San Francisco Without A Car
Getting around SF without a vehicle, getting around San Francisco on vacation without a car, do you need a car to live in SF? San Francisco free shuttles
Related reads:
Reasons Not To Have A Car In San Francisco
Insurance rates are climbing (crime, break-ins)
More housing development in the works
Reduction in parking spots due to SFMTA day lighting implementation
Increase in WFH options for San Francisco residents
Difficulty in finding street parking (harder in some neighborhoods vs others).
Commute times getting worse, especially during school year, construction projects
Need to move cars if parked on the street for more than 72 hours
Higher rate of break-ins if you have:
out of state plates
things inside your vehicle
suv’s, hatchbacks & more; read this guide
Living In San Francisco Without A Car
Depending on where you live, what your social life looks like, job location/hours and amount of independence you seek, you can easily get around San Francisco without a vehicle - a lot of people do it.
I am not going to lie, it’s nice to get out of the city, get up and go on the fly but most of San Francisco is way to introverted, anti-social or not so adventurous to take advantage of things to do outside the city.
Many people like the idea of things without actually doing them, prioritizing them or making plans to do so. This is a recurring theme you will encounter in San Francisco.
If you plan strategically, either with where you live, work or where you plan to go based on lifestyle, interests, and hobbies, you can easily get to/from locations via:
MUNI
BART
Caltrain
Ferry Rides
The city does shut down so if you are use to staying out late or working late, your public transportation options may be very limited.
Free Shuttle Services San Francisco
Related read: Things Residents Should Know
Goes to/from Presidio to downtown
Goes around the Presidio
Press release here.
Getting Around San Francisco Without A Vehicle
Getting around San Francisco can differ based on your lifestyle, job, family, interests, schedules, etc. Even then, it can drastically change with the change in jobs, break-ups/moving out of apartments, layoffs or new romantic interests.
Even if you can get around more easily with a car, a lot of folks here have difficulty getting past the inertia of staying at home, getting out of PJs, especially since COVID, and if they WFH.
You should plan on downloading Clipper Card and/or MUNI app depending on where you plan to go/visit on your trip.
Do I Need A Car When Living In San Francisco?
Having a car can be a plus when dating, but it also can’t make up for a lack of interests, hobbies, effort, or poor lifestyle choices.
If you are social, can easily make friends, then you will likely meet friends who have a car and can hitch rides with them.
However, since there are a lot of homebodies and introverts, you may have to try really hard to break out of your shell to meet these people as folks are constantly asking how to meet people, make friends on Reddit often.
You will get lots of advice about having a car in San Francisco but you should ultimately research this carefully by:
amount of street parking based on schedule/neighborhood
cost of private parking garage spots ($200-$450+) a month
amount you will actually drive
Is A San Francisco Vacation Doable Without A Car?
San Francisco is definitely doable without a car. Sure, it helps but it can be a pain as parking is expensive, parking tickets are even more costly, and rental cars and vehicle types are usually more targeted than other vehicles, more so if they are located in touristy areas. Unless you are made of money, take extra precaution and pay for safer parking, it’s definitely easier to avoid having a car while on vacation here.
Most folks do not need a car during their stay in SF and usually can wait until they leave the city to rent a car for the day/weekend i.e. Yosemite, Tahoe, Big Sur etc.
If you are passing through the city on a longer road trip, you may want to consider storing your car in safer parking structures during your trip or paying for long-term parking outside the city.
Most people can utilize one of the many options above to get around. Even with a car, it can be difficult to find street parking in popular areas you plan to visit on your vacation.
Where To Stay In San Francisco Without A Car
Depends on your itinerary, budget etc.
Japantown is great for being central to the city
Fisherman’s Wharf if you have kids, plan to spend most of time there, Alcatraz, Embarcadero, cable cars etc.
Presidio if you want space, nature and plan on using your bike to go to Marin
Downtown hotels if you are going to conventions, don’t plan on leaving the immediate area
3 Days In San Francisco Without A Car
Again, depends on mobility, what you can’t experience back home, who you are with, how much you want to maximize every minute of your time here but:
Neighborhood feels: North Beach, Mission, Divis/Lower Haight, Inner Richmond
Shopping: Hayes Valley, Fillmore (Pac Heights), Union Street (Cow Hollow), Valencia (Mission)
Tourism: Japantown, Fisherman’s Wharf, Embarcadero, Upper Haight, Marina, Chinatown
Nightlife/Drinks/Food: Mission, North Beach
Nature: Presidio/Golden Gate Park