San Francisco Travel Guide

San Francisco, the ‘City on the Bay’, offers the visitor many diverse and interesting districts in a relatively compact area – making exploring this great city easy and fun! From the bustle of Chinatown to the designer shopping in Union Square, the fabulous restaurants to the character of Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco will capture your heart too! Not to be missed is a trip to Alcatraz and the stunning views from Golden Gate National Park.

Of all the sights around San Francisco, the ubiquitous cable cars are unquestionably one of the most famous. Providing not only a great tourist attraction, their mode of transport is a practical and efficient means of journeying around the city, calling at all of San Francisco’s major sightseeing stops.

One ‘port of call’ is Lombard Street, known as the world’s most crooked street, the top of which affords breathtaking views of the city and the beautiful bay.

The Golden Gate Bridge is arguably San Francisco’s most famous land mark, a drive across which is an unforgettable experience. You can also walk across – no charge – but be prepared for the chill of the winds blowing in from the Pacific!

Situated in San Francisco Bay is the island of Alcatraz. “The Rock”, as it is known, was home to America’s most notorious criminals. Although the prisoners have long since left, the island has a great story to tell and is definitely worth a visit, prebooking is advisable.

One of the liveliest areas of the city is Fisherman’s Wharf, with Pier 39’s restaurants, bars and fascinating shops as well as the opportunity to view of some of the Wharf’s more famous residents; a colony of sealions.

Union Square is one of the top shopping areas in the US, with world-famous stores such as Macy’s, Tiffany’s and Saks Fifth Avenue, whilst some of the city’s finest restaurants are also located here.

An added advantage is that this is one of the main ‘turn-around’ points for the cable cars.

The “Cheesecake Factory” is located in Macy’s, and offers some scrumptious food! Treat yourself, as afterwards you can walk off the calories by exploring nearby Chinatown.