Planning to go away with your family is never easy. It takes time, work, and most of all good planning. If you are going to San Francisco, try to confirm your vacation dates as early as possible. This is very important, as the earlier you book your flights and hotel, the better prices you will get. You can book airline tickets and hotel reservations separately but in some cases, it is more affordable to book both together. There are a number of travel agents as well as online travel sites that allow you to book both at the same time. Compare prices and see what would be the best deal for you.
The next thing to take into consideration is what tourist sites you want to visit. This largely depends on the ages and interests of your children as well as, of course, your budget. Some of the most popular sites to visit in San Francisco are Fisherman’s Wharf (this area also includes Pier 39 and Ghirardelli Square as the three sites are all very near each other), Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Golden Gate Park, Lombard Street and The Exploratorium.
If you have a limited budget, then some things you may want to consider doing are:
- Stick to the free tourist attractions. Some free sites to visit are Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf and the Golden Gate Park.
- Use the cable cars as often as possible. Cable cars do not charge much and they are a tourist attraction in themselves. Many of the tourist attractions in San Francisco are located quite close to each other. You may need to walk a block or two, but you will save a lot of money that would have otherwise been spent on gas and parking fees. If you do need to travel somewhere by car, you can rent one for a day or two at a reasonably priced car rental agency.
- Watch what you eat. You may want to have simple lunches and more elaborate dinners, or the other way around. Plan where you will eat and how much you intend to budget for food beforehand. This can really help you to save money and cut costs in restaurants on your trip.