Wondering where to stay in San Francisco without a car? Keep on reading, because I know all the best spots and hotels!
I grew up in the Bay Area since I was a kid, and I still come back pretty often for mini getaways. Trust me when I say I don’t recommend getting a car when exploring the city.
If you’re not used to driving in hilly areas, you’re going to have a tough time. San Francisco has some of the most steep hills, and it’s almost impossible to find street parking that’s not residential. I can’t count how many times Cecilio and I have gotten frustrated driving around and looking for parking.
Also, you wouldn’t want to park overnight in the streets, because homelessness is on the rise and there’s a chance that your car could get broken into. Oh, and parking garages are incredibly expensive; expect to spend at least $30 a night to park in a garage.
Save yourself the money, time, and trouble by staying in these hotels in San Francisco near major attractions and access to public transportation; including the Muni, BART, and cable cars.
Disclaimer: I was hosted by Hyatt San Francisco, but all opinions are my own. This post uses affiliate links, which means I make a commission if you book through this post. If you do decide to book using my links, thank you so much for your support!
San Francisco Travel Resources
- Tours: I love using Viator and GetYourGuide for guided walking tours, food tours, and day trips! It makes it so much easier to familiarize myself with a new city.
- Save money and see as many attractions as possible with the San Francisco CityPASS or the Go City All Inclusive Pass!
- Transportation: Download the MuniMobile, Clipper Card, and SF Bay Ferry apps to purchase tickets and check out bus, train, cable car, and ferry schedules.
- Accommodation: You can find amazing hotels, apartments, and vacation rentals at Booking.com, especially if you are in their Genius loyalty program.
- My trusty travel backpack that I’ve taken everywhere with me, and makes the perfect carry-on or personal bag for flights!
- Check out these California quotes for your next Instagram caption (there are a ton of San Francisco quotes!)
Our Top 3 Picks
FINANCIAL DISTRICT
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hyatt Regency San Francisco
✅ Next to cable car
✅ Endless dining options
✅ Views of the Bay Bridge and Downtown San Francisco
FISHERMAN’S WHARF
Argonaut Hotel
✅ Walking distance to PIER 39 and Ghirardelli Square
✅ Stunning waterfront and Golden Gate Bridge Views
✅ Award-winning service
UNION SQUARE
Where to Stay in San Francisco Without a Car: Best Areas and Hotels
Fisherman’s Wharf (Best for Sightseeing)
With easy access to major attractions like PIER 39, Aquarium of the Bay, and Ghirardelli Square, Fisherman’s Wharf is the perfect area for first-time visitors to San Francisco. Scope out the souvenir shops in PIER 39 and visit the beloved sea lions that hang out on the dock. Or take a ferry to Alcatraz, one of the most notorious prisons in the US, or Sausalito, a small yet luxurious waterfront town on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge.
1. Argonaut Hotel
🌟 RATING: 9.4/10 | 🏩 Check rates and availability
If you’re looking for a charming and luxurious hotel with nautical-themed rooms and gorgeous views of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge, look no further than Argonaut Hotel!
Argonaut Hotel is steps away from Ghirardelli Square, where there are gift shops, casual restaurants, and of course, the famous Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience shop where you can order decadent sundaes and hot chocolate. On the other side, you’d be walking distance from PIER 39, San Francisco’s most famous attraction. You can walk to PIER 39 and go on a sunset catamaran cruise!
Built in 1907, Argonaut Hotel has rich history, and its brick building reflects that.
This hotel is perfect for those seeking a relaxing getaway! If you’re looking to get pampered, there are in-room spa and beauty treatments; what better way to get a relaxing massage that puts you to sleep?!
Families will enjoy Argonaut, especially because there is a treasure chest of toys and a scavenger hunt for kids, and an Xbox One available in the guestroom
Since Argonaut is also pet-friendly, furry friends get special gifts upon check-in, including treats and accessories.
2. Hotel Zephyr San Francisco
🌟 RATING: 8.3/10 | 🏩 Check rates and availability
The whimsical, boutique Hotel Zephyr is less than 1,000 feet away from PIER 39 and is perfect for families and couples.
While there is no dining available at the hotel, there are a few eateries next door. This includes IHOP, Starbucks, Krispy Krunchy Chicken, and a few local establishments like Mango Crazy, The Socialite Crafthouse & Kitchen, and Bistro Boudin.
These establishments, along with shops and tour operators, are a part of the Zephyr Walk. The Zephyr Walk is a strip of these businesses next to Hotel Zephyr; they are also partners of the hotel who provide discounts to the guests by showing their hotel key cards.
Hotel Zephyr also partners with restaurants in PIER 39 to offer discounts for their guests. This gives you a chance to save money on food, allocating your budget for something more fun!
If you need a break from exploring the city, Hotel Zephyr provides so much entertainment for their guests, so you’ll never be bored! There is an 8,000-square-foot outdoor play yard with cornhole, fire pits, foosball, ping pong, and a giant Connect 4.
The game room inside the hotel also has cornhole and ping pong, but there are different amenities and activities like a pool table, photo booth, and interactive art.
Make sure to get a room with gorgeous views of the bay, with Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge in the background!
3. Hotel Caza Fisherman’s Wharf
🌟 RATING: 8.4/10 | 🏩 Check rates and availability
Hotel Caza Fisherman’s Wharf is the perfect hotel for a completely relaxing getaway. While I’m always going to recommend exploring the city (especially when you’re near major attractions), I also understand the need to chill and decompress. Hotel Caza has amenities and fun activities anyone can enjoy, from families to couples.
Take a dip in the pool, which is heated all year round (which is perfect considering you’re in chilly San Francisco). Or you play some games in the game room, which has foosball, cornhole, bean bag tosses, arcade games, an Xbox, Jenga, and a pool table.
Thirsty? Have some drinks at the CZBAR, which serves unique cocktails, craft beers, and local wines. It’s a great way to unwind after a long day of sightseeing and excursions!
Speaking of excursions, guests can enjoy complimentary cruiser bikes for up to four hours, allowing you to explore beyond Fisherman’s Wharf and other attractions like Golden Gate Bridge and the Presidio.
Don’t forget to treat yourself to complimentary evening milk and cookies, available everyday from 8–9 PM, after dinner at nearby restaurants (which you can also get discounts on through the hotel!).
4. Kimpton Alton Hotel Fisherman’s Wharf
🌟 RATING: 8.6/10 | 🏩 Check rates and availability
Get ready for a mix of food, fun, and pampering at Kimpton Alton Hotel!
Guests are spoiled with loaner bikes to explore the city, complimentary beer and wine from 5–6 PM, spa services offering massages and facials, and mouthwatering dishes from Abacá, the hotel’s award-winning Filipino restaurant.
The lobby also has a wide selection of vinyl records that you can play inside your room, which has a record player. You can also loan out board games.
If you want to go on a fun walking tour to explore San Francisco in-depth, Kimpton Alton offers scavenger hunts for guests!
Kimpton Alton is also a pet-friendly hotel, offering so many perks for Fido. This includes water bowls, poopy bags, a dedicated floor for families with pets, no pet deposit fees, and no size or breed restrictions. The pups are also welcome for the daily happy hour from 5–6 PM.
In addition, through Kimpton Alton’s partnership with Wag!, you can connect with pet sitters and dog walkers, who can watch your furry friend while you’re sightseeing; they will be in good hands!
If you are a member of the IHG Rewards Club, you’ll get extra perks, including credit to use at the bar.
Financial District (Best for Luxury Travel)
While the Financial District doesn’t have much going on, there are a variety of luxury hotels with plush beds, fancy restaurants, and rooftop bars. Financial District is a 5-minute walk to the Ferry Building Marketplace, which is lined with local eateries and shops (I recommend Porteño for the best empanadas and Red Bay Coffee for iced lattes!).
There is a cable car outside of Hyatt Regency San Francisco, taking you to some of the city’s most iconic attractions such as Chinatown, North Beach, Nob Hill, Lombard Street, and Ghirardelli Square. A few blocks away, you have access to the Muni, the public transit system. This makes it perfect for exploring the city further!
5. Hyatt Regency San Francisco
🌟 RATING: 8.7/10 | 🏩 Check rates and availability
Hyatt Regency San Francisco will blow you away! The lobby is 42,000 square feet and was featured as the largest hotel lobby in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It’s easy to confuse the lobby with a mall!
In the center lobby, there’s a 35-foot-high spherical art installation called Eclipse, made with 1,400 curved aluminum tubes. Surrounding the sculpture are the front desk, a gym, a snack mini-market, Eclipse Kitchen & Bar (where Cecilio and I had dinner during our stay; they have amazing cocktails), and ample space for lounging.
You definitely won’t need a car staying in Hyatt Regency San Francisco because the cable car is right outside the hotel. You just need to download the Clipper app and purchase the tickets. This makes it so easy to explore all of San Francisco, especially in those hard-to-reach attractions with how hilly the city is! There’s also the Muni a couple of blocks away.
The beds are super comfortable and soft, giving you the best night of sleep, which you need after (or before) a day of exploring.
Make sure to get a room or a suite with a balcony. You’ll be spoiled with views of the Bay Bridge, Ferry Market Building, and bay water on one side and Downtown San Francisco on the other.
6. Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection
🌟 RATING: 8.5/10 | 🏩 Check rates and availability
If you have the means to splurge on ultimate luxury brimming with the best service, fine dining, and elegant ambiance, look no further than Palace Hotel!
With the amount of dining options, amenities, and entertainment (there’s even a museum!), you’re almost not going to want to leave the hotel. I know I wouldn’t, especially since there is a large heated indoor pool with jaw-dropping views of the city skyscrapers.
Everything you could possibly ever need is in Palace Hotel. Dining options include the luxurious restaurant + bar Pied Piper, the Garden Court Restaurant (where you can book afternoon tea on Saturdays, even if you’re not a guest), and their grab-and-go market GC2GO.
It’s not often that you hear of a museum inside a hotel, but Landmark 18 is Palace Hotel’s very own museum filled with artifacts and documents since its inception in 1875 (and it was remodeled in 1909 after San Francisco’s 1906 earthquake).
Everything about this hotel just oozes royalty, and even their most basic rooms have opulent interiors. Each room and suite has whirlpool-style bathrooms, rain showers, plush bathrobes, and slippers.
Palace Hotel is a few blocks away from the cable car outside Hyatt Regency San Francisco and is only a few blocks away from Ferry Building Marketplace and Union Square.
If you aren’t a Marriott Bonvoy member, then you should probably sign up for the extra perks 😉 since Palace Hotel is a part of the Luxury Collection, owned by Marriott.
7. Omni San Francisco
🌟 RATING: 9/10 | 🏩 Check rates and availability
While Omni San Francisco is located in the Financial District, it’s on the edge close to Union Square, where you have easy access to shopping, dining, and nightlife.
It’s also a 5-minute walk to Chinatown, where you can find delicious dim sum or go on a food tour to try the best eats!
Like Palace Hotel, Omni San Francisco exudes a touch of old-school elegance with its chandeliers, warm lighting, Renaissance-inspired decor, and super plush beds.
Despite this, Omni is not a pretentious accommodation. It’s family-friendly, providing a healthy meal kit for children called the Junior Chefs. It includes a lunch bag, snacks, an activity book, crayons, and a “Say Goodnight to Hunger” card, encouraging donations to the hungry in the community.
Make yourself at home in Omni by using their gym which has state-of-the-art facilities like Peleton and recumbent bikes, weights, machines, treadmills, and kettlebells. Guests are also gifted with a fit kit, which includes a yoga mat, a pair of 3 lb. dumbbells, a 5 lb. kettlebell, and a stress ball.
You can have dinner at Monte’s, Omni’s restaurant/bar. They serve French and New American fare such as prosciutto flatbread with blue cheese, steak frites, and crusted ahi tuna.
8. Galleria Park Hotel
🌟 RATING: 8.9/10 | 🏩 Check rates and availability
Galleria Park Hotel is a fun, artsy hotel at the edge of the Financial District, bordering Union Square. It’s about 3 minutes away from the Montgomery Street BART Station, making it easier to explore the city beyond Downtown. Also, the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has a BART Station, so you can ride it all the way to this hotel!
The beds in Galleria Park Hotel are super comfy with a 400 thread count, ensuring you have the best sleep of your life. The airy rooms have white walls and bedding, with colorful artwork to add that life.
If you are someone who is into fitness and wellness, you are going to love this hotel. There is an on-site gym with Peleton bikes, and guests can also get fitness kits and day passes to 24 Hour Fitness upon request.
There is also a gorgeous rooftop terrace with an urban garden and a walking track, making it the perfect hangout spot for reading, relaxing, watching the sunset, and getting steps in.
Guests also enjoy complimentary wine tasting.
There is also an on-site French restaurant, Le Parc Bistrobar, that serves mouthwatering dishes like escargot, queues de bouef au vin rouge (braised oxtail with red wine, carrots, and puree), ratatouille, baguettes, and lots of cheese. They also serve Happy Hour with an extensive wine and cocktail list and little bites like charcuterie boards, crostinis with cheese and honey, baguettes with butter, and cheese puffs.
Union Square (Best for Shopping and Dining)
Union Square is the heart of San Francisco, known for its world-class shopping and fine dining. It also is filled with rich history, as it was the center of political activism (even to this day; I recently witnessed a protest about Palestine there).
What makes Union Square really shine is how they completely deck out during the holidays. Your jaw will drop over the 83-foot Christmas tree with over 1,100 ornaments and 33,000 LED lights. There is also a large ice skating rink right next to the Christmas tree. The department stores are completely decked out too!
9. Hotel Nikko
🌟 RATING: 8.7/10 | 🏩 Check rates and availability
Hotel Nikko is a luxury hotel in Union Square with Asian motifs. Each room has views of the city skyline, and minimalistic Japanese-inspired interior decor.
All rooms have A/C, heater, safety deposit box (for your valuable belongings), flat-screen TV, hair dryer, coffee/tea machines, bathrobes, and slippers. Make yourself at home!
Guests can conveniently enjoy dining at Anzu, the fancy Japanese-American fusion restaurant with a lounge and bougie cocktails.
While their breakfast and dinner entrees lean more American (think eggs benedict and New York steak), there are also some interesting dishes with a Japanese flair. Like the mentaiko pasta, which is served with Japanese-style spicy salted scallops, nori, and butter. There’s also a sushi and oyster menu.
Nightlife lovers will also love Hotel Nikko with the Feinstein’s, a nightclub that plays live music and shows almost every night. You don’t need to go far for a night of fun!
There is also an indoor pool, but right now, it’s under maintenance.
Hotel Nikko is also pet-friendly, but adding Fido comes at a bit of a cost. The dog fees are $65 per day for each pet and a $150 deposit upon check-in. Only dogs that are 50 lbs and under are allowed in Hotel Nikko.
However, they spoil their furry guests with bowls, beds, and treats. There’s also a pet terrace for them to run around and play from 6 am to 10 pm and a chance for them to play with the hotel resident pups, Buster and Beau 🙂
10. San Francisco Marriott Union Square
🌟 RATING: 8.4/10 | 🏩 Check rates and availability
If you’re looking for endless food options nearby, look no further than San Francisco Marriott Union Square!
The hotel has a breakfast buffet, and a bar called bin480, which serves cocktails, wine from Napa and Sonoma, and beer from local breweries. bin480 also offers bites like cheese plates, fish tacos, clam chowder, pizza, wings, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, and desserts.
The concierge also has a lounge where you can purchase beer, wine, and snacks.
You’ll never go hungry with all the restaurants next to you, like Sears’ Fine Food (which specializes in seafood and their 18 Swedish pancakes), Mr. Charlie’s (for the vegan McDonald’s), and Maru Sushi. There’s also Starbucks across the street
You’re also near Chinatown, where you can try all the dim sum and delectable dishes you want!
Food aside, San Francisco Marriott Union Square is comfy but simple. Don’t expect all the frills and amenities. There’s a gym inside, and the beds are super plush. It’s also not pet-friendly. But if you’re not renting a car, this hotel is the place to be as you are located in the heart of the city!
11. citizenM San Francisco Union Square
🌟 RATING: 9/10 | 🏩 Check rates and availability
Looking for a cute, fun hotel in the heart of Union Square for under $200 per night? Consider booking citizenM San Francisco Union Square.
From the moment you step in the lobby, you’re greeted with pops of color all over the interiors and funky world-class art, and books to borrow. If you’re tired of stuffy, old-school hotels, citizenM is the place for you!
Be sure to grab some drinks and snacks at the canteenM bar. Delicious bites include pizza, rosemary fries, elote and cheese fritters, and chicken dumplings. There is also a huge variety of wines, beers, cocktails, and mocktails!
The breakfast buffet is available from 6 am – 11 am.
What makes citizenM a top-notch place to stay is how they go above and beyond to make you ultra-comfortable. Each room has soundproof windows, blackout blinds, an XL bed, European cotton sheets, soft pillows that feel like clouds, and control lights. With all of these amenities, you can be well-rested for a full day of exploring!
There are even accessible rooms for those with a physical disability.
Some people felt like the rooms were too small, but the website states that they fit two people maximum. Which makes it great for solo travelers and couples.
12. The Marker San Francisco
🌟 RATING: 8.1/10 | 🏩 Check rates and availability
Cecilio and I stayed at The Marker San Francisco in December 2022, and we absolutely loved it (other than not having hot water for our showers, but I’m sure that’s been resolved).
The Marker’s interiors have a mix of elegance (without being stuffy) and modern. Think chandeliers mixed with bright-colored sofas.
The rooms are spacious with soft beds and thick, fluffy comforters.
Perhaps the one thing that truly won me over was The Marker’s Italian restaurant, Tratto. While the prices for the dishes are pretty high, they are worth every penny. From pizza fresh off the oven to different pastas, your mouth will be drooling. And of course, it tastes better with a glass of wine (or two) 😉
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you stay in San Francisco without a car?
You can stay in San Francisco without a car. In fact, I would highly suggest it because it’s super hard to drive or park if you’re not used to driving steep hills. Parking is expensive, on the streets or in the garages. Let’s not even talk about gas prices! The public transit systems such as Muni and BART make it easier to navigate the city without a car.
What area of San Francisco is best to stay in?
It really depends on what you’re looking for! If it’s your first time in San Francisco, I suggest staying in Fisherman’s Wharf. You’re near major attractions like PIER 39, Alcatraz, and Ghirardelli Square. There’s also a cable car around the corner where you can explore more of the city!
Wrapping it Up
In the US, it’s hard to get around without a car. Driving is absolutely necessary to get around in most parts of the country. Aside from New York City, San Francisco is also better explored without a car. I actually recommend not driving around in the city, since you will save money on parking and gas. Also, it gives you a lot more freedom to explore by foot (and train) and take in as many sights as possible!
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Hannah is a travel writer, graphic designer, and the founder/editor of Hannah on Horizon. She is based in Sacramento, California, living with her husband and two adorable dogs. She shares tips on how to experience luxury travel on any budget, and how to maximize time at each trip or destination, no matter what your budget or amount of vacation time at work. She enjoys making you feel like you have visited each destination with her through her storytelling and informative writing style.