Before you plan to visit San Francisco, check out my the travel mistakes I see visitors make daily and how you can avoid them. They include packing the right clothes, finding the right public transportation options, and why I don’t recommend renting a car.
As an SF resident, I love sharing travel tips for you to make the most of your visit to San Francisco.
Best Tours & Experiences for San Francisco:
60-Minute Bay Cruise: https://gyg.me/XfDdWM9K
Bike Tour of the Golden Gate Bridge: https://gyg.me/bNccH7Gn
Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour: https://gyg.me/WjO2tSm0
Golden Gate Bridge Sunset/Twilight Cruise: https://gyg.me/fxVYupzV
Highly Rated Places to Stay in San Francisco:
Union Square: https://expedia.stay22.com/jillloeffler/h-nzWtC2iq
Fisherman’s Wharf: https://booking.stay22.com/jillloeffler/nCe43_LbCS
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
01:28 Mistake #1 – The Weather Trap: Packing for the Wrong California
04:28 Mistake #2 – The Driving Delusion & Break-In Gamble
06:42 Mistake #3 – Public Transit Confusion: Not Knowing Your Muni from Your BART
09:06 Mistake #4 – The Cable Car Misunderstanding: Treating It Like a City-Wide Tram
10:59 Mistake #5 – The Fisherman’s Wharf Bubble: Missing the Real City
12:38 Mistake #6 – The Alcatraz Heartbreak: Assuming You Can Buy Tickets on the Day
14:55 Mistake #7 – The Hill and Footwear Fiasco: Underestimating the Walk
17:00 Mistake #8 – The Unintentional Detour: Wandering into the Tenderloin
19:01 Mistake #9 – The Overplanning Overload: Not Budgeting Travel Time
20:32 Mistake #10 – The Rookie Giveaways: Calling it “Frisco” and Carrying Only Plastic
22:15 Closing
Useful links:
What to Pack to Visit San Francisco: https://www.sftourismtips.com/weather-in-san-francisco-ca.html
How to Get Around San Francisco: https://www.sftourismtips.com/getting-around-san-francisco.html
Tips to Ride the Cable Cars: https://www.sftourismtips.com/cable-cars-san-francisco.html
San Francisco Districts: https://www.sftourismtips.com/san-francisco-neighborhoods.html
Planning Your Visit to Alcatraz: https://www.sftourismtips.com/alcatraz-prison-tours.html
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I’m Jill Loeffler, a San Francisco resident who lives in the heart of the city. I’ve called it my home on and off for the last two decades and can’t wait to show you everything this amazing city has to offer.
#sanfrancisco #goldengatebridge #sanfranciscotouristattraction #sanfranciscolandmarks
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👉Top Experiences in San Francisco
Tips to book your Alcatraz tour: https://youtu.be/dOyogkaQj4c
SF Bay Cruise: https://gyg.me/xr58AQLi
Best Day Tour to Muir Woods: https://gyg.me/s8KIH9uE
Top 10 things to do in San Francisco: https://youtu.be/D7TGcIKdggY
I lived in San Jose for 4 years and went to San Francisco most weekends. I just love it! Miss it a lot. Took the BART up and walked mostly. With an occasional cab ride.
Which two areas would you recommend for our first time in SF. We wont have a car we will be coming from the east coast and thinking about coming in Aug 26
$40-60 for food in SF? ROFLMAO!
I love San Francisco despite its problems, it is amazing City. But I am a lifelong California and I know that you don't want to drive at all in San Francisco get an Uber, better yet use Bart, the Bay area rapid Transit. She's right about the weather but sometimes there is a heat wave there is one just last February where it was warmer in the city than it normally is in the summertime. For a few days there I was wearing shorts.
Don't wear flip flops and don't be an annoying arrogant tourist.
Thanks for detailed guide ❤
Excellent video and you hit everything perfectly. I am a native and there is nothing that I could have added great job!!
Thanks. We are planning a trip to San Francisco next month and this video is very helpful.
Helpful advice, thank you. The wind chimes in
the background are annoying though
SF is a SHITHOLE
Great tips. It would have helped to show The Tenderloin on a map. Actually, a video that makes heavy use of a map and the district or site and includes transit lines to it would be unique and helpful.
This is very solid advice.
You can also get a fog tan. Your skin kind of turns grayish rather than the red burn.
We’re visiting at the end of March. We are getting a rental car to get to where we’re staying and such, and I had intended on using it in the city because I don’t know how not to with kids. We have two, and one is a toddler and that entails stuff and I’m just feeling anxious about not having a car. But would love thoughts and experiences
About the Cable Cars, yes they are mostly a tourist attraction but the California line is legitimately used as transportation by locals in the Financial District trying to get up that steep hill – nobody wants to hike up that crazy hill after a long, tiring day
Don't park your car.
I live in San Francisco, last summer was colder than the year before. The average temperature was between 51 and 53°, which was frustrating because I never got to wear summer clothes without freezing. However, last month in January, we had 2 1/2 weeks straight of mid 60s. So I went out wearing my summer clothes and people commented on it lol.
A good list of news and doubts. But I’m surprised you did not mention another aspect of driving on San Francisco’s Hills. Particularly if you are in a manual transmission vehicle, stopping at a stop sign or light at the top of the hill, poses the unique task of managing Your clutch and brake so that you do not roll backwards when the light turns green or it’s your time to go. This can even be an issue with some automatic transmissions. It’s a significant issue and bear is mentioning.
I totally dismiss you when you started trashing the tenderloin ! I have lived in SF for 43 years . While tenderloin is intimidating, it is not dangerous . I always tell my visitors to be careful as they are in any other city in the world ! I have traveled to 93 countries and am aware of my surroundings anywhere I go
Were clothing is concerned I have one word for you: LAYERS