In a nutshell
- If it’s your first time in San Francisco and you want to see the highlights, Union Square is the right choice. Our hotel pick: CitizenM
- In Haight-Ashbury you’ll find the authentic San Francisco — complete with the hippie soul of the ’70s. Our hotel pick: The Grove Inn
- SoMa is young, hip, and alternative — and one of the few San Francisco neighborhoods with genuinely affordable accommodation. Our hotel pick: Canopy by Hilton
The Best Neighborhoods to Stay in San Francisco
We’ve put together a map of neighborhoods in San Francisco that we recommend for your stay. To help you get your bearings, we’ve also marked the major attractions on it.
The districts within the outlined area together make up Downtown, the city center. As a general rule, we recommend booking a hotel in Downtown San Francisco for your first visit.
If you’ve already been to the city and want to experience something new, the neighborhoods outside Downtown are absolutely worth exploring too.
These 6 neighborhoods we recommend for your San Francisco accommodation:
- Union Square: Ideal for your first visit to San Francisco.
- Nob Hill: For those who love luxury hotels, shopping, and historic architecture.
- Fisherman’s Wharf: Great if you’re traveling with kids.
- SoMa: For hipsters and anyone on a tighter budget.
- Haight-Ashbury: The laid-back hippie neighborhood with an alternative scene.
- Mission District: If you love late nights out and a multicultural vibe.
Staying in Union Square
Union Square is the right place to stay in San Francisco if it’s your first visit and you want to see as much as possible in a short amount of time.
The area around Union Square is San Francisco’s shopping district. Brands like Chanel and Hugo Boss line up one after another.
San Francisco shows its business side at Union Square — skyscrapers rise into the sky, and everything feels very modern and polished.
Many of the most popular attractions in San Francisco are within walking distance. Fisherman’s Wharf, for example, is about a 20-minute walk away, and Chinatown is right next door. You also have excellent connections to other neighborhoods — the famous Cable Car runs through here too.
Another big plus: nowhere else in the city will you find such a high concentration of hotels. That central location does come at a price, though.
Union Square is very touristy. If you’d rather mix with locals, you’re better off looking for a place to stay in a different San Francisco neighborhood.
Advantages of staying at Union Square:
- large selection of hotels
- many top attractions nearby
- good public transportation connections
Disadvantages of staying at Union Square:
- very touristy
- expensive hotels
- traffic noise during the day
Our Hotel Recommendations for Union Square
Good and affordable
Better
Luxurious
Staying in Nob Hill
Nob Hill is the right neighborhood if you’re happy to spend a little more for a truly special hotel experience.
Nob Hill borders directly on Union Square, so you can still walk to many of San Francisco’s top attractions.
It’s known as the city’s upscale neighborhood. The average income is among the highest in the USA, the streets are lined with fine-dining restaurants, and you’ll find some of the most luxurious hotels in the city here.
Unlike Union Square, Nob Hill has real charm thanks to its Victorian architecture instead of modern skyscrapers. The neighborhood radiates a sense of calm — even though you’re right in the heart of the city.
There is one definite downside, though: the name says it all — the streets here can be seriously steep, going sharply uphill and downhill.
Advantages of staying in Nob Hill:
- beautiful, historic cityscape
- very central location
- upscale hotels with character
Disadvantages of staying in Nob Hill:
- the most expensive neighborhood
- not ideal for younger travelers
- very hilly
Our Hotel Recommendations for Nob Hill
Better
Luxurious
Staying in Fisherman's Wharf
Fisherman’s Wharf is the right neighborhood if you’re traveling with kids and want to be as close as possible to the highlights.
There are two big reasons families love staying here. First, you can’t get any closer to the highlights like Alcatraz — which means less hauling kids from point A to point B.
Second, kids definitely won’t get bored. There’s plenty of family-friendly restaurants and cool things to do: watching sea lions at Pier 39, riding the Cable Car, exploring the old chocolate factory at Ghirardelli Square, and much more.
The whole area is set up for tourists, which is great when you’re looking for San Francisco activities or a place to eat. Many tours in San Francisco also depart from here.
That said, large crowds fill the streets from the afternoon onward, and lodging here doesn’t come cheap.
Advantages of staying in Fisherman’s Wharf:
- Alcatraz, Pier 39, and other highlights nearby
- street performers, musicians, tons of entertainment
- great infrastructure and family-friendly restaurants
Disadvantages of staying in Fisherman’s Wharf:
- very touristy
- expensive hotels
- absolutely no authentic local charm
Our Hotel Recommendations for Fisherman’s Wharf
Good and affordable
Better
Luxurious
Staying in SoMa
SoMa is the right neighborhood for young travelers, budget-conscious visitors, and anyone who loves having cool cafés right around the corner.
SoMa stands for South of the Market and sits just south of Union Square. It’s your best bet if you’re traveling on a tight budget and need affordable hotels or hostels.
SoMa was originally an industrial district filled with warehouses and factories. Today you’ll find art museums, startups, and tech companies like LinkedIn and Pinterest — though the industrial-chic aesthetic has been kept very much alive as a style.
Foodies especially love SoMa, because trendy cafés and bars seem to pop up on every corner.
The trade-off: staying in SoMa puts you much less centrally than Union Square. You’ll need to use public transportation to reach most of the sights. On the flip side, you’ll encounter far more locals here.
One thing to be aware of: there are many homeless people on the streets in SoMa. The neighborhood isn’t dangerous, but you may feel less comfortable here at night than in the more touristy areas.
Advantages of staying in SoMa:
- many affordable accommodations
- plenty of dining options
- good public transportation connections
Disadvantages of staying in SoMa:
- farther from the top attractions
- many homeless people
Our Hotel Recommendations for SoMa
Better
Luxurious
Staying in Haight-Ashbury
Haight-Ashbury is the right neighborhood if you’re after the authentic San Francisco — the one with its original hippie soul.
This is the most original part of the city, where music legends like Jimi Hendrix and countless hippies settled in the 1960s and ’70s.
You’ll find secondhand bookstores, vintage record shops, esoteric stores, cool graffiti, and vegan cafés — in short, everything a little alternative. The LGBTQ neighborhood The Castro is also just around the corner.
The colorful houses with bay windows and gardens feel more like a suburb than a big city. If you’re looking for hustle and nightlife, this isn’t your spot. But if you want to stroll through the park and soak up some quiet at a leisurely pace, it’s really lovely.
The one real downside: you’re a good distance from the touristy highlights like Fisherman’s Wharf, so you’ll need to factor in travel time.
Advantages of staying in Haight-Ashbury:
- authentic, less touristy
- great for families
- lots of shops and restaurants
Disadvantages of staying in Haight-Ashbury:
- highlights not reachable on foot
- very little nightlife
Our Hotel Recommendations for Haight-Ashbury
Better
Luxurious
Staying in the Mission District
The Mission District is the right neighborhood if you’re on the younger side, want to go out at night, or are simply very open to different cultures.
The Mission District is hard to pin down — and that’s exactly part of its charm. This is where the most diverse people from all kinds of backgrounds and cultures come together. Run-down buildings stand side by side with beautiful Victorian houses.
The neighborhood is best known as San Francisco’s Latino district. That means you can dig into some seriously delicious Mexican tacos or burritos here. Life also moves at a slightly slower pace, true to the motto “Mañana, mañana.”
One thing is certain: the Mission District has a great nightlife scene. Maybe not for upscale clubs or flashy lounges, but definitely for laid-back bars with live music.
You’ll also find some genuinely affordable hotels in San Francisco here — which is saying something.
Advantages of staying in the Mission District:
- lots of bars and clubs
- relaxed multicultural atmosphere
- parks, restaurants, cafés
Disadvantages of staying in the Mission District:
- some rather sketchy corners
- farther from all the highlights
