San Francisco, California should be on everyone’s bucket list. But, we understand that experiencing San Francisco on a budget probably sounds a lot better to those who don’t want to get sucked into the costs of the city. We experienced San Francisco on a cheap budget of only $20 for the day, and so can you!
Like Flowers Or Art? Visit the Japanese Tea Garden For A Combo Of Both
The Japanese Tea Garden is located in the Golden Gate Park of San Francisco. While this one is not free, we felt as though it was a beautiful piece of the Golden Gate Park, and a must-visit while you’re there. It was $9 for non-residents. Senior and youth ages are charged $6 for non-residents. A way to avoid this fee is to go on a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday before 10 am for free admission. Make sure to also arrive early in the day, as parking and traffic become a nightmare later in the day. We wish we knew some of those facts before going, but it’s not a big deal: it was one of the few expenses we had while experience San Francisco on a budget!
The Japanese Tea Garden allows its visitors to experience beauty, tranquility, and harmony in a Japanese-style garden.
Are you still a little curious about the Japanese Tea Garden? Go check out What Makes The Japanese Tea Garden Special on my blog!
Yes, There Are Actually Bison Roaming in San Francisco
They’re roaming in a paddock, that is. Bison are also located in the Golden Gate Park, much west of the Japanese Tea Garden. This is an easy drive if have a car! We’ve discovered that there have been Bison in the park since 1880. San Francisco Zoo staff still care for the Bison today.
Originally, there was a bison cow and bison bull transported from Wyoming and Kansas to the Golden Gate Park. The cow was named Sarah Bernhardt and the bull was named Ben Harrison. By 1918, the park had acquired 30 bison in their herd! Over the years, the captive breeding program at the Golden Gate Park has been able to successfully breed their bison, producing 100 calves.
We didn’t spend much time at their enclosure, but it was a neat thing to see something like Bison in such a largely populated city like San Francisco!
Check Out Muir Beach
We were actually planning on checking out Muir Woods National Monument while we were experiencing the cheap attractions of San Francisco on a budget. Unfortunately, the Muir Woods National Monument requires reservations to be made over the Internet on their website, www.gomuirwoods.com. Unfortunately, the site had no cell service or WiFi for us to reserve. The man informed us to travel all the way down to Muir Beach to get service. When we reached this hidden gem, it was breathtaking. It was beautiful, tucked away beach. While we were at Muir Beach, it rained over the mountains and was sunny over the ocean. The combination created a lovely rainbow over the hills. The best part about this treasure was the roads that it took to get there. They were a bit sketchy (especially when you’re driving a Suburban, an 18.5-foot vehicle), but a lot of fun and filled with some breathtaking views and scenery. It was also FREE, unlike the Muir Woods which didn’t take away from our enjoyment of San Francisco on a budget.
I would have loved to see Muir Woods, and it will remain on my bucket list. If you’re in the area and want to see them, make sure you RESERVE your parking (which is $8 per privately owned vehicle) and be prepared to PAY an admission fee of $10 per adult 15 years of age and older (children under 15 are free).
Getting A Little Hangry? Grab Lunch From Fisherman’s Wharf On Your Quest To Experience San Francisco On a Budget
If you’re into fish, you have to eat at Fisherman’s Wharf at least one time while you’re in San Francisco on a budget. After walking around for some time, we chose to eat at Sabella & La Torre. There, we ordered Fish n’ Chips, and boy, did they not disappoint! The seafood was delicious, super fresh, and cost about $8.99 per plate. This is a very reasonable price for lunch in San Francisco on a budget.
The Fisherman’s Wharf is located on the northernmost waterfront in San Francisco from Ghiradelli Square east to Pier 35.
Fun Fact:
I’m not sure if it’s something in the air, but seagulls are ruthless by this area in San Francisco. They really didn’t understand the meaning behind “personal space”. In fact, as I was eating, a seagull got pretty courageous when he decided to snatch a piece of fish right out of my hand! I might’ve lost part of lunch, but at least it counts as a good story.
Have You Ever Seen A Barking Sea Puppy Before?
Well, you’re about to. Check out Pier 39 to see some California Sea Lions while experiencing San Francisco on a budget…A LOT of them. I’ve always been interested in marine life, so this was one of my absolute favorite things about San Francisco. The Sea Lions are all piled up on the docks at the end of the pier. It was like one big cuddle fest, and you couldn’t help but be a little jealous of them!
Killing Two Birds With One Stone…Check Out A View Of Alcatraz While You’re Enjoying San Francisco On A Budget!
At the very tip of the pier by the bay, on a clear day, you will get a wonderful view of Alcatraz in San Francisco. There are day and night tours that are provided for tourists to visit Alcatraz, as well. If you have a day to make out of it, those tickets range anywhere from $40 to $60 per guest.
Alcatraz Island used to serve as a military fortification, military prison, and federal prison from 1934 through 1963. In 1972, Alcatraz became a national recreation area and received recognition as a National Historic Landmark in 1986. During your visit, you can expect to see the oldest operating lighthouse on the west coast, an abandoned federal prison, early military fortifications, and natural features, such as various bird’s nesting grounds.
The federal prison on the island was originally designed for prisoners who were causing issues at other federal prisons. While it was used, it held some of the most popular criminals in American history, including Al Capone, the “Birdman of Alcatraz” (Franklin Stroud), George “Machine Gun” Kelly, and Malvin “Creepy” Karpis.
Have You Really Been To SF If You Haven’t Seen The Golden Gate Bridge?
San Francisco is definitely a hit or a miss with the weather. Luckily, we hit San Francisco on a pretty clear day. But, don’t be disappointed if it’s foggy!
The Golden Gate Bridge should be a must-see on your San Francisco budget list, especially because it’s free! We went close to sunset, so for picture purposes, we decided to access the bridge from the north side.
Do It, You Know You Want To…Drive the Golden Gate Bridge!
We also went on the north side so that we could drive over the Golden Gate Bridge back into San Francisco for dinner. It’s worth the satisfaction of you knowing that you finally got to drive over that bridge. The total length of the bridge is about 1.7 miles!
Did You Know?
The Golden Gate Bridge was actually declared as one of the Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. It’s also the tallest bridge in the United States, measuring at 746 feet!
With All That Money Saved Up, Would You Treat Yourself?
You can avoid this suggestion if you’re experiencing San Francisco on a budget that has already exceeded. But, we couldn’t include the fantastic dinner we had at a restaurant called M.Y. China in San Francisco. This restaurant is located on the top floor in the Westfield San Francisco Centre on Market Street. When we first heard we were eating in a mall, we were skeptical. But, don’t let the location fool you! The restaurant was elegant, professional, and a great mixture of traditional and fusion of Chinese food.
We ate with another couple, so by the end of the meal, the bill came out to be ONLY $60 per couple. Try to understand, that we ordered a lot of food. The outcome really wasn’t that awful! We ordered it family-style to really reduce the costs. For example, we ordered three appetizers, a four-course dinner, and four desserts. This way, everyone had the chance to try a little bit of everything. It made for a really enjoyable and cheap dinner experience in SF!
So, Where Are You Staying Tonight?
If you’re looking to save money, consider looking outside of San Francisco for Airbnb’s. There are a lot of great homes or rooms for nightly rentals. Also, have you considered camping? If you have any equipment with you, it’s an inexpensive way to really enjoy California!
Use our referral link for $40 off when you sign-up with Airbnb!
Do you think we missed any cheap spots while experiencing San Francisco on a budget? Let us know in the comments below so we know what to check out next time we’re in San Francisco, California!
