San Francisco is a solo city with two warnings: the hills, which are steeper than any photo, and a few downtown blocks, which are worse than any photo. Plan around both and it's one of the best three days alone in America.
Three days alone#
Day one, the Mission and the parks. Dolores Park, a burrito, the murals in Clarion and Balmy alleys, then Golden Gate Park west to Ocean Beach for sunset. Dinner at a bar on Valencia.
Day two, the bridge and the bay. Rent a bike, cross the Golden Gate, down to Sausalito, ferry back. The Ferry Building's counters for lunch if you time it right. A Giants game at night if there is one; a single seat is easy.
Day three, the old city and the edge. Chinatown's dim sum counters, North Beach's cafés, Coit Tower, the Embarcadero, then the Richmond or the Sunset for the city's quiet western half and Clement Street for dinner.
Where to stay, and where not to#
The Mission, Hayes Valley, North Beach, Nob Hill. Read the exact address of anything sold as "downtown" or "near Union Square": the Tenderloin and the blocks of Market Street and Civic Center next to it are the parts of the city that are genuinely hard, and two streets separate them from the hotels.
Safety, honestly#
Visible homelessness and open drug use downtown unsettle visitors; the practical risk is lower than it looks, and concentrated. Walk around those blocks rather than through them after dark. Car break-ins are the real crime: nothing in a rental, ever. Everywhere else, the usual rules. For solo women: rideshare late, the hills make shortcuts tempting and dark, take the lit street.
Eating alone#
Counters and bars: dim sum in Chinatown, Clement Street, the Ferry Building, a bar seat on Valencia, the taquerias. Nobody eats alone more happily than San Francisco.
Meeting people#
The city is famous for being hard to break into, which is why it has a rent-a-friend market. Post your trip on Roavi Community with your dates: travellers heading to San Francisco in the same window appear in one place, and Local Friends can reply. A Local Friend is the way into a neighbourhood for an evening: the Mission bar, the Sunset coffee, the Richmond dinner. Solo travel in the USA covers the other cities.
Going to San Francisco alone? Post your trip and meet someone who lives there.
Meet a Local FriendFrequently Asked Questions
Is San Francisco safe to travel alone?
Mostly yes. The city's problems are concentrated in the Tenderloin, parts of Market Street and Civic Center, which a visitor can walk around. Car break-ins are the common crime; leave nothing in a rental. In the Mission, North Beach, the parks and the western neighbourhoods the usual city rules apply.Where should a solo traveller stay in San Francisco?
The Mission for food and nights out, Hayes Valley for the middle, North Beach for the old city and the bay, Nob Hill for the view. Check the exact block of anything advertised as 'downtown' or 'Union Square'; two streets change everything here.How many days in San Francisco alone?
Three: one for the Mission and the parks, one for the bridge by bike and the bay, one for Chinatown, North Beach and the western edge. A fourth for Muir Woods or Berkeley across the water.How do I meet people travelling alone in San Francisco?
A hostel with a bar, a free walking tour, the Mission's bars and Dolores Park on a weekend, a Giants game, and posting your trip on Roavi Community so travellers heading to San Francisco on your dates can find you. A Local Friend gets you past the city's famous closed circles.