I answer these questions every day on tour. Here they are in one place, with the current numbers. Prices and schedules change; I update this page when they do.
How do I get Alcatraz tickets?
Book through Alcatraz City Cruises, the only authorized operator, departing from Pier 33. Tickets go on sale 90 days ahead and day tours start around $45 with the audio tour included. Summer weekends sell out weeks in advance, so book two to three weeks ahead at minimum (longer for May through October). If the official site shows sold out, check for released tickets at 7 a.m. or look at the early-bird and night tours before paying a reseller markup. Plan about three hours door to door. More on the Alcatraz page.
How many days do I need in San Francisco?
Three full days covers the major sights at a reasonable pace: one day for the northern waterfront and Alcatraz, one for Golden Gate Park and the west side, one for neighborhoods like Chinatown, North Beach, and the Mission. Add a fourth day if you want a day trip to Muir Woods, Sausalito, or wine country.
Do I need a car?
Not inside the city. Muni buses, light rail, BART, and walking cover almost everything, and hotel parking commonly runs $50 to $80 a night. The cases where a car helps: day trips outside the city, or if you’re staying far from the center. For everything else, see Getting Around San Francisco.
How much does the cable car cost? Is there a trick to riding it?
A single ride is $12, one way, no transfers (SFMTA’s current fare, effective January 4, 2026). Pay with MuniMobile, Clipper, or exact cash. At the Powell Street turnaround the line regularly runs an hour or more in summer. Two ways around that: board the Powell lines a few stops up the hill instead of at the turnaround, or ride the California Street line, which is usually the shortest wait. The cable car page has the full rundown, and the Cable Car Museum on Nob Hill is free and shows the actual winding machinery pulling the cables.
How do I get from SFO to downtown?
BART runs directly from the international terminal to downtown stations (Powell, Montgomery, Embarcadero) in about 30 minutes for around $11 one way. Rideshares from SFO to downtown typically run $35 to $60 depending on traffic and time of day.
Why is it so cold in July? What should I pack?
The marine layer. Fog comes in off the Pacific most summer mornings and evenings, and June through August are the foggiest months. Daytime temperatures often stay in the 60s. Pack layers: t-shirt, sweater or fleece, and a windproof jacket covers almost every situation. The west side (Sunset, Richmond, Ocean Beach) runs colder and foggier than the Mission or Potrero Hill, which can be 15 degrees warmer on the same afternoon.
Where’s the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge?
Depends what you want in the frame. For the classic postcard angle looking down on the towers, Battery Spencer in the Marin Headlands. For the bridge with the city behind it, the path at Crissy Field. For walking on the bridge itself, the east sidewalk is open to pedestrians; details on the bridge page. Fog often covers the towers on summer mornings and burns off by midday, so afternoon is the more reliable window.
Is San Francisco safe? What about the Tenderloin?
The main issue for visitors is property crime, mostly car break-ins. Never leave anything visible in a parked car, anywhere in the city. Street conditions in parts of the Tenderloin and mid-Market are visible and can be jarring; the area is dense, historic, and home to about 30,000 people, and the blocks change character street by street. Tourist areas are heavily walked day and evening.
Where do the sea lions hang out?
K-Dock at Pier 39. They first hauled out there in January 1990, a few months after the Loma Prieta earthquake, and they’re typically around all year. Watching them is free.
What food is San Francisco actually known for?
Sourdough bread, Dungeness crab and cioppino on the waterfront, the Mission-style burrito (invented in the Mission in the 1960s), dim sum in Chinatown, and Irish coffee, which the Buena Vista Cafe introduced to America in 1952. Start with La Taqueria for the burrito and the Eat & Drink section for the rest.
What’s happening while I’m in town?
The events calendar is updated daily, and I publish a weekly roundup every Sunday plus a weekend guide. Most picks are free.
