Are you travelling to San Francisco soon and want to get more out of the city and area around? Then consider my tips below. About one month before your arrival you should check out those 8 points for a more local, more relaxed, culturally rich and less expensive California experience.
1.Get a SIM card
Get a SIM Card for your stay in the US if you are traveling from abroad. ZIP SIM provides one-time contracts and you can chose the duration. That way you can get around easily, check hotels and “Skype” home without looking for the next WiFi spot. Especially when you are on the road the GPS of your phone is mostly more reliable than the navigation system of your rental car.
2. Download apps
- Lyft or Uber: Get at least one of those very popular taxi apps. Public transport in California is not known as the best therefore save time and have fun with getting around with your personal drivers. When using pool (uber) and line (lyft) you will for sure learn what’s going on in the city from your fellow passenger. Make sure you download the lyft app by using my referral link for a $5 discount on each of your first 8 rides.
- TripAdvisor for offline maps, itineraries and hotel reviews.
- Yelp and Foursquare for finding the best restaurants, bars and cafe around you.
3. Check out cultural events
If you want to see more than just the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s Wharf you should look out for cultural and special events. Check out FunCheap and SF Station. They have an awesome list of comedy nights, food markets, sport events, festivals, free museum visits, concerts, dance, etc. You might want to get your tickets in advance or at least mark the events in your calendar.
4. Get your Alcatraz tickets
Do you plan a visit to Alcatraz? You should know that there are three different tour options (early bird, day and night tour). The night tour for Alcatraz is the most beautiful and most comprehensive, that’s why it is usually sold out weeks in advance. You can order your tickets online, the schedule is on the Alcatraz Cruises Website.
5. Book your first few nights and reserve a car
Accommodation in San Francisco can become quite pricey if not booked some time in advance. Wondering which area is best to stay? North Beach or nearby is my recommendation! Not only because we live there, but also because you are close to many sights, to the Bay, to bike rentals, to running paths, to cute restaurants and bars.
Reserve a car if you plan on exploring nearby places (see next tip), which I highly recommend if you stay longer than 5 nights in California. Renting at the airport is usually cheaper than in the city. However, you don’t need a car in San Francisco – it’s better without due to parking and traffic. Adding the insurance package is totally recommended.
6. Escape the city – National Parks
If you want to see more of California and America’s National Parks the “America the Beautiful” annual pass is for you. It costs $80 and is valid for the entrance of all National Parks in the US for one year. As there are two signature fields in the pass you might either check eBay or the like for resellers or just resell your pass.
7. Don’t forget … – packlist tips
- extra jacket – It can get quite fresh in San Francisco, especially at night.
- outdoor clothes and gear, chic style not needed here
- aux cable for your rental car to play music, podcast or audiobooks during long drives
- adapter for your electronic devices
- neck pillow for your flight
- ear plugs – american houses mostly have very thin walls
- credit card – basically everything is paid by card here
- passport and visa (Esta or the like)
- don’t pack too much if you plan on going shopping
8. Check out books and movies for San Fran vibes
- Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin
- On the Road by Jack Kerouac
- BuzzFeed has a list of books that you should read if you love SF
- San Francisco Lonely Planet is the best guide book for the city and its areas around
- The Rock – a movie about Alcatraz
- The Internship – a movie about the google life and Silicon Valley
- Milk – about Harvey Milk and his struggles as gay activist
- Godzilla – monstrous creatures in San Francisco
- When a Man loves a Woman – a classic
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