San Francisco

From Mission burritos and North Beach espresso to Lands End trails and the Castro, here are our local picks for eating, exploring, and staying in San Francisco.

Browse San Francisco

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San Francisco is one of the most rewarding US cities to explore, and this local guide brings together the best things to do, where to eat and where to stay in one place. Highlights include the Golden Gate Bridge, the island prison of Alcatraz and the cable cars climbing the city’s famous hills, with Mission burritos and North Beach espresso along the way. Below you will find a set of hand-picked local recommendations across sights, restaurants, hotels and tours, which you can filter by category and budget to plan the perfect trip, whether you have a weekend or a week.

San Francisco at a glance

Ideal stay: 3 days
Best time to visit: September and October
Highlights: the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz
Where to stay: Union Square or the Marina
Local picks: hand-chosen recommendations
Getting around: cable cars, Muni and BART, plus walkable (hilly) neighbourhoods

Where to stay in San Francisco

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Mission

La Taqueria

Ask a San Franciscan where to settle the great burrito debate and many will send you here, to a Mission counter that has been at it for over five decades. La Taqueria makes its burritos rice-free, foc

★ 4.5

Outer Richmond

Lands End

This rugged stretch of coast is where the city meets the Pacific, with the Coastal Trail winding past cypress groves, hidden beaches and the haunting ruins of the old Sutro Baths. On a clear day you c

Mission District

Mission Dolores Park

Dolores Park is where San Francisco comes to lounge on a sunny day, and the sloping south end frames a postcard view of the downtown skyline. Locals stake out the grassy hill with picnics, dogs and th

Tenderloin

Phoenix Hotel

Built in 1956 as the Caravan Lodge and reborn in 1987 as the city’s rock-and-roll inn, the Phoenix has hosted touring musicians from David Bowie to Kurt Cobain around its palm-fringed heated pool. The

Mission

Reem’s California

Why it matters: Reem’s California grew from a farmers-market stand (incubated by nonprofit La Cocina) into a Mission bakery led by Palestinian-Syrian chef and former labor organizer Reem Assil, who ce

★ 4.4

Chinatown & citywide

San Francisco City Guides

Why it matters: SF City Guides is a nonprofit founded in 1978 and sponsored by the San Francisco Public Library, with tours led entirely by trained volunteers and offered free of charge, though donati

SoMa

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)

One of the largest modern and contemporary art museums in the country, SFMOMA spreads seven gallery floors across a dramatic Snohetta-designed expansion, plus a free-to-enter living wall and sculpture

North Beach

San Remo Hotel

One of the last true budget beds near Fisherman’s Wharf, the San Remo has run as a family-owned Italian pensione since it rose from the 1906 earthquake. Most rooms are cozy and share spotless bathroom

Polk Gulch

Swan Oyster Depot

Locals have been squeezing onto the same 18 wooden stools since the Sancimino family took over this marble-countered seafood depot in 1946 (it first opened as Swan in 1912). There’s no kitchen to spea

★ 4.6

Mission

Tartine Bakery

Founded by Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson, this corner Mission bakery helped define modern San Francisco baking and won James Beard recognition along the way. People queue for the morning buns,

★ 4.5

Financial District

The Barrel Room

Why it matters: The Barrel Room is co-owned by sommeliers Sarah Trubnick and Carolyn Johnson, a woman-owned wine bar with a deep focus on small American producers you rarely see by the glass. The spac

Divisadero / NoPa

The Independent

Locals love The Independent for its sightlines and sound in a room that holds only a few hundred people, so even bigger touring acts feel intimate. The calendar swings from indie rock and hip-hop to e

North Beach

The Saloon

Billed as the oldest bar in San Francisco, The Saloon is a cash-friendly North Beach dive that has been pouring since the Barbary Coast days and still books live blues and jazz seven days a week. It i

Twin Peaks

At roughly 900 feet up, Twin Peaks gives you the whole city laid out in one sweep, from downtown to the bay and out to the ocean on clear days. Locals come for sunset and, if they’re lucky, a break in

Downtown, Mission & citywide

Wild SF Tours

Why it matters: Wild SF Tours is an artist- and activist-led company co-founded by Wes Leslie and J. Jo, built around telling ‘the people’s history’ and centering women, queer folks, people of color a

Before you go

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Book your trip to San Francisco

Find the best hotels and book tours and experiences, all in one place.

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San Francisco travel FAQ

How many days do you need in San Francisco?

About three days lets you see the Golden Gate Bridge, visit Alcatraz and explore neighbourhoods like the Mission and North Beach.

Where is the best area to stay in San Francisco?

Union Square is central and well connected by transit, while the Marina offers a quieter base near the waterfront.

What are the best things to do in San Francisco?

Browse the local picks above, from the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz to the city’s neighbourhoods, restaurants and where to stay.

What is the best time to visit San Francisco?

September and October are typically the warmest and clearest months, though San Francisco is worth visiting year-round — bring layers for cool evenings.