With the diversity of the San Francisco landscape, you can climb a mountain before lunch, spend the afternoon in a first-class museum, and dine on world-famous Fisherman’s Wharf in the evening. The ability to enjoy so many different things within one city makes San Francisco one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.
Here are our top things you have to see when you visit San Francisco:
The Golden Gate Bridge
This bridge is one of the most recognizable destination landmarks in the world. Towering to the height of a 65-story skyscraper and spanning a remarkable 4,200 feet, this gateway bridge welcomes visitors to San Francisco.
Chinatown
This fascinating neighborhood supports an estimated population of 100,000 people, making San Francisco’s Chinatown the largest of any outside of Asia.
Alcatraz
Every visitor should see Alcatraz Island, located in the San Francisco Bay, and learn the history of this former federal prison, lighthouse, and site of the 1969 to 1972 Native American occupation.
Fisherman’s Wharf
As San Francisco’s most popular tourist attraction (and “tourist trap”), the wharf boasts a lot of activity. It’s a bustling place to spend a couple of hours on a cool boat ride, eating some warm sourdough or crab, or looking at the multitude of sea lions. However, keep your wallet close as the wharf also ranks high in scam artists and tourist rip-offs.
San Francisco Cable Cars
The city’s iconic cable car system is the world’s last one still being operated on a permanent basis. For a fee of about $5 for a one-way trip, you can take a nostalgic ride through some of the city’s most interesting streets. For the most authentic experience, stand on the running board and hold on to one of the outside poles. It’s something you’ll never forget.
Haight-Ashbury
This bohemian district (marked by the intersections of Haight and Ashbury Streets) gained fame as the epicenter for the hippie subculture of the late 1960’s. Today it remains a unique and interesting part of the city populated with independent businesses and restaurants.
Conclusion
Few cities in the world boast the eclectic blend of activities, architectural diversity, and the geographical variations that San Francisco offers. The city has successfully managed to blend their rich, historic past with a contemporary present – making San Francisco one of the nation’s most popular tourist destinations.
