San Francisco Tours & Vacations

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Getting around San Francisco is quite easy, considering the size of the city.

Walking or taking public transportation is the preferred option of travel with the streets being easy to navigate and the public transportation system easy to use.

The 'muni' (large municipal transportation system) operates buses, streetcar lines and San Francisco's famous cable cars, making it the most efficient way to get around the city. 

What to pack for your vacation to San Francisco mostly depends on what time of the year you're travelling in.

San Francisco sees mostly mild weather year-round, so t-shirts, shorts and jeans are a safe bet. Packing a few sweaters might also be wise, as the nights can get a little chilly.

You should also pack comfortable walking shoes, as that is one of the preferred ways of getting around the city. Sunscreen protects you from the sun's UV rays when you step outside.

San Francisco is a beautiful city to visit all year. It has a moderate maritime climate with mild winters and summers. Due to the city's close proximity to the Pacific Ocean, temperatures are steady throughout the year with averages of 7°C to 22°C. Rainfall is also fairly low compared to other parts of the country, with the wettest months being December through March.

There are a bunch of different hikes around the San Francisco area if you're craving a little bit of nature's beauty from coastal walks to mountain trails. They include: 

• Lands End Trail 
• Batteries to Bluffs Trail 
• Twin Peaks Hike 
• Fort Funston Trail 
• Lover's Lane Trail 
• Angel Island Hike 

San Francisco is a very popular city with tourists coming from all over the country to marvel at its beauty and famous landmarks. If you're travelling from cities within California or its surrounding states, chances are you'll be driving. Below is how far away San Francisco is from its surrounding cities by car: 

• San Francisco is about 77 kilometres from San Jose, making the journey by car just under an hour. 
• Palo Alto is 53 kilometres from San Francisco, making it about a 40-minute drive. 
• San Francisco is a 2-hour drive from Monterey in California, making it a 190-kilometre one-way trip. 
• San Francisco is roughly 309 kilometres from Yosemite National Park in California. The journey by car would take you around 4 hours
• Lake Tahoe is located right on the state lines of California and Nevada, roughly 338 kilometres from San Francisco. It would take you about three and a half hours to drive there. 

The weather in Muir Woods is much the same as in San Francisco but a little cooler, with temperatures mostly staying around 20°C.

If you're walking through the woods in the early morning or late afternoon, you'll likely see fog. You should bring appropriate cold-weather clothes, such as sweaters, as it can get chilly with the dense tree cover.