Visiting Chinatown? Parking Tips & Insiders Guide
When visiting San Francisco, Chinatown is a must! The culture, architecture, smells, and vibrancy bring a completely different vibe to this seaside city. Chinatown parking, however, can be a different story.
Whatever brings you to this beautiful city, there is plenty to do. And when you know some tips and tricks for Chinatown San Francisco parking, there’s even more time to explore.
Chinatown is packed with tourists, especially in the summer. Navigating this popular destination, in the already popular city of San Francisco, can be a harrowing task if you don’t know where to go or what to look for.
With these insider tips and tricks to Chinatown parking in San Francisco, you’ll be able to park like a pro and get to sightseeing with no issues.
Visiting Chinatown? Parking Tips & Insiders Guide
There are multiple ways to get to Chinatown to enjoy the vibrant culture, and choosing the option that is best for you and your travel plans will ensure you have the best time in Chinatown.
Chinatown is located near the financial district in San Francisco, making this a very busy and bustling area, even in the low season for tourism.
Go on a Weekday
There are multiple ways to get to Chinatown. You can take the cable car and get a beautiful experience of the city and great weather. If it’s cold, this isn’t always the best option as the cable cars can be quite drafty. The cable car runs on Vanness Avenue from Union Square to North Beach, passing through Chinatown. You’ll likely have to wait a significant amount of time for a cable car, however. They are rarely used for commuting and generally just a tourist attraction, much like a roller coaster.
Once you arrive in Chinatown, you can either go left or right on the main street. Grant is the main tourist street through Chinatown (tourist shops and restaurants) and Stockton is the main local street (local markets, temples, shops and restaurants).
Ride the Cable Car
There are multiple ways to get to Chinatown. You can take the cable car and get a beautiful experience of the city and great weather. If it’s cold, this isn’t always the best option, as the cable cars can be quite drafty. The cable car runs on Vanness Avenue from Union Square to North Beach, passing through Chinatown. You’ll likely have to wait a significant amount of time for a cable car, however. They are rarely used for commuting and are generally just a tourist attraction, much like a roller coaster.
Once you arrive in Chinatown, you can either go left or right on the main street. Grant is the main tourist street through Chinatown (tourist shops and restaurants) and Stockton is the main local street (local markets, temples, shops, and restaurants).
BART and the Bus
Depending on where you’re coming from, there are multiple ways to arrive in Chinatown on public transportation. The best way to determine which bus line or BART to take, you can check out the convenient app moovit. You’ll be able to put in your location and the destination you want to go to and moovit will show you the relevant options.
Drive – Chinatown Parking
Driving to Chinatown is probably the fastest and most convenient mode of transportation to get to Chinatown. Chinatown San Francisco parking is easy to find if you know where to go. The best Chinatown parking is located at 555 Jackson and 768 Sansome, on the south side of the financial district.
At 768 Sansome, Chinatown parking rate is $15 flat rate, and reservations are available only after 5pm.
At 555 Jackson, rates vary by time.
The most convenient aspect of these Chinatown parking structures is that you can reserve online prior to arriving. You can also check rates online to work into your travel budget. Both of these locations are conveniently located near San Francisco landmarks and should help you be centrally located for whatever you are doing in the city.