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Voykit pocket guide · United States
San Francisco
Go for 3 nights. Stay near Union Square or Ferry Building. Use BART from SFO; skip rental cars in the city.
San Francisco is a dense, walkable city defined by steep hills, distinct microclimates and historic transit. It serves as the cultural hub of Northern California, offering major museums, cable cars, and diverse neighborhoods like Chinatown and the Mission. While expensive, it rewards visitors who plan around fog patterns and use public transit instead of driving.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (foggy/windy), Jan–Feb (rainy)
- Stay
- 3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $120–180 excl. bed · Mid $180–300 excl. bed · High $300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, Fire, Ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (specialty shop) | $4–6 |
| Burrito (Mission style) | $10–14 |
| Beer: pint in bar / can at store | $8–12 / $3–5 |
| 5 km taxi/Uber3.1 mi taxi/Uber | $20–30 |
| Muni single ride | $3 (cash) / $2.50 (Clipper) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $15–30 |
| Museum entry (SFMOMA, Exploratorium) | $25–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SFO · San Francisco International Airport
- BART connects to downtown in about 35–40 min; Muni Metro also available.
Typical fares
- SFO → Downtown, BART
- about $10, 30 min (check)
- Taxi SFO → Union Square
- $45–60
- Cable Car ride
- $8 cash / $7 Clipper
Get around
Use BART for airport transfers and cross-bay trips. The Muni system (subway, buses, streetcars) covers the city. Cable cars are scenic but slow and crowded; good for short hops up hills. Walking is feasible in flat areas but hills are steep. Avoid driving: parking is scarce and expensive.
See and do
Known for
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Alcatraz Island ferry tours
- Cable cars climbing Nob Hill and running down to Fisherman's Wharf
- Mission District mural alleys like Balmy Alley
- Sourdough bread bowls served throughout Fisherman's Wharf stands
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Muir Woods National Monument | Shuttle from Fisherman's Wharf or drive (parking requires reservation). | About 1 h each way |
| Berkeley/Oakland | BART from Embarcadero or Powell St. | About 30–45 min |
| Sonoma/Napa Wine Country | Train + shuttle or rental car. | 1.5–2 h each way |
| Half Moon Bay | Drive south on Highway 1. | About 45 min |
Sleep
- Union Square / Downtown
- Central for transit, shopping, and sightseeing; noisy but convenient.
- Nob Hill
- Upscale hotels with views; steep walks to Union Square or cable car stops.
- Fisherman's Wharf
- Tourist-heavy, close to piers and Alcatraz ferry; many shops close early evening.
- Mission District
- Active food scene and nightlife; further from major tourist sites but well-connected by bus/Muni.
Language
English everywhere, with strong regional accents; Spanish is the second language in the Southwest, Texas, Florida, California and New York. Some words differ from British English: restroom (toilet), check (bill), gas (petrol), trunk (boot), first floor (ground floor).
- Measurements are imperial: miles, Fahrenheit, gallons, pounds. 100 km ≈ 62 miles; 30 °C ≈ 86 °F.
- Small talk with strangers is normal and friendly; it is not a sales tactic.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Car break-ins are common, especially near tourist spots and parks. Never leave items visible in vehicles.
- Fog often obscures views until afternoon, particularly on the west side.
- Tenderloin neighborhood has high rates of homelessness and drug activity; stick to main streets if passing through.
- Alcatraz tickets sell out weeks in advance; book early via official site.
Violent crime remains rare relative to population size, though property theft targeting rental cars parked along tourist corridors happens often enough to matter. Stick to main streets in the Tenderloin after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for San Francisco yet. Suggested stay: 3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Alcatraz Island ferry tours
- Cable cars climbing Nob Hill and running down to Fisherman's Wharf
- Mission District mural alleys like Balmy Alley
- Sourdough bread bowls served throughout Fisherman's Wharf stands
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City & County of San Francisco Official Website: sf.gov/
- Wikivoyage: San Francisco, revision 5337640 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5337640
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
San Francisco
Please take me to this address.
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, Fire, Ambulance911
US citizens: no embassy needed. Other nationalities: check consulates in San Francisco or Los Angeles.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/san-francisco). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.