San Francisco is a world-class city and one of my favorites on the West Coast of the US. It is packed with incredible restaurants, stunning views, and plenty of hills to climb to work off one and catch a glimpse of the other.
Two days in San Francisco is the absolute minimum that you want to give yourself to experience the best of it. If you are able to extend to three days, you’ll see quite a bit more without rushing.
This two-day San Francisco itinerary will cover the main sites that you don’t want to miss, as well as the must-visit foodie spots to indulge your taste buds.
Getting Around San Francisco in Two Days
With only two days to explore this city, you’ll want to use public transportation to be able to get around the city. Walking is a fun way to explore, and it is a fantastic workout; those hills really are no joke, but if you want to spend more time seeing the sites and less time getting between them, you’ll want to download the MUNI transportation app. This allows you to buy an all-day transport ticket, which includes all of the buses and BART for a set price of $5.70.
This doesn’t include the old-school cable cars that are located around downtown. Those don’t really take you anywhere in particular, but can be a fun thing to ride on as a part of your trip. They cost $8 on their own to ride.
If you haven’t seen a Waymo before, you may be tempted to try one of those while visiting the city. It’s an app just like Lyft or Uber, except all of the cars are driverless. You will see them all over San Francisco, and they can take you wherever you want to go. This isn’t the most economical option since they tend to be more expensive than Uber and Lyft, but it is a sight in itself when visiting the city.
The old-fashioned cable cars that you’ll spot around the city.
Where to Stay in San Francisco
San Francisco is a surprisingly budget-friendly city when it comes to finding hotels. There are rooms for under $100 a night, which surprised me immensely on my recent trip there. Even over Christmas vacation, the prices remained relatively affordable.
On the other end of the spectrum, there is no shortage of luxury hotels, either. You’ll find it all around San Francisco.
Budget Hotels:
The majority of the best budget-friendly motels are along Lombard Street as you enter the city center from the Golden Gate Bridge. All of these motels have free parking and are close to public transport links.
Midrange Hotels:
High-End Hotels:
It’s always pretty special to see something so iconic up close and walking across the bridge is the perfect way to do that.
Day 1: Waterfront Icons & Classic San Francisco Views
Much of this can depend on the weather. San Francisco is infamously foggy, and in the winter months, it can be very rainy. This is best case scenario, but if the weather stinks, I’ve added some indoor options to the bottom of the article.
Morning: Golden Gate Bridge & Crissy Field
Rent a bike or take a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge if you like walking. It’s well worth crossing the entire thing and is a really fun view back over all of San Francisco.
If a 3-mile round-trip walk sounds like too much, you can take bus 130 across the bridge and then walk back towards the city for a one-way experience. This bus does not accept MUNI tickets, so you’ll have to pay with a card or cash once on board.
Once you’re back across the bridge, hop on bus #30 to Crissy Field. Only a few stops away from the bridge, this beach and park have insane views back over the Golden Gate Bridge, some of the best you’ll see on your entire trip.
Lunch: Fisherman’s Wharf
This is without a doubt the most touristy place in all of San Francisco, but it’s also a great place to come for comforting bowls of clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. Every restaurant along the wharf does it, but some do it better than others.
Fog Harbor Fish House wins awards for its chowder, and Boudin Bakery makes some of the best sourdough you’ll have in the city. Those are my personal top picks for this hearty lunch option.
Take a stroll around the Wharf, visit the sea lions, and then head to your afternoon activity (and my personal favorite thing to do in San Francisco).
Inside Alcatraz – the tour includes an audioguide with tons of interesting information and stories from past inmates.
Afternoon: Alcatraz
Originally a military base, then a military prison, then one of the most infamous high-security prisons in the country. During the late 60s and early 70s, the island became contested land as Native Americans from across the country arrived on the island to peacefully protest its return to the indigenous people of the region.
Alcatraz is now part of the National Park system. In order to visit, you will want to book your tickets at least a few weeks in advance, even further in advance if you’re visiting in the summer months.
There is only one licensed tour operator, so you should book directly with Alcatraz City Cruises.
The early afternoon is a nice time to visit because the busiest time is between 11 am and 1 pm. If you arrive on the island around 1-2 pm, then you will notice, towards the end of your time there (the last boat is at 4:30), that the island really starts to empty out.
You should give yourself at least one and a half hours, if not two, for those who want to visit every part of the island.
Dinner: North Beach
San Francisco’s Little Italy is home to some seriously delicious eats. After coming back from Alcatraz, you may want to go back to your hotel to rest for a little bit or to stroll around this neighborhood before dinner. A few of my favorite spots here are:
- Tony’s Pizza Napoletana: Always a line out the door and known as the best place in the city for pizza. They have great Neopolitan-style as well as Detroit-style options.
- Park Tavern on Washington Square: A great option for a higher-end evening meal.
- Sotto Mare: The best place in the city for Cioppino, an Italian-American stew that originated here in San Francisco and is made with clams, shrimp, mussels, and fish in a tomato-based broth.
The Painted Ladies are an iconic viewpoint for some of us!
Day 2: Neighborhoods, History & Delicious Eats
There are so many cool neighborhoods to explore around San Francisco, and in only two days, you’ll have to narrow it down to just a few. If you are from somewhere that doesn’t have great Mexican food, then you won’t want to miss the Mission District. Don’t have a Chinatown in your city? Then you can’t miss the one in San Francisco. And if you love Udon and Sushi, then you definitely don’t want to skip Japantown.
Morning: Painted Ladies & Alamo Square
As someone who grew up in the 90s, I couldn’t visit San Francisco without seeing the Painted Ladies. An iconic image from the television show, Full House, it doesn’t look much like it did back then. But the houses around Alamo Square still manage to wow me.
The entire neighborhood around here is full of these Victorian and Edwardian-style houses, many of which are painted in bright colors. Besides the Painted Ladies, the houses along Scott Street on the other side of Alamo Park were some of my favorites.
Next to the Painted Ladies is also a cool wall of murals. The fence is in front of a single empty lot along Steiner Street and is well worth stopping to admire.
If you need a mid-morning pick-me-up, stop in to The Mill coffee shop. It’s a cute spot nearby, and the coffee is delicious.
Late Morning & Lunch: Chinatown
Chinatown is the oldest neighborhood in the city. It was built over what was originally the town of Yerba Buena, which eventually became San Francisco. Portsmouth Square was where some of the very first houses were built, and Grant Street, now the most touristy street in Chinatown, was the first real street in the city. So, in addition to being packed with culture today, it’s also home to the city’s oldest history.
Enter through the Dragon Gate, the most iconic Chinatown entrance perhaps in the entire country. Walk down Waverly Place to see the famous painted balconies that stick out into the street.
If you’ve ever seen any food shows about San Francisco, you’ll no doubt have seen the fortune cookie factory, located on Ross Alley. Did you know fortune cookies aren’t Chinese at all? But were, in fact, created here in California by Japanese immigrants. It was during WWII, when Japanese-Americans were interned, that Chinese restaurants took over production and started serving them as desserts.
There are so many restaurants to choose from here, and I have sampled many. My personal favorites are:
- Good Mong Kok Bakery: I loved all of the baked buns here, especially the BBQ pork. The egg tarts were also exceptional.
- Rice Roll Express: Home to the pillowiest, freshest rice rolls I’ve ever had. It’s sort of like a rice flour pancake filled with all types of goodness. Highly recommend.
- Grant Place Restaurant: This place gets mixed reviews, but I thought that the Peking duck with soft bao buns was absolutely magical.
Spend the afternoon visiting the rest of the sites in Chinatown, like the Tin How Temple and the Chinese Historical Society of America Museum. Sit in Portsmouth Square for some great people watching. Stop into the Red Blossom Tea Company for some delectable teas that you can take home with you.
The delicious Peking Duck I had on my most recent trip to San Francisco.
Dinner: Mission District or Waterfront Dining
The Mission District is home to some fantastic Latin American and Asian food, so if that’s what you’re in the mood for, I recommend stopping first at Standard Deviant Brewing for some of the best craft beer in San Francisco.
Then head for dinner at Loló, Mr. Pollo, Yamo, or Than Tam II, depending on what type of food you want to have. All serve up seriously delicious and inventive dishes at affordable prices.
Alternatively, for some waterfront dining and delicious seafood, head to the Ferry Building. Have a craft beer from Ferry Point and then get in line at Hog Island Oyster Co. The line moves fast, and there are a lot of tables both inside and outside. On a clear evening, it’s a stunning place to eat, and the food here is delicious. Especially, as the name suggests, the oysters.
If You Have More Time (or Want to Swap Things Out)
Don’t want to spend so much time exploring neighborhoods? More into museums? Is the weather terrible, and you need to find some indoor activities? These are some great alternatives for your two days in San Francisco.
Museums to Consider
- San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
- de Young Museum (inside Golden Gate Park, which I loved walking around!)
- California Academy of Sciences – a natural history museum and planetarium, great for kids!
- Asian Art Museum
- Exploratorium – Another popular museum for kids, more science-focused.
The sunsets at Ocean Beach are absolutely spectacular. If you can make it here one evening on your trip, I highly recommend it.
Outdoor & Nature Add-Ons
One of my favorite things about visiting coastal California is being by the ocean. Whether you’re visiting in winter, summer, or during the shoulder season, on a clear day, the parks and beaches are absolutely stunning in San Francisco.
- Ocean Beach (west side of the peninsula with a nice, long walking and biking trail)
- Baker Beach (Golden Gate views)
- Lands End Coastal Trail (stunning walking trail in good weather)
- Presidio hikes and viewpoints (very close to Crissy Field, so can be done as part of the same day)