San Francisco travel guide
San Francisco Tourism | San Francisco Guide
You're Going to Love San Francisco
With a population of 805 235, San Francisco is a must-see destination in California, United States. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything San Francisco has to offer.
Where to Eat in San Francisco
SoMa is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in San Francisco. These include popular favourites such as Pazzia (337 3rd St), SF Oasis (298 11th St) and Montesacro SOMA (510 Stevenson Street). If you’re looking for affordable options, The Stinking Rose (430 Columbus Ave) and Scala's Bistro (432 Powell St.) are great picks. For delicious green meals, E&O Kitchen and Bar (314 Sutter Street) and Local Kitchen & Wine Merchant (330 First Street) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in San Francisco.
When to visit San Francisco
Looking for warm weather? Then head to San Francisco in September, when the average temperature is 17 °C, and the highest can go up to 21 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 8 °C, with an average temperature of 11 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 112 mm. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in San Francisco, with an average rainfall of 0 mm.
How to Get to San Francisco
Plane
When flying to San Francisco, you’ll arrive at San Francisco Airport (SFO), which is located 19 km from the city centre Airlines that fly from Canada to San Francisco include Air Canada, Air New Zealand and Austrian Airlines. The shortest flight to San Francisco from Canada departs from Vancouver and takes around 2h 20m.
Train
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to San Francisco. The train journey from San Francisco to Los Angeles takes 0h 38m and costs around C$ 22 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Sacramento, expect to pay about C$ 23 for a 1h 41m trip. Located 2.2 km from the city centre, San Francisco Caltrain is the busiest station in San Francisco. Another popular train station is San Francisco Ferry Building, located 1.7 km from the centre.
Car
Another option to get to San Francisco is to pick up a car rental from Sacramento, which is about 119 km from San Francisco. You’ll find branches of Thrifty and Dollar, among others, in Sacramento.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to San Francisco, including FlixBus, Busbud and Greyhound. From Los Angeles, the bus ride to San Francisco takes 113 km and will cost you around C$ 18. From Sacramento, the ticket costs about C$ 38 for a journey of 201 km. The most popular bus station is San Francisco 425 Mission St, located 1.4 km from downtown San Francisco. San Francisco Soma is also a commonly used station, and is 1.9 km from the city centre.
Airlines serving San Francisco
Where to stay in San Francisco
From 5-star hotels such as the Mansion on Sutter to great affordable options like the Parker Guest House, San Francisco offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around C$ 213 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to C$ 592 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Columbus Motor Inn and Inn San Francisco. There are also lots of vacation rental options in San Francisco, with prices from C$ 72 to C$ 666 per night. SoMa is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in San Francisco are about 63% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Nob Hill - In San Francisco’s most popular neighbourhood to stay, recommended hotels include White Swan Inn, Nob Hill Inn and Fairmont San Francisco.
Chinatown - Here you’ll find travellers’ favourites such as University Club of San Francisco, Orchard Garden Hotel and The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. The average nightly price for a double room in Chinatown is C$ 164.
The Castro - Beck's Motor Lodge, Perramont Hotel and Twin Peaks Hotel have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in The Castro will cost you about C$ 226 per night.
Where to stay in popular areas of San Francisco
Most booked hotels in San Francisco
Renting a car in San Francisco
Renting a car in San Francisco costs C$ 81 per day, on average, or C$ 242 if you want to rent it for 3 days. Alamo, National and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in San Francisco is the Fox branch at 435 South Airport Boulevard, which is 17 km from the downtown.
Expect to pay C$ 1.89 per litre in San Francisco (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 22.62 and C$ 30.16. Compact (Ford Focus Sedan or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in San Francisco, while also 69% cheaper than other types, on average.
Best car rental deals in San Francisco
Compact
4 adults, 2 Bags
C$ 44/day
Standard
5 adults, 3 Bags
C$ 45/day