In the west coast state of California, San Francisco makes up the northern tip of the San Francisco peninsula which sits on the waters of San Francisco Bay to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

Given the historically unique attitude towards city planning in the area, there aren’t as many highways in and out of San Francisco itself as you may expect to find for somewhere as busy and sprawling as the Bay Area. Instead there are a series of arterial roads across the city, connecting the various districts and providing locals with convenient access to their destinations – note however they may become congested during peak times.

As well as Interstate 280, which runs south to San Diego close to the Mexican border, there are two other main highways in San Francisco. These cross the waters off the peninsula into mainland California. Car access to and from the north of the city is provided by the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge, which ferries drivers on U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1 to Marin County. Both are key routes if you're heading north or south out of San Francisco and along the coastline, although the California State Route 1 tends to hug more of the coast along the way. Interstate 80 runs east across the Bay Bridge into Oakland and carries on into Nevada.

San Francisco is well-equipped with parking opportunities. You'll find garages, on-street parking and other metered spaces scattered across the city, including plentiful options around the big attractions. Charges are usually around $10 per hour, but there are cheaper spaces available if you plan ahead. 

San Francisco may be famous for its astonishing Golden Gate Bridge, which you can drive, bike or even walk across to see breath-taking views over the city and the waters below but San Fran has so much more to offer. Here are a few of the things you can do when exploring the Golden City.

Skate and Tech life

San Francisco’s historical claim as the centre of the first gold rush has led to even more trend-setting in recent decades. While adrenaline junkies were taking to the streets in the first skateboarding scene, others gathered in garages to hack their way towards a technological revolution. San Francisco and surrounding towns are now the established hotbeds of the extreme sports lifestyle, as well as the billion-dollar tech companies - a truly modern interpretation of the old Wild West. Anyone keen to visit one of the skate culture’s best known spots in San Francisco should visit Pier 7 just off The Embarcadero. Many legendary tricks have been pulled off on these hallowed grounds, and it’s still a popular stop for those looking to learn from the most seasoned pros.

When successful Silicon Valley start-ups begin their expansion, they’ll often move into San Francisco. You can get a taste for the tech culture by visiting some of the city’s best known hangouts. In the SoMa (South of Market) district, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is surrounded by scenic garden space, and hosts exhibitions, live concerts and even big product launches.

A taste of San Fran

San Francisco is also very well-known for its’ entire postcodes’ worth of restaurants which open up on a regular basis – the most in the country. The influx of influences from across the Pacific and over the border have led to new and fascinating takes on traditional Japanese, Chinese and Mexican cuisine. Omakase on Townsend Street is one of the hottest restaurants on the scene, serving up high-end sushi that’s specially flown in from one of Japan’s top fish markets each week. Mamacita offers a selection of Latin flavours down on the Marina, and was voted into the city’s top 100 restaurants of 2015 by the SF Times.

You’ll find some great places to shop around Union Square, which is itself one of the prime destinations for locals to hang out. Golden Gate Park is a scenic hotspot, with the Japanese Tea Gardens providing a wonderful place for an afternoon walk, and plenty of museums and conservatories providing some food for thought.

The Wharf and the water

The city is famed for the cable cars which traverse the hilly terrain – the Powell-Hyde line offers the best views as you head into Fisherman’s Wharf, the city’s premier tourist attraction, which boasts souvenir shops, rides and restaurants as well as a collection of cute sea lions who made the pier their home many years ago. From Fisherman’s Wharf you can also catch a ferry to the iconic Alcatraz Prison, where guided tours of this notorious jail are sure to send a shiver down your spine.

The Golden City can offer you everything you need with fun days out, nice warm weather and world-class attractions to see. Organise car hire in San Francisco and you’ll never want to leave.