This City Was Just Named California's Most Expensive Tourist Destination—but Here's How to Visit on a Budget

Travel + Leisure

21-07-2025

San Francisco has long enchanted visitors with its historic cable cars, fog-draped Golden Gate Bridge, and pastel-painted Victorian homes—but now it holds a new, less flattering distinction: the most expensive tourist destination in California.
According to a recent GOBankingRates study, the City by the Bay is the most expensive tourist destination in California, surpassing cities like Laguna Beach and Malibu. San Francisco had an overall cost of living index of 245.5, which is more than double the national average baseline of 100 and accounts for the cost of things like groceries, healthcare, housing, utilities, and transportation.
But while San Francisco's soaring prices might send budget-conscious travelers into sticker shock, there are plenty of ways to soak up the city's charm without emptying your wallet. From free live music to the sweeping views from Twin Peaks, the city remains, at its core, a world-class destination—on any budget.
Most of the city's most iconic sights, from the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park to Fisherman's Wharf and the Painted Ladies (the pastel homes) are free to visit and explore. (If you go to the wharf, don't miss a visit to Pier 39, which overlooks colonies of California sea lions.)
It doesn't cost a cent to walk around the Mission District and see the neighborhood's famous murals and street art or cruise through Chinatown and North Beach, which are known for their Chinese and Italian heritage, respectively. If you want a dose of nature, head to Lands End and walk the scenic Coastal Trail or hike to the top of Twin Peaks, which offers panoramic views of the city and the surrounding bay area.
Beyond exploring neighborhoods and surrounding nature, many of the city's best museums are either free or have free admission days. On the first Tuesday of every month, admission is free to the fine art museums of de Young and Legion of Honor, and on the first Sunday of every month, entrance to the Asian Art Museum is free. Other museums, like the kid-friendly Randall Museum, which offers free, hands-on science and arts exhibits, and the Cable Car Museum are always free. The MoMA is free for visitors ages 18 and under and has 45,000 square feet of art-filled public spaces that are always free and open to the public.
In addition, there are plenty of annual festivals that are free and open to the public—including the music of People in Plazas, which runs through the summer, and the Stern Grove Festival, which offers free concerts every Sunday from mid-June through mid-August. There is also free Shakespeare in the Park theater in August and September.
In addition to free to-dos spread across the city, there are a few activities that are so affordable it's hard to complain. For example, you can hop aboard one of the city's iconic cable cars, which are National Historic Landmarks, for just $8.
While exploring Chinatown, you can pick up a selection of dim sum or pastries for well under $15, or visit a North Beach cafe or retro-Italian bar for a quick (and affordable) espresso or negroni.
With so many low-cost experiences woven into every corner of the city, you don't need a big budget to enjoy California's most expensive tourist destination.