San Francisco trip cost: flights, hotels, food and things to do
Cable cars, sourdough and the Golden Gate. A 4-night trip for 2 starts at about $1,532 for the cheapest flight, hotel and food, depending on where you fly from. Pick your airport to see three ready-made plans.
Plan my San Francisco trip
What it costs from your airport
For 2 travelers, 4 nights. "From" is the cheapest flight and hotel plus everyday food; "Suggested budget" also covers a mid-priced flight and hotel and things to do.
| Flying from | From | Suggested budget |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego (SAN) | $1,532 | $2,600 |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | $1,552 | $2,600 |
| Phoenix (PHX) | $1,562 | $2,600 |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | $1,582 | $2,600 |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | $1,622 | $2,600 |
| Portland (PDX) | $1,632 | $2,600 |
| Denver (DEN) | $1,642 | $2,700 |
| Austin (AUS) | $1,702 | $2,900 |
| Seattle (SEA) | $1,712 | $2,700 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) | $1,712 | $2,800 |
| Houston (IAH) | $1,742 | $2,900 |
| Minneapolis (MSP) | $1,742 | $2,900 |
| Chicago O'Hare (ORD) | $1,772 | $2,900 |
| St. Louis (STL) | $1,772 | $2,900 |
| Chicago Midway (MDW) | $1,792 | $2,900 |
| Atlanta (ATL) | $1,792 | $3,100 |
| Detroit (DTW) | $1,812 | $3,000 |
| Nashville (BNA) | $1,822 | $3,000 |
| Washington Dulles (IAD) | $1,842 | $3,000 |
| Charlotte (CLT) | $1,852 | $3,000 |
| Tampa (TPA) | $1,862 | $3,000 |
| Philadelphia (PHL) | $1,872 | $3,000 |
| Miami (MIA) | $1,882 | $3,000 |
| New York JFK | $1,882 | $3,100 |
| Newark (EWR) | $1,892 | $3,000 |
| Baltimore (BWI) | $1,912 | $3,000 |
| Washington Reagan (DCA) | $1,912 | $3,000 |
| New York LaGuardia (LGA) | $1,932 | $3,000 |
| Orlando (MCO) | $1,942 | $3,000 |
| Boston (BOS) | $1,952 | $3,100 |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) | $1,962 | $3,000 |
| Honolulu (HNL) | $2,022 | $3,100 |
Food: about $104 a person a day
Restaurants worth the trip
- Tartine BakeryOrder: Morning bun · about $15 a person
- La Taqueria burritosOrder: Carnitas burrito, dorado-style · about $13 a person
- Swan Oyster DepotOrder: Crab back and Sicilian sashimi · about $50 a person
- House of Prime RibOrder: Prime rib, carved at the table · about $75 a person
- Good Mong Kok dim sumOrder: Har gow (shrimp dumplings) · about $15 a person
Where to stay
- Hyatt Regency San Francisco4★ · $260 a night · or about 17,000 Hyatt points
- Grand Hyatt San Francisco4★ · $280 a night · or about 20,000 Hyatt points
- San Francisco Marriott Marquis4★ · $300 a night · or about 41,000 Marriott points
- Courtyard Fisherman's Wharf3★ · $230 a night · or about 30,000 Marriott points
- Nob Hill boutique hotel3★ · $210 a night
- Fort Mason hostel, private room2★ · $120 a night
Things to do
- Walk the Golden Gate Bridgefree · 2h 30m
- Ferry Buildingfree · 1h 30m
- Lands End trailfree · 2h 00m
- Chinatown and North Beach walkfree · 2h 00m
- Pier 39 sea lionsfree · 1h 00m
- Haight-Ashbury shopsfree · 1h 30m
- Cable car ride$8 a person · 45m
- Muir Woods day trip$15 a person · 5h 00m
- SFMOMA$30 a person · 2h 30m
- Golden Gate Park and Academy of Sciences$40 a person · 3h 30m
- Alcatraz$45 a person · 3h 00m
- The Speakeasy show$90 a person · 2h 30m
Questions
How much does a trip to San Francisco cost?
For 2 travelers and 4 nights, the cheapest flight and hotel plus everyday food start at about $1,532 from San Diego (SAN) and run to about $2,022 from the farthest major US airport. A comfortable budget with things to do is $2,600 to $3,100.
How much should I budget for food in San Francisco?
About $104 a person a day at mid-range places: breakfast $18, lunch $24, dinner $52, snacks and coffee $10.
How many nights do I need in San Francisco?
4 nights covers the main sights at an easy pace; the day plans on each route page show how the days fill.
Plan your San Francisco trip
Tell us your airport, dates and budget, and get three plans with flights, hotel, food and a day-by-day itinerary.
Plan my trip