What do you think about San Francisco? For most people, San Francisco is synonymous with Silicon Valley, modern technology, the Golden Gate Bridge, or the city's Chinese community. But these labels can never encapsulate the full breadth of what San Francisco is. Within the steep hills and streets, San Francisco has something for everyone. Everyday life can feel like something out of a storybook. Rather than see the hills as an inconvenience, people see them as one of the most attractive features of the city. San Francisco’s Lombard street is known as the crookedest street in the world. San Francisco’s Financial District is home to some very tall buildings and is the center of the city’s business life with disciplined finance workers moving between the towers. In downtown San Francisco, hippies still live in their own free-spirited way, and the city is known for having a lively LGBT scene, which makes the city feel very inclusive. Visitors come to San Francisco from the United States and from many other locations around the world. San Francisco is a must-see for any west coast trip and once you arrive, you have to experience the city. Most travelers driving to the west coast will explore San Francisco by car. For travelers with a lot of experience driving steep hills, parking is hard to find and is also very expensive. Central San Francisco is filled with steep streets and exploring the city without a car is the best option. San Francisco's old-fashioned cable cars are used to travel the steep hills and are one of the city's top attractions. Riding the San Francisco cable cars is more than transportation – it's a travel experience and an attraction on wheels.
Grab onto the handrails of the old-fashioned car and enjoy the ride as the city slides by. It is an urban adventure, with the unusual feeling of being in San Francisco 100 years ago.
Powell St. by Union Square is where the cable cars start and end. It’s at this stop that you are most likely to get a seat. Because the Powell cable car is so popular, it can be hard to get on at stops further down the line.
The cable car goes right through Chinatown. This is an amazing combination of time periods as the vintage American car travels through streets of a Chinese heritage.
The cable car goes through and into the heart of the city. The steep hills and modern buildings on either side give the city a surreal character.
Tips: If you just want to ride the cable car once, a single ride ticket is perfect. If you plan on riding the cable car multiple times to see the sights of San Francisco, it's better to get a one-day pass
Cost: A single ride ticket is $7. A one-day pass costs $12. A paper pass is $22. The MUNI app is suggested as the best option to buy tickets.
Areas with cable car services include:
● Chinatown ● Financial District ● Fisherman’s Wharf ● Nob Hill ● Russian Hill ● Union Square
All of these locations can be visited by cable car if you have sufficient time.
They operate from 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Night rides provide a special experience as they showcase a breathtaking view of the city from an old-world perspective. The experience can be chilly due to the open-sided cars, so you may want to wear a jacket even in the summer. “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco,” as the famous Mark Twain quote goes.
Stop Details:
Public Transit MUNI
Cable cars are included in the services offered by MUNI, one of the leading transit operators in the city, along with trolley buses and the MUNI Metro.
Trolley Buses
For those wanting to explore the independent shops, cafés, and boutiques of the city’s lesser-known areas, trolley buses are highly recommended.
Look closely for MUNI bus stop signs as they can be quite easy to miss.
If you see a small flock of pigeons, you may be waiting at a bus stop that is very hard to miss.
MUNI Metro
For those in a hurry to reach the central districts, MUNI Metro is the best way to go as it is faster than buses. However, bus travel is better for those who want to explore San Francisco’s smaller, characterful stops.
The city center is home to several intersecting lines.
Taking the Metro will also help you avoid road traffic. \nIf you are going to spend 1 or 2 days exploring San Francisco, getting a one-day pass and the MUNI app is recommended. It’s a good, budget-friendly option, and the day pass includes unlimited MUNI cable car rides.
MUNI only serves San Francisco. If you’re going to Berkeley, Oakland, or anywhere else in the Bay Area, take BART instead.
BART is especially useful if you’re going to the University of California, Berkeley, the Berkeley Art Museum, Oracle Arena (the home of the Golden State Warriors), or other locations around the Bay Area.
BART stands for Bay Area Rapid Transit.
BART connects downtown San Francisco with major cities nearby, making it easier for people commuting to work in San Francisco from farther away. BART is also faster and more reliable than MUNI buses.
BART is one of the best options for getting to the airport, and it takes about 30 minutes to get from the airport to downtown San Francisco.
Be aware that services can be different on weekdays and weekends. Before leaving, check to make sure the services you need are running.
BART operates on a Monday to Saturday schedule, and several routes are closed on Sunday.
If you are arriving at San Francisco or Oakland Airports, you cannot get on BART right away. To get started, ride the free AirTrain to the BART station and continue your journey by train. An interesting fact about BART is that they provide special incentives for bike-and-ride transit. They encourage bike-and-ride transit as a means to protect the environment, and each station has a bike parking area. Plus, BART allows bikes on the train. Each train car is fitted with special bike racks. Taxis & Ride-Hailing Taxis can be flagged down on the street like in most big cities, but they are not a cheap option, and you will see fewer and fewer of them on the streets of San Francisco. A taxi's base fare is $3.10 and then $1.39 for each mile. They have to add a tip of at least 10%. You can call the number 333-3333 that is displayed prominently on the sides of the taxis. Taxis have a smaller market share now due to Uber and Lyft. In fact, for short distances, ride-hailing is the cheaper option, as it is around $7–8. Be sure to download the appropriate apps before your trip. It is similar to ordering a Didi in China. Also, Didi has partnered with Lyft, so you can order a ride in San Francisco through the Didi app. For rides to Silicon Valley, we recommend Uber or Lyft. While a single ride can be expensive, it becomes much more economical when the fare is split between two to four people. For those who prefer a little more freedom, GoCar mini convertibles provide a unique experience. Time magazine even called GoCar one of the most stylish and exciting inventions of its time.
All cars are equipped with GPS and Voice Navigation that describes the locations passed and buildings on the way.
Passengers are taken to not only the most popular and recognizable places in San Francisco, but also to unique and captivating places that are not so well known.
Tickets do come at a steep price of over 900 yuan for two hours.
Drivers must also be at least 21 years of age and must have a valid driver's license.
Along with the mini convertibles, open top double decker buses in san francisco that are operated by Big Bus are an option to those who don't want to think about the details too much.
Chinese speaking guides will make listening to the audio commentary much easier.
On board there is a Hop on Hop off system, so if you want to get off the bus, feel free to do so to start exploring on foot.
There are 3 different bus routes in Big Bus San Francisco, red route, blue route, and green route.
The blue route is the only route that offers a journey after dark, while the red route is essentially a tourist trap as it goes to all the hot spots.
The green route acts as a tour guide to a quaint little town called Sausalito.
👀 Red Route: A Guide to San Francisco's Many Personalities 🔴
Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park is the largest man made park in the world!
It is 20% larger than New York's central park!
The park is truely an eclectic experience. Walking through you will notice distinct differences that can be influenced by varying regions of the world like Japan and Europe.
The park has a unique charm because it consists of over a dozen smaller areas, each with its own personality. And there are three major museums: the California Academy of Sciences, the Asian Art Museum, and the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum. Art lovers especially recommend the Asian Art Museum. Its collection has over 15,000 artworks from China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and other Asian countries. You can easily spend an entire afternoon here just enjoying the Asian art. The Financial District The West Coast’s Wall Street The Financial District is often referred to as the 'Wall Street of the West Coast'. With its combination of tall buildings and narrow streets, the area can feel imposing and may seem quite sensible. The global financial industry has a cold and pragmatic environment, which is appropriately reflected by the neighbourhood's atmosphere. Typically, financial districts around the world have a similar appearance: towering skyscrapers, muted colours, shiny surfaces, and crowds of workers burning the midnight oil. But San Francisco has a surprise that is waiting to be discovered above the street level. You can find Salesforce Transit Center, with its generous and expansive rooftop garden, meandering paths, and a circular performance space. It is an oasis with over 600 trees which offers a welcome respite to harried office workers and visitors. When the summer evening breeze is blowing, the rooftop El Techo de Lolinda bar is a great place to enjoy a meal and it makes the atmosphere feel even better. You can enjoy a drink there as well. The View Lounge is the best place in the city to watch the sunset and the city skyline. That's Chinatown, where you'll find some of the most authentic Chinese food in America. It sits alongside the Financial District. With a wide variety of food available including pickled fish dishes and hot pots, grab a bite to eat and experience a taste of home.
There are an estimated 100,000 Chinese residents living in the vicinity of Chinatown. To the south of Grant Avenue, a busy hub has formed with people coming to eat, shop, send parcels, and do their banking. This is not a place that caters to tourists, people are going about their daily lives. For many, hearing Mandarin and Cantonese is an instant reminder of home and the other side of the Pacific.
Fisherman's Wharf
Relax and enjoy the fresh sea air
Fisherman's Wharf is a great place to hop on the Big Bus and is also a prime location for seafood, sunsets, and shopping.
At Pier 39, you can do absolutely nothing while watching the sea lions. This is also a great spot to dig into some of the local Dungeness crab.
Walking across the Golden Gate Bridge
A view to remember
Countless films have featured the Golden Gate Bridge and for good reason, it is one of the most recognizable landmarks in San Francisco. Do not just gaze at it from afar, walk across the bridge.
This will allow you to take in the stunning views of the Bay Area and the rest of San Francisco.
When you cross the Golden Gate Bridge on the Big Bus, you will arrive in Sausalito. From there you can take the Green Route and explore at your leisure.
📗 Green Route: Charming Sausalito 📗
Sausalito is a beautiful town located directly across the bay from San Francisco. The view in one direction is the Pacific Ocean and the other side is a collection of colorful houses stacked up the hillside. You can tell you are in the Cinque Terre area. With beautiful view from The Green Route, which circles the town, downtown will be your cue to get off and discover the tiny gems in the streets of Sausalito. Sausalito Downtown Despite having a population of only 7,600, Sausalito boasts 14 art galleries, establishing a notable cultural presence. Furthermore, the town offers a peaceful space away from the city hustle. While some street-corner galleries are smaller than others, they all have the potential to be unforgettable. Sausalito Art Festival gives space for many artists to showcase and sell their work, including small crafts. The Golden Gate Bridge is also quite the sight from the town. When the fog comes in, you might just see something otherworldly residing on the bridge. 🔷 Blue Route: San Francisco After Dark 🔷 Blue Route is the official San Francisco night sightseeing route. It goes around downtown and over to the Bay Bridge to Treasure Island. Treasure Island There is no buried gold, but the view is priceless. Many consider Treasure Island to have an exceptional view of downtown San Francisco, especially the skyline, at night. However, compared to Shanghai, it feels more understated. Treasure Island is now a U.S. military base. It was intended to be the site of San Francisco Airport before the location was ultimately chosen at San Mateo. The last weekend of every month sees a flea market that attracts food and shopping enthusiasts. Bay Bridge - San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge An understated bridge that offers competition to the Golden Gate Golden Gate Bridge might command most of the focus, but the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge, or Bay Bridge, is a beauty that many miss. While it may not have the Golden Gate's public appeal, the Bay Bridge has it's own claim to fame;
it is the world's widest bridge. The view as you cross the bridge and turn back towards the glittering Bay Area is stunning. For more stops included in the Big Bus itinerary, visit the official website. Link: Big Bus Prices:
One-day pass: $55.30 (discounted price when purchasing online)
Two-day pass: $66.30 (discounted price when purchasing online)
Best option = Two-day pass. One day for the city, another for Sausalito. Advice: Sometimes it is better to remain on the bus during rush hour. With traffic, it could take a long time for the next bus to arrive. The temperature in San Francisco drops at night, and it gets cold. Travelers who are sensitive to the cold should take the lower deck, while those who are not can sit on the upper deck. Life is busy enough. You shouldn’t feel rushed while traveling. It shouldn’t feel like every form of transport is another way to hurry. Enjoy the journey, and take your time in San Francisco. If you're planning a trip along the West Coast, make sure to include San Francisco in your travel plans. If possible, dedicate more days to this city than your itinerary suggests.
