Do you need a car to get around San Francisco?

The best ways to get around San Francisco are on foot and by using public transportation. Most of the popular attractions are within walking distance of the city center, and the large municipal transportation system (called the Muni) operates bus and streetcar lines, leaving little need for your own set of wheels.



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Downtown San Francisco is easy to navigate. It's compact and fairly walkable, with multiple easy-to-use public transit options. However, due to its windy, hilly streets and pricy parking, driving around San Francisco is not recommended unless you plan on traveling outside the city itself.

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Union Square, best area to stay in San Francisco Union Square is perhaps the best-known neighborhood, since it's the center of the city. This is a very dynamic place, where you can attend many concerts and events throughout the year.

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Most visitors find three days in San Francisco is a good amount of time to get a solid introduction to the city. However, if you have a week it's highly recommended you take a few San Francisco day trips. What is this?

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San Francisco is not a difficult city to drive in but parking will be expensive in downtown areas and popular tourist attractions. If you're mostly going to be spending your time in the larger cities with good public transit (San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, etc) I would say you don't really need to rent a car.

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It's free to walk or bike across the Golden Gate Bridge. The pedestrian walkway is the east sidewalk that runs along the east (bay) side of the bridge. Bikes ride on either side, according to the daily schedule. Drivers pay a toll ($9.40) but only coming into San Francisco.

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The average price for this trip is $40. Open the Uber app and input San Francisco CA in the “Where to?” box. The price estimate for each ride option will appear; scroll to see what's available. Prices will vary based on time of day and how many riders are making requests.

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The fare for a taxi ride from SFO airport to downtown San Francisco typically falls within the range of $55 to $65. This estimate does not include gratuities. The travel duration is approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

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Why is Uber so expensive in San Francisco? A quick glance at the driver surge prices in parts of the Bay Area and it's obvious that drivers are in hot demand, especially in the East and South Bays, that is until there are more drivers riders will likely continue to pay.

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For the record, the Fisherman's Wharf area, Pier 39, and Union Square are tourist traps – not much culture and filled with crowds. You'll never be able to see the entire city with just 3 days in San Francisco, and there's no need to rush it. Take it all in – there's so many hidden gems and secret spots to explore.

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In the Bay Area, most neighborhoods in cities like San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland score high marks on the walkable index, mostly due to robust transportation networks and high numbers of pedestrian-accessible intersections.

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