San Francisco

If you're going to be spending any time in San Francisco then we definitely recommend the San Francisco CityPASS. It includes unlimited bus and cable car rides for seven days, and almost half-price discounts on some of the major attractions including the wonderful California Academy of Sciences and the Aquarium of the Bay.

Allow a half-day to take full advantage of the visit, as you can join a tour of the island led by a park ranger to learn all about the plants and the wildlife. Check on the schedule when you arrive, as there are also talks and demonstrations at set times, and you should take in as much as you can. The main tour of the prison is a self-guided audio tour, which is included with the admission price and includes powerful accounts by former inmates and guards about life – and death – in Alcatraz. Evening tours are especially good, with the bonus of terrific night-time city views on the return ferry.

Booking Tickets
Booking in advance is recommended, even during quiet times of the year, as this is one of San Francisco's most popular attractions. Tickets for the ferry and admission to the island can be booked online in advance at the Alcatraz Cruises website

Cable Cars
Visit San Francisco and not take a cable car? Oh, come on. You can get your ticket on board so just jump on, especially if you're heading up one of the steep San Francisco streets. It's not laziness. It's culture! San Francisco's cable cars are the only things that move that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Chinatown
One of the most enjoyable and fascinating Chinatowns in the whole of the United States (sorry, New York), a visit here can take you at least a day. You'll want to eat lunch and dinner here, of course, and allow time to see the various museums and cultural centers, temples and shops, not to mention the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory for a free tour. Check our recommendations for the best Chinatown restaurants here.

Cycling
Read Rich Grant's account of Cycling Round San Francisco Bay.

Fisherman's Wharf
San Francisco's Number One visitor attraction, and OK, it is touristy, but it mixes that with still being a genuine fishing wharf. Don't listen to what other people say about it, go and find out for yourself. You may love it, you may hate it, but it's an essential part of any visit to San Francisco. You can dine in fancy seafood restaurants or just eat street food and watch the buskers, then go buy a tacky t-shirt.

The Golden Gate Bridge
Drive it, walk it, cycle it, or even take the local bus (which stops at the Toll Plaza), but whatever you do, don't miss it – as if you could. Your first view of the Golden Gate Bridge is like seeing the Grand Canyon or the Eiffel Tower for the first time – unforgettable. This beautiful structure took four years to build, and it was opened in 1937. Try to get over to the Marin County side for the great view back towards San Francisco, the city by the bay.

Golden Gate Park
The Golden Gate Park isn't by the Golden Gate Bridge but is west of Haight-Ashbury and covers a massive 1017 acres. Within that there are several separate attractions, including the Japanese Tea Gardens, the Conservatory of Flowers, The Beach Chalet, Buffalo Paddock, de Young Museum, Shakespeare Garden, Stow Lake, a golf course, and the Strybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.

San Francisco Sightseeing Tours

Whale Watching
See the Whale Watching in California page.

Custom Search