San Francisco for Women – What I did (and loved) on my 2025 Trip
Nobody tells you that a city can feel completely different once you’re seeing it through your own eyes, on your own schedule, with nobody to answer to but yourself. I went to San Francisco on a family trip in 2025 and while I wasn’t travelling solo, I came away thinking it’s one of the best cities in the world for women to explore – whether that’s on your own, with your best friend, or with a small group.
This isn’t a generic “top things to do” list pulled together from other blogs. Everything below is something I actually did, ate, rode or walked through myself, plus one thing I skipped and wish we’d had more time for. If you’re planning your own trip to San Francisco, here’s exactly how I’d spend it.
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Why I think San Francisco is a brilliant city for women
San Francisco is walkable, well served by public transport and genuinely easy to navigate without a hire car. I found the compact layout meant I could get to almost everything on foot, by cable car, or with a short rideshare, which made the whole trip feel low-stress. Add in the food, the coastal views and how busy and well-lit the main tourist areas are and it’s easy to see why San Francisco keeps coming up as a favourite for women travelling together or alone.
Here’s what I did, in the order I’d recommend doing it.
1. Alcatraz Island – the one thing I’d never skip
Alcatraz was the first thing I booked before we even landed and I’m glad I did. The ferry ride out gives you one of the best views of the city skyline and the self-guided audio tour through the old federal prison was one of the most atmospheric things I did on the whole trip. Book this early – I’d heard tickets sell out days, sometimes weeks, in advance and after seeing how full our ferry was, I believe it.
- Alcatraz inside access ferry and audio tour with night option
- Alcatraz ticket, self-guided app tour and ferry
2. A Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour to get my bearings
With only a few days on the ground, I used a hop-on hop-off bus tour early in the trip to get a proper sense of the city before I started picking favourites. San Francisco’s neighbourhoods are spread across some seriously steep hills and the bus let me see the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio and Fisherman’s Wharf without wearing myself out before lunch.
3. Walking Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39
Fisherman’s Wharf is touristy and I understand why now that I’ve been. Pier 39 has sea lions basking right on the docks, plus enough shops, buskers and bay views to fill an easy afternoon. It was also one of the busiest, best-lit areas we walked through the whole trip, which I noticed and appreciated.
I walked the length of the wharf, watched the sea lions for longer than I’ll admit and found a spot on the pier to watch the sun start dropping over the bay.
4. A Chilli Cheese Hot Dog by the water
Some of the best food I had in San Francisco wasn’t in a restaurant, it was a chilli cheese hot dog eaten standing up near the wharf. Messy, completely unpretentious and exactly what I wanted after a morning of sightseeing. When in Rome, right?!
5. In-N-Out Burger, obviously
This one wasn’t optional. In-N-Out is a California institution and I made sure we found one. Don’t skip the fries.
6. Riding a San Francisco Cable Car
The cable cars are one of the last manually operated systems of their kind in the world, and riding one was one of my favourite things I did in San Francisco, full stop. I hung onto the outside pole climbing the hills, which gave me the best views and the best photos. We rode the Powell-Hyde line, which runs close to Lombard Street and back down toward the bay.
7. Getting a Waymo (my first driverless car ride)
This was completely new to me and one of the more surreal parts of the trip. San Francisco is one of the best places in the world to try a Waymo, the fully driverless robotaxi that’s become a genuine tourist novelty in its own right. Watching the steering wheel turn itself with nobody in the driver’s seat was a strange, slightly thrilling few minutes. Practically speaking, it also meant no small talk and no driver to think about, which the whole family appreciated. I downloaded the Waymo One app, requested a ride and used it a couple of times to cover the longer stretches between sights.
8. Seeing the Zig-Zag Street (Lombard Street)
Lombard Street, the famous “crookedest street in the world,” is that postcard zig-zagging road lined with hydrangeas and it was a quick but non-negotiable sighting for us. We actually saw it from the Coit Tower.
9. Climbing the tower with the best views in the city
For the best panoramic views over San Francisco, the bay and the bridges, we headed up Telegraph Hill to the tower that gives you the best 360-degree outlook in the city. It was a steep walk up, but the view from the top made every step worth it.
10. Shopping at the Macy’s Complex and Sitting in Union Square
Union Square is the retail heart of San Francisco, anchored by the multi-level Macy’s complex along with a full spread of flagship stores and boutiques. Even though shopping wasn’t the main event for us, I found myself enjoying the square at the bottom just as much – a proper public plaza with public art, café seating and people-watching that rivalled anywhere else we visited.
If you are looking for a bargain, head to the very top level of Macy’s!
11. The Ferry Building Marketplace – my personal favourite
This one doesn’t get talked about nearly enough and it ended up being one of my favourite finds of the whole trip. The Ferry Building sits right on the water and is packed with food stalls, farmers market produce, artisan bakeries and little gourmet shops selling everything from oysters to olive oil. I went in for a quick look and stayed for a very long, very indulgent lunch. If you want a break from the wharf food, this is where I’d send you.
12. Golden Gate Park – the one I missed
I’ll be honest, I didn’t make it to Golden Gate Park on this trip and it’s the one thing I wish we had time for. Everyone I’ve spoken to who has been says it’s enormous, genuinely bigger than Central Park, with gardens, museums and even a bison paddock inside it. If you have more time than I did, build this in. It’s already top of my list for next time.
13. The Painted Ladies at Alamo Square
The Painted Ladies are that famous row of Victorian houses with the San Francisco skyline rising up behind them and Alamo Square is where you get the classic postcard view. It was a quick stop for us, but one of those spots that photos genuinely don’t do justice to until you’re standing there in person. Worth the short trip out from the main tourist strip. You can access it from the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tours.
Where I’d recommend staying
We based ourselves near Union Square and I’d do the same again. It’s central, walkable, well connected to the cable car lines and Muni and put us within easy reach of almost everything on this list. It’s also a busy, well-lit area, which mattered to me heading back after dinner.
How I’d spend three days in San Francisco
Day 1: Alcatraz Island in the morning (book the earliest slot you can get), Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 in the afternoon, chilli cheese hot dog for lunch, cable car ride up to Lombard Street in the late afternoon.
Day 2: Hop-on hop-off bus tour to cover the bridge and the Presidio, Coit Tower for the views, then Union Square and the Macy’s complex for shopping, food and downtime before dinner. Save room for In-N-Out.
Day 3: A slow morning at the Ferry Building Marketplace, then out to Alamo Square for the Painted Ladies before heading back into town. If I had my time again, I’d carve out a few hours here for Golden Gate Park too. Use a Waymo for any of the longer stretches between stops.
A few things I did to stay safe (not fear-mongering, just sense)
This isn’t about scaring anyone off, it’s the opposite. San Francisco is a brilliant city to explore and a few small habits meant I got to enjoy it fully without spending the trip on edge. Here’s what I did:
- Kept valuables on my body rather than in a bag on my shoulder or a back pocket – a cross-body RFID and anti-theft bag worn to the front was my go-to. My RFID and anti-theft bag is my go-to for any travel I do.
- Didn’t carry more than I needed for the day. Passport, spare cards and anything irreplaceable stayed locked up at the hotel.
- Tried not to look like an obvious tourist – map away, walking with purpose, saving the photo-taking for when I had a proper sense of who was around me.
- Asked hotel reception on check-in whether there were any specific areas or streets they’d suggest avoiding, particularly at night. It took thirty seconds and they knew far more than any blog post could tell me.
- Stuck to well-lit, busy streets after dark (and/or limited time being out in the evening) and trusted my instincts on the rest.
- Booked self-catering accommodation so I could do an easy supermarket shop and eat in at night when I wanted to – this is also a money saver!
None of this is unique to San Francisco, it’s just good practice anywhere. A little awareness is what let me actually relax and enjoy the city rather than second-guess it.
FAQ: Visiting San Francisco as a woman
Is San Francisco safe for women travelling solo? For full transparency, at the time of writing, San Francisco has a high homelessness rate and theft from cars can be common. However, from my own experience, San Francisco felt like one of the more walkable and manageable US cities to explore, particularly around the main tourist areas like Union Square, Fisherman’s Wharf and the waterfront. As with any major city, sensible habits go a long way – see what I did above for specifics.
How many days do you need in San Francisco? I’d suggest three days if you can manage it. That gave us time to cover Alcatraz, the cable cars, Lombard Street, Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square and still have a slower day for the Ferry Building and Alamo Square, without feeling rushed.
What’s the best way to get around San Francisco without a car? We used cable cars, walked a lot and used rideshare options like Uber or Waymo for the longer stretches. A hop-on hop-off bus tour on day one also helped us get our bearings and took us across the Golden Gate Bridge which was really fun. We never needed to hire a car.
Do I need to book Alcatraz tickets in advance? Yes and I’d do it as early as you can. I booked ahead and was glad I did – the ferry we took was full.
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Erin Parker is a Finnish Lapland specialist, women’s adventure host and founder of Lapland Lowdown & Travel Her Way. She has travelled six continents and brings first-hand experience to every destination she writes about – from the Arctic wilderness of Finnish Lapland to the high Andes of Peru. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Erin helps long-haul travellers plan extraordinary Finnish Lapland adventures and leads small group trips for women who are ready to explore the world boldly.
