HI San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf Hostel

HI San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf calls itself San Francisco's original hostel, and its setting is hard to beat at the price. It occupies Building 240 in Fort Mason, a waterfront national park site, and looks out towards Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and the lawns of Fort Mason park. It is run by HI USA, part of the Hostelling International network.

Accommodation ranges from dormitories to private rooms. Dorms have four, six, eight, ten or twenty beds, and there are private queen rooms, two-bed private rooms and private rooms for three people, which suit couples, friends and small families who want to keep costs down without sharing with strangers.

The common spaces make it easy to meet other travellers. There is a lounge with a fireplace, a movie room, a game room with a free pool table and a jukebox, and an outdoor area. The hostel runs tours and social activities, and it describes itself as eco-friendly. Limited free parking passes are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis, which is a real saving in San Francisco if you are on a road trip. Wifi is free throughout the building, linen and towels are included, and there is a shared guest kitchen with fridges and freezers, as well as coin laundry in the evenings.

Check-in is at 3pm and check-out is at 11am, with free luggage storage if you arrive early, and quiet hours run from 11pm to 7am with no curfew. Bring your own padlock for the dorm lockers or buy one at the desk. Every guest must show a valid physical government photo ID and proof of residence outside San Francisco County, so locals cannot book. The building is historic and has no lift, but there are accessible rooms, restrooms and a kitchen on the main level.

To get there from the airport, take BART to Montgomery station, then Muni bus 30 from Kearny and Market to Van Ness and North Point, and walk one block west on Bay Street to Franklin Street, where signs lead into Fort Mason; a taxi or ride-hailing car is simpler with heavy bags.

The location suits walkers and outdoor lovers who want the waterfront on the doorstep, and the hostel's name reflects how close Fisherman's Wharf is. Downtown is a bus or taxi ride away, so plan evenings in the centre accordingly. For budget travellers, solo visitors and young families, it offers views and a park setting that would cost far more in a hotel.