Tips on how to Spend Two days in San Francisco

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An trustworthy, lifelike itinerary & information that can assist you plan your two days in San Francisco with out making an attempt to suit an excessive amount of in!

After I was researching my very own two-day journey, I discovered a number of nice weblog posts with itinerary concepts. However as soon as I received to San Francisco, I shortly realised that each one the weblog posts I had learn have been very optimistic by way of timings! Both that or the bloggers may stroll on the pace of sunshine! 

All of them packed a lot in that doing the whole lot within the itinerary would have exhausted me, so I made a decision to put in writing a barely extra lifelike and affordable information to seeing as a lot of San Francisco as attainable – with out draining your self of all power!

When you’re brief on time and wish fast solutions, you’ll discover a brief model of all the itinerary (plus a map) on the backside of this web page. Use the contents menu under or scroll proper down to seek out it. In any other case, please hold studying for my detailed itinerary and information to planning your time in San Francisco. Take pleasure in! 

Is Two Days Sufficient?

Let me say proper off the bat that two days isn’t actually sufficient time for San Francisco. There’s so much to see and do, and so many various neighbourhoods to find, that you can simply spend every week or two exploring town.

However typically, two days is all you’ve – and fortunately, that’s nonetheless loads of time to tick off all the primary vacationer sights and discover a few completely different neighbourhoods. Simply don’t attempt to pack an excessive amount of in – and keep in mind that it’ll take time to get between every attraction (I’ve included timings within the itinerary under).

High 6 Sights in San Francisco 

I’ll kick off with a fast checklist of all of the “fundamental” sights in San Francisco – good should you solely have a few days to discover.

NOTE: This checklist doesn’t embrace town’s many museums or the main neighbourhoods, like Chinatown, as I’ll cowl these in additional element additional down the web page.

Golden Gate Bridge

Alcatraz 

Fisherman’s Wharf & Pier 39

Hyde-Powell Cable Automotive

Ferry Constructing

Fairly streets and homes: Lombard St, the Painted Girls, and the Mrs Doubfire Home.

Getting Round San Francisco 

All of the blogs I’d learn promised that San Francisco’s centre may be very walkable – however I’d say that is solely partly true. Every neighbourhood is simple to discover on foot, however lots of the metropolis’s sights are fairly unfold out – for instance, Union Sq. is a few 40-minute stroll from the Alcatraz Ferry.

San Fran can be VERY hilly, so even comparatively brief walks might be fairly tiring (for me a minimum of!). Fortunately, there’s a good public transport community in place…

Tips on how to Spend Two Days in San Francisco 

Select ONE museum

There are a whole lot of nice museums in San Francisco – most of which must be visited for a minimum of an hour or two to do them justice. If you wish to see a whole lot of town, the trustworthy reality is that you just’ll most likely solely have time for one or two museums.

Choose those that enchantment essentially the most and make these your high precedence. I’ll present you the place you’ll be able to match them into your day one or day two itinerary under – for now, right here’s a listing of a few of the high museums in San Francisco: 

de Younger Museum – historic artwork museum (and essentially the most visited in SF)

Walt Disney Household Museum – devoted to the life and work of Walt Disney.

San Francisco Museum of Trendy Artwork (SFMOMA)

Asian Artwork Museum – greater than 18,000 works from each area of Asia. 

The Exploratorium – artwork and science museum filled with interactive displays.

Musée Mécanique – a unusual assortment of coin-operated mechanical devices and vintage arcade machines.

Cable Automotive Museum – devoted to town’s iconic cable automobiles.

READ MORE: All Museums & Galleries in SF

Choose ONE of those neighbourhoods to discover in-depth

There are some wonderful, distinctive neighbourhoods and cultural districts dotted round San Francisco. After studying a extra jam-packed metropolis itinerary, I actually thought I’d have time to discover all of them – however by the point I used to be carried out with all the primary vacationer websites, I solely made it to Chinatown! 

You’ll discover a few of San Fran’s main neighbourhoods as you go to the vacationer sights or wander town – however it’s value selecting one to discover in-depth. Right here’s a fast checklist of the highest neighbourhoods to go to:

READ MORE: Information to San Francisco’s Neighbourhoods

Two Days in San Francisco: Itinerary 

Under, I’ve mapped out a two-day itinerary, grouping collectively the actions which might be best to go to on the identical day. However in fact, you are able to do these in any order.

Quick on time? There’s a fast model and a map on the backside of this web page.

Day One

Golden Gate Bridge

Consider San Francisco, and also you’re most likely picturing town’s iconic rust-red bridge. That is the one factor you actually shouldn’t miss whenever you go to!

Head straight to the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Centre to study in regards to the bridge’s historical past and building. Behind the centre, you’ll discover a number of viewpoints to get some nice images of the bridge. I simply hope you get barely higher climate than I did! 

High tip: When you’ve got time, you can bike or stroll throughout the bridge and climb as much as one of many viewpoints on the northern aspect. The stroll throughout takes round an hour – or you’ll be able to take a 3-hour guided tour throughout the bridge to Sausalito with Blazing Saddles. Click on right here for extra particulars.

Fisherman’s Wharf & Pier 39

One of the visited neighbourhoods in San Francisco is Fisherman’s Wharf, a vibrant district unfold alongside the bay with quite a few piers, scenic marinas, working fishing harbours, a incredible meals scene, and a few of the metropolis’s high sights. 

It’s a really touristy space: there’s an entire strip with the likes of Madame Tussauds, Applebee’s, Laborious Rock Cafe, and so on. However the scenic marinas are value exploring – and there are many enjoyable issues to do within the space. 

Don’t miss Pier 39, dwelling to an enormous colony of sea lions who might be seen lazing on picket platforms. The ocean lions moved into the marina following an earthquake in 1990 and by no means left – presumably as a result of the marina offers them safety and plentiful meals provides. Ultimately, town gave up the marina for the ocean lion’s unique use – immediately, you’ll be able to see them of their tons of all through a lot of the 12 months.

High tip: you’ll be able to simply take a bus to Fisherman’s Wharf from the Golden Gate Bridge. They cease proper exterior the Welcome Centre and the employees shall be comfortable that can assist you work out which one you want.

Trip a Cable Automotive 

San Francisco’s cable automobiles are iconic – and extremely historic, courting again to the late 1800s. There are three historic routes to select from; the most well-liked (and essentially the most scenic) being the Powell-Hyde cable automotive which runs between Fisherman’s Wharf and Market St (through Chinatown and Union Sq.)

From Fisherman’s Wharf, hop on the Powell-Hyde cable automotive line (a single ticket prices $8) and journey it so far as Lombard St for epic views from the highest of the hill. From right here, you can begin the tour I’ve outlined under. If you would like an extended journey, take all of it the way in which to the top earlier than heading again to Lombard St – a good way to absorb the sights!

Tour of San Francisco’s Scenic Streets and Vibrant Homes

San Francisco’s steep hills and fairly, townhouse-lined streets are iconic. Likelihood is, you’ll recognise a minimum of just a few of them from the Silver Display screen. Many a film has used these scenic streets as a backdrop, together with the likes of Herbie, Bullitt, Ant-Man, Mrs Doubtfire, and extra. 

You possibly can go to three of the primary sights on a stroll that takes round an hour. It’s a beautiful stroll that takes in a number of engaging streets and a few stunning structure alongside the way in which!

Cease 1 – Lombard St: This super-steep east-west avenue is known for a one-block part with eight hairpin turns – dubbed the “crookedest avenue on this planet”. There are vibrant flowerbeds planted within the gaps between the turns, and from the highest, the views are fairly spectacular. This ridiculously flexible highway has additionally been the setting for some iconic film chase scenes, together with Herbie’s first movie The Love Bug. 

Cease 2 – Mrs Doubtfire Home: The home used within the 90’s traditional Mrs Doubtfire is an actual place, at 2640 Steiner St (on the nook of Broadway St). It’s a personal dwelling, so you’ll be able to’t go to it, and the homeowners have grown a big tree exterior which makes it tougher to see than it was once. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless value strolling by should you’re a fan of the film. 

Cease 3 – Painted Girls: This pastel-painted row of Victorian homes on Steiner (instantly reverse Alamo Sq.) is likely one of the most well-known sights in San Francisco. Nicknamed the “Painted Girls”, these homes have been made well-known by the sitcoms Full Home and Fuller Home. 

High Tip: If you wish to pace issues up, hop on the 22 Fillmore tram from the Mrs Doubtfire home to the Painted Girls. 

Night

I’ll be trustworthy, as a solo traveller who tires simply, I used to be in my resort room with an Uber Eats supply by 7pm each night time! However should you nonetheless have power, San Francisco has a terrific nightlife scene. Take a look at these guides for more information: 

Day Two

Ferry Constructing 

Begin your day with a espresso or brunch on the iconic Ferry Constructing. This historic ferry terminal was inbuilt 1898 and was as soon as the gateway to town. In the present day, it’s dwelling to a strip of unbiased eating places and retailers, together with various artisan meals suppliers. Don’t miss the incredible Guide Passage bookstore!

There’s additionally a year-round Farmer’s Market held in entrance of the constructing on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays – the place you’ll discover a few of the area’s greatest farmers and cooks. Don’t miss it!

High tip: When you choose to go to Alcatraz (under) first, the ferry constructing is lower than a 20-minute stroll away and makes a superb lunch spot for whenever you get again to the mainland.

Alcatraz 

No journey to San Francisco is full with out visiting Alcatraz Island and its notorious jail. I really thought of skipping this as I assumed it may be a bit of boring – however it turned out to be probably the greatest issues I did in San Francisco!

This tiny island 1.25 miles offshore from SF has an enchanting historical past. It’s been dwelling to a fort, then a army jail, then the utmost safety penitentiary most individuals affiliate with Alzactraz. In 1969, a gaggle of Native People known as the Indians of All Tribes occupied the island for 19 months as an act of political resistance (learn extra right here).

You possibly can solely attain the island by ferry, organised by Alcatraz Metropolis Cruises: the round-trip ticket begins from $45.25 and consists of entry to the island and the Cellhouse. It additionally consists of the wonderful Cellhouse Audio Tour, narrated by former officers and inmates, which brings to life the historical past of the jail – I extremely advocate listening to this!

High tip: Lots of people recommend doing Alcatraz early to beat the crowds, however this actually relies on the day and season: I visited on a weekday in April and the noon ferry was lower than 1 / 4 full.

Go to your chosen museum

See the part close to the highest of this web page for more information about the perfect San Francisco museums. You must have time to go to one or two museums immediately.

Discover one or two neighbourhoods

See the part close to the highest of this web page about the perfect neighbourhoods to discover in San Francisco.

When you’ve got extra time

With a bit of extra time in San Francisco, you can spend extra time exploring town’s completely different neighbourhoods or go to just a few extra of the museums (see the sections overlaying this earlier on the web page). Alternatively, you can take one in every of these enjoyable excursions or get out of town for a day journey:

Fast 2-day Itinerary Information for San Francisco and Map

Day 1

Golden Gate Bridge (roughly a 15-minute drive or 30-minute bus from town centre).

Welcome Centre and viewpoints

When you’ve got time, you can bike or stroll throughout the bridge and climb as much as one of many viewpoints on the northern aspect. The stroll throughout takes round an hour, so take that under consideration when planning. 

Fisherman’s Wharf (20-minute bus journey from the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Centre). Whilst you’re right here don’t miss:

Musee Mecanique 

Pier 39 sea lions 

Ghirardelli Sq.

Trip the historic Hyde-Powell Cable Automotive 

Tour fairly streets and homes: Lombard St, Mrs Doubtfire Home, Painted Girls

Day 2

Ferry Constructing – nice for breakfast/brunch or a espresso overlooking the bay. Even higher if the Farmer’s Market is on. 

Alcatraz – take a ferry to the notorious jail island generally known as “The Rock”. 

Choose one Museum (see checklist above). You will have time for 2 museums relying on how lengthy you spend exploring. 

Choose one neighbourhood to discover (see checklist above). 

Learn Extra

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11 Stops for a Tuolumne County Itinerary

So, that’s my information to spending two days in San Francisco with out exhausting your self! Acquired a query (or a tip of your personal)? Scroll down to depart a remark!