When you travel somewhere, you want to visit some touristy places, the ones that you see on TV and everyone talks about, but you may also want to hang out in cool neighborhood and enjoy life as a local. To me being able to experience a little of the local life, that is the real experience.

San Francisco CityPass
Alright, so here’s my free plug for CityPass, the San Francisco edition, which I think provides a good compromise to fulfill your tourist visits and let you discover the city on your own.

First, I want to make the point that I am recommending the San Francisco CityPass because I have actually used it, and it is the only one of the serie that also provides a pass for one week of free commute in the city. This is very convenient because it’s basically pretty much all you need to get around, and that how the locals do it, too! Also, it includes unlimited rides on the historical Cable Car. A one way cable car ride costs $5, and a weekly bus pass is $15, the CityPass cost $54. Already, this is a deal!

Note though, the attractions of the pass are valid to use within 9 days, and the commute pass is valid for 7 days only.