lmwong1977

Last weekend in Jun is SF Pride parade/festival is another big event in the city that will effect hotel/Airbnb availability.

I think most natives know this site: http://sf.funcheap.com/

For Fort Point - which is part of the Presidio - there's a shuttle that's free outside commute hours - http://www.presidio.gov/transportati...wntown-shuttle. You can see Alcatraz from Chrissy Field on a clear day if you want to be really cheap.

At the Ferry building is a farmer's market - every tues, thus & sat. The bay bridge is really close by.

Check to see if there's a free day at a museum - some are not tied to having a certain card - http://freemuseumday.org/sf.html

Also some of the expensive museums have outside/public art/exhibits which are free since its considered public space. I know SFMoMA and the Exploratorium have a couple things. Some office bldgs downtown have public art in their lobbies.

Eastbay1K

Also, the Bridge to Bridge cruise (Red and White Fleet) frequently has Goldstar and Groupon offers and is a great ride.

I don't know where you're getting your ferry fares from. The "Same party of 4" without Clipper card payment would be about a $60 RT for Sausalito, Larkspur or Tiburon ferries.

dhuey

It was the nation's most notorious prison for a time. But long before that, it was an important military installation for the defense of the SF Bay. It's important both for this region's history, and the nation's.

dhuey

Nothing against Jack London Square, but that's not a typical ferry route for tourists. You're right that it's relatively cheap, and it is somewhat scenic. Still, I'd pay the extra bucks and go to Tiburon.

gaobest

Taxi from SFO to hotel - just exit baggage claim and walk to taxi queue. There's always a taxi concierge there so if you need a big taxi, the concierge will radio for one. You can use uber or lyft etc but I always get taxi at SFO for my family and 5 suitcases, and usually I use uber 4-12 times a month in San Francisco including 4 times within past 5 days!

For low-budget suggestions, how about :
walking in golden gate park.
Walking around embarcadero and ferry building
Walking in Japantown (different experience from Chinatown walking)
I've walked and bussed a lot in Bruxelles, and San Francisco is smaller so quite easy for walking.
Whole city is easy for walking but not on same day :-)
Don't walk too much after 5pm
Every neighborhood has sketchy people during day, even the expensive areas. It's the same as any other big global city.

I've lived in San Francisco my whole life and it's not much different than when I was a child aside from growth in technology and construction and population.

squeakr

Hello everyonecome along way from helping this family with low-cost attractions. I'll be deleting some post, but keep in mind this is not a forum for fighting about which attraction is better. It's about helping people with questions - especially the budget questions - find the glories of our city and little-known attractions that might not be obvious.

(All that said, I think Alcatraz is a strange attraction. Walking through an old prison especially with young children seems like not a good use of the original posters time or money as she's looking for a low-cost options.)
Squeakr
Moderator San Francisco forum

Koja78

@squeakr: possibly true.. but well Alcatraz is a kind of myth.. and everybody saw the movies (escape & the rock). Couldn't talk my wife out of it. It's like going to SFO and not seeing golden gate bridge.
@gaobest: Seriously? Easier to walk around then BXL? Then we won't have a problem. (except for the ups and downs)
Sketchy people.. obviously I don't know about american situations and all stories are overreactions... my experience is that as long as you have a clear idea of where you are going those people leave you alone. Can I state the same about "your" sketchy ppl?

Regarding cabs.. my issue is the strict laws for infants in cars in CA. Really dunno how to handle that with cabs...

gaobest

Cabs can transport people with babies / infants - think that the adult just holds the baby if you're not using a car seat.

I actually was referring to sketchy people in SF - unfortunately people may approach and interrupt you during your journey so I just ignore them. SF is much smaller than BXL and easier for walking. BXL always felt so huge :-)

Koja78

Well it seems that "legally".. " adult just holds the baby" is not allowed. A lot of states exempt cabs from car seat laws but ca does not.

nnn

Tastes do differ. I consider Alcatraz one of the best tourist attractions in SF. Great for kids too, IMO.

As to the OP, I echo those who say September to mid-November is the best time to visit.

dhuey

Similarly, Coit Tower is great for some (including me) and ho-hum for others. I think it depends mostly on whether you are interested in the Public Works of Art Project murals. Otherwise, it might seem like just one of many places where you can get a nice view of the city in San Francisco.

darthbimmer

You're not the only ones. Although I waited 15 years after moving to the area before visiting Alcatraz, many of my friends coming from thousands of miles away consider it an absolute must-do in SF.

Largely, yes, having situational awareness will keep you out of trouble in SF. But one thing that's different about SF is that the homeless, beggars, and vagrants here are more aggressive than in other US cities. They're more likely to shout at you, approach you, or stand/sit/lie in your way.

gaobest

Thank you - it's very difficult for me to explain our sketchy citizen situation compared to how it is outside of SF. It's a lot more serious for safety compared to other places. It's also all over SF, even in tourist and wealthy areas.

Did we mention the funcheapsf.com website? There are inexpensive options in SF that I can't even remember or ponder.

All this said, like tourism, I don't think there's a wrong time to travel anywhere as long as one is able to accept the weather.

UKtravelbear

But much beter value if you are doing several trips on Muni is a day / 3 day / 7 day pass.

JumboJet

I agree late September early October is the best time of year.