San Francisco on a Budget

Description:

Author: Jessica Mordo

Day 1 - San Francisco

Start out with some fun, free activities in the urban wonderland of Golden Gate Park. Check out the gratis Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Garden for a horticultural trip around the world and the inspired greenhouse genius of the Conservatory of Flowers, where admission runs a mere $5 for adults, $3 for children 5 and up and for seniors, and is free for kids under 5. If the weather is nice, pack a picnic for a more affordable take on lunch and lounge on the lawn in front of the Conservatory for sun, people-watching, and beautifully landscaped flowers. Alternatively, you can walk to nearby Haight Street and grab a burrito at El Balazo, which serves the best Mexican eats in the hood. Then spend the rest of the afternoon window-shopping and exploring the hippie legacy of Haight-Ashbury. Did you know that The Grateful Dead lived at 710 Ashbury Street back in the day? You can see the edifice of the preserved Victorian home—and even snap a pic—for free, but be respectful of the current tenants, of course. For a deliciously affordable dinner in the Haight, grab a bowl of pho or savory noodles at pan-Asian neighborhood favorite, The Citrus Club, or chow down on gastropub fare and house-brewed beers at Magnolia Pub and Brewery.


1

Golden Gate Park

Location:

view in google maps
Stanyan & Fulton Sts
(Great Highway at Fulton St)
San Francisco, CA 94118

Phone:

(415) 831-2700


2

Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens

Location:

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9th Avenue at Lincoln Way
San Francisco, CA 94122

Phone:

(415) 661-1316


3

Conservatory of Flowers

Location:

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JFK Drive, Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA 94117

Phone:

(415) 666-7001


4

Haight-Ashbury

Location:

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Haight and Ashbury Streets
San Francisco, CA 94117

Phone:

+1 415 391 2000 (Tourist Information)


5

El Balazo

Location:

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1654 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

Phone:

(415) 864-8608


6

Citrus Club

Location:

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1790 Haight St
At Shrader St
San Francisco, CA 94117

Phone:

415/387-6366


7

Magnolia Pub and Brewery

Location:

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1398 Haight Street
At corner of Masonic
San Francisco, CA 94117

Phone:

(415) 864 7468

Day 2 - San Francisco

Now it’s time to see more of SF’s cultural riches. Start off your day with a hearty American breakfast at Mama’s on Washington Square in the Italo-American and former Beat Poet enclave of North Beach. Walk off the meal by trekking up to Coit Tower, where you can take in gorgeous views of the city and the bay, as well as the impressive interior mural. Then make your way east to walk around Chinatown, where the neighborhood itself is the attraction. In addition, the Chinese Cultural Center is free and an enriching respite from walking up and down the city’s hills. Head back into North Beach and assemble a sublime Italian-style picnic from Molinari’s Delicatessen on Columbus Avenue. Eat on the grass in Washington Square and if you’re feeling a bit peckish, grab a cappuccino at neighborhood mainstay Café Trieste, on the corner of Grant Ave. and Vallejo St. Then it’s back on your feet to nearby Lombard Street, where you can snap some fabulous pics of the city and take a walk on the famously crooked switchbacks. The nearby Cable Car Museum has free admission and offers a unique take on the iconic red streetcars. And what better way to follow that than with a ride on a Cable Car? Fare is only $1.50 for adults.


1

Mama's on Washington Square

Location:

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1701 Stockton Street
(cross street: Filbert)
San Francisco, CA 94133

Phone:

(415) 362-6421


2

Coit Tower

Location:

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1 Telegraph Hill Boulevard
Telegraph Hill
San Francisco, CA 94133

Phone:

(415) 362-0808


3

Lombard Street

Location:

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Between Hyde & Leavenworth streets
Above Ghirardelli Square
San Francisco, CA 94133

Phone:

(415) 391-2000


4

Chinatown

Location:

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Bush St. and Kearny St.
San Francisco, CA 94108

Phone:

+1 415 391 2000


5

Cable Car Museum

Location:

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1201 Mason St
(at the corner of Washington Street)
San Francisco, CA 94108

Phone:

(415) 474-1887


6

Cable Cars

Location:

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401 Van Ness
(between Golden Gate and Grove Sts) Admin Offices
San Francisco, CA 94102

Phone:

(415) 673-6864

Day 3 - Mill Valley, Point Reyes Station

Some of the best complimentary pleasures of the Bay Area lie in Marin County. There are many to choose from, but each merits its own full-day experience, so we recommend either a hike in Mount Tamalpais State Park or exploring the natural preserve of Point Reyes National Seashore. Either way, the nature lover in you will be blown away.


1

Mount Tamalpais State Park

Location:

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7665 Redwood Blvd, Suite 150
Mill Valley, CA 94941

Phone:

415-388-2070


2

Point Reyes Lighthouse Visitor Center

Location:

Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

Phone:

(415) 464-5100

Day 4 - San Francisco

Back on the cultural side of things, a visit to San Francisco would be incomplete without exploring the Mission District. Start off with a delicious bite at Tartine Bakery. Then window-shop your way up Valencia Street, which is chockablock with boutiques and art galleries. Make your way to Balmy Alley, which is entirely lined with amazing murals produced by local artists. For lunch, don’t pass up authentic Mission Mexican fare at Pancho Villa Taqueria. In the afternoon, take a free, guided tour of various urban points of interest with a healthy serving of history via San Francisco City Guides.


1

Tartine Bakery

Location:

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600 Guerrero Street
At 18th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

Phone:

(415) 487 2600


2

Mission Dolores

Location:

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332, 16th Street
(at the corner of Dolores Street)
San Francisco, CA 94114

Phone:

(415) 621-8203


3

Pancho Villa Taqueria

Location:

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3071 16th Street
(At the corner of Valencia Street)
San Francisco, CA 94103

Phone:

+1 415 864 8840


4

San Francisco City Guides

Location:

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100 Larkin Street
San Francisco Public Library
San Francisco, CA 94102

Phone:

(415) 557-4266

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