2 Day Itinerary in San Francisco on a Budget
A weekend trip to San Francisco to visit all the top tourist attractions and to check out all the best places to eat when traveling on a budget.
Day 1
1. Chinese Korean Style Cuisine in the Sunset | 11 a.m.
1031 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122
Begin the trip on the west side of town in the large residential neighborhood of Sunset. Known for its foggy weather, this side of the city also contains some hidden culinary gem including the ever popular San Tung. A mix of Northern Chinese and Korean cuisine, head there early as there's always a line to get the famous Dried Fried Chicken Wings. The crispy skin mixed with the sweet and slightly spicy sauce is the perfect way to start the trip. The other items on the menu, including the boiled dumplings and black bean sauce noodles are also popular here.
2. Enjoy All the Activities in Golden Gate Park | 12:30 p.m.
Walk a couple blocks over to 9th and Lincoln to enter into Golden Gate Park. Immediately on the left will be the SF Botanical Garden (Yelp), which has plants and flowers from all over the world. Deeper into the park you'll find an open space plaza that has the Academy of Sciences (Yelp) and the de Young Museum (Yelp). Depending on your interests, you can take time to visit one or both of these. The Academy of Sciences is a natural history museum with an aquarium and planetarium, while the de Young Museum is more focused on art. There is also a free outlook at the top of the brown structure at the de Young Museum that is worth a visit to get a great view of the city.
Continue exploring the park and visit areas like Stow Lake, which allows you to rent a boat to row around, or to the Rose Garden to admire all different colors of roses. The Japanese Tea Garden (Yelp), which is right next to the de Young, has a serene zen-like atmosphere and also a small tea house if you need to have an afternoon break for some small snacks.
3. Crookedest Street in the World | 3:30 p.m.
Head east in the city and make your way to the crookedest street in the world. You can drive down the street, but it's best to park afterwards and walk and observe it in person. The street is lined with flowers and is a perfect spot to take a few pictures.
4. Must-Try West Coast Burger | 4 p.m.
333 Jefferson, San Francisco, CA 94133
Take a left from Lombard St. and you will be at Fisherman's Wharf, one of the premier tourist attractions in San Francisco. Walk along the main street next to the bay and you will see lots of restaurants and shops selling souvenirs. There is also an In-N-Out here, which is a must for those not from the western part of the U.S. These freshly made burgers are super delicious and crazy cheap as well. Get a double-double (two patties, two slices of cheese) and get it "animal style" which adds a thousand island-like dressing. You won't regret it.
5. The San Francisco Boardwalk | 4:30 p.m.
Continue walking around Fisherman's Whalf until you reach Pier 39 (Yelp), which is a boardwalk filled with tons of shops, restaurants, video arcade, 3D rides, and a carousel. There are also sea lions which hang out on the dock. The pier has been revitalized over the past couple years to make it much nicer and is a fun place to hang out, especially if you're traveling with kids.