San Francisco travel guide
United States
A compact city of steep hills, painted Victorian houses and fog rolling in through the Golden Gate. Each neighbourhood feels like its own small town.
Essentials
- Language
- English; Spanish and Chinese also widely spoken
- Currency
- US dollar (USD)
- Plugs
- Type A and B, 120 V
- Emergency number
- 911
- Tipping
- Tipping is expected: around 18-20% at sit-down restaurants and a dollar or two per drink; some menus also add a service or health surcharge, so check the bill.
Rough daily budget
Approximate spend per person per day, in US dollars:
- Backpacker: $90-140, with a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport.
- Mid-range: $250-400, with a private room and restaurant meals.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Where to stay in San Francisco
- The Mission: murals, taquerias and Dolores Park on sunny afternoons.
- North Beach: Italian cafés, bookshops and the climb up to Coit Tower.
- Haight-Ashbury: Victorian houses, vintage shops and the edge of Golden Gate Park.
Getting around San Francisco
A Clipper card covers Muni buses and light rail, plus BART to the airport and across the bay. Leave nothing visible in a parked car, as break-ins are common.
Best time to visit San Francisco
September and October, often the warmest and clearest months; summer is frequently cool and foggy.
Top things to do in San Francisco
- Take the ferry to Alcatraz for the cellhouse audio tour, booking well ahead
- Walk the Lands End trail along the cliffs to the ruins of the Sutro Baths
- Ride the Powell-Hyde cable car over Russian Hill down towards the bay
- Graze the Ferry Building Marketplace, with a farmers' market outside on Saturday mornings
- Spend a day in Golden Gate Park between the Japanese Tea Garden and the de Young museum
What to eat in San Francisco
- Mission burrito: a huge foil-wrapped burrito packed with rice, beans and meat
- Sourdough: tangy, crusty bread the city has baked since the Gold Rush
- Dungeness crab: sweet local crab, in season through the winter
- Cioppino: a tomato stew of fish and shellfish created by the city's Italian fishermen
Day trips from San Francisco
- Muir Woods: a grove of towering coast redwoods about 45 minutes' drive north, where parking or shuttle seats must be booked
- Sausalito: a bayside town of houseboats and galleries, about 30 minutes by ferry
- Napa or Sonoma: wine country, roughly 60 to 90 minutes by car
Local etiquette
Waste is sorted into compost, recycling and landfill bins, and people do notice. Most locals dress for layers rather than for show.
Staying connected
Prepaid SIMs and eSIMs from the major US carriers are easy to buy, and free Wi-Fi is common in cafés, libraries and many public spaces.
Staying safe
Phone snatching and car break-ins are the usual problems, and you will see open drug use in the Tenderloin and parts of SoMa. Ocean Beach looks inviting, but its cold water and strong rip currents make swimming dangerous.
A local tip
Pack a warm layer even in July, and walk across the Golden Gate Bridge early in the morning.
Visas:rules depend on your nationality and change often – check your own government's official travel advice before you go.
Meet people in San Francisco on Waypacker
Waypacker is a free travel community: stay with ID-verified local hosts, join meetups and city groups, and ask people who live in San Francisco for advice. We are new here, so if you live in San Francisco, you could be one of the first hosts.
Questions about San Francisco
- What currency is used in San Francisco?
- San Francisco uses the US dollar (USD).
- What is the emergency number in San Francisco?
- In San Francisco, call 911.
- When is the best time to visit San Francisco?
- September and October, often the warmest and clearest months; summer is frequently cool and foggy.
- How much does a day in San Francisco cost?
- Roughly $90-140 a day in US dollars on a backpacker budget (a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport), and $250-400 mid-range (a private room and restaurants). These are broad estimates, last reviewed October 2026.
- Is Waypacker free to use in San Francisco?
- Yes. Joining is free and stays with hosts carry no nightly rate or booking fee.
- Are Waypacker hosts ID-verified?
- Every host's ID and selfie are checked by hand by a real person before they can host. Nothing is sent to an AI service.
- Can I meet locals in San Francisco without staying with anyone?
- Yes. You can join meetups and city groups, or ask locals for tips, without booking a stay.
- Will anyone see my exact location?
- No. Hosts and meetups appear as a neighbourhood-sized area about a kilometre wide, and exact addresses are never stored.