Solo travel

I wasn’t too concerned for my safety. I mostly kept to myself. But I did see a lot of homeless people and that was the only time I felt a bit unsafe. Other than that, I was fine! People were generally kind but that’s because I smile a lot haha.

Group travel

I would recommend getting a rental car because it's just easier and you can go to different places faster. I really liked the Golden Gate Bridge and would recommend parking a little bit further away, there was a nice walk with great views from where we parked to the Bridge.

Solo travel

San Francisco is quite safe at the daylight. You can meet some homeless people, but they are not crazy. I recommend stay in when sun goes down or walk only in crowded areas. Downtown and Chinatown are pretty crowded.

Safety varies by neighborhood. Suburban areas are relatively safe. High traffic city spots require more vigilance. Do not engage with peddlers on the street. Never try to reason with an unruly person and public, find safety in places of business.

Parts of the city can be rough, there are homeless and folks doing drugs. I lived there for about 5 years, had crazy people yell at me, punched once in the chest by a man with MH issues and a friend had a cup of something thrown on her. Also, pickpockets on the wharf so keep your valuables in front or zipped up where people can’t grab it. Despite the craziness, once you get away from downtown there are nice quiet parts of the city, residential with families and parks. And the nice thing is you can easily walk or catch public transport to downtown.

It can be very safe aside from certain people on the streets who are intoxicated or inebriated. Sometimes they can be harmful but not if you mind your business. Aside from this walking alone being alone has always felt completely fine to me.