San Francisco

Where to stay

Most hostels cluster around Union Square and SoMa (South of Market), which puts you close to BART at Powell Street and straightforward Muni connections across town. The Mission District around 16th Street BART is a solid alternative if you want taquerias on 24th Street and neighborhood coffee shops instead of the tourist center.

Getting around

• Get a Clipper card and load transit credit for Muni and BART. The cable cars cost several dollars a ride and are essentially a moving attraction. The 38 Geary and 30 Stockton buses cover much of the same ground for a fraction of that a trip.
• The Ferry Building Marketplace on the Embarcadero hosts a farmers market on Saturday mornings. It costs nothing to walk through, and the samples from cheese and bread vendors are generous enough to count as a snack.
• Book Alcatraz tickets at least two weeks out, more if you want an evening tour. They sell out well in advance and there is no walk-up option at the dock.

When to go

January and February are the cheapest months, when rain keeps visitor numbers low. Hostels fill up from June through August, though summer in San Francisco is frequently cold and foggy. September and October bring a second busy stretch as visitors arrive chasing the actual warm weather.