About Polk Gulch
San Francisco, California is one of the most popular destinations in the entire country, and for good reason! There is so much to do and see, and there’s always something new happening. The city is alive and draws in world-class art, culture and innovation, not to mention great youth hostels.
Hostels in San Francisco are mainly centrally located and some of the best San Francisco hostels offer free breakfast, sometimes dinner, plus free activities like pub crawls and cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge. You can expect to be entertained while staying in a SF youth hostel! Even if you’re travelling alone, you can hang out in the common areas to meet other travellers like you.
Stay in the Downtown neighbourhood, where most of our SF hostels are situated, to be in the heart of the action. The most visited area is the popular San Francisco Bay with its world-famous Golden Gate Bridge. If you are a food lover, we suggest you explore the South of Market (SoMa) neighbourhood or taste some seafood in the Fisherman’s Wharf neighbourhood. And if shopping is your passion, don’t miss out on Union Square, the commercial area of the city.
Popular sites like Alcatraz prison, Lombard Street, Pier 39 and the Golden Gate Bridge might seem touristy, but are impressive nonetheless and shouldn’t be missed. There is no shortage of beautiful buildings in San Francisco either. Check out the stunning Palace of Fine Arts, or the hilltop-based Legion of Honor, which also serves as a European art museum. If you’d rather take in the beauty of San Francisco, check out the views from Baker Beach, Coit Tower and Angel Island State Park. The city offers something for everyone, with some unusual museums well worth investigating, such as the Musee Mecanique (for fans of mechanical games and toys), the De Young Museum (which is actually the fifth most visited art museum in the country), and the quirky Cable Car Museum.
San Francisco International Airport is 13 miles South of Downtown. If you don’t want to spend too much on getting from the airport to the heart of San Francisco, take the Bart, a SF train. As for getting around the city, your best options are the Muni buses or the metro.