San Francisco Travel Answers

You won't really find any bad areas that you cannot walk in. The ternderloin for a few blocks west of Powell, North of market St but I have walked this area for years without problems. SOMA use to be bad near 5th, 6th and 7th and Misson Sts, but that area is new and being revitalized. Market St itself has a few blocks west Powell St to 7th but I certainly would not be afraid to walk that area either. Vancouver is much worse than you will find in San Franicsco, with E. Hastings Street from Cambie to Clark Dr, Main St to Terminal, and the Gastown area full of druggies and other low life individuals. Have lived in both cities and would feel much safer in San Francisco.

>Is this a fair assesment, from the viewpoint of anyone else who may have a similar frame of reference? I would have to disagree with that. We spent a week in SF in april 2010 and I spent 4 days of it running all over the city by myself and never once felt unsafe. Are there areas to avoid? Sure, but there isn't much for stuff you'd want to see in those spots anyway. I covered the Mission, Upper and Lower Haight, the Presidio, North Beach, Chinatown, Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill, Nob Hill, Castro, The Wharf, part of Pacific Heights and Western Addition alone, and The Husband and I did a 16-mile hike that included the Haight,the length of Golden Gate Park and the coast all the way back to the Wharf, a ferry and trek out of the floating homes in Sausalito, Embarcadero, Marina and other odds and ends. There is a large homeless population because of the mild climate but they weren't a threat: just expect to be panhandled now and again. I'd stay away from the Civic Center area at night, and it seems as if I remember one of our locals mentioning another spot that should be avoided but it wasn't anywhere most people go. Great city, great scenery, lots to do so don't worry and have a good time.

San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in the US, they wouldn't have the level of tourism that they do if it was dangerous in all parts of the city. As a tourist to SF, I never felt unsafe in any of the areas with the major tourist attractions. We stayed in Union Square, we saw some homeless people, some approached us for money but none of them were aggressive. No different than any large city in the US. You have to remember that on user based review websites that everyone has a different frame of reference. What one person might consider dangerous might not make the next person even blink. Those of us who live in or near larger urban areas understand that a city can have it's safe sections and the sections that you might not want to visit at night and yet others that you might not want to visit at all.

I've been visiting San Francisco on business and personal trips starting in 1985 and the last trip being in 2010 and in my opinion the city is actually better from when I made my first visit. But even with my first visit when I was in my early 30's I never had a problem with any of the areas I walked around. As mentioned there might be a couple of areas to tread lightly at night, but for the most part there are many people walking around (both locals and tourists) and I have never been bothered by anyone. This past trip I gave a few coins and dollars to several of the panhandlers and in both instances received a very polite response back from both of them.

Thanks to each of you for the replies. I am not an anxious person, so your info affirms my general reluctance to be overly concerned about personal safety in unfamiliar locales. I will reduce my typical night-wandering in favour of indoor activites close to the hotel. Cheers to you all!

No, no - you don't have to do that either!!! Evenings are NOT unsafe in most parts of the city as many, many locals and visitors are out for dinner or cocktails. Maybe just avoid the Tenderloin if you're nervous.

Agree with Kate (Goodfish), we did the night tour of Alcatraz, went to see a play at night, wandered around the Wharf, no reason to lock yourself in your hotel room. Have a look at the warning section on any mainstream guide book and they will tell the areas they suggest you not wander at night frommers.com/destinations/sa... fodors.com/world/north-ameri...

Don't get locked up in your room at night!! Take the cable car and have a nice Irish Coffee at Buena Vista Cafe, have dinner in North Beach, take the evening Alcatraz tour. There are many many tourist in the tourist areas. Like any city don't walk down dark alleys, but you will be missing so so much if you spend the evening in a hotel room watching TV or on the computer. You can do those things at home.

Hello, If you think that the Hari Krishnas are going to be singing around the cable car, the human juke box will be playing, and people will be blowing bubbles from the back of a cable car...... you will be out of luck. However, the beauty of the city, the food and the friendliness of the people will still be there. You are going to have a blast. Enjoy. Dave

O.K., have the Moonies left for greener pastures yet? Very funny reply, thanks, dave!

Some local friends have 4 weekend VIP passes for weekend #2 at Coachella that they suddenly can't use, and have given them to me. This scuttles the 5 days in San Francisco but...how could I refuse? The logistics are becoming quite formidable now..a short trip to SF on Wednesday to do the birthday thing turns into an 8 hour road trip Friday morning (hopefully)returning Sunday evening so that I can catch my 8 am flight home Monday morning.I checked some of the ride-shares available and this is do-able, but my gosh!

Hey, just checking in. Arrived late afternoon and the weather has perked up nicely. No trip to Coachella, I gave the tickets back because it would have screwed up my plans, probably my entire life to abandon safety and hitchhike down the coast with 420 friendly people with no accommodations and substance issues/cash shortages but love potential.Im'm getiing old...SF is lovely, though, and I shall experience a good deal of the local flavour tomorrow. Catch up later, then. Cheers!

Thanks again for all of the great advice. Yes, the city is safe for walking around, even at 2 a.m. if you don't endear yourself to anyone. The only problem I had was today, in broad daylight. I took the City Sightseeing San Francisco tour to Sausalito, then back to Fisherman's Wharf. While waiting for a transfer downtown, I was "mugged" by the apparent owner of a camera shop who saw what I was carrying and suggested that he had what I needed to get the best shots of The Golden Gate, etc....super wide angle lens, fully adapted to my camera. It fit, it did what it should, magic. He claimed he was blowing them out 'cause biz was so slow and he needed the sale. "Where you're from, you couldn't touch this for1000.00" The demonstration was good, the lens worked just fine, but the value? It's really just a Chinese copy of more sophisticated lens/filter/adapter technology. These can be bought online for under100.00 My purchase price, under duress 'cause i was going to miss my ride, was499.00 Let it go, I tell myself. A lesson in life, a commerce error, distance myself from the loss and move on to brighter avenues. But, I shall not fail in letting my fellow VT people know what might be in store for them if they should fall into a similar situation. I admit my error. Where I'm from, people don't do this to each other, at least not as a normal modus operandi. I suspect that the camera guy earns a pretty penny "doing the tourists" and for that, he needs a wedgie.