If you’re considering a California trip, the first question is likely: Los Angeles or San Francisco? Southern California or Northern California? Both are iconic, filled with history, culture, and world-famous attractions. But if you only have time for one (because California is BIG), which should it be?
I’ll immediately cope out and say if you’re following my 7 day California road trip itinerary, you’ll get to spend time in both. But if you’re just looking to visit California for a weekend, you’ll have to pick just one.
I moved to California last year after never having visited the state in my life. While I live in Southern California, I don’t live in Los Angeles so I can give an unbiased review of the two cities in the POV of a visitor (the same can’t be true if you read my post comparing Glasgow and Edinburgh!)
Here’s the tl;dr – both cities have merit and are worth the visit. If good weather is your #1 criteria, I’d visit Los Angeles. If you love exploring larger European cities like Dublin or Barcelona, visit San Francisco.
Distance from Los Angeles to San Francisco
Let’s start with this; no you can’t see both without a long car ride or a short plane ride. Los Angeles and San Francisco are about 380 miles apart.. The drive is about 6 hours, give or take with traffic, and is through rural California where there’s admittedly not a lot to see. Take my word on that.
So, while it’s entirely possible to visit both cities on a weeklong trip, you’ll need to fly or take a road trip if you want to explore them both
Proximity to Other Attractions: Tie
If you pick Los Angeles, you’re within a couple of hours of driving to national parks like Sequoia and Joshua Tree. You’re also near California’s world-famous beaches down in LA County, Orange County, and San Diego County. These beach cities, like Newport Beach, have a ton of things to do and will make you feel like you’re living in a Beach Boys album.
San Francisco, on the other hand, is well positioned to explore the Redwoods and Yosemite National Park. Nature is on full display and splendor at nearby Big Sur and Monterey Bay. Napa Valley and Sonoma are also within a couple hours drive. That last one is a major plus for me as I recently discovered that Napa is fabulous and possible to explore even on a budget.
And while we’re on the subject of wine, Southern California has Temecula Valley as its wine producing region, which you can do as a quick day trip from LA or San Diego. But’s no Napa when it comes to production and the wines will leave something to be desired. The vibes however? Pretty good.
City Vibes: San Francisco
Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world. If you’re into Hollywood, celebrity spotting, and sun-soaked beaches, this is your city. LA sprawls across a huge area, offering everything from high-end shopping in Beverly Hills to laid-back beach vibes in Santa Monica. You can visit iconic film locations one day and hike up to the Hollywood sign the next.
The fact that it sprawls such a huge area actually diminishes its vibes to me, because it’s so spread out that each area has such a distinctly different vibe and it’s hard to find the cohesion.
San Francisco, on the other hand, is all about charm and character. Famous for its steep hills, cable cars, and the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco is smaller and feels more intimate than LA. It’s a great city for walking, with unique hipster neighborhoods like Chinatown, Haight-Ashbury, and the Mission District offering a mix of history, culture, and fantastic food.
Cultural Hotspots: San Francisco
LA boasts incredible museums like The Getty and LACMA, along with iconic studios and theaters where movie magic happens. LA also has a world-class comedy scene and I highly recommend attending an improv show at the Upright Citizens Brigade on Sunset Blvd where you might see some SNL alums (hi Bobby Moynihan!)
San Francisco has its own impressive art scene, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), the Palace of Fine Arts, and the de Young Museum. The Mission District has beautiful street murals highlighting the city’s Latinx heritage and the Castro district is bursting with LGBTQ+ pride. Not to mention the historical landmarks like Alcatraz Island.
Both cities offer plenty of cultural experiences, but they differ in scale and style.
Weather: Los Angeles (by a country mile)
Los Angeles typically enjoys warm weather year-round. It’s a beach lover’s paradise with its blue skies and tall swaying palm trees, visible every month of the year. Temperatures are consistently going to be warmer in Los Angeles than San Francisco and it’s usually not even close.
In contrast, San Francisco is known for its cool, foggy mornings, even in the summer. “Karl” the local’s name for the fog, is ever present. If you’re someone who prefers mild weather and doesn’t mind a bit of mist, San Francisco will appeal to you. If you want consistent sunshine, LA wins.
Caveat to this though as Los Angeles will deal with what locals call “Gray May” and “June Gloom” which is when from the months of April-July mornings in Southern California are cloudy, overcast, and generally pretty gray thanks to the maritime layer from the Pacific. This will typically clear up by around 1pm, but can be a harsh surprise for visitors looking to spend all day in the sunshine.
Living in Southern California, we had a lot of visitors who came in the winter to escape the midwestern snow. Many of them packed for a spring break in Florida, where temperatures are considerably hotter and always conducive to the beach, especially during the spring months. California, in contrast, sees most of its beach traffic in June, July, and August and visiting in the winter or spring does not guarantee great beach weather.
Food Scene: Los Angeles
LA’s food scene is as diverse as the city itself. Whether you’re craving street tacos or Michelin-starred dining, Los Angeles has it all. The Mexican food is amazing and I’ve loved discovering cuisine from El Salvador and Vietnam as well. We recently explored a bit of Korea Town or “K-Town” and it was seriously some of the best food I’ve had in the USA.
To be fair, San Francisco is no slouch, either. Its food culture leans more towards farm-to-table, with a focus on fresh, local ingredients. Fisherman’s Wharf is a must for seafood lovers and Chinatown a must for those who love discovering new foods. And there’s no shortage of world-class restaurants in this foodie city.
Outdoor Activities: Tie
LA is great for beachgoers, with miles of coastline to explore. You can take a surf lesson, boogie board, or just enjoy walking along the sand. Hiking trails are also plentiful, especially in places like Griffith Park where you can get views of the Hollywood sign and city basin. Or, if you are OK driving a little bit outside the city, the Santa Monica Mountains are great for hiking as well.
San Francisco is all about its outdoor views, from the waterfront along the Embarcadero to the trails around the Presidio. And that’s without mentioning the parks—Golden Gate Park is a treasure trove of gardens, museums, and even bison! During our 2 days in San Francisco, we spent a full day exploring all that Golden Gate Park has to offer.
Transportation: San Francisco
If this list was weighted, I would give extra weight to this category as California traffic is frankly ridiculous (I say as a non-California native). You realistically need a car to explore Los Angeles because it’s so dang big and spread out. Los Angeles is notorious for its traffic (since everyone needs a car). They don’t even have a train from the major airport, LAX, which is a major negative in this Basic Economy B’s book.
To be fair to Los Angeles, public transportation does exist, but it’s not very convenient and doesn’t get you to all the sites you’ll want to see as a tourist.
San Francisco, where the BART system and iconic cable cars make navigating the city without a car much easier. We still drove in San Francisco and getting into the city itself is a challenge with traffic, but found large swaths of the city to be generally walkable and easier to navigate compared to LA.
Cost: Los Angeles
Unfortunately, both cities are expensive so this is almost a tie, but Los Angeles can offer more affordable accommodations, especially if you’re willing to stay a bit outside the city center.
San Francisco, while small, tends to be pricier overall, especially in popular areas like Union Square or near Fisherman’s Wharf. The room sizes are also very small in San Francisco, again reminding me of a European city.
Safety: Tie
I will say, both San Francisco and Los Angeles have really struggled since the pandemic and the state’s population of people experiencing homelessness has been on the rise. It’s hard to talk about homelessness in a nuanced way in a travel blog, understanding that so many of us are only a medical diagnosis or job loss away from it, especially in the state of California where everything is so expensive and addiction is a disease many struggle with.
That being said, there were times when I was in each of the cities where I could feel the strain on the city. You may be walking on Sunset Blvd and stop to see if the man on the sidewalk is breathing, or you might see a naked man basking at the moon in Golden Gate Bridge Park (both of these happened).
Both cities have seen an increase in crime since 2020 with regular car break-ins in certain areas, but violent crime in tourist areas generally remains low.
Final Verdict
So, which should you visit? It depends what you’re looking for in your vacation!
If you’re after a laid-back, beachy vibe with a dose of Hollywood glamor, Los Angeles is your spot. If you want a city with history, charm, and plenty of culture packed into a smaller space, San Francisco is the better choice.
Both cities have their own distinct appeal, so either way, you’ll experience a unique side of California.
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