5 Simple Ways to Enjoy San Francisco Fully on Budget

By traveldecorum | San Francisco Holiday

Trip to San Francisco sounds too expensive to afford and you fear spending your life-savings? If so, here is how you can have all the fun in this popular tourists’ destination and can keep a check on what you spend. But, prior to that let us have a quick glimpse at where exactly it is, what it is famous for and how the weather remains here.

An Overview of San Francisco:

Located in the Northern California, San Francisco is a hilly city that remains foggy all through the year. The city is situated exactly at the tip of a Peninsula and surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. San Francisco is “a little bit of everything.” It has so much to offer that tourists often get overwhelmed by the choices available to them. But, if you are on a budget do not miss to catch a glimpse of Iconic Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island and the master piece of art: Golden Gate Bridge.

How to Get Cheap Flights to San Francisco from London?

If you are about to make a trip to San Francisco from UK and looking for buying cheap air tickets to San Francisco from UK, you can consider flying between September and November. Yes! Air fare drops during this time and being an autumn season this is the nicest time to visit San Francisco. You can expect to have fewer crowds and cheaper hotels also. Apart from that, morning flights normally cost lesser and you can be on a look out for discounts & cheap deals that Airlines offer from time to time. United, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways offer direct flights to San Francisco from London Heathrow (LHR).

Here are the top things that you must not miss on when you are in San Francisco and have money-saving in mind.

Walk or Bike across the Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge is the most iconic landmark that no tourist can afford to miss. It is truly spectacular. You can just stroll or take a bike trip across it. The tall orange arches of this bridge amidst the rocky Sea-scape of the Bay are simply awe-inspiring. It is accessible to the visitors all through the day. Taking a ride across the bridge is the best thing you can do in San-Francisco. It costs you almost nothing and will give you a memorable experience of life-time.

Parking is convenient and accessible on both the ends of the bridge that is on North and South ends. You will also find public restrooms and souvenir shops on either side.

Important to Note:

Bring along warm clothes or a jacket. You will need it while walking or biking as even in the summer season, weather can become chilly and breezy on the Bay. If you do not do so, you will have to buy it from a Souvenir shop.

Go for a Picnic at Golden Gate Park

Another most important and a must-visit landmark of the city is Golden Gate Park. You can have a whale of time here. The park is about 1,000 acres of land with lakes, museums, monument, a big picnic area, trails and more. There are other charming features as well like Japanese Tea Garden and Carousel. Fauna lovers can also visit Steinhart Aquarium in the Mid-Eastern section of the park.

Important to Note:

You can take paddleboats on rent for a nominal fee on the North-west side of the Stow Lake which is the second largest lake of San Francisco. Go for hiking at the zenith of Strawberry hills and get a gorgeous view of the bay and city all free of cost!

Relish Delicacies at Mergian Sub Shop

To enjoy the best food of San Francisco on budget, get into this sub shop! Mergian has it all! Apart from getting all the local foods, you will get the best wines and beer at the rate you can easily afford. The shop is just a few block away from the famous AT&T park in the city. So, relish meatball sub, Italian combo, chicken, eggplant and much more here….all in your budget!

Important to Note:

If you find a huge queue here or find this restaurant closed ever, do not worry! The city is a paradise for food lovers and you will be sure to find great eats on every block. Most of the restaurants offer 10% cash-back in dining.

Enjoy Alcatraz Island and Ferry Around

Alcatraz Island is the former island prison and one of the most popular attractions for tourists in San Francisco. The good news is that there is no admission-fee (The Island is operated by the National Park Service). But, if you want to explore the beauty of this Island in a boat, you will have to buy a ferry ticket. Fisherman’s Wharf and the Union Square are also the favorites of visitors where they can shop for the Island’s excursions.

Explore the Ferry Building All Through

Located at the bay, this hotspot for budget travellers is full of options. You can just stroll around or dine. Some of the best local cheeses like Cowgirl Creamery and freshly baked breads will be available here at reasonable prices. Try having oysters, hot dogs, best ice-creams of the town and just chill out without spending much money.

Important to Note:

To make the trip much more enjoyable you can hop in to cable cars and take a ride down and up to the beautiful steep hills of San Francisco. But, remember that the cable cars do not take you to the entire city and move only on limited paths.