Where to stay · San Francisco · United States
Where to stay in San Francisco
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Union Square. Department stores, theatres and the Powell Street cable car turnaround. Best alternatives — families: Fisherman's Wharf; budget: Mission District; nightlife: North Beach.
Key facts
- First visit
- Union Square
- Families
- Fisherman's Wharf
- Budget
- Mission District
- Nightlife
- North Beach
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Union Square | Department stores, theatres and the Powell Street cable car turnaround |
| Families | Fisherman's Wharf | Sea lions, chowder in bread bowls and the ferry piers on the northern waterfront |
| Couples | North Beach | Italian cafés, Beat Generation bookshops and Telegraph Hill |
| Budget | Mission District | Murals, taquerias and Dolores Park in the city's sunniest neighbourhood |
| Luxury | Nob Hill | Grand hotels, Grace Cathedral and cable cars on California Street |
| Nightlife | North Beach | Italian cafés, Beat Generation bookshops and Telegraph Hill |
| Food lovers | North Beach | Italian cafés, Beat Generation bookshops and Telegraph Hill |
| Solo travellers | Union Square | Department stores, theatres and the Powell Street cable car turnaround |
| Shopping | Union Square | Department stores, theatres and the Powell Street cable car turnaround |
| Quiet stays | Nob Hill | Grand hotels, Grace Cathedral and cable cars on California Street |
San Francisco neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and solo travellers
Union Square
Union Square is the main hotel district, with department stores, theatres and the cable-car turnaround at Powell and Market Streets a block away. BART and Muni Metro stations on Market Street make it the most convenient base for transport, including trains to the airport. The blocks to the west border the Tenderloin, which is best avoided on foot, especially at night.
- Good
- Central and well connected, including BART to SFO; Wide range of hotels; Walk to Chinatown and the SoMa museums
- Watch out
- Borders the Tenderloin, which can feel rough; Busy and commercial
- Nearby
- Powell Street cable car turnaround, Chinatown, Yerba Buena Gardens, SFMOMA
$$$ · Best for families and first-timers
Fisherman's Wharf
Fisherman's Wharf has Pier 39's sea lions, the Musée Mécanique, the historic ships at Hyde Street Pier and seafood stalls, and Alcatraz ferries leave from Pier 33 nearby. Both Powell Street cable-car lines end here, which suits families who want sights on the doorstep, but the area is very touristy and quiet late at night.
- Good
- Family sights on the doorstep; Cable cars and F-line streetcars to downtown; Bay views
- Watch out
- Very touristy; Restaurants geared to visitors; Cool and windy most evenings
- Nearby
- Pier 39, Alcatraz ferries at Pier 33, Ghirardelli Square, Musée Mécanique
$$$ · Best for couples, food lovers, nightlife and culture
North Beach
North Beach is San Francisco's old Italian quarter, with espresso bars and trattorias along Columbus Avenue and Grant Avenue, Washington Square and City Lights Bookstore, the landmark of the Beat writers. Coit Tower and the Filbert Steps are up the hill, and Chinatown and the Financial District are a short walk away.
- Good
- Walk to Chinatown, the Wharf and downtown; Cafés, bars and Italian restaurants; Strong character and history
- Watch out
- Few large hotels; Steep hills; Strip clubs along Broadway
- Nearby
- Washington Square, City Lights Bookstore, Coit Tower, Chinatown
$$$$ · Best for couples, luxury and quiet stays
Nob Hill
Nob Hill's summit holds grand hotels such as the Fairmont and the Mark Hopkins, Grace Cathedral with its indoor and outdoor labyrinths, and the small Huntington Park. The California Street and Powell cable-car lines both cross the hill, so Union Square, Chinatown and the Wharf are a short ride away. It is calm and polished, though the walk back up is steep.
- Good
- Historic hotels with city views; Cable cars on the doorstep; Quiet at night
- Watch out
- Expensive; Very steep walks
- Nearby
- Grace Cathedral, Cable Car Museum, Chinatown, Huntington Park
$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife, solo travellers and budget
Mission District
The Mission is often warmer and sunnier than the rest of the city, with Latino taquerias and bakeries along 24th Street, the murals of Balmy Alley and Clarion Alley, bars and restaurants on Valencia Street, and Mission Dolores Park's skyline views. BART stations at 16th and 24th Streets link it with downtown and SFO.
- Good
- Some of the best food in the city; Often sunnier than other districts; BART to downtown and the airport
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Parts of Mission Street around 16th Street feel rough at night
- Nearby
- Mission Dolores Park, Balmy Alley, Valencia Street, Mission Dolores
$$$ · Best for couples, families and quiet stays
Marina and Cow Hollow
The Marina and Cow Hollow are prosperous residential districts beside Crissy Field and the Presidio, with restaurants, boutiques and brunch spots on Chestnut Street and Union Street. The Palace of Fine Arts and the waterfront path to the Golden Gate Bridge are close, and the motels of Lombard Street are a lower-priced option on the edge.
- Good
- Walk or cycle to the Golden Gate Bridge; Calm, leafy residential streets; Good brunch and boutique shopping
- Watch out
- No rail link; buses only; Far from the Mission and SoMa
- Nearby
- Palace of Fine Arts, Crissy Field, Union Street, Presidio
$$$ · Best for couples, shopping, food lovers and culture
Hayes Valley
Hayes Valley grew up after an earthquake-damaged freeway was torn down, and its streets now hold design boutiques, wine bars and restaurants around the small Patricia's Green park. The symphony, opera and ballet at Civic Center are a short walk away, as is Alamo Square with its row of Painted Ladies.
- Good
- Good restaurants and boutiques; Walk to the performing-arts venues; Central for Muni lines
- Watch out
- Few hotels; The Civic Center edge can feel rough at night
- Nearby
- Patricia's Green, Alamo Square, War Memorial Opera House, Davies Symphony Hall
$$$ · Best for nightlife, couples and solo travellers
The Castro
The Castro has been a centre of LGBTQ+ life since the 1970s, marked by rainbow crosswalks, the Rainbow Honor Walk plaques and the GLBT Historical Society Museum. Bars and restaurants line Castro and Market Streets below the neon sign of the 1922 Castro Theatre, and the historic F-line streetcars run from here to Fisherman's Wharf.
- Good
- Lively, welcoming bars; Muni Metro and F-line streetcars; Close to Twin Peaks and Dolores Park
- Watch out
- Mostly B&Bs and small hotels; Hilly
- Nearby
- Castro Theatre, Rainbow Honor Walk, Twin Peaks, Mission Dolores Park
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Union Square | $$$ | Powell Street cable car turnaround, Chinatown, Yerba Buena Gardens, SFMOMA |
| Fisherman's Wharf | $$$ | Pier 39, Alcatraz ferries at Pier 33, Ghirardelli Square, Musée Mécanique |
| North Beach | $$$ | Washington Square, City Lights Bookstore, Coit Tower, Chinatown |
| Nob Hill | $$$$ | Grace Cathedral, Cable Car Museum, Chinatown, Huntington Park |
| Mission District | $$ | Mission Dolores Park, Balmy Alley, Valencia Street, Mission Dolores |
| Marina and Cow Hollow | $$$ | Palace of Fine Arts, Crissy Field, Union Street, Presidio |
| Hayes Valley | $$$ | Patricia's Green, Alamo Square, War Memorial Opera House, Davies Symphony Hall |
| The Castro | $$$ | Castro Theatre, Rainbow Honor Walk, Twin Peaks, Mission Dolores Park |
Getting to your hotel
San Francisco International (SFO) is about 21 km south of downtown. BART trains run from the international terminal to Powell Street and other downtown stations in about 30 minutes; taxis and rideshares take 25–45 minutes. Oakland airport is linked to BART by an automated shuttle train, and San José suits travellers heading to Silicon Valley.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in San Francisco for first-time visitors?
Union Square. Union Square is the main hotel district, with department stores, theatres and the cable-car turnaround at Powell and Market Streets a block away.
+Where should families stay in San Francisco?
Fisherman's Wharf: Family sights on the doorstep.
+Which area of San Francisco is best for a budget stay?
Mission District ($$): Murals, taquerias and Dolores Park in the city's sunniest neighbourhood.