When most people think of San Francisco, they don't think of budget travel. When it costs $3.00 an hour to park your car at a meter, $7.00 just to cross the Bay Bridge and over $500 a night for a bed to sleep in, it's no wonder. However, there are ways to visit this great city on the bay with a budget in mind.
The first thing to remember is that having a car in San Francisco is more of a hindrance that a necessity. You'll spend more parking your car than you will on food during your visit. So skip the vehicle and use the bay area public transportation system. The cities public transportation includes buses, trains, cable cars, ferry and shuttle services. The public transit system runs from 6:00 am - 12:30 am and a new train or cable car runs about every 10 minutes. You can purchase an all day pass with on and off privileges for $11.00. Plus you can travel both inside and outside the city, from Richmond to Pacifica, for the same low price.
Another major expense is the cost of eating out. Prices are notoriously high in San Francisco and simply outlandish in the tourist destinations like Fisherman's Wharf. However there are ways to save when going out to eat and it does not mean you have to pick up a .99 cent burger to do it. Chinatown has some wonderful restaurants and you can find lunch for around $5 per person. Plus, a majority of the time the portions are so large you can take leftovers back to your room to eat later. The key to budget travel is to prepare ahead. When it comes along to family trips, globetrotting, well-deserved holidays and/or going to see new places we have never been before, the fact of expense and budgeting is generally in the back of our mind. Considering and consuming our travel budget wisely is a concern for most families. Curbing spending and costs, while still experiencing your vacation to its fullest, is the key to confirmed achievement and fiscal liability. Your pocketbook and family will thank you! The thought behind protecting money while vacationing is simple: Even if your personal budget is highly small, you can still take a break and enjoy life! Simply put, life is just too short to never step out of the door or leaving the homestead! Also keeping in mind that while traveling, no matter whether on a finances or not, even the smallest of things can all add op to a big vacation or travel costs!. With a little planning you can easily eat on $20 a day.
Chinatown is also a terrific place to purchase a souvenir to take back home. You can find 11 post cards for $1, adult T-shirts with San Francisco printed on them for $1.99 each and silk kimono's for $6.00. Another great attraction that is designed for the budget traveler is a cruise around the San Francisco Bay. Check out such cruise lines as the Red and White fleet (www.redandwhite.com) which leaves from pier 43-1/2. For the fare of $24 they will take you on a narrated cruise of the bay, under the Golden Gate Bridge and over to Alcatraz Island. The view of the city is one that will not soon be forgotten and the narration provides historical facts lost to most visitors. Did you know that under the Golden Gate Bridge is a fort that has stood there for nearly 150 years? www.nps.gov/fopo/
The final major expense are hotel rooms. The secret is to find a room outside of the tourist area and one that provides a benefit to you. As mentioned in the beginning of this article, it is nothing to find hotel rooms that exceed $500 a night that will charge you $30 a day to park your car. However, a couple can also stay at such locations as the CitiGarden Hotel, the Regency Inn or the Travelodge San Francisco for around $50 a night. Plus they'll provide free airport shuttle and breakfast with the room.
One can easily spend $3,000 - $5,000 a week visiting San Francisco. The questions is "why?" By using just a few short cuts and some common sense you can enjoy the same fantastic vacation on $60 p/p a day. So don't let the economy or fear of cost stop you from visiting this beautiful city on the bay. Happy travels.
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