How to have a high-end holiday in San Francisco for less

Why pay top dollar for a luxury vacation when it’s possible to have it for less?

A high-end trip without a premium price tag is possible anywhere in the world, but your approach needs to be tailored to your destination.

In the next in our series, locals in famously expensive San Francisco share their “luxury for less” tips.

Avoid the conventions

Oracle Open World conference at Moscone Centre. Picture: iStock

San Francisco hosts a significant number of conventions, according to Teresa Rodriguez, the editor-in-chief of the San Francisco edition of WhereTraveler magazine.  When one is on, hotel rates can more than triple.

Check the calendar for the Moscone Centre, the city’s major convention venue, and plan your trip accordingly.

Book lesser-known hotels or rent an apartment

Hotel Zelos San Francisco. Picture: Viceroy Hotel Group

Debbie Kessler, who runs the San Francisco office of Protravel International and sells high-end trips to the city, said that travellers could save by staying away from well-known international brands and choosing a luxury boutique property instead.

“They are far more reasonably priced than their big-name competitors,” she said.

Viceroy Hotels & Resorts, for example, has four design-forward boutique properties.

Booking an upscale hotel in Southern Marin County, about a 20-minute drive from San Francisco, is another money-saving option her clients use, taking Uber to get back into town.

Rodriguez encourages visitors to rent a home through Airbnb or another rental site – you can stay in a historic Victorian home or sleek high-rise apartment for a fraction of the cost of a hotel.

Don’t spend on high-end meals

White asparagus with steelhead trout, quail egg and mustard ice cream at Quince Restaurant. Picture; John Storey

Japantown is home to affordable sushi, ramen and shabu shabu places, while the Mission neighbourhood has authentic and favourably priced Mexican.

To sample the city’s famous crabs without blowing your food budget, buy them from one of the crab stands on Fisherman’s Wharf, and have them steamed and cracked.

Rodriguez is a regular at a stand called Nick’s Lighthouse and enjoys the crabs, along with sourdough bread and wine with her family at Aquatic Park Cove, a park near the wharf with views of the bay and Alcatraz.

Also, oyster specials abound: Woodhouse Fish Co, with two locations, for example, has $1 oyster specials on Tuesdays, and Plouf sells $1 (R15) oysters on weekdays at its bar from 6.30pm until closing.

Travellers keen on upscale dining should know that some of the fanciest restaurants offer lower-priced menus in their bars.

The three Michelin-starred Quince, for example, offers a five-course $180 (R2,700) menu in its bar area. While hardly inexpensive, that is less than the $295 (R4,400) eight-to 10-course tasting menu in the main dining room.

Sightsee with a tight fist

For a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, the commuter ferry is as good as a sightseeing boat. Picture: Jason Henry for The New York Times

Both Sigmund Stern Recreation Cove and Golden Gate Park have noteworthy free concerts, performances and events all year.

Rodriguez said that Free Tours by Foot has free high-quality walking tours, including one in Chinatown.

Also, take an inexpensive ride on the commuter ferry from the well-known Ferry Building. There’s a bar on board so riders can savour a glass of wine while taking in the views.

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