San Francisco with it’s many neighborhood is meant to be experienced organically. Many of the tourist attractions a spread around town and originally intended to be used for transportation, boating and incarceration.
Alcatraz: More than just a notorious prison, Alcatraz Island is a rich cultural and ecological destination that spins a unique tale of growth, destruction, and rebirth.
Golden Gate Bridge: No image of San Francisco is more iconic than that of the Golden Gate Bridge. Its 4,200-foot span used to be the largest in the world and is a great place for fitness and photo ops alike.
Golden Gate Park: More than 200 acres larger than New York’s Central Park, Golden Gate Park in the western part of the city is the ultimate urban retreat. Spend the day amongst ecological beauty and rich cultural wonder at Golden Gate Park.
Cable Cars: San Francisco cable cars may be one of the most popular emblems of this city and can be used both as an additional tourist attraction as well as a legitimate way to get around town.
California Academy of Sciences: As one of the premier natural history museums in the country, the 400,000 square foot California Academy of Sciences offers guests a great way to learn and have fun at one of San Francisco’s hottest areas, Golden Gate Park.
Legion of Honor: Deemed the Most Beautiful Museum in San Francisco, a visit to the California Palace of the Legion of Honor gives guests not only spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Lincoln Park, but also the chance to see famous art that covers 4,000 years of human history.
Exploratorium: Calling itself a “learning laboratory,” the Exploratorium is a truly unique place to experience science, art, and learning. With a brand-new location on Piers 15 and 17 featuring over 600 hands-on exhibits, there is something for everyone at this amazing cultural institution.
Palace of Fine Arts: One of the last remaining artifacts of the Panama-Pacific Exposition of 1915, the Palace of Fine Arts is a unique architectural and cultural area to visit while in San Francisco that also houses a 950+ seat theatre with regular performances.
AT&T Park: As the home of major league baseball’s San Francisco Giants, AT&T Park offers visitors the option of catching a game, touring its many nooks and crannies, or participating in one of any number of additional sporting and musical events hosted throughout the year.
Asian Art Museum: Most art museums only tangentially feature Asian art, but not the Asian Art Museum. This amazing cultural institution offers one of the most extensive collections of Asian art in the world helping spread awareness and appreciation of this rich fine arts tradition to visitors and residents of San Francisco.
Angel Island State Park: Known to many as the “Ellis Island of the West,” Angel Island offers visitors a host of opportunities for outdoor recreation and historical education. Located in the middle of San Francisco Bay, it is just a short ferry ride away.
de Young Museum: West of the Mississippi, there is no fine art museum that is more famous or more lauded than the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum in Golden Gate Park. Offering a fine collection of American and primitive art, this is a great place to spend the day.
Conservatory of Flowers: Combining natural beauty with stunning architecture and the largest publicly held collection of high-altitude orchids in the world, the Conservatory of Flowers is a beautiful, photographic wonderland that is worth the trip for any nature lover.
Japanese Tea Garden: Take a trip to Japan without ever leaving California. The authentic Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park offers visitors a unique, contemplative atmosphere amongst unparalleled surroundings. It is a great stop while touring the city.
Lombard Street: Lovingly billed as the crooked-est street in the world, the eight hairpin turns that make up Lombard Street between Hyde and Leavenworth Streets are a unique feature of the city worth visiting.
SFMOMA: As the first institution dedicated to modern art on the West Coast, SFMOMA has a rich history of breaking ground and setting standards. Offering viewers a unique experience as it moves around the city for 2+ years during a phase of rebirth, a chance to see this museum’s holdings is truly special.
Coit Tower: With some of the best views in town, the 210-foot Coit Tower that stands at the apex of Telegraph Hill is more than just another landmark. This icon of the San Francisco skyline also tells a special story of the city and one amazing woman who lived in it.
Pier 39: Located at the crossroads of many other famous city attractions, Pier 39 offers shopping, dining, and entertainment for everyone and is a popular destination for locals as well as tourists.
The Wax Museum at Fisherman’s Wharf: As one of the flagship attractions at one of the world’s most visited tourist spots, the Wax Museum at Fisherman’s Wharf is a piece of San Francisco history. Featuring over 270 wax figurines over 100,000 square feet of space it offers a little something for everyone.
The Embarcadero: The seaside thoroughfare known as the Embarcadero offers visitors a place to stretch their legs, catch a view, and visit some of the most diverse shopping and dining locations in the city.
Haight-Ashbury: In a city filled with eccentricity, the historical significance of the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood is still unique. Playing an important role in 1967’s Summer of Love, today the area is home to a host of bohemian shops and interesting restaurants and a great place to take a walking tour.
Aquarium of the Bay: Located on San Francisco Bay and dedicated to the wild life that live in it, this world-class aquarium is a special place to go to learn about and truly appreciate the importance of a body of water to the city that shares its name.
Steinhart Aquarium: Housed within the California Academy of Sciences, the Steinhart Aquarium is known as one of the world’s most biodiverse aquatic centers. Visited as part of the whole CAS package, this is a great way to learn and experience undersea and near-the-sea life.
Monterey Bay Aquarium: Just 2 hours south of San Francisco, the city of Monterey, CA has a lot to offer tourists to the area including this world-class aquarium which is one of the most popular attractions in the entire state.
Bay Cruises: The relationship between The City by the Bay and the Bay itself is truly special and makes San Francisco stand out above many other California locales. Don’t miss the opportunity to see both the city and its bay from a whole new “perspective” through one of a number of well-respected bay cruises.
