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San Francisco sightseeing is a hugely rewarding experience and, if you enjoy walking between the sights, a physically demanding one, too. Few cities have hills as steep as this, but mercifully the cable cars are a practical and fun way to travel up and down the rises.There are a number of world class sights: take a stroll around Golden Gate Park, while enjoying glimpses of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge; then catch a cable car up the steep hills to Chinatown, and the stunning Aquarium, before taking a long lunch at Fisherman's Wharf, the city's most popular attraction.
Perhaps the best of sightseeing in San Francisco is simply being in the city and experiencing its welcoming atmosphere while enjoying the charming architecture and splendid natural scenery.
If you're planning a very full day of sightseeing, consider the Go San Francisco card which provides a range of discounts and preferential access to attractions. Prices start from $20 per day: www.gosanfranciscocard.com.
The rust-coloured towers, graceful suspension and supportive cables of the Golden Gate Bridge make this famous symbol of San Francisco the most photographed bridge in the world, and visible from almost any high point in the city, although it is often shrouded in rolling... see full details
Out in the middle of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island, or ‘The Rock’, is one of Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s most popular destinations. The notorious escape-proof island with its dreaded maximum-security prison once held the likes of Al ‘Scarface’ Capone, George ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly and... see full details
Some people love the bustle of Fisherman’s Wharf, while others make a conscious effort to steer well clear of it. But for better or worse it is massively popular, attracting more visitors than any other city sight, with Pier 39 the commercial tourist epicentre.... see full details
Between Russian and Telegraph Hills, North Beach is San Francisco’s ‘Little Italy’, that has long been the central hub for anyone with alternative inclinations. During the 1950s the pleasure-seeking, non-conformist lifestyle of the Beat Generation and their rebellious literature contributed to the neighbourhood’s unconventional character... see full details
Of the many open green spaces in San Francisco, Golden Gate Park is the biggest and the loveliest stretching from The Haight to the Pacific Ocean, featuring gardens, lakes, numerous sporting facilities, and museums. On Sundays the main drive is closed to traffic and... see full details
One of San Francisco’s most endearing attractions is its network of 130-year-old cable cars, the only mobile National Historic Landmark in the country, and the world’s only surviving system of cable cars. Many cities adopted the system, but all have since been replaced by... see full details
Located inside the Palace of Fine Arts, the Exploratorium is known as the museum of science, art and human perception, and is a leader in the movement to promote museums as educational centres. Named San Francisco's best museum, the Exploratorium is a fun, quirky... see full details
The Aquarium of the Bay features 300 feet (91m) of crystal clear acrylic tunnels through which over 20,000 aquatic animals can be viewed. The aquarium offers visitors the opportunity to come face-to-face with the Bay's largest predator, the sevengill shark, as well as touch... see full details
Anyone who has ever seen an episode of the 90s sitcom 'Full House' will know what Alamo Square looks like. It is a residential neighbourhood and park in San Francisco, frequented by tourists, neighbours and dog-owners. The park features a playground as well as... see full details
A dragon-draped archway at the intersection of Bush and Grant streets marks the entrance to Chinatown in San Francisco, the oldest Chinatown in the United States and the largest Chinatown outside of Asia. Chinatown draws more tourists than the Golden Gate Bridge with its... see full details
Known as the 'Crookedest Street in the world', Lombard Street features eight sharp hairpin turns. The road was designed in 1922 in order to reduce the 72 degree slope of the hill and make it more usable for cars as well as pedestrians.... see full details