Guide to San Francisco | USIT work and travel

Girl stands on hill looking over San Francisco

The golden child

Your guide to San Francisco

From the counterculture legacy of Haight-Ashbury to the legendary, fog-bound Golden Gate Bridge, via the culinary playgrounds of the Bay, Mission and Chinatown – San Francisco has a sophistication and free-thinking spirit that puts it firmly on the map for grads and students looking for work.

Plus, it has some of the best technology and green energy jobs in the whole of America. Not to mention an enviable work-life balance, wwith some great breaks to hang ten in Outer Sunset and Ocean Beach, road trips along the scenic Pacific Coastal Highway, and hiking adventures and wildlife-spotting opportunities in Yosemite National Park.

Stunning setting near West Coast Beaches

Progressive and diverse neighbourhoods

Day trips to Yosemite, Lake Tahoe and Napa Valley

Hub of start-ups and creative tech

Legendary burritos and dumplings

Great variety of job opportunities

Why San Francisco?

The ghosts of railway tycoons and millionaires past linger atop swanky Nob Hill, while trawlermen continue to ply their trade at Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39, and San Franciscans proudly wave their rainbow flags in the Castro, one of America’s first LGBTQ+ friendly neighbourhoods. Chinatown, the largest Chinese community outside of Asia, is just one aspect of the city's vibrant multicultural heritage, and its home to some pretty incredible restaurants and eateries (duh).

You'll never run out of fun things to do or kooky people to meet here – whether you’re taking a wander around the candy-coloured townhouses of Telegraph Hill or bar-hopping in beatnik, bohemian North Beach. But it's not all hippies and renegades here. The wider Bay Area is home to Silicon Valley, the technology capital of the world, making San Francisco an ideal place to use your one-year Grad USA visa to intern in technology, engineering, computer programming or product design. Plus, there’s plenty of dollars floating around – winner!

Girl with bicycle stands in front of Golden Gate

Where to live in San Francisco

San Fran is renowned for its flavourful foodie scene, eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture, and its peninsular location surrounded on three sides by the waters of the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. Famously multicultural with a proudly immigrant and diverse population, you're spoiled for choice for cool neighbourhoods – with restaurants, arts venues and public spaces dotted about everywhere.

The Latin-infused Mission – one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods - is home to a young, stylish population, while the Marina has great nightlife. The spacious warehouses of SoMa (South of Market) are a favourite location for creative start-ups, while Lower Pacific Heights, Russian Hill and the area around Golden Gate Park are all great spots too.

Where to work or intern

San Francisco is best known as a hub of technology, so you'll be perfectly placed to build your career in IT, multimedia, computer programming, or research and development. Past USIT participants have used their 1-year Graduate visa, Professional Training or Internship USA visa to work in design, marketing, biomedical development, advertising and the arts.

Hospitality is big here too. San Francisco is, after all, one of the most visited cities in the US. With its Gold Rush roots, it's no surprise that finance remains a major industry here too, with multiple global banks headquartered here. San Francisco is bursting with creative and entrepreneurial individuals, so working here adds a definite flair and sophistication to your CV.

The average wage here per hour is give or take USD $15-20, and there’s also often perks such as complimentary housing, tips, staff meals and end of bonus contracts up to USD $500 here too. Each year, we have 1,000+ J1 jobs with our tried-and-trusted US employers across America. Book onto J1 early and select ‘USIT Job’ for access to our online Job Hub where you can search, apply and get hired.

Girl poses on sunny day over San Fran Bay

What about the climate?

The climate in San Francisco is typical of northern California and remains significantly cooler than southern parts of the state – including LA and San Diego. The climate is strongly influenced by the cool currents of the Pacific Ocean, which tends to veer towards moderate temperature swings with little seasonal temperature variations.

The city is famous for the frequent fog banks which envelop the city, and you can expect highs of about 21°C in summer and lows of 8°C in the winter. Dress in layers. Rainfall is rare between the months of May through to September, though it can reach highs of around 111 millimetres during January.

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Best things to do in San Francisco

Alcatraz

This famous ex-prison is one of San Fran’s most popular tourist attractions, and it’s easy to see why. Once home to the incarcerated Al Capone, one of the world’s most infamous gangsters, it now doubles as a museum, and you’ll be able to explore the cells once lived in by some of America’s most famous prisoners.

Girls stands in front of the Golden Gate

Golden Gate Overlook

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the world’s most famous bridges, spanning 1.7 miles long and reaching heights of up to 228 metres. In other words, it’s bloody massive, and the Golden Gate Overlook is quite possibly the best place in which to view it from. Even better – get here for sunrise or sunset and soak up some pretty Instagrammable or TikTokable-views.

SFMOMA

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One of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the whole of the US, the SFMOMA is home to more than 50,000 eclectic works of 20th century art from a wide range of artists all over the world. It offers a range of fixed and rotating exhibitions and is well worth a visit when you’re in ‘The Golden City’.

11th Street

If it’s nightlife that you’re looking for, then look no further than 11th Street. Based on the edge of the SoMa district, it’s home to legendary clubs like Audio with its one-of-a-kind sound system, and the gargantuan DNA Lounge. If you’re more into house and electronica, then don’t miss Halycon SF – which is the closest thing to a warehouse party you’ll find in the whole city.

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Ways to work in America

Whether you want to fund your summer on a J1, make a difference working at camp, or get ahead with a professional internship, trainee or grad visa – USIT is the home of working in the US.

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