As we wait for the borders to open, let’s take a look at the best way to explore the City by the Bay in 3 days. If you want to experience the best in food, culture, and the great outdoors, then San Francisco is for you.
Whether you’re coming from near or far, it’s best to follow the new rules of travel safety. Here in San Francisco, they’re doing their part to keep the city clean and its residents healthy. You can help them and protect yourself by wearing a mask, maintaining social distancing, and practicing good hygiene.
Did you know you can get from San Francisco International Airport to the many hotels and attractions of downtown San Francisco for less than $10? Take a ride on BART, the Bay Area’s Rapid Transit system, and start your San Francisco adventure.
Day 1 / Friday
Check In to your hotel
San Francisco’s hotels are ready to welcome you again. Pamper yourself in their luxurious accommodations. Most of the city’s 30,000+ hotel rooms are located near its most popular attractions. You’ll be able to explore easily on foot and then return to a comfortable room with a scenic view of San Francisco.
Dine out
If you arrive in San Francisco by dinner time, you can sample some of the city’s excellent cuisine. Try authentic Chinese dishes in Chinatown. Choose a slice of prize-winning pizza in North Beach. There’s fresh seafood at Fisherman’s Wharf and mouth-watering burritos in the Mission. With nearby local breweries and the vineyards of Napa Valley and Sonoma County keeping us well supplied, there’s no limit to the pairings you can create.
Take In the view
From wherever you decided to dine, it won’t take you long to find yourself at one of San Francisco’s many inspiring vantage points. Along the water, you can look across to the Bay Lights of the Bay Bridge or admire our other landmark bridge.
One of the best ways to see the city sights is on a Big Bus hop-on, hop-off bus tour. Enjoy the flexibility before and after dinner as you explore the treasures of Golden Gate Bridge to Fisherman’s Wharf, Haight-Ashbury to Chinatown.
Day 2 / Saturday
Enjoy the outdoors
We’ve all been cooped up for so long that the great outdoors has never been more appealing. Lucky for you, San Francisco is one of the greenest cities in the country, with acres of protected land for you to explore. For a leisurely stroll, you can walk the Embarcadero from Oracle Park in SoMA all the way to Fisherman’s Wharf. This flat, paved promenade gives you gorgeous views of the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, and Alcatraz.
On the west side of the city is Golden Gate Park. This 150-year-old marvel of landscape engineering is bigger than New York City’s Central Park! With much of it closed off to vehicles, you can amble along both footpaths and roadways while giving your fellow urban explorers plenty of space. Within the park, you’ll find hidden treasures like a peaceful lake, a herd of bison, and towering Dutch windmills.
Get inspired at museums
San Francisco’s must-see museums are welcoming visitors back. Whether your interests lie in natural history, the fine arts, or our shared and evolving culture, you’ll find inspiration in San Francisco’s museums.
The California Academy of Sciences contains a planetarium, an aquarium, and a rainforest, all beneath one living roof. Its neighbor, the de Young Museum, hosts artworks from around the world and across the centuries. It also has a seven-story observation tower that offers breathtaking views.
The Legion of Honor, perched on the city’s western cliffs, contains artworks by some of the greatest European masters. For more contemporary collections, visit the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in SoMa. The building itself is a work of art!
When you think of Walt Disney, you might think of Southern California; but here in San Francisco’s Presidio, you’ll find the Walt Disney Family Museum, which celebrates the works, genius, and legacy of one of the 20th century’s greatest creators.
Dine out
This is the night you’ll want to splurge and reserve that special dining experience you’ll never forget and can’t find anywhere else.
At State Bird Provisions and Rich Table, you’ll find succulent dishes made from the finest, freshest, locally sourced ingredients. The Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn, created by one of the most awarded female chefs in the world, Dominique Crenn, serves up artistically assembled dishes that each have a story to tell. Besharam is another establishment with a female founder. Chef Heena Patel uses bold flavors to create her signature Indian dishes.
Day 3 /Sunday
Dine out
For your last meal in San Francisco, you’ll want a hearty breakfast you won’t soon forget. That’s why one can suggest starting your day at one of the city’s incredible bakeries. Mr. Holmes Bakehouse on Larkin Street is famous for its cruffins (that’s a croissant-muffin). b. patisserie in Pacific Heights serves indulgent pastries like a cheddar-jalapeno scone or chocolate-banana-almond croissant that will get your morning started right. Then there’s Craftstman & Wolves, known for its unique creation, the Rebel Within: a soft-boiled egg cooked inside a muffin!
Shop unique local businesses
Many of San Francisco’s unique neighborhoods have their own special shopping districts. Sure, the flagship luxury retail of Union Square is a treat, but what about finding something that says “only in San Francisco”? In the Marina, you’ll find charming boutiques along Union and Chestnuts streets. Up the hill from there, Fillmore St. runs through the Pacific Heights and Fillmore neighborhoods and offers designer clothing, stylish home furnishings, and indulgent self-care items.
Visit Chinatown
A city within a city, San Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest and largest such neighborhood in the U.S. Its narrow streets are lined with unique stores and excellent restaurants. The walls are covered in art celebrating the history and culture of the neighborhood. Lanterns sway in the breeze and traditional prayers and music fill the air.
Take a tour
With Airbnb Experiences, you can get the inside scoop on San Francisco by exploring it with local guides. Explore the lifestyles of the rich and famous with a tour that takes you to some of San Francisco’s most palatial homes. Or determine once and for all which pizzeria in North Beach is serving up the best slices with a Pizza & Bar Crawl. The opportunities are endless and they all come with that local knowledge no visitor should be without.
Few things to take care of-
- Masks are still required at SFO and all US airports regardless of vaccination status!
- If it’s been some time since your last trip through SFO terminals, you’ll notice the health measures that have been put in place to keep you traveling well. These efforts have earned SFO an Airport Health Accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI) World, a program that evaluates new health and safety measures and procedures introduced at airports worldwide in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Before you travel, be sure to check for any COVID-19 travel advisories and requirements at both your destination and upon your return.
- Need a COVID-19 test to travel? SFO offers testing at two locations in the terminals, as well as an on-airport drive-through service. Visit SFO’s COVID-19 testing page for the types of tests offered, turnaround times, and how to book an appointment.
- Ready to get your COVID-19 vaccination? SFO’s Medical Clinic offers J&J single dose vaccine for people who are 18 or older on a first come, first served walk-up basis.
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