| Shop at Union Square, ride
a cable car, visit Coit Tower, walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, enjoy
fresh chowder at Fisherman's Wharf, take in a museum at Golden Gate
Park or take a ferry to Alcatraz where some of the most notorious criminals
were kept. There is so much to do and see in San Francisco you'll need
to pace yourself and then...see a Broadway show in the Theatre District,
shop at Pier 39 and Ghirardelli Square, drive down Lombard Street, or
visit the Fine Arts Palace. Have a great visit!
Attractions are listed alphabetically by Name:
Alcatraz Island
Middle of San Francisco Bay Fishermans Wharf
Alcatraz, Spanish for pelican, was named Isla de los Alcatraces after
the birds that were the only inhabitants. Closed in 1963, this federal
penitentiary once housed such well-known criminals as Al Capone, Machine
Gun Kelley and Robert "Birdman" Stroud.
Because of its rocky terrain and it’s location in the middle of
San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz was thought to be inescapable. Thus, its
inmates were the most notorious criminals and mobsters.
The 12-acre island is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area
and is accessible only by the Blue & Gold Fleet ferry which departs
daily from Pier 41 at Fisherman’s Wharf. Reservations are recommended.
Angel Island
Candlestick Point
Angel Island became a state park in 1954 when restoration of historic
sites began and a program of nature conservation was undertaken. The
740-acre island provides spectacular views of the entire Bay Area from
winding roads and trails for hikers and bikers. The ecology on the island
protects a variety of land and marine mammals, birds, and botanical
species. There are also some very comfortable beaches and picnic areas
for you to enjoy.
Bicycles are available for hire in Tiburon and on the island. Kayaking
tours are also available and there are guides stationed at historic
points across the island to help you with your navigational needs or
just to answer a question or two.
Beach Blanket Babylon
Club Fugazi 678 Green St.
North Beach
Hilarious, timely and outrageous. "Beach Blanket Babylon"
makes fun of our world and has a good time doing it, oh and there are
lots of very big hats. All shows except Sunday matinees, are for adults
21 and older as the show tends to be on the racy side.
Cable Cars
Victorian Park at Fisherman's Wharf, California, Hyde, Mason and Powell
Streets
San Francisco
Jump on a Cable Car and you will be riding on the only vehicle of its
kind still in operation. The cable cars are operated by the Muni transportation
system and rides cost $2.00 (no transfers accepted or issued). The original
cable cars began operation in 1873 and became the primary mode of transportation
until all the routes were destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. As the city
was reconstructed only a few of the cable car lines were rebuilt and
it seemed as if the cars had run their final routes. However, the city
began restoring the lines in 1982 and two years later the famed cable
cars began operating again.
Here’s where you can find cable car routes: The Powell-Mason line
runs from Powell/ Market streets, crossing over Nob Hill and then down
to Bay Street at Fisherman's Wharf. The Powell-Hyde line begins at Powell/
Market streets, crosses over Nob and Russian hills before ending at
Victorian Park in Fisherman's Wharf. The California Street line runs
from the Financial District, through Chinatown, over Nob Hill and stops
at Van Ness Avenue.
Chinatown
Chinatown
The entrance to Chinatown is not easy to miss. It’s located at
Grant Avenue and Bush Street and the festive pagoda shaped gates, with
their guardian dragons, catch your eye and beckon you to enter. Smell
the exotic aromas coming from Chinatown’s many fine restaurants.
Visit Portsmouth Square, the original settlement of the city’s
Chinese immigrants. Walk along Stockton Street that is still the location
of local Chinese commerce. You’ll find fascinating shops and markets
selling Chinese herbs, fresh poultry, fish, and produce, as well as
clothing and other merchandise. Don’t forget to try the dim sum!
Coit Tower
Top of Telegraph Hill
North Beach
Coit Tower sits on top of Telegraph Hill and is 210-feet high. Lillie
Hitchcock Coit, a well-known local philanthropist, left money in her
will for the beautification of the city. As a result Coit Tower was
built. Locals tell us that the tower is built in the shape of a firehose
because of Mrs. Coit’s admiration for the firefighters who fought
fires caused by the 1906 earthquake. The view from the top is truly
breathtaking. The tower also contains a museum with murals depicting
1930’s California.
Fine Arts Palace
3301 Lyon St.
Marina
Built in 1915 for the rebirth of the city after the 1906 earthquake
and for the Panama Pacific Exposition that celebrated the completion
of the Panama Canal, the Fine Arts Palace became a San Francisco landmark.
Because the structure was designed to be temporary, it soon began crumbling
and a group of philanthropists had it rebuilt in the early 1960's.
Inside is the Exploratorium, an interactive science museum as well as
a 1,000 seat theatre often used for dance events.
Fisherman's Wharf
Along Jefferson Street
San Francisco
Fisherman’s Wharf is located along Jefferson Street. In fact, the
stretch between Jefferson Street between Hyde and Jones is called "Fish
Alley" and you can see local fishermen at work if you get down
there early in the morning.
Buy a fresh Dungeness crab or a sourdough bowl of clam chowder from
the street merchants for a trip into the past, or sit in one of the
many restaurants and breweries that dot this stretch of road and enjoy
a fresh brewed pint of ale and watch the heartbeat of this historic
area pass you by.
Bring the kids because they’ll love the Ripley’s Believe it
or Not! Museum and the Red & White Fleet. If you want to see famous
people, pop into the Wax Museum where you’ll find movie stars and
U.S. Presidents. Or just keep an eye open, as a famous television show's
sound stage is located in the neighborhood.
Check out the World War II era submarine, the Pampanito. This gallant
gray lady, located on Pier 45, spent six tours of duty in the Pacific
sinking many an enemy ship.
If you’re still hungry, you’ll have your pick of restaurants
at the Anchorage and the Cannery. Shoppers will enjoy those places as
well as Ghirardelli Square, where the many varieties of Ghirardelli
chocolate can be purchased. The chocolate making machinery from the
original factory is on display at this lovely open air shopping area.
Ghirardelli Square
900 North Point St.
Fishermans Wharf
Ghirardelli Square in an excellent example of elegant Victorian architecture.
The original site of the Ghirardelli chocolate factory, this area is
now a major shopping attraction. You can still buy Ghirardelli chocolate
here and the hot fudge sundaes are not to be missed.
Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco
The Golden Gate Bridge is also known as Highway 101 North and connects
San Francisco to Marin County. The bridge is 1.2 miles long and took
over four years to build at a cost of $35 million. Many obstacles including
fog, high winds and the treacherous waters below, made construction
extremely difficult and dangerous, so much so that eleven workmen were
killed. Pathways are provided for cyclists and pedestrians.
This is a great place to view the city and the walk across takes about
an hour. Be sure to dress warmly, regardless of the time of year, because
it can get very windy up there. But don’t worry, the bridge can
withstand winds up to 100 miles an hours and can sway 27 feet. If you’re
driving across the bridge from Marin into San Francisco, there is a
$3 toll.
Golden Gate Park
John F.Kennedy Drive
Richmond
Golden Gate Park is a 1,017 acre city park and home to several attractions.
Wear your comfortable walking shoes because you’ll want to see
everything. For nature lovers there are beautiful wooded areas with
bike paths, wide grassy fields, lakes and ponds, and lush gardens with
a wide array of local plant life.
For museum buffs, there are several to choose from including the well-known
M.H. de Young Museum, the California Academy of Sciences that includes
the Morrison Planetarium, the Steinhart Aquarium and the Natural History
Museum.
You can enjoy several different types of flowers at the Conservatory
of Flowers, which is modeled after the Kew Gardens in London. In the
Strybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens you can wind your way through
the Garden of Fragrance, the Moon-Viewing Garden and the New World Cloud
Forest.
Take a break at the lovely and relaxing Japanese Tea Garden, a four-acre
sanctuary featuring soothing koi ponds, bamboo trees and traditional
Japanese architecture.
Go to Golden Gate Park’s west side to see the Dutch Windmill and
the historic Beach Chalet. Boat rentals are available at Stow Lake for
your paddling and rowing pleasure.
No, that’s not your imagination, there is, in fact a live herd
of bison grazing in a paddock just off Kennedy Drive. Locals don't even
blink an eye at seeing these big beasts in the middle of their city
park. Bison have been grazing there since the 1890’s. Take the
kids over to the beautifully restored Herschel-Spillman Carousel or
let them play in the playground.
Mission Dolores
3321 Sixteenth Street
Mission District
The Basilica Parish of Mission Dolores has a unique historic, religious,
and architectural significance. One of the oldest missions in Northern
California, Mission Dolores is a cultural landmark for many locals.
Today, besides being a destination for hundreds of thousands of San
Francisco visitors, Mission Dolores is an important part of the community
and the center of a vibrant and diverse parish.
Pier 39
Near the Embarcadero and Beech Streets
Fishermans Wharf
Pier 39 is a total tourist attraction with street performers, a carousel
and lots of kitschy shops. There are also many places to eat and great
views to Alcatraz and the Bay. If you promised to buy your cousin a
t-shirt, this is a good place to find it. Bring lots of cash as things
tend to be expensive there.
San Francisco Zoo
1 Zoo Road
San Francisco
The Zoo is being expanded to provide new attractions. In addition to
the regular Zoo attractions, they offer a 4 acre Children's Zoo where
there are smaller, less intimidating animals. Kids can feed and pet
the animals. The Doelger Primate Discovery Center is home to rare and
endangered monkeys, Rainbow Landing is a walk-through aviary where you
can feed colorful Australian lorikeets by hand as they land on your
arms and shoulders. Other new areas include the Auralian Walkabout,
Koala Crossing, Gorilla World and the Feline Conservation Center. Dress
for foggy weather.
SFMOMA
151 Third Street (between Mission and Howard Streets)
South of Market (SoMa)
As one of the world's most innovative museums of modern and contemporary
art, SFMOMA welcomes and invites you to come and explore what we have
to offer.
The museum hosts some of the finest works of modern, contemporary art
in the world, and certainly west of the Mississippi. Ansel Adams and
Swiss born Mario Botta have had exhibits here along with the likes of
Matisse, Judith Rothschild, Paul Kos and Nam June Paik. If these are
not enough, the building itself is a modern work of art, hosting a café,
coffee shop and plenty of souvenir opportunities. If you happen to be
in town, on the first Tuesday of every month the museum offers free
admission for all.
Theatre District
Walking distance from Union Square
Union Square
For theatre buffs, just minutes away from Union Square is the Theatre
District. You can see a Broadway hit or a local production at The Geary
Theatre, Mason Street Theatre, Curran Theatre and Theatre on the Square.
Union Square
Bordered by Geary, Post, Powell and Stockton streets
Union Square
Do you like to shop? Do you like to walk? Then Union Square is the ideal
place for you. Shoppers will delight in the many boutiques and department
stores located in this condensed area surrounded by Geary, Post, Powell
and Stockton streets. You’ll find well known stores like Neiman
Marcus and Macy’s, Tiffany, Gucci, FAO Schwarz and Niketown to
satisfy everybody’s tastes. The newest attraction is the DFS Galleria
which features a wide array of goods from all the best known Bay Area
attractions like the Napa Valley, Chinatown, North Beach and Fisherman’s
Wharf. You’ll find the DFS Galleria at the corner of Geary and
Stockton. |
