02/26/2020
***Why not, San Francisco?🤷🏾♀️**
Easily one of the most expensive cities in the WORLD 💰💰😳🤯 but don't let that scare you away. I know you're thinking the words budget and San Francisco shouldn't even be in the same sentence, BUT believe me IT IS POSSIBLE! Learn how to visit San Francisco with kids on a budget and have an amazing time 🤗🤗
🚂☝🏾First, rent a car!! Contrary to popular travel tips, this will actually save you more $$ We used Uber estimator, along with researching the fare prices of public transportation in SF and you will do your family justice by just renting the car! We included a picture of the cost estimates. We are a family of 6. Average minivan rental for a weekend is only $140. If you are a family of 5, it will be about $100 for a car/small SUV rental. If you are traveling with little ones, you will need carseats/boosters for all Uber and Lyft rides. Just a ride from the airport to downtown SF will cost you roughly $40. One roundtrip ride on the cable car for my family would cost $80! Check out the picture, as well as: https://www.uber.com/us/en/price-estimate/ to see how much your family could save by renting a car.
🚂 Now, with that being said, choose a hotel that has FREE parking! Many San Francisco hotels charge anywhere from $30-50/night for parking. No surprise there when you have a fairly small city that is packed to capacity!! Choosing a hotel with free parking can save you over $100 during your trip. Later in this post I will also be giving you some tips for free parking at or near some of the city's main attractions.
🚂 Another great tip is to find a hotel with free breakfast, and not just any breakfast. Look for the ones that offer a free hot breakfast buffet; I'm talking eggs, bacon, and pancakes or waffles! 🥞🥓🍳 I'll be honest, my kids are NOT morning people so when we are on vacation, I don't force early morning activities on them. During the hotel's breakfast hours, my husband and I take turns making runs to the buffet so that our kids can enjoy breakfast once they wake up (which is usually by 9 or 10 when we are on vacation). It's so convenient because we can warm their food up in the room and they can eat in their pjs! We also grab some fresh fruit and muffins (if available) for the kids to snack on later during the day. If we went out to breakfast everyday, we would easily spend close to $200 over the course of a 3 day trip!!
🚂 We will give you our sample itinerary for enjoying 3 days in San Francisco for the cheap 😄🤗🌁
DAY 1: Pier 39/ Fisherman's Wharf
Yes, this is known as one of the most touristy places in San Francisco, but who doesn't love a good tourist attraction 🤷🏾♀️❤📸
You can spend an entire day at Pier 39 and NOT break the bank! Here are some of our favorite things to do and places to eat (photos included)
**Sea Lion Center (free!) Open from 10a-5p
Although you can see these awesome creatures any time, there are special educational programs every other hour during the center's operationg hours.
**Musical stairs (free!)🎹🎹🎶
This is a flight of stairs done up like a giant piano... and guess what! Each step plays a musical note from speakers as you go up and down them. Your kids will love playing on them, and probably need a rest break after running up and down this flight of musical artistry 😉👌🏾
**Magowan's Mirror Maze ($5, ages 5 and under free!) Open until 9pm
We love this place! It's so much fun trying to find your way out, all while running into your own image on the way. Great thing about this place is admission is good for the whole day. You and your family can go in and out of this maze as much as you want! There are also some crazy mirrors outside of the maze.
**Carousel ($3) open until 9pm 🎠🎠
This is a must-see for its beautiful handpainted artwork. It features paintings of many of San Francisco's most famous landmarks. I would suggest riding this beauty at night for an even more amazing view.
**Ripley's Believe it or Not ($15)
If you just want to splurge, here is a great way for kids to spend some time at the pier, especially if you need a break from the San Francisco wind AND the "interesting" smell of the sea lions.
👩🏽🍳🍽 Now what do you eat 🤔
There are so many wonderful options at Pier 39, but these are our favorites for getting that San Francisco foodie experience while still being "financially conscious" 😎
**Chowders- $10 clam chowder bread bowls and $12 fried seafood platters
** Pier Market Crab Stand- $8 fish n' chips and $4 chowder bowls
** Wipeout Bar & Grill featuring the wipeout burger and some very yummy adult beverages 🍹🍹
** Trish's mini donuts is a must! The kids will love standing at the window watching them fry up these mini bites of deliciousness! At only $15 for a souvenir bucket of 36 donuts, the whole family can enjoy this hot, tasty treat!
🚂 There's lots of free parking near Pier 39. Do not ever park in the garages of the attraction that you are going to. Google "free parking near Pier 39 or Fisherman's Wharf" and you will be directed to mostly residential off-street parking that is a 5 minute or less walk. Some of the parking is metered, but the city of SF doesn't enforce meters after 6pm.
🚂 Stayed tuned for Day 2 and Day 3 of our itinerary!! If you want to see more posts like this, please like our page and message us for more details 😃
