Here at The Manual, San Francisco is one of our favorite spots to travel to, and it’s easy to see why. From the historic charm of its world-famous cable cars to the cutting-edge art at the SFMoMA, San Francisco never fails to impress. Its eclectic neighborhoods, like Chinatown and the Mission District, give it a unique flair, while its classic landmarks, like the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, continue to bring in millions of tourists each year.
But it’s not just the city itself that’s worth exploring. San Francisco is also conveniently located near some of the most jaw-dropping national parks in California, like Yosemite National Park and Muir Woods, making it an ideal launchpad for those looking to experience the stunning landscapes of the Golden State. So, if you aren’t sure what to do in San Francisco, we’ve got you covered in this San Fransisco travel guide.
Where to stay
Let’s not beat around this bush: San Francisco is expensive! If money is no object, you can land yourself in the ultimate lap of luxury. If you’re on a tighter budget, we’re including some sweet vacation rentals where you can live like a local for a few days and enjoy more room for less money.
Best design: San Francisco Proper
The is housed inside a flatiron building at the intersection of three busy streets. The 1904 building originally only stood two stories high, but after it suffered through some fires, a number of renovations have occurred over the years. Today, a variety of influences flow together at the San Francisco Proper. From French and European to pre-modernism and Cubism, the hotel is a wildly colorful feast for the eyes.
A highlight of the 131 guest rooms is wallpaper inspired by vintage European graphics from a variety of countries. Complete with a rooftop terrace and stunning views of the city, the San Francisco Proper is conveniently located just minutes away from Union Square, SoMa, Hayes Valley, and the Central Market-Civic Center.
- Nearest airport: San Francisco International Airport
- Time: 30 minutes by car
- Distance: 13 miles
Best location: Phoenix Hotel
This 1950s-era motor court hotel reflects the rock n’ roll spirit that took place here. It is located just a short distance from the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and the Great American Music Hall. Its location and popularity with musicians made the a second home to generations of traveling bands.
- Nearest airport: San Francisco International Airport
- Time: 20-30 minutes by car
- Distance: 11 miles
Best for families: Sunset home near Ocean Beach
If you’re heading to San Francisco with kids, then this is the perfect spot. The house comfortably sleeps six guests across three bedrooms and features a private entrance, three smart TVs, Phillips Hue lights, and even a Peloton bike! This Airbnb is just seven blocks away from Ocean Beach, so a short walk will provide you with hours of endless fun in the sun. Additionally, the home is pet friendly, so feel free to bring your furry friends!
- Nearest airport: San Francisco International Airport
- Time: 21 minutes by car
- Distance: 14.2 miles
Best hidden gem: The Blue Vic
You’ll feel like you’ve just stepped onto the set of Full House when you stay at this . Tucked away in a residential area, this Airbnb comes with one bed and one bath as well as several cozy amenities, making you feel as though you aren’t in the heart of one of the biggest cities in California. When staying in this home, you’ll be just steps away from Japantown, which offers shopping, dining, and nightlife opportunities.
- Nearest airport: San Francisco International Airport
- Time: 25 minutes by car
- Distance: 14.9 miles
Best for art lovers: Hotel Des Arts
Featuring uniquely designed guest rooms made by local artists, this hotel offers a lot of various amenities and is situated in the heart of San Francisco. is just a short distance from Union Square, Chinatown, and the Financial District. The hotel also provides free continental breakfast and a free cup of coffee 24 hours a day. If you have time, you can check out the artwork of local artists in the hotel’s lobby gallery. You can also browse the internet with the hotel’s free wireless access.
- Nearest airport: San Francisco International Airport
- Time: 20-30 minutes by car
- Distance: 15 miles
Best luxury: Fairmont San Francisco
Experience world-class service and celebrity treatment at the , which is situated atop centrally-located Nob Hill and offers a full-service gym and spa. There are also three unique dining experiences onsite. This high-ceiling hotel provides panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Coit Tower, and the Financial District from its unique rooms. You can also enjoy a variety of shops available in the hotel, as well as free access to equipment, saunas, and exercise classes at the on-site health club.
- Nearest airport: San Francisco International Airport
- Time: 20-30 minutes by car
- Distance: 15 miles
Where to eat
If you aren’t sure what to do in San Francisco, then hitting up a local restaurant is always a safe bet. One of San Francisco’s most famous dishes is cioppino, which is a seafood stew originating from North Beach in the late 1800s. The city is also known for its clam chowder, sourdough bread, and the overstuffed Mission burrito. Here are a few of our favorite SF restaurants.
Price key
- “$” = budget-friendly or cheap
- “$$”= average
- “$$$”= expensive
Mandalay
Burmese food is not as well known as the cuisines of its neighbors China, India, and Thailand, but Mandalay has been serving outstanding Burmese cuisine since 1984. San Francisco foodies want exotic, unique, and special options, and Burmese cuisine is the perfect mix.
Mandalay claims that its food is a combination of Indian, Chinese, and Thai flavors, but with different preparations (its own style, if you will). Diners will find a variety of flavors to please their palates, from zesty to spicy to tangy dishes. While Burmese restaurants are rare in the rest of the country, San Francisco has embraced authentic Burmese cuisine. This restaurant was a James Beard Foundation Award Winner in 2024.
- Best for lunch and dinner
- $$
Kokkari Estiatorio
Kokkari Estiatorio is named after a small fishing village on the island of Samos in the Aegean Sea. Legend has it that Kokkari is the site where Orion (the son of the Greek god Poseidon) fell in love with the daughter of the King of Chios. For her love, Orion hunted the island for wild game and seafood, which is why the restaurant uses the phrase “cuisine fit for the gods.”
Kokkari Estiatorio has modernized a number of Greek dishes while staying true to the signature tastes of a Greek table. Its menu showcases some of the most sought-after traditional Aegean dishes as well as seafood and game.
- Best for lunch and dinner
- $$$
Hinodeya Ramen Bar
Look no further for your go-to ramen joint. Hinodeya stands out from the rest with its dashi-based ramen broth, whereas most other ramen shops use a pork-based broth. The soup is clear and light, with a lingering umami taste to stimulate your appetite. Hinodeya has expanded to two locations in the Bay Area and one in Dallas.
- Best for brunch, lunch, and dinner
- $$
Starbelly
Here’s a great spot in the Castro to pop in for some awesome pizza and additional yummy goodies. We’re especially partial to the Margherita pizza with mushrooms, but you can’t go wrong with the burgers (veggie and beef), the chicken po’boy, and the fish tacos. Starbelly also has a full bar that’s stocked with local wines and beers alongside everything needed for delectable craft cocktails.
- Best for brunch (on weekends), lunch, and dinner
- $$
Sotto Mare
Tucked away in the legendary neighborhood of North Beach, Sotto Mare offers some amazing Italian-style seafood that not only costs less than a lot of the stuff you may find a few blocks north at the more obviously touristy Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf, but also probably tastes much better.
The linguine with seafood (including shrimp and clams) is simply divine, and the other pasta and seafood pairings are also quite stellar. If you really want to make this a memorable meal, pair your food with some local wine. Though the wait may be a little long to get in, please trust us — the wait is totally worth it!
- Best for lunch and dinner
- $$
Californios
Situated in the perpetually trendy neighborhood of SoMa, Californios has already made a lot of waves in SF and beyond. Not only has it scored rave reviews from local food critics, but the Michelin Guide has given Californios two stars for its “parade of familiar dishes turned complex and deliciously unique.”
This may be a Mexican restaurant, but don’t come here expecting the usual Cal-Mex street food. While its seasonal menus may include fan favorites like sopes, aguachile, carne asada, and lamb barbacoa tacos, it serves these dishes in the context of a very innovative fine dining experience. You just have to taste it all to believe it.
- Best for dinner
- $$$
What to do
San Fransisco offers an endless list of activities and attractions. Whether you want to enjoy the outdoors, explore cultural attractions, or just take in a spectacular view. This is a quick breakdown of what to do in San Francisco.
Visit the well-known prison Alcatraz
If there’s one classic tourist attraction you should visit in San Francisco, it’s Alcatraz. All access to the old prison is through a private ferry company, Alcatraz City Cruises, and you can purchase your tickets directly on the website. The National Park Service strongly recommends taking public transit to get to Pier 33, which is where the ferry launches from. Once you make it to Alcatraz, you can spend hours exploring the exhibits and checking out the video presentations. There are audio tours available, as well as ranger tours every day.
Listen to music at The Wave Organ
The Wave Organ is a wave-shaped and activated acoustic sculpture located on a jetty in the San Francisco Bay. The concept was inspired by recordings made of sounds originating from a vent pipe that was part of a floating concrete dock in Australia. A prototype was built at this location as part of the New Music Festival in 1981. The ‘instrument’ generated so much enthusiasm that it was developed as a permanent piece.
The jetty itself was constructed with an assortment of carved granite and marble, which was also used in the construction of the organ. The installation includes 25 organ pipes made of PVC and concrete at different elevations. The sound is created by the impact of waves against the pipe ends with the constant movement of the water in and out of the pipes. The Wave Organ sounds best at high tide.
Get rooted at Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Spanning across two counties and both sides of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate National Recreation Area has some of our favorite places to explore outdoors in the Bay Area. If you prefer to stay in the city, head to Baker Beach and enjoy a pleasant walk on the beach with scenic views of the bridge and the Marin Headlands.
If you’re up for more of an adventure, take the 101 Freeway over the bridge to Marin County, then follow the signs for Highway 1 north to Muir Beach and Stinson Beach. Muir Beach is closer to the city, yet it feels more secluded — so much so that the northern end is popular with clothing-optional visitors. Stinson Beach requires more of a drive, but it’s a great place to stop and enjoy the beach if you’re taking a Highway 1 road trip to Sonoma County.
Explore another side of the city in Chinatown San Francisco
A San Francisco travel guide isn’t complete without mentioning Chinatown. As North America’s oldest Chinatown — and the largest Chinatown outside the Asian continent — Chinatown San Francisco is a true must-see-and-d0. Snap some photos of the iconic Bank of Canton and Dragon’s Gate. Sip some tea at Red Blossom Tea Company. Immerse yourself in Chinese cuisine at China Live. Grab a drink at Buddha Lounge. You can easily spend the entire day exploring Chinatown, so feel free to take your time here.
Get proud at The Castro and The Mission
As one of North America’s oldest and most storied gayborhoods, the Castro is world famous for providing a safe space for queer people to be themselves and live their truth. While the Castro has plenty of bars and clubs for nighttime reveling, you can also come during the day to peruse the locally owned boutiques, check out the great collection of designer vintage stores, explore the extensive photography collection at Harvey Milk Photo Center, and admire the diverse sea of humanity at Mission Dolores Park.
On the other side of the park, you will find even more to see and do in SF’s famous Mission District: The old Mission San Francisco de Asis is the city’s oldest surviving structure, 24th Street has one of the region’s largest collections of Latinx-owned local businesses, and 20th Street has the kind of uber-trendy shops and restaurants where you might find a few Silicon Valley billionaires negotiating their next round of mergers and acquisitions.
Tips for planning a better trip
Here are a few ways to make your trip even better than you could imagine.
How to save money
First off, know where you want to go. With gas prices as high as they are, you may not really be “saving money” if you’re staying a very long drive away from most of the places you want to visit. If you’re planning to spend more time in the city, try staying in the city if you can. If that’s not a viable option, East Bay cities like Oakland and Berkeley — and South Bay cities like Daly City — are a short train ride away from the city.
We know that some places are hard to reach by mass transit (see below), and we completely understand the current angst over high gas prices. At least we can reassure you that Kayak can help you with your rental car costs. Make sure to check Kayak first when shopping for a rental car so you’ll have a little more money in your pocket to spend on things you actually want to spend money on.
How to get around
Speaking of trains, the Bay Area is blessed with perhaps the West Coast’s most comprehensive mass transit system. MUNI is San Francisco’s own local transit system with a robust network of buses and light rail to get around the city. For longer trips across the Bay Area, BART will get you as far as Antioch and Dublin in the East Bay, San José in the South Bay/Silicon Valley, and San Francisco (SFO) and Oakland (OAK) International Airports. For even longer trips by train, you can find shuttles, ferry boats, and connecting trains to the Oakland Jack London Amtrak station, where you can catch trains to Sacramento, Los Angeles, and beyond.
If you opt to drive your own car or a rental, please keep in mind that SF is most definitely not LA. It’s sometimes trickier to find the freeway in the city, so stick to whichever navigation program you’re using and follow the signs. If you’re heading east across the Bay Bridge, look for I-80 East/Oakland. If you’re heading north across the Golden Gate Bridge, look for 101 North. If you’re heading south, take I-280 South for a relatively fast drive to Silicon Valley or a connection to Highway 1 along the coast.
A note on NorCal’s microclimates
You may be familiar with the quote attributed to Mark Twain about “cold winters in July,” and it’s not too much of an exaggeration to note how SF’s brisk and cloudy weather often persists well into the summer. But even within the city, you will notice differences. If you head inland to neighborhoods like the Castro and the Mission, you’ll typically notice at least a little more sunshine and higher temperatures, whereas oceanside neighborhoods like Sea Cliff and the Sunset are more prone to extended periods of coastal fog.
Beyond the city, you’re much more likely to encounter more sunshine and heat farther inland — both in the East Bay and in Silicon Valley cities like Palo Alto and San José. But if you’re doing road trips heading north or south along Highway 1, don’t be surprised if you continue to run into the marine layer along the coast. Pro tip: Pack layers of clothing, and keep a sweater or light jacket on hand if you’re doing a Highway 1 road trip or a beach day in the city.
Finally, enjoy the trip
San Francisco and Northern California have such beautiful scenery and communities that it’s easy to fall in love with these places once you begin to experience them for yourself during your California travel. While you’re here, go ahead and enjoy the experience.
If you have the good fortune of an extended trip here, take at least a couple of days to explore the city, a day for a day trip across the Golden Gate Bridge, and a day for a day trip down to Silicon Valley, Half Moon Bay, and Pescadero.
