San Francisco Car Rental

San Francisco is routinely described by travelers as one of the most beautiful and entertaining cities in the world. It is filled with cultural centers, unique shopping, delicious restaurants, amazing attractions, and great sights to see. However, despite the great many things to do, San Francisco tourism is surprisingly affordable and even cheap if you plan right and take advantage of inexpensive activities! Get a head's start and begin planning your trip now. The sooner the better and you will realize how unique and economical San Francisco tourism really is!

Inexpensive activities include:

Touring San Francisco's top tourist spots
Visiting many area parks
Sunbathing on the beautiful beaches
Touring many free museums
Bird watching
Visiting brewing companies

Best Southern California Beaches
Looking for the best southern California beaches check out our comprehensive beach guides and beach maps.

Visitor Information

When you arrive in San Francisco, make sure one of your first stops is the San Francisco Visitor Information Center, which is a must for great current information on San Francisco tourism. Located on the lower level of Hallidie Plaza at the end of the cable car line of Market Street, the Center is open from Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 3pm. You can also contact representatives via the telephone at (415) 391-2000. The San Francisco Visitor Information Center can provide you with free city maps and maps of the surrounding Bay area. San Francisco tourism has never been so convenient!

Tour San Francisco's Top Tourist Spots

See all the traditional tourist destinations for a nominal charge or even for free! You can tailor your tour to suit your interests and you can make it one hour long and an entire day's worth of sightseeing! Traditional San Francisco tourism destinations include:

Alcatraz
Chinatown
Coit Tower
Enchanted Stairways
Fisherman's Wharf
Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Park
Grace Cathedral
Jackson Square
Nob Hill
North Beach
Russian Hill
The Castro
The Mission
Union Square.

Visit Area Parks

The area surrounding San Francisco is filled with numerous parks for you to hike in, relax in, and picnic in. Parks include:

Golden Gate Park

Mission Dolores Park

Top of Quarry Hill

Glen Canyon Park

Douglass Playground

Alamo Square (the famous row of Victorian houses set against the city's skyline).

Sunbathe on the Beaches

There is no better way to enjoy the warm California sun then by visiting one of San Francisco's many beaches. But remember that the sun can be very hot and dangerous, so always wear sunscreen with a high SPF, and limit sun exposure. San Francisco beaches include:

Ocean Beach
China Beach
Baker Beach

Tour Free Museums

There are many San Francisco Bay area museums that provide wonderful attractions and exhibits free of charge. Make sure you stop at a few during your stay! Museums with complimentary admission include:

San Francisco Cable Car Museum (1201 Mason Street - Open daily, 10am - 6pm)
Chinese Culture Center (750 Kearney Street - Open Tues. - Sat., 1pm - 4pm)
San Francisco Fire Department Museum (665 Presidio Ave. - Open Thurs. - Sta., 1pm - 4pm)
National Maritime Museum (end of Polk Street - Aquatic Park - Open daily, 10am - 5pm)
North Beach Museum (1435 Stockton Street - Open Mon. - Fri, 9am - 4pm)

Bird Watching

The San Francisco Bay area has a wonderful variety of birds that provide endless hours of bird watching enjoyment. Count to see how many types you can spot at many bird watching sites, including:

Audubon Canyon Ranch's

Bolinas Lagoon Preserve

Coyote Hills Regional Park

Crab Cove Marine Reserve

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Golden Gate Raptor Observatory

Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center

Point Reyes Bird Observatory

Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary.

Visit Brewing Companies

When you visit some of the area's brewing companies, you will have the chance to take an inexpensive tour and also sample some local specialties.

Anchor Brewing Company on Potrero Hill (1705 Mariposa) - 19th century microbrewery. You'll enjoy a 90-minute tour of the brewing facilities and learn about ingredients, brewing methods for various steam beer, porter, and ales, and also about the Company's interesting history. At the conclusion of the tour you'll be able to try a variety of samples. These free tours require reservations mad at least one month in advance, so call (415) 863-8350.