San Francisco Travel Guide

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Aerial view of Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California
San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge (PhotoDisc/Getty)

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San Francisco Travel Tips

  • You don't need a car. BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) trains link the San Francisco and Oakland airports to the city. Most San Franciscans don’t even own cars, and getting around is a cinch with a well-developed public transit system of trams, trolleys, and buses.
  • Delve into San Francisco's dark side at Alcatraz, the desolate fortress where Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and Robert Stroud did hard time.
  • September is summer in the city. First-timers can be shocked at how cold San Francisco gets in the winter and even in early summer. The nicest weather is in September, the time to hit the area's beaches and explore the outdoors. But it’s a good idea to pack a jacket any time of year.
  • Weather can be very specific to what part of town you stay in. The Avenues (the westernmost parts of San Francisco) are known to be foggy even if the rest of the city is sunny, while neighborhoods south and east of Twin Peaks can be warmer.
  • One of the best free activities in San Francisco is an outing to Strybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in Golden Gate Park. Its 55 acres host an incredible variety of plants, from Peruvian lilies to coastal redwoods, all of which can be grown in coastal California gardens. Paths and benches invite visitors to stroll and sit in this serene urban oasis. A 20,000-volume horticulture library is open to professional and home gardeners.

San Francisco Overview

In a city where parade themes include "Weapons of Ass Destruction" and starting your holiday with an Irish coffee at the Buena Vista Café is de rigueur, it's pretty much guaranteed that you'll have a fun time vacationing in San Francisco. Where else in the world will you find a restaurant whose servers are all gorgeous transvestites? Where it's considered good, clean fun to get airborne in your car? Or where locals don't even pause for earthquakes under 5.0 on the Richter scale? Read More

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Hotels

from: $186

Argonaut Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel

495 Jefferson Street at Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94109 Map

Distance: 0.0 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 4 class stars

Expert Rated & Recommended
4.0
4.0
3.0
from: $119

Hilton San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf

2620 Jones Street
San Francisco, CA 94133 Map

Distance: 0.0 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 3 class stars

Expert Rated & Recommended
4.0
4.0
3.0
from: $149

Hotel Del Sol

3100 Webster St
San Francisco, CA 94123 Map

Distance: 0.0 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 3 class stars

Expert Rated & Recommended
4.0
4.0
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Attractions

Ocean Beach

Golden Gate National Recreation Area
San Francisco, California

Distance: 0.0 mi. (from destination center)

Description: The beach is a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and operated by the National Park... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
5_0
5_0
4_0

de Young Museum

Inside Golden Gate Park, 2 blocks from the park entrance at Eighth Ave and Fulton
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr
San Francisco, California

Distance: 0.0 mi. (from destination center)

Description:

After closing for several years, San Francisco's oldest museum (founded in 1895) reopened in... Read More

Expert Rated & Recommended
5_0
5_0

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

701 Mission St
San Francisco, California

Distance: 1.2 mi. (from destination center)

Description:

The YBCA, which opened in 1993, is part of the large outdoor complex that takes up a few... Read More

Expert Rated & Recommended
5_0
5_0
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Airports

Major Airports near San Francisco

Distance (mi.)
San Francisco International Airport 11.1 map Flight Deals to SFO
Oakland International Airport 11.7 map Flight Deals to OAK
San Jose International Airport 40.0 map Flight Deals to SJC

Other Smaller Airports near San Francisco

Distance (mi.)
Modesto Municipal Airport 80.0 map
Carmel/Monterey Peninsula Airport 88.2 map
Merced Municipal Airport 109.7 map

Flight Deals to San Francisco

Originating From
San Diego (SAN) to San Francisco (SFO) $104
Orange County (SNA) to San Francisco (SFO) $116
Los Angeles (LAX) to San Francisco (SFO) $126
Las Vegas (LAS) to San Francisco (SFO) $166
Seattle (SEA) to San Francisco (SFO) $171

Feature Articles

  • Get Outta Town: San Francisco
    Head across the Golden Gate Bridge and explore the headlands around Mount Tamalpais State Park, Point Reyes, and Stinson Beach.
  • San Francisco
    Kayaking in the city by the bay
  • Wanna Ride?
    outside
    Presenting our foolproof recipes for the perfect long, hot weekend: six classic road-trip itineraries, the country's best pit stops, and a lot of Willie Nelson. Just pick your route and roll.
  • The Inner Mission: Tacos and Tattoo'd Buildings
  • City Slicker
    outside
    Escape from New York (and nine other big cities) with these 40 fast adventures
See All Feature Articles on San Francisco »

Trip Ideas

See All Trip Ideas »

GORPtravel Adventure Trips & Guided Tours

See All Adventure Trips & Guided Tours from GORPtravel »

San Francisco Vacation Rentals

check rates
from: $299

The City House With Amazing Ocean Views

Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Sleeps: 6
Amenities: Garage, No Pets, Non-Smoking
check rates
from: $240

Classic Victorian Sleeps Six

Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Sleeps: 6
Amenities: Computer Access, DVD Player, Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Pets OK, TV, Wireless Internet Access
check rates
from: $250

Dolores Park Victorian

Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Sleeps: 4
Amenities: Cable/Satellite TV, Fireplace, Laundry, No Pets, Non-Smoking, Patio, Refrigerator, Stove, TV
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San Francisco Travel Guides

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