San Francisco Visitor Guide, Travel Tips

San Francisco visitor guide, recommendations, & tourism tips. First time in SF, Where to stay in SF. Non-touristy things to do in SF. Safety tips San Francisco, Travel guide San Francisco

Last updated: March 3, 2025

San Francisco Tourism Tips, SF Visitor Guide, Travel Information

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San Francisco Visitor Guide, Tourism Information & Travel Tips

This is just a general overview of things to consider, what to explore, and questions to ask yourself on a first visit to SF.

This is not your typical tourism guide. I write this from the perspective of a local who has clients who come to visit me from all over the world.

I answer all the important questions about where to dine alone, weather conditions, popular restaurants, coworking spaces, neighborhood information and more.

Related guides:

• Things to do, see, eat, drink near Union Square

• Things to do, see, eat, drink near Moscone Center

• Restaurants/bars near Chase Center, Thrive City

• Things to do, see, eat, drink along BART stations San Francisco

• Unwritten rules of San Francisco

• Things to do without a vehicle San Francisco

• San Francisco Gym Guide (Passes, Discounts)

• Where To Take Business/Coffee Meetings SF

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San Francisco Visitor Center, Tourism Guides

• California Welcome Center Pier 39: https://www.pier39.com/california-welcome-center/

• Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center: https://presidio.gov/explore/attractions/golden-gate-bridge-welcome-center

• Presidio Visitor Center: https://presidio.gov/explore/attractions/presidio-visitor-center

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What Is San Francisco Known For? What Is There To Do?

• Hiking & Camping (Mostly in Marin, Sonoma, Big Sur, Yosemite, Mendocino)

• Yoga / Wellness (Meditation, Silent Retreats etc.)

• Arts & Crafts

• Reading / Writing

• Crypto / AI

• Failed Startups

• Plants / Foraging

• Mezcal / Amaro / Whisk(e)y / Wine

• Spirit Forward/Fun Cocktails

  • ABV, Stoa, Interval, Nari, Absinthe, Lolo, Spruce, NOPA, Bar Piccino, Beretta, Delfina, Comstock, Alembic

• Classic Cocktails/Bars

  • Buena Vista Irish Coffee, Manhattan Bix, Espresso Martini Balboa Cafe, Tommy’s Margarita, Vieux Carre Zuni, Smugglers Cove, Martuntis

• Craft Beer (more on this guide)

  • Breweries: Russian River, Sante Adairius, Cellarmaker, Wondrous, Faction, Great Notion (Portland, but Berkeley taproom), Moonlight, Ghost Town

  • Bars: Toronado, Liquid Gold, Crafty Fox, Holy Water, City Beer Store, Monk’s Kettle, Ale Arsenal

• Coffee

  • Saint Frank, Coffee Movement, Verve, Chromatic, Sightglass, Ritual

• Bouldering

• Protesting

• Vegan

• EDM / Burning Man / Psychedelics

• Salsa Dancing

• Complaining About Anything (But Mostly About Dating & Making Friends)

• Kayaking / Stand-Up Paddle Boarding

• Running

• Waiting In Line

• Food

  • Recommended Cuisines: Italian, Thai, Chinese, Mediterranean, California (Farm-To-Table), Burmese, Yucatan, Salvadorean, Peruvian, Vegetarian

  • Recommended Items: Irish Coffees, Craft Beer, Cocktails, Pastries, Dutch Crunch, Garlic Crab Noodles, Hot Pot, Burgers, Dim Sum, Ramen, Pizza

  • More Left To Be Desired: Greek, Mexican (go to Oakland, San Jose & Redwood City), Korean, Vegan, Eastern European, Jewish Delis, Southern BBQ, Balkan, NY Style Pizza

Each week, I recommend a dish/drink in the Bay Area in my weekly newsletter.

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Solo Dining San Francisco: Best Bar-Seating, Restaurants To Eat, Dine/Drink Alone SF

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First Time Visiting San Francisco: Itineraries, Info Guide

San Francisco is a a small city and most people spend most of their time in the North/East quadrants but there is lots to do all over. My recommendation is to pick a few neighborhoods to get a feel for the city, travel on foot and prioritize what you want to see.

• Winds pick up in the afternoon so look at hourly weather/wind on Weather Underground.

• Focus on what San Francisco does well and what you can’t get back home.

• Check back for my itineraries coming soon.

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Best Places To Eat, Drink Near Union Square San Francisco, Things To Do Nearby

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How To Dress In San Francisco, What To Wear

• Check sites like Weather Underground, plug in zip codes and hourly wind/cloud coverage. Also check out Fog Today for general coverage.

• Wear layers. Be prepared to take coats off/on depending on time of day, neighborhood and if you are standing in the sun or shade.

• Foggiest months are usually June (June Gloom), July and August (Fogust).

• Wear comfortable shoes for walking and bring light layers to protest from wind/cold.

• If you want to meet people on your trip, learn to stand out and avoid looking like another boring tech bro.

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San Francisco Water Bottle Refill Map; Public Restroom Map

https://sfpuc.org/learning/how-you-can-help/free-drinktap-drinking-water-and-restroom-map

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San Francisco City Walks, Non-Touristy Things To Do, Best Neighborhoods To Visit

• Mission District

  • Street Art & Murals

  • Cocktails, Beer, Food, Wine Bars, Shops, Coffee

• North Beach/Chinatown

  • Architecture, Dim-Sum, Pizza Slices, Coffee, Views

• Hayes Valley/Civic Center

  • Boutiques, Bars, Food, Symphony, Ballet

• Inner Richmond/Clement Street

  • Wine bars, SF’s 2nd Chinatown (Hotpot, Burmese), Croissants

• Financial District POPOS

  • Rooftops, patios, lounges, coworking spaces

• Haight

  • Upper: Shops, boutiques, bars, Victorian homes

  • Lower Haight: Toronado/Stoa (favorite cocktail/beer places in the city)

• Divisadero/NOPA

  • Restaurants, Wine Bars, Parks

• Fillmore

  • Restaurants, Live Music, Boutiques, Yoga Studios

• Union Street/Chestnut Street (Cow-Hollow, Marina)

  • Yoga Studios, Vests, Yoga Pants, Wine Bars, Cafes, Coffee Shops

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San Francisco Weather Tips, Best Months To Visit SF

Summer can be quite cold in the city but hot in surrounding areas as the pressure systems suck in cold are from the ocean and into/over the city. Temperature can be 30-40 degree difference between SF and surrounding areas in the summer.

• If in SF, wear layers, look at micro-climates for neighborhoods

• Warmest areas are usually Mission, Hayes Valley, South Beach, Mission Bay, Dogpatch (SE parts of the city)

• Coldest/foggiest places are Richmond/Sunset neighborhoods, Presidio areas.

• Use Weather Underground.

• Wind can make the temps feel 10 degrees cooler; shade can feel 10-15 degrees cooler than sun.

• Best weather in SF is usually September-October

• Best times for waterfall hikes in the area is January-March

• Best time for wine tasting is September-December (weather/foliage); April for mustard season

• Outdoor festivals & street fairs are busy from April-October.

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San Francisco Convention Calendar

This is an important one so you can avoid expensive days when tens of thousands of people come into town. Hotels can 2x-3x (or more) in price easily during these days.

https://portal.sftravel.com/calendar_public/home_sfdc.cfm

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San Francisco Parking Rules: How To Avoid Tickets, Tows

There are lots of tickets dished out to tourists and people visiting San Francisco for the day. Review this guide on how to avoid getting parking tickets and drastically reduce your chances of being towed in San Francisco.

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San Francisco Privately Owned Public Spaces

San Francisco has many places downtown for public use on private property during business hours. You can read about them here.

Some are crappy, some are meh, but a few are pretty nice, including rooftops, lounges, patios, and more.

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Things To Do Without A Car In San Francisco

• Ferry rides to Larkspur or Sausalito (Marin County)

  • Connect in Larkspur to SMART train to get to Petaluma, Santa Rosa etc.

• Ferry rides to Alameda (Jack London Square)

  • Great for JLS Ale Trail

• Amtrak to Yosemite, Tahoe

• Get a Clipper Card to use on BART, Muni, Ferries etc.

• Alcatraz tickets (plan ahead as these sell out but visit booths for cancellations or possible people selling their tickets)

More tips here: https://www.eddies-list.com/t/things-to-do-without-a-car-san-francisco-bay-area

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San Francisco Visitor Pass, Public Transportation

• 1/3/7-Day Visitor Pass Muni: https://www.sfmta.com/fares/3-day-visitor-passport

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Romantic Restaurants San Francisco

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Bike Rentals San Francisco (San Francisco Travel Guide)

Check out Sports Basement (several locations).

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Sonoma & Napa Date Ideas, Romantic Date Night Spots, Restaurants

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San Francisco Attractions

• Nature/Parks: Twin Peaks, Presidio, Golden Gate Park, Tank Hill, Corona Heights

• Lookouts: Equator Coffee (GGB), Pacific Heights, Ina Coolbrith Park, Dolores Park

• Buildings: Sentinal Building, Columbarium, Alamo Square, Palace of Fine Arts, City Hall

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Best Things To Do, Daytrips, Best Weekend Trips From San Francisco

• Big Sur (hikes, camping, views)

• Santa Cruz/Monterey (food, beaches, surfing)

• Tahoe (skiing, views, mountain biking)

• Yosemite (hikes, camping, views, rock-climbing)

• Sonoma/Napa (wine, cheese and more wine)

• Mendocino (wine, camping, beaches)

• Marin/Point Reyes (camping, hiking, mountain biking, oysters)

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Golden Gate Bridge Tolls, Bay Area Bridge Toll Information, Payments

Note, if you are crossing bridges, there are no toll collectors in the toll booths. Tolls are electronically billed to the address of the file. If you don’t pay electronically in 48 hours, you will be mailed a bill that needs to be paid in 30 days.

Some rental car companies may have bs charges/fees so check with them on the contract ahead of time.

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San Francisco Restaurants With A View, Golden Gate Park Restaurants (In & Nearby)

San Francisco Restaurants With A View (Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, City Skyline)

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Best Hotels In San Francisco, Where To Stay When Visiting

Most people will tell you to avoid the Tenderloin and conversely Union Square as it’s next to the Tenderloin but it really depends on your itinerary, where you walk etc. Most people don’t need to walk in that direction and most people will take bus or cabs to get through parts of the city.

Ghiradelli Square and Pier 39 areas are super touristy but have nice walkable spots, views etc. However, lots of break-ins occur (see guide above) as lots of high-risk vehicles are targeted there.

Be sure to check Yelp, Google and Booking ratings for hotels as some may have inflated ratings.

Related read: Best Hotels In San Francisco

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Safest Places To Stay When Visiting San Francisco With Family, Best Area To Stay For Couples