This website uses cookies

We use cookies to ensure you have an easy, quick and reliable experience whilst using the Virgin Atlantic Holidays website. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. For more details, see our cookie policy.

Skip to main content Virgin holidays logo
  • Mon to Fri 9:00am - 7:00pm
  • Saturday 9:00am - 7:00pm
  • Sunday 10:00am - 6:00pm
San Fran hero desktop

Holidays in San Francisco

This city puts the ‘u’ in unique

San Francisco is one of America’s most unique and best loved cities. From its steep rolling hills, old-fashioned cable-cars and pretty Victorian houses to the notorious Alcatraz prison, unusual microclimates and stunning bright orange bridge, San Francisco is an offbeat city that refuses to blend in.

Home to the biggest Pride event in the world and largest Chinatown outside of China, San Francisco is a diverse city where all will feel at home. Charming harbour-side towns play host to state-of-the-art museums, cute artisan craft shops, craft beer distilleries and chilled coffeehouses.

Fun, quirky, creative and laid-back, it’s no wonder that so many fall in love with San Francisco.

We fly to San Francisco daily

11 hour flight
M T W T F S S
London Heathrow
Connect from other UK airports

You can also fly from Aberdeen or Edinburgh on one of our partner airlines.

Our pick of San Francisco hotels

Argonaut Hotel, San Francisco

Argonaut Hotel at Fishermans Wharf

Virgin rating: ▼▼▼▼

You might feel like you’ve boarded a luxury cruise ship as you enter this distinctive boutique hotel, perched on the edge of the bay. 

Plus, book by 30 Nov '23 to save 30% on your accommodation rates, when you stay for 3 nights or more between 1 Jan - 31 Dec '24!

More hotels in San Francisco

Retrieving our hand picked hotels...
Trams San Francisco

San Francisco Neighbourhoods

While it's renowned for the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, bustling Fisherman's Wharf, and the historic Alcatraz Island, there's so much more to uncover, It's as if each neighbourhood got its own personality makeover, complete with a snazzy hat and a catchy theme song. Whether you're sashaying through the streets of Chinatown or salsa-dancing your way through the Mission District, get ready to see the city's vibrant essence in all its glory.

----------------

Ready to go exploring?

San Francisco has some great places nearby, whether it's to explore nature and wineries, or to enjoy the bright lights of other big cities such as Los Angeles.

No matter who you're travelling with, visiting multiple destinations in one holiday is a great way to get a taste of everything. But planning a road trip can sound pretty daunting - where do you start?! 

We've got a few recommended itineraries for you to help kick start your plans. Of course, these are totally flexible and our team can help to build an itinerary perfect for your desires and needs!

Monterey Beach Views

Classic West Coast

San Francisco • Monterey • Pismo Beach • Los Angeles

Enjoy this coast-hugging drive down the famous Highway 101 from one major West Coast city to another, and enjoy some fabulous beaches in between...

More details
Napa Valley Wine Train excursion

Wine and Nature

San Francisco • Napa Valley • Lake Tahoe • Yosemite • San Francisco

It doesn't have to be all about the big city life when you visit the US. This itinerary involves some beautiful scenery, as well as glorious food and wine...

More details
Multi-destination - USA

Multi-destination holidays

Why not squeeze in a visit to to Los Angeles, Las Vegas - or even New York? All in one holiday!

It's a big, beautiful world – and we're here to help you see more of it. Our twin and multi-centre holidays make it easy to visit more than one place in a single trip. Experience several stunning destinations during your trip with our multi-destination holiday packages and get ready for a jam-packed adventure.

 

Car Hire

Hit the open road

Wherever your trip takes you along the highways and byways of the USA, we'll take care of the car! So youu just need to rev up your motor, set the sat-nav and make sure you’ve got plenty of snacks!

Our partners Alamo and Hertz provide car hire in over 280 locations across the USA with award winning service and a whole range of exclusive benefits.

Explore San Francisco's adventurous spirit

Essential information for San Francisco

Local time
+ 16hrs
Currently
Language
USA flag
American English
Currency
US Dollar $
Official currency of the United States
Flight information
11h
San Francisco (SFO)
Direct flight
Getting around
San Francisco is one of the few places in the world where people can ride on a national historic landmark. The cable cars are the world’s last permanently operational manually operated cable car system, and are the most convenient way to get around. Be sure to stop off and visit the Cable Car Museum for a look at the powerhouse behind the machines.

Do I need a visa?

To travel to the USA, you will need an ESTA visa. Please make sure that you have this approved at least 3 days before you head off on holiday.

Find out more about Travel Visas here »

Discover the city by the bay: San Francisco Highlights

Grab your love beads, dust off your caftan, and paint a peace sign on your cheek, we’re heading to San Francisco baby, yeah! Okay, so actually, you can forget all that, because one of America’s most iconic destinations left its Summer of Love reputation behind a long time ago, and is now a 21st century hot-spot for trendy travellers. It’s still rebellious, but it does it digitally. And it’s turning into one of the best foodie paradises on the West Coast, too.

The enormous tech industry just up the highway in Silicon Valley has provided San Francisco with a new generation of pioneers, trailblazers, and visionaries. That means there’s an explosion of cool bars, trendy restaurants, and boutique hotels popping up left, right and centre, making San Francisco one of the best spots to holiday in northern California. You’re right in the middle of wine country, and you’ve got iconic landmarks like the Golden Gate bridge, the wonderfully wiggly Lombard Street (complete with no less than eight hairpin bends), and the imposing Alcatraz Island to explore.

Did you know?

  1. The fire hydrant at 20th and Church Streets is painted gold because it saved a large portion of the city from the devastating fires that followed the Great San Francisco Earthquake in 1906.
  2. Denim jeans, cable cars, and fortune cookies were all invented in San Francisco.
  3. Per capita, San Francisco has the lowest percentage of children of any major U.S. city. It’s also the most expensive city in the U.S. in which to rent an apartment. Coincidence?
  4. The oldest building in this young city is the Mission Dolores, built in 1776. You can find the landmark in the now hipster-colonised Mission District.
  5. San Francisco is known for its steep hills, but it’s also home to the two curviest streets in the world (Lombard Street and Vermont Street).

Our San Francisco holiday packages are designed to put you right in the middle of all this uniquely Californian lifestyle. It’s genuinely one of our favourite destinations in the world, and one visit is never enough. 

If you’ve always imagined yourself riding cable cars up and down the San Francisco hills, celebrating as you cross the Golden Gate Bridge, or wandering the streets of historic Haight Ashbury, make it a reality by checking out our San Francisco hotels and holiday packages now.

Why you'll love flying with Virgin Atlantic...

Premium Seat - Pod

Cabins and seats

Our seats have been designed to help you fly in total comfort during the flight, no matter what cabin you're in. See how our Upper Class, Premium and Economy seats measure up.

Explore our cabins and seats
Inflight Entertainment

Inflight entertainment

Browse the 1,000+ hours of content made up of the hottest Hollywood films, latest chart toppers, and a selection of hidden gems. Enjoy with complimentary drinks, snacks and a choice of tasty meal options.

See what's on
Clubhouse Heathrow Pod

Extras and upgrades

We offer lots of little extras to help you start your holiday like a VIP. From premium airport lounge options, to meet and greet parking to Duty Free pre-orders, we're here to deliver a truly personal flying experience. Extra charges may apply.

Treat yourself

Customers who like San Francisco also like...

Whatsapp

There has been an error

Please try again

Text Message

There has been an error

Please try again

Telephone

Thanks, we'll be in touch soon

How can we help?

Let’s get started. Please choose an option below.

Your holiday may be affected by travel restrictions or cancellations

We are continually reviewing our flying schedules, taking into account the  Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice against all non-essential travel. Depending on when you are due to travel, your holiday may be affected and we’ll email you to let you know as least 21 days before travel.

You’ll be away before you know it

Your next holiday is only a click away - our website has thousands of options ready to book. But if you need more help, just give us a call on 0344 472 9646.

Looking for inspiration? Explore our destinations and holiday types and save your faves to your very own Wishlist. Or dive right in to our 2021 holiday offers.

Latest Foreign & Commonwealth Office repatriation travel advice


Over the past few weeks, we have repatriated our customers from overseas who wanted to come home.  

Please visit this page to keep up to date with the Government’s travel advice on returning to the UK, and to register for email alerts.
 

How would you like to talk to us?

With many customers needing our help, we are prioritising those customers due to travel before 31 December 2020. Log in to Manage my booking where you can message us about your options or you can give us a call. Bear in mind you may have to wait longer than expected. We continue to review this and working to open up these options to more customers. In the meantime check out our FAQs to see if this can help answer any immediate questions.

Stay tuned for the latest updates


Rest assured; we will notify you as soon as we know if your holiday has been affected by email. 

We are continually reviewing our flying schedules, taking into account the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice against all non-essential travel. Depending on when you are due to travel, your holiday may be affected and we’ll email you to let you know as least 21 days before travel.

Let’s talk


If you need to speak to us to change or cancel your booking you can call our team on 0344 472 9646 or chat to us on SMS/Whatspp via Manage my booking.

For the latest information on Covid-19 you can check our FAQs here.

Payment flexibility


Don’t worry if you’ve missed a payment or just need a little more time to pay; we have options available to help you. If your holiday is going ahead as planned, you can continue to pay for your holiday in Manage my booking, even if travelling in less than 12 weeks. If you’re unsure, you can delay any additional payments by choosing a new time to travel by requesting a call back in Manage My booking for one of our team to look at options. If your holiday is more than 6 months away, you may wish to set up a Direct Debit to spread the cost. This can be arranged whilst rebooking or afterwards in Manage my booking.

We're flexible with your holiday plans


We understand that you may wish to change your holiday plans and we appreciate the need for flexibility. 

We'll be in touch by email letting you know how to register to change your holiday plans. You can also log into Manage my booking to find the details there. 

Please look out for emails from us or visit our dedicated Covid-19 (Coronavirus) page for the latest updates.

You're holiday is going ahead as planned


If we haven’t notified you of any changes, your holiday will be going ahead as planned but if you prefer to move your holiday to a later time we can help. You can call our team on 0344 472 9499 who can look at options for you.

Thank you for your patience and understanding


Payments are being prioritised based on when the request was made, working in order from March 2020 onwards. We will always try to process refunds at the earliest opportunity, for requests before August our maximum timeframe is 120 days. As we are steadily reducing the maximum processing time for each new request, for refund requests made in August, we expect the maximum processing time to be 80 days, from the date the refund is requested. For those requesting a refund in September, we expect it to be processed within a maximum of 60 days, and then reduce to 30 days for refunds requested in October, before returning to normal levels.

We'll be in touch soon


To finalise the amendment, one of our customer advisors will phone you. We need to work through amend requests in departure date order so we can prioritise those with the most imminent travel plans, so you may have a longer wait than usual until we’re able to ring you back. We will help everyone that wants to move their holiday.

I returned early from holiday and have further questions?


You can contact our team by emailing feedback.backhome@virginholidays.com to discuss options on unused portions of your holiday. If you need to contact our team about amending an existing holiday or requesting a refund please log in to manage my booking.

I am currently on holiday and I need to speak to someone


The easiest way to contact us while you are away is via WhatsApp. To get the conversation started, click the link and type "hello” .

or you can get in touch with our in-resort team during local opening hours

Find contact details for your location

Outside of local resort office hours you can call us in the UK +44 (0) 344 472 9626 (option 2) or email us duty.office@virginholidays.com

If you are in the USA or Canada please email: USAreps@virginholidays.com.

We're flying you to virginatlantic.com

Explaination text....

Continue to virginatlantic.com

Need help?

Talk to an expert

Call us directly

Feel free to call us directly on
01234 567784
Our travel experts are on hand to help you book your next holiday.

Send us an email

Feel free to email us directly on
XXXX@virginholidays.com
We will try to respond to your email within 24 hours.