Union Square
Ideal for: first visit
Central, well served by BART and cable cars, with shops and hotels.
San Francisco
The Golden Gate, cable cars, Alcatraz and hills facing the bay.
Plan your stay in San Francisco
Best areas to stay in San Francisco
Fisherman's Wharf
Ideal for: families
By the bay, near the piers for Alcatraz. Very touristy.
Mission District
Ideal for: solo, local life
Murals, Mexican food and neighbourhood life, well linked to the centre.
Marina and Cow Hollow
Ideal for: couples, quiet
Upmarket residential areas near the Golden Gate and the parks.
Practical info about San Francisco
San Francisco is compact but hilly: cable cars, BART, buses and walking let you see everything without a car. Fog is common, especially in summer: bring a jacket.
What to see in San Francisco
- The Golden Gate Bridge, to cross on foot or by bike;
- Alcatraz, the former prison on its island (book early);
- the cable cars and steep streets, including Lombard Street;
- Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39, with its sea lions;
- Chinatown, Haight-Ashbury and Golden Gate Park;
- on day trips: Sausalito, the Napa Valley or Yosemite National Park.
Getting to San Francisco
From San Francisco International Airport (SFO), the BART regional rail reaches downtown in about 30 minutes.
All our tips for the country in Travel in the United States.