San Francisco is known for being one of the world’s most expensive cities — but it’s not impossible to enjoy a budget holiday to SF.
As far as places go, San Francisco, California, USA, has to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. With winding roads and seemingly endless hills, the city is tranquil, picturesque, and bursting with culture. Yet, so many claim it is hard to visit due to how much it costs.
After securing return flights from London Heathrow for £602.80, I set out on a mission to spend no more than £400 during the week I was there.
Travelling with my sister helped as we often split the cost of things and we planned ahead to ensure we could spend as little as possible, but still have a great time.
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A place to stay
Finding a well-equipped place to stay is essential for saving money and I could not recommend where we stayed more. Green Tortoise Hostel, in North Beach, is an eclectic and cosy hostel that overlooks the roads in Chinatown. The main social area was actually a ballroom at one point, and now the hostel uses it as the main social space and kitchen.
When it comes to saving money, hostels are always a good option — especially when in expensive cities. But you can save even more money by finding one that includes breakfast in the nightly fee.
The breakfast was bundled into the hostel and the bottom shelf of the fridge was designated for food that people leave when they say goodbye to the hostel at the end of their stay.
Little perks like this can save you so much money on eating out, or buying unnecessary items that you wouldn’t be able to travel home with. There was also a constant supply of fresh orange juice, coffee and tea.
One unusual thing about this hostel, that I had not come across before, was that it had a sauna on its top floor. It was a welcome addition and stopped us from spending money on a spa day in the city.
The hostel thinks of everything – when you enter you can help yourself to maps, event guides, local transport cards and books left by departed guests and towels for hire. For three nights, it cost $116 (£90.90) per person.
Food to eat
One of the best eating spots is Golden Boy Pizza. The base of their pizzas is focaccia, and then they are topped with all sorts of different toppings. You can purchase either by the slice, or a whole pizza. It is worth bearing in mind that this is a popular spot, so expect a queue. Golden Boy Pizza for two people including tax and a tip cost $21 (£16.46).
4505 Burgers & BBQ is a BBQ restaurant situated on the busy and bustling Divisadero Street. Make sure to get their smoked meat plate, where you can choose three meats and two sides, all served with pickles and a buttery parker house roll for $24.95 (£19.53). This platter allows you to try multiple items from the menu meaning you get the full experience.
Na Ya Dessert Café is tucked away in the residential area on Octavia St. However, once you get there you realise that the walk was worth it as you will see a packed little dessert café. Na Ya specialises in Asian sweet treats including shaved ice, cakes, crepes, and milk tea. If going, make sure to get their Thai milk tea crepe cake which was $16 (£12.54) and big enough for two people.
When it comes to coffee and water, make sure to make use of your accommodation’s supply, otherwise, you’ll be set back around $7.50 (£5.87) for a coffee and $2.50 (£1.96) for a bottle of water, each time.
Things to do
San Francisco has a lot to offer that also doesn’t break the bank. Locations such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Lombard Street and Haight and Ashbury are all free to visit. In fact, my sister and I only paid to see one thing and that was the Japanese Tea Garden, in the Golden Gate Park. Admission costs $15 (£11.74) per person, however, if you don’t mind getting up early you can save that by visiting on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday between 9am and 10am.
One of the main attractions of San Francisco I didn’t do and consequently saved money, was heading to Alcatraz island. Instead of spending money on a ferry and tour, we headed to Coit Tower which gave a great view of the island and even had telescopes you could look through to see it more clearly.
The Golden Gate Bridge is another iconic landmark in San Fran – and happily it is also free to visit. The gift shop even displays information about the construction process, so you don’t need to pay for a guide. Another iconic spot is Lombard Street. Known for its eight hairpin turns, it provides the perfect picturesque spot to look over the city.
My sister, Aggie, said: “Looking across streets in San Francisco you could be convinced you’re in a Doctor Strange space warp movie or a video game; the roads seem to defy the standard conventions of 3D space.”
Golden Gate Park, whilst ironically not that close to the Golden Gate Bridge, is also beautiful to visit. Nearly five times as big as Central Park in New York, and stretching down to the Pacific Ocean, the park offers a myriad of walking routes and cultural attractions for free.
Aggie said: “In San Francisco, you could look to one flower bed and be convinced you were in a cactus-ridden desert and the next bed a tropical paradise where banana palms gently sway in the wind. Even the skyscrapers have their own forests.”
Once you get to the far end of the park you will arrive at Ocean Beach. This typical Californian beach boasts BBQ pits and scenic walks.
My personal favourite was Haight-Ashbury. Made popular during the 1960s hippie movement, the intersection of Haight and Ashbury Streets, offers one-of-a-kind shops, cafes, restaurants and bars. With a lot of vintage stores and some great independent sellers, it is easy to spend money. However, nothing was too badly priced.
As an avid book lover, I make it one of my main ambitions that every holiday I go on, to find the best bookstores and literary locations. If in San Francisco, must-see bookstores include City Lights Bookstore, Dog Eared Books, Borderland Books, Half Price Books and Moe’s Books.
Getting around
Getting around the city does require a certain level of determination. The hilly landscape means that quite often you’ll be walking steep inclines and declines. However, there are buses that get around the city for $1.75 (£1.37) and any subsequent rides on the same day will be free. In some cases, you may have to opt for the metro though, and your vest option is to purchase a Clipper Card for $5 (£3.92). It works like an oyster and will get you on the metro ($2.70/£2.12 a trip) and the buses.
To get around Golden Gate Park, bikes are the most common method used. There are plenty of Lyft docking stations in and around the park, but you will need to download the app to use them. But be aware, if using a Lyft bike, the first 30 minutes are a couple of dollars, and after that, they charge you the 24-hour fee which is over $30 (£23.50).
Taking into account food, transport and personal purchases, as well as accommodation and flights, I spent around £976.40.
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