Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco seen from the Marin Headlands
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About San Francisco

San Francisco runs from the Embarcadero waterfront west to the Pacific. Union Square is on BART and Muni. The Wharf is where the Alcatraz boats leave, with bay walks on the doorstep. The Mission gives up the postcard views for restaurants and murals.

Union Square has Powell Street BART, the cable cars and a long list of hotels. You can walk to Chinatown and North Beach, but the hills make short distances on the map feel longer. The Financial District and the Ferry Building are farther down Market Street, on the Embarcadero.

At Fisherman’s Wharf, PIER 39, the waterfront walks and the Alcatraz departure piers are close together. The F Market & Wharves streetcar runs along the Embarcadero to downtown. A Wharf hotel suits a first day on the water. The Mission and Golden Gate Park are a longer transit ride away.

In the Mission, BART stops at 16th Street and 24th Street, with trains to downtown and SFO. You stay here for the murals and for eating and drinking around Valencia Street and Dolores Park. Hayes Valley, near Civic Center, has smaller streets and its own restaurants. SoMa makes sense if you are going to Moscone Center or Oracle Park.

The de Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences are in Golden Gate Park. The Presidio and the Golden Gate Bridge are farther north. In summer, fog and wind can make a waterfront afternoon colder than the inland Bay Area, so carry a layer even when the forecast looks mild.

State
California
Time zone
Pacific (PT)
Main airport
San Francisco International (SFO)
Airport rail
BART
Waterfront
San Francisco Bay
Summer weather
Cool coastal fog and dry days
Painted Ladies houses along Steiner Street beside Alamo Square
Painted Ladies by Alamo Square
Ferry Building clock tower along the San Francisco Embarcadero
Ferry Building on the Embarcadero
San Francisco skyline seen above the green lawn of Mission Dolores Park
Mission Dolores Park and skyline
Grant Avenue street scene in San Francisco Chinatown
Grant Avenue in Chinatown
Passengers riding a Powell Street cable car near Union Square
Powell Street cable car
Alcatraz Island seen across San Francisco Bay from a boat
Alcatraz Island
Photo credits

Where to stay in San Francisco

  • Union Square

    • First visits
    • BART access
    • Theater
    • Shopping

    Union Square has lots of hotels around Powell Street BART and the cable car turnaround. The theaters and downtown shops are close, and Chinatown is a short walk. Check the exact block before you book. The streets change fast toward the Tenderloin, and you still need a ride to the Wharf.

    Around here: Union Square, Powell Street station, Cable car turnaround

  • Fisherman’s Wharf

    • Waterfront walks
    • Alcatraz trips
    • Families
    • First visits

    Hotels here are near PIER 39 and the Alcatraz departure piers, which suits families and days on the water. The F streetcar runs along the Embarcadero to the Ferry Building and Market Street. The Mission and Golden Gate Park are farther away than they look on the map.

    Around here: PIER 39, Alcatraz departure piers, Fisherman’s Wharf

  • Financial District and Embarcadero

    • Business trips
    • Ferries
    • Bay walks
    • BART access

    This is the office district, with Montgomery Street BART, the Ferry Building and the bayfront promenade. Stay here for meetings or ferry trips. Market Street runs straight to Union Square. Some office blocks have few places to eat after work.

    Around here: Ferry Building, Embarcadero, Montgomery Street station

  • SoMa and Yerba Buena

    • Conventions
    • Baseball games
    • Museums
    • Caltrain trips

    SoMa runs south of Market Street, from the Yerba Buena museums and Moscone Center down to Oracle Park. It is a big district, so book near the venue you need. A hotel by the ballpark is a long walk from Union Square.

    Around here: Moscone Center, SFMOMA, Oracle Park

  • Mission and Hayes Valley

    • Restaurants
    • Murals
    • Evening outings
    • Longer stays

    The Mission has the Valencia Street restaurants, the murals and Dolores Park, with BART at 16th and 24th Streets. Hayes Valley is closer to the Civic Center performance venues. Both are better for evenings out than for early starts at the Wharf. Pick the hotel by its nearest transit stop.

    Around here: Valencia Street, Mission Dolores Park, Patricia’s Green

  • Marina and Presidio

    • Bridge views
    • Waterfront paths
    • Quieter stays
    • Presidio visits

    Chestnut Street in the Marina has cafés and restaurants near the Palace of Fine Arts and Crissy Field. The Presidio is parkland with views of the bridge. BART does not reach this part of the city, so plan on Muni buses or rideshares to downtown and the airport.

    Around here: Palace of Fine Arts, Crissy Field, Golden Gate Bridge

Best time to visit San Francisco

Downtown San Francisco is often warmer in September and October than in June and July. Summer is dry, but fog and wind can make the bayfront cold. Most of the rain falls in winter. Bring layers if your day goes from the waterfront to inland neighborhoods.

Average high and low (°F)Days with rainDrier months
  1. Jan: average high 58 °F, low 47 °F, 11.2 days with rain. Rainy season
  2. Feb: average high 60 °F, low 48 °F, 10.8 days with rain. Cool and wet
  3. Mar: average high 62 °F, low 49 °F, 10.8 days with rain. Spring begins
  4. Apr: average high 63 °F, low 50 °F, 6.8 days with rain. Fewer rainy days
  5. May: average high 64 °F, low 51 °F, 4 days with rain. Cool spring
  6. Jun: average high 67 °F, low 53 °F, 1.6 days with rain. Summer fog
  7. Jul: average high 66 °F, low 54 °F, 0.7 days with rain. Dry and foggy
  8. Aug: average high 68 °F, low 56 °F, 1.1 days with rain. Dry and foggy
  9. Sep: average high 70 °F, low 56 °F, 1.2 days with rain. Warmer afternoons
  10. Oct: average high 70 °F, low 54 °F, 3.5 days with rain. Mild fall
  11. Nov: average high 64 °F, low 51 °F, 7.9 days with rain. Rain returns
  12. Dec: average high 58 °F, low 47 °F, 11.6 days with rain. Rainy season
Source: Wikipedia: San Francisco (downtown 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals)

Getting to San Francisco

BART runs from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to downtown stations, including Powell Street and Montgomery Street. Caltrain ends at 4th and King, near Oracle Park. Inside the city, you get around on Muni buses, rail, streetcars and cable cars.

SFOSan Francisco International Airport

13 mi from downtown

To Union Square
About 30 minutes by BART to Powell Street, then walk
To Fisherman’s Wharf
BART to downtown, then F streetcar or a rideshare

Take BART from the International Terminal. Downtown is about 30 minutes away. Get off at Powell Street for Union Square or Montgomery Street for the Financial District. For the Wharf, change to the F streetcar or a Muni bus. The Marina and Presidio generally need a bus or rideshare.

Other ways to arrive

Train
Caltrain arrives at 4th and King streets, near Oracle Park and the southern edge of SoMa.
Ferry
Bay ferries use the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero; check the route for your departure point.
Car
US 101 and I-280 come in from the south. Parking at central hotels can cost extra, and you can reach many of the main sights by transit.
Local transit
BART stops at the airport and several central stations. Muni rail, buses, cable cars and the F Market & Wharves streetcar cover the rest of the city.

Questions about San Francisco

When is a refundable San Francisco stay useful?

When your SFO arrival, convention schedule or a day trip could still move. You can switch districts later instead of locking one in too early.

Does free cancellation always last until arrival?

No. You can cancel for free only until the cutoff on the rate you pick. Check it before you pay.

Which location stays flexible for a changing itinerary?

Union Square. It has Powell Street BART, the cable cars and several Muni lines, so it works for different days around the city without changing hotels.

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