If the closest you can come to San Francisco is eating the boxed meal known as the San Francisco treat, but you have always wanted to visit, then you might want to pay attention. Not having too much money does not mean you can’t enjoy the pleasure of visiting a city you are craving to see. In fact, you can just make sure you spend only where it is necessary and get the maximum value of your money. There are many things that you can do while in SF, which are very low cost and even free. Most people do not take the time to check into these things for themselves and end up spending large sums of money needlessly. Whenever you do a tour package, you end up seeing what everyone else sees, and having the same experiences everyone else has. In a country that idealizes individualism, we tend to run with the herd and do what everyone else does…it seems like a bit of an oxymoron, doesn’t it?
Don’t forget the coupons on the travel sites
The big three Travelocity, Orbitz and Expedia often offer discount coupons to San Francisco. Use these coupons to get the best rates available.
Check the Schedule
What many people fail to realize is that every city has low cost and even free events taking place throughout the year. In order to find those things occurring at the time of your visit to San Francisco you should check with Fun Cheap SF to help you schedule your visit accordingly. You could find something as whimsical as free Krispy Kreme™ donuts for a day or something as practical as which days of the month have free admission to the San Francisco Bay area museums.
Festivals and Fairs
One thing that San Francisco is known for is the number of festivals that take place throughout the year. In almost any season, there is some kind of festival or fair taking place. One thing that set San Francisco, and its residents, apart is the culture in the Bay Area. People take the time to enjoy life and live it to the fullest. The art scene is world class, and you can probably find any number of musicians, actors, writers, and photographers on the streets or in cafes willing to tell you which places are must sees while in San Francisco. Make sure you take the time to walk through the fairs. You don’t have to spend any money unless you want to. Typically, there is no admission fee, so you can enjoy the full array of culture, shops, sights, and sounds of San Francisco without spending an arm and a leg to do so.
Walking Tours
One of the best ways to truly enjoy San Francisco is to take walking tours. Many of these tours are offered year around and are totally free. These tours are manned by volunteers who simply want to keep the cultural heritage and historicity of San Francisco alive. Check with Fun Cheap SF for times and meeting locations for these guided tours on foot. Tour locations include the neighborhoods of the following:
· Marin & Presidio
· Pacific Heights
· Richmond
· Haight & Western Addition
· Castro & Noe Valley
· West of Twin Peaks & Sunset
· Russian Hill & Nob Hill
· Fisherman’s Wharf
· Chinatown & North Beach
· Union Square & Financial District
· Civic Center
· SOMA & Potrero Hill
· Mission & Bernal Heights
· Southeast Neighborhoods
The Golden Gate Park Band
While almost everyone has heard of and seen images of the Golden Gate for which San Francisco is famous, many are unaware of the Golden Gate Park Band and that they give free concerts every week. This thirty-member orchestra dressed in bright red suit coats is now boasting its 129th season of performing free concerts each Sunday (weather permitting). If you get a chance, make sure you take in this free concert. While it isn’t difficult to find free musical entertainment in San Francisco, the Golden Gate Park Band should be on the must see list.
Low Cost Dining
There are myriad places in San Francisco where one can spend $5 or less for a single meal. Many of the diners, drive-ins, and dives of the San Francisco area have been featured on the Food Network show of the same title. Visitors and residents alike can enjoy fabulous flavor in frugal fashion…and just for the record…these places are the real “San Francisco treat.” For a great list of cheap eats, check out the video below: