Attractions
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.
Golden Gate Bridge
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 detailsAlcatraz
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 detailsFisherman's Wharf
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 detailsNorth Beach
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 detailsGolden Gate Park
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 detailsCable Cars
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 detailsExploratorium
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 detailsAquarium of the Bay
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 detailsAlamo Square
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 detailsChinatown
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 detailsLombard Street
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
