A Digital Nomad Guide to San Francisco

United States Visa for San Francisco

Depending on your nationality or the duration and reason for the trip to the United States, you will need to issue or not a specific visa. A visa waiver program is available for visitors from Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. The visa waiver is valid for a maximum of 90 days.

In order to use the visa waiver program, you will need to apply for The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). ESTA costs 14 USD per person and can take up to 72 hours. If you have visited or a national of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen, you are not eligible for the Visa waiver program.

Passport holders from American territories, Bermuda and Canada may visit without a visa. If you don’t have a United States passport expect to be fingerprinted and photographed on entry.

Everyone else can line up at their nearest embassy or consulate to ask prices and needed documents for every kind of visa. Tourist visas start at 160 USD and can take quite some time to sort out. Each consulate has its peculiarities and sometimes they are very hard in terms of the documents they request, it is better to consult with time.

On the other hand, the non-immigrant visa allows you to work and / or travel to the United States for more than 90 days, with the intention of returning to your country when this visa has expired. It includes different types of visa that vary depending on the reason for your trip, your personal characteristics and other aspects, so you should check which visa you need and what specific documents you need to process it.

On this website you can decide what type of visa you need to travel to the United States since at the time of making an appointment for the interview they do not inform you about this issue.

Culture and Food in San Francisco

San Francisco is considered one of the cities with the highest culinary quality in the world. Its gastronomic history began in the 70s when it was considered the culinary capital of the United States. Trendy places used to serve traditional steak dishes accompanied by French wines, all products of foreign origin. Later, several restaurants began to have a more regional cuisine and fresh and organic products. At this time, the so-called “culinary revolution” began in the country, with the aim of unifying the local farmers with the large restaurant chains.

The main dishes of its gastronomy are Dungeness crab (boiled crab that is usually served with Chinese noodles, spinach and dressings), Crab Cioppino (soup of Italian origin that is prepared with crab, shrimp, mussels and clams), popsicle (sandwich of ice cream with ice cream and chocolate coating) and clam chowder (thick clam soup accompanied by celery, carrot and bacon), among others.

If you make a stop in Chinatown, grab a cup of coffee at Four Barrel and a Dynamo Donut (fresh ingredient flavors include rhubarb and cranberry cornmeal), have lunch at Great Eastern Restaurant, one of Obama’s favorite restaurants, and stop to enjoy a luxurious dinner at Mister Jiu’s.

In Castro you can have oysters for lunch at Foreign Cinema or have a taco at one of the district’s Taquerías. At Mission I recommend trying the artisan cocktails at Trick Dog and the “slow food” from Northern Italy at Delfina. At Fisherman’s Wharf, clam chowder in a bread bowl is a favorite, along with strolling through Ghirardelli Square for chocolate sandwiches. Scoma’s, chosen by the locals, has extremely fresh seafood.

Another option for the morning is the Ferry Building Farmers Market where you can enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, iced coffee, and beautiful views of the bay. In the evening, you can also sample small portions at State Bird Provisions (James Beard Foundation Award-Winning Restaurant) or a rustic meal at Rich Table.

From quality street stalls to some of the best restaurants in the country, San Francisco has it all.

San Francisco Nightlife

One of the most attractive things about San Francisco’s nightlife is that there is a great variety of possibilities. Also, unlike other tourist cities, with 30 USD you can enjoy an unforgettable night.

It’s an ideal place both for lovers of live music and drinks in quiet places, as well as for those who want to spend the night dancing. One of the best ways to find out what the hot spots are, is to read leisure magazines like San Francisco Bay Guardian and San Francisco Weekly.

If you take Market St. and walk southeast you can find everything from cheap and simple, to elegant places. The South of Market (SOMA) is, in fact, the most popular area in the city and it’s one of the busiest at night.

Along Columbus Avenue you can find a series of places that extend from North Beach to Chinatown, where you can enjoy interesting options. Union Square also has a lively atmosphere. Here you will find the best Irish bars in the city and shows brought from Broadway.

Castro is the most non-traditional neighborhood of ​​the city where you can find places with a hippie and gay atmosphere. Counterculture sites, karaoke bars and drag shows are also popular here.

Marina is the most recommended neighborhood for singles. It is an area with a luxurious atmosphere with a clientele of all ages. A good place to spend a night of drinks in the most elegant way you can think of in San Francisco.

The bars I recommend to start the night are The Saloon (1232 Grant Ave) with its 70’s vibe, Redwood Room (495 Geary Blvd.) if you can find a table and Cobb’s Comedy Club (915 in Columbus Ave.) where you can enjoy comedy shows.

Among the best nightclubs in the city to continue your night you will find August Hall (25, USD, 420 of Mason St.) representing electronic music, 1015 Folsom (15 USD,) with house style music, The Endup with its LGTB atmosphere, Temple SF with four rooms with different styles, Monarch with techno and deep house and Bootie SF famous for its Mashup Shows.

Things to do in San Francisco

San Francisco is a huge city and people often don’t spend enough time here on their West Coast route. If I recommend you to stay at least 5 days in the city.

• Golden Gate Bridge

  

  One of the first things you can do is cross the 1.7 miles of the Golden Gate Bridge by bike. Its fame, architecture and the mist that it usually has around it turns the crossing into a magical activity.

• Golden Gate Park

  From there you can go to Golden Gate Park, a huge urban park 20% larger than Central Park in New York. Explore the Japanese Tea Garden and visit the tea house for a variety of hot teas, light meals, and small desserts. Later, explore the Young Museum, a world-class art museum that also blends architecture and outdoor beauty in its Harmon Observation Tower.

• Haight-Ashbury

  Golden Gate Park borders on the eastern end with the hippie district of Haight-Ashbury. Named for the intersection of Haight and Ashbury streets. During the 60s, this district was the epicenter of the city’s most bohemian current and became home to the hippie movement. You can enjoy its multi-colored facades or buy vinyl records.

• Painted Ladies

  Speaking of multi-colored facades, the most famous Victorian houses in the world are the Painted Ladies of Alamo Square. They became famous by appearing at the head of the Full House series. It is one of the most taken photos in the city.

• Chinatown

  

  Chinatown in San Francisco is home to the largest Chinese community outside of Asia. In addition, it was the first Chinatown in all of North America. It was founded during the gold rush around 1860. I advise you to take a walk to the fortune cookie factory that has been operating since 1962 in a small workshop in the heart of the neighborhood. You can write your own fortune if you buy a cookie, or even buy a giant fortune cookie. For authentic dim sum, stop at the Great Eastern Restaurant and order the lobster sashimi and mushrooms stuffed with fish paste.

• Coit Tower

  The Coit Tower is within walking distance from Chinatown, although you can also go by bus. It is located on the top of a hill and has one of the most privileged views of the city. You can see pretty much everything, even the Golden Gate in the distance. The upload price is 9 USD.

• Pier 39

  The journey from Coit Tower to Pier 39 is downhill. Pier 39 is one of the most famous piers in San Francisco for being a leisure center with restaurants and shops, and for the sea lions that sunbathe in front of the pier.

• Fisherman’s Wharf

  If you keep walking you will arrive at Fisherman’s Wharf, a fishing port but also a very touristy area. Here is the Musée Mecanique, filled with coin-operated mechanical musical instruments and old gaming machines that still work.

• Ghirardelli’s

  Ghirardelli’s, the second oldest chocolate shop in the world, was founded by an Italian immigrant and today sells one of the best-known chocolates in the United States. In the factory you will find several stores including an ice cream parlor.

• Sausalito

  A little further you find Sausalito, a very picturesque town next to the sea. If you go by bike I recommend you return by ferry because the return slope is very steep. Also, you will have a different perspective of the city. The last ferry returns at 7:20 pm.

• Alcatraz

  

  During your visit to the city, you cannot miss Alcatraz, the most important and well-known prison in the world. In this case it is very important that you make the reservation because it is usually impossible to buy the ticket for the same day. The visit will take you two hours. After doing the tour you can stay as long as you want.

• Mission

  When you get back to the port you can go to Mission, the Latin quarter where it is easier to speak in Spanish than in English. You will find a lot of taquerías and Mexican restaurants, small supermarkets and a lot of urban art concentrated especially in the Clarion and Balmy alleys.

• Castro

  Castro, also nearby, is the gay neighborhood where the first movements in defense of the gay community in California were born at the hands of Harvey Milk. Milk was the first openly gay politician to fight for his rights. Here you will find the rainbow crosswalk, a pedestrian crossing with the colors of the gay flag. Also, the Castro cinema: an icon of the neighborhood.

• Twin Peaks

  From Castro you can take a bus and go up to Twin Peaks, one of the best viewpoints in San Francisco. The best views are from the Christmas Tree Lookout.

• tram

  To complete your visit, you should get on a tram. Take the Powell-Hyde at Union Square to the top of Lombard Street, then down this famous steep and crooked street. The large number of multi-colored hydrangeas are an additional attraction for flower lovers and people who use Instagram.

• Baker Beach

  My recommendation is that you end the afternoon at Baker Beach to watch the sunset. Sights include the Golden Gate and sometimes even dolphins on the horizon.

Best Time to Visit San Francisco

San Francisco is characterized by its Mediterranean climate with mild wet winters and dry summers. The water that surrounds the city acts by moderating the climate, so there is very little seasonal temperature variation.

The city is usually covered by fog in any season of the year although during the summer it rarely persists during the day. The reason these fogs are created is because the arid winds from the deserts of Arizona collide with the cold winds of Alaska just over the San Francisco Bay.

Summer is not very hot with temperatures that usually oscillate between 10 and 21 °C. It is possible that at night you need a light coat.

Winters are cold, especially during January and February when the city’s temperature drops to 5º C. They are also humid, rainy and the wind becomes unbearable.

The best months to visit the city are from May to September. During this time, you will have less rain and less cold, without feeling hot. Keep in mind that, although the day is somewhat hot, at night it is cool so you will need a coat as well as summer clothes. It is best to dress in layers because it is not the same to climb hills on foot than to look out over the bay where the breeze can be very cold.

San Francisco for Families

The average rent for a three-bedroom apartment in San Francisco is over 4.500 USD. The cost can be much higher than that for not much more space, depending on the neighborhood. There are a bunch of wonderful, family-friendly neighborhoods all over the city like Noe Valley and Twin Peaks. Never less, consider the whole expenses before choosing a neighborhood.

Finding childcare can be tough and nurseries cost around 1,000 USD per month. Instead, San Francisco has many wonderful public schools but the process of getting into them is a lottery system. I recommend you to visit the San Francisco Unified School District website and Parents for Public Schools for an abundance of clearly explained information on the process. You’ll tour schools the year before you’re ready to enroll and rank them on a school choice form, then you wait with bated breath for months until schools are assigned. If you’re not happy you have multiple rounds of appeals to try to get into a different school. If you’re moving here mid-year, the process is a little different, and that’s why you want to read up on the websites mentioned above.

Plenty of parents also send their kids to private independent and parochial schools. You’ll have tours, applications, mixers, and interviews for these, too. Check out Independent Schools of the San Francisco Bay Area (ISSFBA), or the resources of your religious institution to find private school options.

Living in San Francisco

San Francisco Transportation

If you are going to use public transportation at least two times a day, the most profitable thing to do is to purchase the Muni Pass card at the Information Center (749 Howard St.), inside the Moscone Center. There you can also obtain useful maps of the transport lines. This card is available in one-day passes for 22 USD, three days for 33 USD and seven days for 43 USD, allowing you an unlimited number of trips on any of the means of transportation in San Francisco, with the exception of BART. Keep in mind that it’s necessary to pay with the exact change for all individual trips, so with the Muni Passport card, apart from saving, you will have much more comfort when riding on any public transport.

The city has 55 bus lines. Thanks to the fact that the city has many steep hills, the buses have a special rack to put your bike in the front.

The metro has 6 lines throughout the metropolis. Each line is identified with a letter. Its hours are from 5 am to 1 am and the price is 2.50 USD including transfers for 90 minutes.

Cable car is a means of transport but also an attraction that you will surely want to get on. Since 1964 it has been declared a National Historical Heritage. Its price is 7 USD each way, while with the Muni Passport you can get on unlimitedly in any of its 3 lines (Powell-Hyde, Powell-Mason and California Street).

On the other hand, the historic line operates with streetcars brought in from all over the world and runs between Castro and Fisherman’s Wharf, with stops every few blocks along Market St. and The Embarcadero. Its price is 2.25 USD, including all transfers within a space of 90 minutes.

If you are going to drive your own vehicle, you should know that you will have to pay for parking. They say that the third part of the circulation of this city is continuously looking for where to park. You can pay with a card at the parking meters or with your mobile phone by downloading the PayByPhone parking application. The good thing about this app is that you can extend the parking time before it expires without having to go back to the parking meter.

Fitness and Health

According to the 2020 Wellness Index released by Mindbody, San Francisco has 16 gyms and other wellness businesses per square mile. The report ranked San Francisco the third-healthiest city in the US, largely thanks to its residents’ dedication to wellness businesses, which encompasses gyms and fitness studios, salons, spas, and integrative health businesses.

The luxury gym chain Equinox has four different locations by the bay. There are also countless yoga studios, four Barry’s Bootcamps, three SoulCycle studios, three OrangeTheory Fitness centers, six Fitness SF locations and so on. 27% of its residents attend classes like Pound or Zumba making dance fitness the most popular activity in the city.

San Francisco wellness is not only about working out, you can also find a huge variety of supermarkets with organic products, vegan restaurants and healthy food options. You’ll want to sample as much local flavor as possible but that doesn’t mean you have to throw good habits out the window. 

Check Nourish Café (189 Sixth Ave.) in the Richmond for full plant-based meals. The veggie wraps with hummus and avocado are delightful. Also, Plant Café Organic has a few locations around the city, including neighborhoods like Dogpatch and the Marina. You can fill up with quick meals that include white-meat burgers, salads, and gluten-free sides.

San Francisco People

California is the healthy-state of the US and it is not difficult to find yourself within days of landing in a Whole Foods supermarket buying kale, maca or açaí. Complementing the healthy diet there are also sports for all tastes.

In the city you meet people from all over the world. Cultural diversity is mostly breathed in neighborhoods like Mission, Chinatown or Japan Town. In addition, in its neighborhoods you find mostly thirty-something people prepared to take on the world. Relaxed and unpretentious style abounds. Forget about looking at suits and shirts, here jeans are the daily uniform.

In San Francisco it is common for its inhabitants to describe people by the neighborhood in which they live. Each neighborhood has its own personality so where you live often says a lot about you.

The residents are very friendly. It is common that when you arrive in the city, people welcome you as if you have lived there for years.

Being late is socially accepted and all kinds of excuses are valid, even saying that they didn’t mean to be late and that “it just happened”. If this happens to you, do not be offended.

Here you can start, fail and reinvent yourself without being judged. Employment is based on your own merits and not on contacts. This can be as difficult as it is incredible, because of the high competition. The good news is that there is always room for those who want to make an effort.

San Francisco Insurance and Medical Care

There are no mandatory vaccinations to travel to the United States, although it is convenient to keep the official vaccination schedule updated. Depending on the duration and conditions of the trip, the advisable vaccines are: hepatitis A, hepatitis B (if you have not had the disease before) and tetanus – diphtheria.

The US public hospitals aren’t free of charge. The patient is responsible for his medical expenses even if he has an American passport. The cost of healthcare is extremely high and a hospitalization could bankrupt a family. The alternative for residents who do not have government support is to take out private health insurance, although it also comes at a high price.

According to the KFF study, the average cost of the annual health insurance premium in 2020 was 7.470 USD for individual coverage and 21.324 USD for family coverage.

Without purchasing insurance, an emergency room visit can cost up to 6.000 USD, 20.000 USD for a normal delivery, 100 USD for a medical consultation, 300 USD for a specialist consultation, more than 1.000 USD for an MRI, 50.000 USD for intervention for appendicitis plus postoperative attention and 600 USD for an ambulance transfer. With basic insurance the cost is reduced by at least half.

Therefore, whoever can afford it chooses to have health insurance, expatriate insurance or travel insurance.

Healthy San Francisco is a relatively new program in the city that is working hard to change this. Qualified residents can obtain low-cost insurance through the city, which focuses on preventive care rather than treating sick patients.

If you don’t qualify for Healthy San Francisco and you work for a company that doesn’t provide health insurance, you can purchase it independently. Check the plans carefully and what kind of co-payments you should make.

The costs of expatriate insurance depend on your age, where you live and the countries you want to cover. Travel insurance is a good option if you are traveling as a tourist. There is even specialized travel insurance for long-term trips. It is convenient to hire them so as not to expose yourself to high financial debts and to be able to travel in a more relaxed way.

Make sure you are fully covered by reading our full Digital Nomad Travel Insurance guide.

Jobs in San Francisco

Since the days of the gold rush, San Francisco has been the financial center of the West Coast. This constant economic activity has produced a wide range of industries; the largest of which are technology, medical science, and commerce.

Residents have one of the highest income levels in the country. However, San Francisco is currently facing an extreme shortage of affordable housing, which can pose a challenge for those hoping to relocate to this area.

Also, finding a job in San Francisco is a difficult task, especially for people without a work visa. The process must be initiated by a sponsoring employer. Therefore, you must have a job offer before you can begin the visa application process. Few companies are willing to hire foreigners without visas because the process can take 6 months and costs between 3.000 and 5.000 USD including legal fees. One of the easiest ways to seek a sponsor visa is to attend a university in the United States as a step towards a great job.

The five largest employers in San Francisco are Bechtel Corp, California Pacific Medical Center, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, and the Federal Reserve Bank, covering the engineering, healthcare, accounting and government sectors. Still, new and small businesses with fewer than 10 employees make up more than two-thirds of San Francisco businesses.

Also, nearly a third of the world’s biotech jobs are in San Francisco, and the top companies are leaders in pharmaceutical research and development, genetic engineering, and medical equipment.

For potential job searches, some of the top job search sites are: the San Francisco Chronicle or San Francisco Gate, sfgate.com, careerbuilder.com, jobs.com, indeed.com and monster.com.

Check out our Digital Nomads Jobs Postings to find the best jobs available for Digital Nomads.