Visiting San Francisco - What to See and Do
(San Francisco International Airport SFO, California - CA, USA)
There are a number of enticing features and attractions that combine to make The City by the Bay one of America's premier visitor destinations. San Francisco is aesthetically impressive, with its steep hills overlooking San Francisco Bay, iconic cable cars and the impressive Golden Gate Bridge.
It also boasts some world-class attractions including notorious Alcatraz, the Hakone Japanese Tea Garden, Aquarium of the Bay and zigzagging Lombard street. When it comes to dining, San Francisco is the nation's trendsetter, with approximately 4,500 restaurants, bars and cafés offering exciting menus to cater for all tastes and budgets.
Ten things you must do in San Francisco
- Take a San Francisco Fire Engine City Tour; it's a unique way to see the city and you also get to dress up like a fireman.
- Zigzag your way down Lombard street, probably the world's most 'bendy' street that was originally built with curves because the hill was too steep for San Francisco's horses to manage.
- Discover the creatures of the deep at the Aquarium of the Bay, with its wealth of marine life ranging from tiny fish to big sharks.
- Shop till you drop at Ghirardelli Square, with its great range of shops and galleries.
- Take a night tour of Alcatraz Island and visit parts of the prison not available to tourists who visit during the day.
- Enjoy superb views of the bay and the city from Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill.
- Check out the sea lions who have chosen to make their home on floating platforms around Pier 39 at Fisherman's Wharf.
- Head to monumental Golden Gate Bridge and take in some of the spectacular views from its lookout points.
- Learn more about the city you're in at the fascinating Museum of the City of San Francisco.
- Escape the pace of urban life at San Francisco's most tranquil spot, the Hakone Japanese Tea Garden.
