Leave Your Heart In San Francisco

I have traveled all over, and one of my favorite cities of all is San Francisco. If you have always wanted to visit this beautiful city but are wondering about cheap travel, I have put together a few tips to give you a hand.

First, unless you plan to do a lot of driving out of the city, forego a rental car and use the public transportation. If you do decide to take a day trip somewhere you can rent a car for one day, which will save you money. In the meantime, use the cable cars and the Muni, which is part of the city's extensive transit network. I personally prefer the cable cars if they can get you where you want to go. They are such fun, and cheap also, especially with a 1-day pass (best deal). Otherwise, try the Muni for $1.50 per ride or $9.00 for an all-day pass. They also offer 3-day and 7-day passes.

Here's a great how-to-travel-cheap idea. Purchase a City Pass which will get you into 6 famous San Francisco attractions, including the cable cars and Muni. You have 9 days to visit each included attraction (you can only visit each once) starting with the day you first use your pass, and you have 7 days to use the cable car and Muni passport (unlimited use). So what attractions does it include? This is one of the best deals in the city and includes tickets to the de Young Museum and Legion of Honor, Aquarium of the Bay, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Exploratorium, Blue and Gold Fleet Bay Cruise, and choice of either California Academy of Sciences and Steinhart Aquarium OR Asian Art Museum. As of the time I am writing this, the pass is only $49. I think it's a steal, and a great idea on how to travel cheap.

Another super deal is the Alcatraz and San Francisco City Tour. For $71 per person (as of this time), you get quite a lot. The tour of Alcatraz alone is worth the price to me (including of course the ferry ride over). That is something you should not miss. But in addition you will also take a tour of the city and see Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, Victorian homes, Palace of Fine Arts, North Beach, Presidio National Park, along with amazing views of Alcatraz and the ocean. This is a great idea on how to travel cheap and see many famous and beautiful areas of the city. Keep in mind that tours to Alcatraz often sell out so book your tours in advance if possible, and don't forget to check for coupons as you may be able to save even more money. The concierge at your hotel may be able to offer you a discount as well.

So if you have always wanted to take a trip to this amazing city (and trust me, it truly is just as beautiful as advertised), be sure to use these tips on cheap travel and leave your heart in San Francisco. I sure did.