San Francisco on a Budget

Location, LOCATION, LOCATION! This alone can save you quite a bit of money. If you’re flying to the city (SFO or the Oakland airport) you might consider a downtown hotel located near Union Square. Since you don’t have a car, you won’t have to pay a nightly garage fee to have your car parked at your hotel.

If you’re driving, consider a motel on Lombard Street also known as Motel Row. Some of these properties are fairly expensive but there are a couple which are quite reasonable. Most of them do not charge extra for parking – call and check this out. (Do not rely on the internet information – talk to someone at the hotel directly.) I once booked a room in SF and the website – a third party site – said free parking. Not so and when I arrived very late in the evening I had to argue to get free valet parking. As it turned out, I had to actually drive to a lot almost a block away and walk back to my hotel. Not something a woman alone likes to do in a big city at midnight.

Wherever you’re staying, ask about their extras. Many hotels and motels offer free breakfast and this will save a money also.

Another good thing about the motels on Lombard Sstreet is the location of a major bus line. The 30 and the 30 Express bus runs frequently on Chestnut Street, which is one block from Lombard Street. This express bus doesn’t stop as often so when you board, check to see if it stops at your destination. This line runs near Ghiradelli Square, and downtown to Union Square. Be sure to ask for a transfer so you can ride on the cable car or another bus line at no extra cost.

If you stay (on Lombard Street) between Divisadero and Filmore Streets, walk down to Chestnut, grab a snack at an deli or cookies from a bakery and enjoy browsing through the various shops. On Lombard Street itself, you’ll find a good selection of coffee shops for breakfast and lunch.