I'm so sick of hearing how terrible things are in San Francisco.
For the past several years, the media has been on a relentless campaign talking up the problems of the City by the Bay. Outlets from The New York Times to the Financial Times have written stories about how San Francisco is caught up in a "doom loop," where rampant drug use, homelessness and street crime are driving out businesses and residents.
But recent trips suggest to me that the hype is way overblown.
In fact, I'd argue it's actually a great time to visit San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. Flight prices are reasonable from many U.S. hubs, and hotels — especially luxury accommodations — are an outright bargain compared to cities like New York and Miami. Plus, it's not currently crowded with tourists, and San Francisco remains one of America's best cities ... warts and all.
I talked to locals who don't recognize the city as it's portrayed in the mainstream media or say the tales are wildly exaggerated. Plus, I did some on-the-ground reporting in San Francisco and stayed in the city for a few days — my trip reminded me of just how beautiful it remains, and I saw many reasons for hope.
San Francisco is one of the world's great cities
San Francisco is world-famous for good reason. With less than a million residents, the city punches way above its weight. Incredible vistas, great weather and world-class museums make it one of the country's top destinations.
To me, the best tourist attractions are the working cable cars chugging up steep hills, the high-end shopping options around Union Square, the dramatic waterfront with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf and North Beach, where you can see the Transamerica Pyramid peeking over the skyline. These attractions are all within walking distance of each other.
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While it's touristy, one of my favorite things to do is check out the seal colony at Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39.
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Take a hike to the top of Coit Tower in the tony Telegraph Hill neighborhood for 360-degree views of San Francisco Bay.
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The city is also home to the Palace of Fine Arts in the waterfront Marina District, which is always a big hit with the Instagram crowd.
Among the many museums are the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Exploratorium, the Asian Art Museum, the Legion of Honor and the Museum of the African Diaspora. I count at least 42 museums in all.
The sprawling Golden Gate Park spreads over more than a thousand acres in the heart of the city and is home to the de Young Museum, the San Francisco Botanical Garden (which features a Victorian arboretum), the Japanese Tea Garden and the California Academy of Sciences, with its famed aquarium and dinosaur bones. The park ends at the picturesque Ocean Beach. Exploring everything that Golden Gate Park has to offer is a fantastic way to spend a day in San Francisco.
Of course, no visit to the city is complete without photos of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. You can walk across all the way to Marin if you are so inclined — a walk I highly recommend.
San Francisco does have some big problems
"San Francisco has some serious challenges it has to overcome," said Tim Jue, a San Francisco-based aviation and travel reporter. "I see it every day living and working here. Homelessness, public safety, an empty downtown, vacant storefronts and the high cost of living. Those are all issues people in the city are being confronted with."
Indeed, that was the most alarming thing I've seen during my recent trips. Storefronts are vacant across the city, including in the prime shopping area of Union Square.
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Even giant stores like Nordstrom have closed down, abandoning a key shopping mall on Market Street.
It was quite a shock when I learned that the Union Square Macy's store where I worked during my 20s is shutting down by the end of 2024.
"But this city has always been about boom and bust, dating back to the gold rush era," said Jue. "San Francisco has perfected itself on reinvention, of incubating economic revolutions, reaping its rewards, and then seeing everything crash and burn. The people of this proud city always find a way to rebuild, and I think we are seeing some progress on that front."
Henry Harteveldt, founder of Atmosphere Research, a travel industry analytical firm, felt similarly to Jue.
"Are we out of the woods yet in San Francisco? No. But we are approaching the edge of the forest," he said. "San Francisco is a big city. Just like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, and regardless of where you are, you have to be aware of your surroundings."
As a frequent visitor and onetime resident, I can tell you that some neighborhoods are more likely to have a visible presence of homeless people, including parts of Market Street, the Tenderloin and Civic Center. But that doesn't mean those are no-go zones. Just keep your wits about you.
"I'm not going to tell people to stay away from any neighborhoods," said Harteveldt. Still, he added, "I don't want to come across as elitist. I would encourage people to be aware of their surroundings, especially if they've been drinking."
Harteveldt, who lives in San Francisco, said violent crime is down and added that "the homeless problem does seem to be easing a bit."
Indeed, on a recent visit in April, I was pleasantly surprised to see many fewer homeless people on the streets. Perhaps I was lucky, but homelessness has been a problem all my life in San Francisco. When I lived there in the 1990s, it was already a huge issue.
And despite the city spending hundreds of millions of dollars on the problem, homelessness ticked up 7% in 2024, though street camping has declined substantially. According to KQED, "while the overall total number of homeless people has climbed, the number of people in San Francisco sleeping in tents, cars and RVs — or what's known as 'unsheltered homelessness' — decreased 1% since 2022 and 16% since 2019."
Also, crime is actually down in San Francisco. The city of San Francisco reported that so far this year, "property crime is down 32% and violent crime is down 14% compared to the first quarter of 2023." According to an analysis of police data by the San Francisco Chronicle, "nearly every neighborhood in San Francisco saw less reported crime in the first four months of 2024 compared with the first four months in 2023."
All the changes come as the city implements a newly passed law. Proposition E went into effect in April, giving police officers new technology (like drones) and other new tools (like police cameras) to do their jobs, and changing rules to get more officers out on the street to pursue criminals.
"San Francisco continues to awe the world with our incomparable views, sites and spaces, epic events, amazing culinary offerings, and unique cultural experiences," said Mayor London Breed in a statement to The Points Guy. "I am proud of the economic revitalization and public safety investments we have made to ensure we maintain our City as a prime travel destination for people near and far, with creative and fun attractions to keep bringing visitors back again and again."
Hotels are a relative bargain right now in San Francisco
I priced out a long weekend in August, when San Francisco has relatively cool temperatures, with an average high of around 68 degrees and an average low of 55 degrees (and no rain). Prices are incredibly affordable right now, even in the peak summer travel season.
If you are a World of Hyatt fan, you could stay at one of my favorite hotels in the city, the Grand Hyatt San Francisco, for just $176 a night (including a destination fee of $35 a night). If you want to be closer to the waterfront, consider a stay at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, which prices at just $249 a night, including fees. The Hyatt Regency has been a touchstone in my life since I went to my high school prom there — it's a wonderful hotel. The Regency Club, located on the top floor, has sweeping views of San Francisco and is well worth the splurge.
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Cable car outside Hyatt Regency San Francisco. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
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Another of my favorite hotels in the city is The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square. For that same weekend, you can stay in the heart of the city for $152 a night, including a destination fee of $30 per night.
There are plenty of other Marriott Bonvoy options, including the San Francisco Marriott Marquis for $170 a night, the W San Francisco for $220, the St. Regis for $448 and the Ritz-Carlton for $397.
The iconic Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Francisco on Market Street is less than $200 a night. Or you can stay at the world-famous Fairmont Hotel at the top of Nob Hill for $353 a night.
The Hilton San Francisco Union Square is under $200 a night, and the InterContinental San Francisco is just $188 a night, including $35 in fees. The InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco, another legendary hotel atop Nob Hill, is just $206 a night all-in.
These deals are remarkable. If you've wanted a luxury hotel getaway in a world-class city, now is the time to visit.
"I love San Francisco and have always felt it's one of the best cities in the world," John E. DiScala, Johnny Jet founder and editor-in-chief, said. "It's going to take some time for the city to bounce back to its heyday. But if you want to save money on hotels, this is the time to visit."
There are lots of cheap flights to San Francisco
Flights are numerous and cheap to the San Francisco Bay Area.
I priced that same weekend from various U.S. gateways. You could book that long weekend from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) for less than $200.
If you were coming from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), you could do a weekend for $250. You could fly from Miami International Airport (MIA) for just $179. Coming from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) would cost you only $177.
If ever you've thought of a trip to see San Francisco, now is the time.
There are lots of green shoots in San Francisco
The rise of artificial intelligence is setting off another tech boom in the Bay Area right now. San Francisco has more AI jobs than any other city in America. OpenAI just signed a massive lease in the booming Mission Bay neighborhood of San Francisco, the largest lease signed in the area in five years. The Washington Post reported that some $18 billion in funding is being poured into San Francisco artificial intelligence and machine learning companies. Some locals are comparing it to the early days of the dot-com era.
There are early signs of a real estate rebound in San Francisco, too.
A developer has recently made a billion-dollar bet on a remodeled Transamerica Pyramid building, the iconic skyscraper in the Embarcadero section of San Francisco. That developer is also planning two new buildings in the area and will unveil upgrades to the adjacent and well-loved Redwood Park.
A snapshot of a day in San Francisco
In April, I spent some time in San Francisco to get some on-the-ground reporting on what it's like there these days. I picked the right few days. The weather was glorious and I didn't see the levels of homelessness that I have seen on other trips over the past few years.
I spent much of one day walking the city, including around Union Square, Chinatown and the waterfront. I never felt unsafe, though that has always been true of my travels there. While panhandlers can sometimes be aggressive, I found very little of that during my most recent trip.
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Speaking of Chinatown, the neighborhood has been hosting after-dark night markets, which have been a huge hit. The concept is now spreading to other neighborhoods, like the Sunset District. Sounds fun.
For lunch, I had a bevy of options at food carts set up outside the iconic waterfront Ferry Building. The huge structure is filled with fine dining outlets and shops, and you'll find food stalls set up outside as well.
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I stopped by a vendor called Chicken Box for a delicious fried chicken sandwich. The woman working there told me that San Francisco's reputation had taken a hit, but it had similar problems to any big city. We commiserated about how dire a picture the media has painted of the City by the Bay.
As I mentioned, I saw plenty of "for lease" signs but very little "doom."
"Sometimes these doom loop stories create their own weather systems," said Harteveldt. "While SF faces challenges, the city is addressing some of its problems. Summer is among the best times to visit. Hotel prices are much more reasonable. The restaurant scene is vibrant. There are new restaurants opening, which indicates they can find the space they need at the prices that work. And they can find staff. The food scene is one of the city's shining stars."
Bottom line
"We have a long way to go, but I'm reminded that right before the pandemic, San Francisco was the envy of the world," said journalist Tim Jue. "All the world's airlines wanted to fly to SFO because they saw tremendous prosperity and opportunity. This is a city worth seeing and saving."
As a former resident and frequent visitor, I couldn't agree more. Now is one of the best times in my lifetime to visit — you can score a cheap flight, there are great hotel options for under $200 a night, and you don't have to deal with crowds.
Don't believe the doom loop hype.
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- 8 of the best credit cards for general travel purchases
- 13 must-have items the TPG team can't travel without
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
