Tips & tricks
The money-saving hacks and local shortcuts we share on every tour — now all in one place.
Ten hacks our guides actually use
Small moves, big savings. You’re welcome.
Japanese Tea Garden, free before 10
The oldest Japanese garden in the USA is free every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 to 10 AM. Arched bridges, pagodas and koi ponds — without the ticket.
Open map →
A free 360° view of the whole city
The Hamon Observation Tower next to the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park is totally free — Golden Gate Bridge on one side, downtown on the other. Open 9:30 AM–5:15 PM, closed Mondays.
Open map →
Pay almost half price for the Sausalito ferry
A paper ticket for the Golden Gate Ferry to Sausalito costs $14 — but Clipper riders pay just $8.50. And you don’t even need to buy a card anymore: just tap your contactless credit or debit card, or your phone with Apple Pay or Google Pay, right at the gate and it automatically charges the discounted Clipper fare. That’s $11 saved on a round trip. Ferries leave from the Ferry Building at the end of Market Street.
Ferry schedules →
Ride the cable car like a local
Every car leaving the turntable is already 80% full — skip the long line and hop on a few stops up the route instead. Come after 6:30 PM for near-empty cars and sunset views. Pro move: buy your $8 ticket in the MUNI Mobile app — it’s valid for 90 minutes, so you can hop on and off, while the conductor’s $8 ticket is one ride only.
Get MUNI Mobile →
Watch the Giants play — for free
Walk to the archways at McCovey Cove behind the right-field wall at the ballpark. Free wristbands are handed out around the national anthem and get you three innings of baseball at no cost. The view isn’t perfect, but the price is.
Open map →
Time-travel with the Uncover app
This free iOS app shows you the San Francisco that no longer exists — historic photos and AR views of vanished buildings, right where you’re standing.
Get the app →
Take a free Tesla test drive
Got a US driver’s license and you’re over 18? Book a free test drive — and ask for the last slot of the day, when staff are less rushed and you often get extra time behind the wheel.
Book a test drive →
Dress for four seasons in one day
San Francisco runs on microclimates — it can be sunny and warm in the Mission while Karl the Fog rolls over Ocean Beach, 15 degrees colder. Summer is often the foggiest season, so always pack a warm layer, even in July. Your photos at the bridge will thank you.
Best fog viewpoint →
Ride a free gondola to a rooftop park
Salesforce Park is a lush 5-acre garden floating four stories above downtown, with free events, free WiFi and skyline views — and the glass gondola that carries you up from Fremont Street is completely free too. Most visitors walk right past without ever knowing it’s up there.
Open map →
Never leave anything visible in a parked car
The most important local tip of all: car break-ins are common at viewpoints and tourist parking lots, and rental cars are a favorite target. Take your bags with you, and if you must use the trunk, load it before you drive to the spot — not after you park.
Had fun on the tour?
Bring a friend on another free walking tour — or make our guides’ day with a quick review. It means the world to us.