian Airlines plane in the middle of passengers disembarking Thursday evening, the airport said.

Hawaiian Airlines flight 42 departed from Kahului in Maui and arrived on time at SFO’s International Terminal A, according to FlightAware . The aircraft arrived without any issues, and the jet bridge began its usual process of positioning itself towards the plane.

Shortly after the jet bridge was positioned, it experienced “a structural failure” with a metal strut and suddenly collapsed onto the plane, according to SFO spokesperson Doug Yakel. 

About half of the 179 passengers had deplaned when the incident occurred, Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson Alex Da Silva told USA TODAY. The remaining guests and six crew members used the rear exit door and steps to disembark.

“All of our guests were able to safely deplane, but our aircraft sustained some damage,” said Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson Alex Da Silva. The aircraft is being repaired before returning to service.

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Problem with your last flight? Here's how airline refunds work.

Bonnie Hayes, a former American Airlines gate agent who operated jet bridges for 33 years and now serves as an expert witness for related lawsuits, told USA TODAY she has “never (seen) the cab of the jet bridge collapse.” 

Hayes said it’s typically the airport's responsibility to perform routine maintenance checks of jet bridges, which commonly occur weekly or even daily. “There’s so many checks that are done on these,” she said. 

“Underneath, it must’ve been stressed,” she said. 

The passenger boarding bridge remains out of service for investigations and repairs, SFO said.

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected] . 

San Francisco To Napa Valley Executive Airport Shuttle: VIP Travel Announced

Limo SF VIP (888-888-0195), San Francisco’s leading private transportation firm, has announced that they have a new executive airport shuttle service to the Napa Valley.

South San Francisco, United States - May 7, 2024 —

The team of chauffeurs and booking agents at Limo SF VIP are pleased to now be taking bookings for executive transfers from San Francisco International Airport or Oakland International Airport to Napa Valley.

More information is available at https://limosfvip.com/

Limo SF VIP can arrange to pick up a traveler from the airport and transfer them directly to their accommodation in Napa Valley, which has now become the US’ most iconic wine-producing region and one of California’s most popular tourist destinations.

The private transportation experts have an extensive luxury fleet including sedans, SUVs, minivans and coaches, and, as such, they can accommodate private travelers, couples, families, small parties and larger groups. All of their luxury vehicles are new and are comfortably appointed with features like on-board Wi-Fi, AC outlets, phone chargers and spacious baggage storage to maximize traveler ease and enjoyment.

As Limo SF VIP works primarily with executives and business and luxury travelers, they pride themselves on offering a five-star service with easy booking, guaranteed timely pickup and exceptional customer service. Their team appreciates that Napa is a luxury destination and they are pleased to help travelers begin their trip on the right note by riding in style like a VIP.

Limo SF VIP also encourages travelers who are flying privately or through regional carriers in the Bay Area to nearby San Carlos, Palo Alto, or Hayward Executive Airport to speak to their team about their executive shuttles. Travelers landing in San Jose and as far south as Los Angeles can also arrange a private transfer to Napa with the company.

A representative for the private transportation firm said, “Welcome to our San Francisco airport transportation service, where we make your travel experience stress-free and comfortable. Our professional drivers are knowledgeable, friendly, and dedicated to ensuring a safe and timely arrival. Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, let us take care of the transportation so you can relax and enjoy the journey.”

Additionally, the chauffeurs now also run their own private luxury Napa Valley winery tours for those travelers who want to see more of the region. Limo SF VIP has partnered with some of the best tour guides in the region to offer an unforgettable experience and they will personalize their itineraries to suit their travelers' tastes and preferences.

Their customer service team can help travelers to book one-way or round-trip transfers to the valley, and to combine this with their private Napa tours.

For more information, visit https://limosfvip.com/

Contact Info: Name: Denis Kreker Email: Send Email Organization: Limo SF VIP Address: PO BOX 242 South San Francisco, South San Francisco, CA 94083, United States Website: https://limosfvip.com/

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