Where to stay in San Francisco
Are you looking for accommodation in San Francisco and don't know where to begin? We've the solution for you: take a look at our post on where to stay in San Francisco, where you'll find the 5 best areas with advantages/disadvantages of each one, recommended hotels and super detailed map. And just as important: the areas to avoid in the city.
If you don't feel like reading too much, you'll find all the accommodations in San Francisco here, but taking into account their good value for money here you have our favourite 5:
What are the best things to do in San Francisco in 4 days
Here is a 4-Day San Francisco Itinerary ideal for visiting both the most popular places in the city and others that are usually left out. In case you have less time, take a look at this 3-Day San Francisco Itinerary or at the Best Things to Do in San Francisco in 2 days.
The days would be organized as follows, but later we'll tell you the details of each day with the public transportation options in San Francisco and a map:
- Day 1: Palace of Fine Arts, Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square and Lombard Street.
- Day 2: Yerba Buena Gardens, Union Square, Chinatown, Financial District, North Beach and Alcatraz. If you have time: sunset at Coin Tower.
- Day 3: Twin Peaks, Castro, Mission District, Civic Center, Japantown and Nob Hill. If you have time: sunset in Ina Coolbrith Park.
- Day 4: Golden Gate Park, Haight-Ashbury, Buena Vista Park and Alamo Square.
INTERNET IN THE UNITED STATES
We have 2 discounts for you:
-3 FREE days with eSIMFlag ➡️ Unlimited data at the best price! Code: TRIPTOUSA10
-10% OFF with SimLocal ➡️ Best deal with limited data! Discount applied automatically
🤓 Take a loot at: Best SIMs & eSIMs for traveling to the USA
4-Day San Francisco Itinerary: Day 1
Ready to know the most emblematic bridge in the world? Today you're going to see in person the Golden Gate Bridge! To get there you have many options: by public transport, Uber or renting a bike. The last is the option we chose and we recommend it a lot! It's true that talking about bikes in a city full of hills may not sound very appealing, but this way you can make several stops and in the end it becomes a pleasant ride.
🚲The ideal (and what we did) is to rent a bike at Fisherman's Wharf and do the outward trip by bike and the return by ferry from Sausalito. You'll save a lot of time! Book your bike rental at Fisherman's Wharf here, you can choose to add the ferry ticket for the return trip if you wish.
There're plenty of stops you can do in your way to the bridge. For some the hills are tremendous, but luckily there's the Presidio GO, a free shuttle bus that has 2 lines and operates every day. It makes several stops around the Presidio area and also connects to downtown, check out their website for routes and schedules. And you can bring your bikes up!
These are the places we recommend in the Presidio area:
- Palace of Fine Arts: beautiful Greco-Roman style building surrounded by a pond.
- Presidio Park: in this park located on a hill there're lots of paths and unconventional places such as the Lucasfilm with the Yoda fountain (ideal for Stars Wars fans) or The Walt Disney Museum (about Walt Disney's life).
- Golden Gate Bridge viewpoints: there're plenty! You can choose between Golden Gate Beach, Crissy Field, Torpedo Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center. These are all on the right side of Presidio, but on the other side there are more (including the famous Baker Beach).
Once you get to the bridge itself, it's time to cross it! There's an exclusive lane for pedestrians and bicycles, making it a breeze (and epic!). Interesting viewpoints await you on the other side as well, giving you a very different perspective. Battery Spencer is probably the most popular one, but there're others.
💡If you decide to cross the Golden Gate Bridge with a rental car, remember that there is no toll to exit San Francisco towards Sausalito, but there is a toll to re-enter. The price is $9.25, it's best to check with your rental company how to make the payment (through their FasTrak account or by paying yourself through the web).
Once you have taken as many pictures as possible, go to Sausalito, the town known for its houseboats. The truth is that it's quite small and the interesting part is concentrated exclusively in the port area. When you've finished touring it, you just have to go to the ferry terminal and take the boat back, which will leave you at Fisherman's Wharf (where you'll leave your bike).
Tour Fisherman's Wharf, the oldest part of the harbor and the most touristy area of San Francisco. Sometimes you can feel you're in a theme park, but you can't miss the USS Pampanito submarine, the SS Jeremiah O'Brien ship and the sea lion colony at Pier 39. If you feel like it, you can take this guided tour of Fisherman's Wharf.
Also interesting in this area is the Musée Mécanique, free admission place where you can go back to your childhood through its old arcade machines, all of which are still in use if you throw in a few coins!
🍲After so much pedaling and walking you're sure to be hungry and Fisherman's Wharf is the ideal place to eat. The most famous dish is the Clam Chowder, a kind of soup served inside a bread (which is also typical of other cities like Seattle). You'll find several places to taste this yummy dish, although Chowder's is one of the most popular. Another famous restaurant is Bubba Gump, the Forrest Gump chain, with its battered shrimp and fish and chips. Otherwise, you have many other places to eat!
DO YOU NEED A RENTAL CAR IN THE UNITED STATES?
Take a look at this search tool and get the best price!
🍫 Head to Ghirardelli Square for a dessert. This square houses several historic buildings and many stores and is where you can find the best chocolate in San Francisco. Its production dates back to 1852, when Italian-born Domenico Ghirardelli established the first factory. Bonbons, milkshakes, cookies, cups of hot chocolate... Yummy!
When you finish your tasting you have the option to take the Powell-Hyde Cable Car line (it passes next to Ghirardelli Square) or walk to one of the most emblematic streets of the city: Lombard Street. One of the must-do things in San Francisco in 4 days is to ride this historic funicular, don't miss the opportunity! In addition, this is the most panoramic line of the 3 that exist.
💡Recommended: How to get around San Francisco |A complete transportation guide|
If you go by Cable Car get off at the junction of Hyde St/Chestnut St and walk to the top of the zig zag section of Lombard St, located between Hyde and Leavenworth streets. You can go down in order to see the perspective from both above and below.
4-Day San Francisco Itinerary: Day 2
It's time to discover San Francisco's downtown! First of all stop at the Yerba Buena Gardens, a quiet and beautiful public park with interesting views of the city buildings.
🚇To get there you can take the Metro T Line and get off at Yerba Buena/Moscone or get off at Market St/Stockton St (the historic streetcar and several buses pass here).
Although it isn't a must to see, if you don't visit it at this time then it'll be far behind you. Here you can't miss the Martin Luther King Memorial with its waterfalls and the historic carousel.
From here walk to Union Square, the shopping area par excellence and one of the best areas to stay in San Francisco. Go first to the junction of Powell St and Market St, one of the points where you can see the manual turn around of the historic Cable Car: the operators turn the funicular 180 degrees at the end of some lines, changing its direction so that it can continue its journey.
Stroll the streets full of stores and restaurants surrounding Union Square, such as Powell St and Stockton St. And if you feel like shopping, Macy's is a must!
Suddenly you'll find yourself in one of the most charming neighborhoods in San Francisco: Chinatown. There are chinese areas in many U.S. cities, but San Francisco's is one of the most colorful and lively, home to the second largest Chinese community in the country!
Make your entrance through the Dragon Gate and wander through the different streets as you delight in its lanterns, local stores and tons of restaurants. 🍜 If you're hungry, why not stop for a delicious dumplings or noodles? End your tour at Portsmouth Square, where you can watch locals practicing Taichi or playing cards.
From here head to the Financial District, the business center of the city and where the skyscrapers are concentrated. The most iconic one is undoubtedly the Transamerica Pyramid, the second tallest building in San Francisco with a characteristic pointed shape. It always stands out in the city skyline!
ℹ️ All these places (Union Square, Chinatown and Financial District) can be visited with a guide booking this free walking tour of San Francisco.
Walk north through the Financial District to end up in the North Beach neighborhood, where Little Italy is located. 🍕The most Italian area of San Francisco is home to the best pizza, coffee and ice cream in the city. Although there is a bit of an odd adult entertainment offer, it's a pleasant area to stroll through. What to do in Little Italy?
- Eating: your main goal 😋. There are popular places like Tony's Pizza Napoletana (it's pricey and there's usually a line, but it's open from noon to night) and Liguria Bakery (they only make focaccia and close when they run out). If none of these convince you, you'll find delicious fresh pasta at The Italian Homemade Company.
- Stroll through Washington Square and go inside St Peter and Paul Church.
- Enter the City Lights, a beautiful bookstore.
In the afternoon we suggest you to visit Alcatraz, one of the things to do in San Francisco in 4 days that you can't miss. To go to the most famous prison in the world, where Al Capone was imprisoned, you'll have to take a ferry from Pier 33, in the Embarcadero area. 🚍 To get there you can take the F streetcar or an Uber.
The visit to Alcatraz, taking into account the ferry ride and the time of the self-guided visity, will take you about 3 hours. Remember to make your reservation in advance, especially in high season with plenty of time, and do it through the official website, that's how it'll be cheaper!
💡Recommended: How to visit Alcatraz |The Ultimate Guide|
On your way back from Alcatraz, if you feel like it, you can finish the day watching a fabulous sunset at the Coit Tower, located in Telegraph Hill neighborhood. It's very close to Pier 33, where the Alcatraz ferry leaves you, but there're some steep slopes to get there. The good news is that this 64-meter high art-deco tower offers breathtaking 360º views of the entire city (including the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz). Plus, its interior is filled with fresco murals! The price is $11.
4-Day San Francisco Itinerary: Day 3
Start the day at one of the most famous viewpoints in San Francisco! Twin Peaks, as the name suggests, are 2 hills 280 meters (918 feet) high from which you have fabulous panoramic views of the entire city.
🚕Although you can get here by public transportation, it's true that all buses leave you at the bottom of the hills and you have to walk between 20 and 30 minutes uphill to finish getting to the top. For this reason, in this case we think it's a better option get here by Uber.
Take a look to this travel insurance for the United States comparison in case you need to book one
Once you've enjoyed the views, it's time to get to know the most colorful areas in San Francisco: El Castro. The first gay neighborhood in the United States has a great history that you can learn about through the movie 'Milk', have you seen it?
🌈 As you can imagine, the city's LGBTQ+ community is concentrated in El Castro: the crosswalks are multicolored, the streets are decorated with the flag and there's an incredible atmosphere. In addition, its streets are lined with lots of trendy bars and restaurants, although the adult storefronts are also eye-catching.
💡Recommended: 10 things to do in El Castro, San Francisco
El Castro is next to Mission District. Although in recent years the number of homeless people has increased in this area, it's still interesting to walk around and see its tourist attractions. Mission Dolores (also known as Mission of San Francisco de Asis) is the oldest intact building in the city, having survived several earthquakes throughout history like no other!
You can't miss the views from Mission Dolores Park, a very pleasant green space from which you can see the San Francisco skyline in the distance. And if you like art, in Clarion Alley you'll find murals and graffiti as well as on the facade of the striking Women's Building.
Save money on San Francisco attractions!
💸5% discount with the code YOURTRIPTOUSA5
🧐More popular attractions: San Francisco Bay Cruise, bike rental, Big Bus 1-day Tour, 1-day Muni Pass with Cable Car. There are 27!
A few streets further north is Civic Center, the government and cultural area of San Francisco: theaters and museums are concentrated, in addition to the monumental City Hall. The War Memorial Opera House, the Public Library, the Orpheum Theatre or the Asian Art Museum are buildings worth seeing, even if only on the outside.
🍜If you haven't already eaten, it's time to fill your stomach! And what better way to do it than in Japantown? The Japanese neighborhood (the oldest in the United States) is tiny, but it has a lot of charm and is not very touristy. Here you can stroll among typical houses and visit the Japan Center, a building full of Japanese stores and restaurants, so it's ideal for lunch. Don't miss the Peace Pagoda, located in the Japantown Peace Plaza, a 5-story pagoda that was a gift from the city of Osaka.
To end the day we recommend a stroll through Nob Hill neighborhood, one of the most exclusive areas of San Francisco. Luxury hotels, expensive stores and modern cafes and restaurants adorn this area located on one of the highest hills in the city. 🚍 If you don't feel like climbing slopes, you can take the bus 1 from Japantown.
Here you'll find the Grace Cathedral, that reminds to the Notre-Dame de Paris. Don't forget to stop by the luxurious Fairmont San Francisco hotel and enter the Cable Car Museum, it's free and the ideal place to learn about the history of San Francisco's iconic funicular.
-Duration: 8h
-What's included? transport by bus, 4h guided tour in San Francisco and round-trip ferry to Alcatraz + audioguide
4-Day San Francisco Itinerary: Day 4
Last day in San Francisco! The beautiful (and huge) Golden Gate Park must be in your 4-day itinerary in San Francisco. To give you an idea of its dimensions, it's about 5km long (3 miles), so visiting it all becomes complicated.
🚍To get there you can use public transportation (there're several buses that stop in different areas of the park) or Uber. The good news is that the park has a free bus service that stops at the main tourist points of the east side.
You can start at the western end of the park, where Ocean Beach is located. From here walk to the Queen Wilhelmina Garden, where there's a beautiful dutch mill surrounded by tulips when in season. Finish your walk at the Bison Paddock, home to a famous herd of bison (but remember, they're not always easy to see!).
Discover the surroundings!
😎 Take a look: 12 Places to Visit Near San Francisco
In the eastern part of the park there are lots of interesting sights to see (some of them require an entrance fee) such as the Japanese Tea Garden with its beautiful red pagoda, the Blue Heron Lake, the Botanical Garden or the Young Memorial Museum. You could spend the whole day walking around this park!
The easternmost point of Golden Gate Park is next to one of the most alternative and psychedelic neighborhoods in San Francisco. We're talking about Haight-Ashbury, known as the hippie area of the city. Stroll along Haight St, the main artery, while you delight in the striking facades, vintage clothing stores and businesses that sell weed. This is a good area to eat, as there are plenty of cafes and restaurants of all nationalities: Mexican, Thai, Puerto Rican...
If you feel like burning some calories in exchange for some great views, when you're done touring Haight-Ashbury head to Buena Vista Park. This hilltop park offers breathtaking views of the city and has several scenic trails - highly recommended on a clear day!
End the day in Alamo Square to see the most famous houses in San Francisco: The Painted Ladies. Although there're many Victorian-style houses in this area, these are the ones that get all the attention, as they've appeared in movies and series such as Full House. Next to the houses stands Alamo Square Park, a park from which you'll have a unique perspective of the Painted Ladies with the buildings of the city behind. Ideal place to relax and watch the sunset!
We hope you enjoy all these things to do in San Francisco in 4 days!
