San Francisco is arguably the most eclectic and colorful city in the United Sates (If you ask my personal opinion, you can well take out that ‘arguably’ from the sentence!). Peoples of many nationalities inhabit the city and this directly contributes to the diverse and eclectic culture of the city, not to talk of the all the authentic Korean, Chinese, Mexican and Japanese fare you can taste at the many eateries and restaurants around the city (the city is, in fact, a paradise for the foodies).
Now, the place is so cram full of attractive tourist destinations that people visiting San Francisco usually have a hard time choosing which places to visit and which ones to give a miss. Even if you spend a whole week at the place, you won’t quite be able to exhaust all the various tourist sites. So, understandably, things become considerably more difficult if you have only 2-3 days to spend at the city.
So, here’s a short guide on how to make the most of your time in the city when you only have a limited amount of time at your disposal to explore this iconic place. We will not go too much into all the different attractions the city has in offer (you can find that information from numerous other sources and can choose the destinations that appeal to you most and that best fit your interests).
Transportation
One issue about San Fran travel is that the city’s many attractions are quite spread out. This translates into a lot of travel time and the fact that the city still has a limited subway system and lots of traffic do not make the matters any more promising.
Tip One: When planning your itinerary for a day, try to choose destinations that are not too further apart from each other.
Tip Two: Buy a CityPASS and use public transportation. Don’t even think of renting a car. Most places are overcrowded, which means you would end up spending more time on parking than actually exploring the destination. When it comes to public transport, we highly recommend using cable cars (especially for short-distance rides). Riding cable cars are is a great way to experience and explore the different neighborhood of the city. Cable car rides are included within the CityPASS.
Opt for a Walking Tour
If you’ll prefer to soak in the atmosphere of the place in a leisurely manner, San Fran offers a number of interesting walking tours. According to many sources, the best company to use for these tours is the SF City Guides. During the tour, you’ll get to know a lot about the history and culture of many eclectic neighborhoods of the city.
If you have an obsession for all types of exotic cuisines, the ‘Local Taste of the City Food’ is a great Food Walking Tour that you can definitely consider.
And when we are in the subject of food, we strongly recommend that you pay a visit to Castro, the city’s gay neighborhood that houses a great number of modern and ethnic restaurants serving locally-sourced organic fare the Bay Area is famous for.
Finally, if you’ll like to enjoy a view of the city from the water, consider going on a Harbor tour. There are afternoon cruises that leave from the San Fran Bay every day. But you may as well opt for $7.30 public ferries. You get the same views, but at a more convenient price.