Charismatic
and progressive, San Francisco is a compact city of hills surrounded on three
sides by water. Feel the cool,
salty air crossing the Golden
Gate Bridge to
Marin County or nosh on a burrito in the Mission. Experience the city's unique mix of
big-city buzz and laid-back joie de vivre.
Browse second-hand shops along Haight Street. Recite poetry in a North Beach coffeehouse. Walk along the beach, skate through
Golden Gate Park, stroll down Lombard Street, ride the cable cars, tour a
Victorian mansion or explore Alcatraz Island. Discover Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown and Nob Hill - just as you've seen them on the
silver screen.
San
Francisco Adventure
The
iconic Golden Gate
Bridge offers spectacular
views of the Bay and the city. The
vast Golden Gate
Park, an oasis of trees,
flowers, lakes and trails, is home to the De Young Museum, showcasing a stunning
collection of Pacific Islander art.
Take the Powell-Hyde cable car to Nob Hill for a breathtaking view of the
bay. A ferry to Alcatraz Island combines the experience of solitary
confinement with spectacular city views.
Stroll along Pier 39 and enjoy a seafood lunch, or grab a table and just
people-watch at a sidewalk café on Columbus Avenue.
Nightlife
& Party with Locals
Sip
a colourful martini while swinging to a jazz trio in North Beach, or catch a blues band at a Mission
District club. The venues clustered
around Union
Square and the Civic Center showcase the city's theatre, opera
and symphony. San Francisco bars provide
their own entertainment. Hide away
in a cave on Grant
Avenue, sample fine wines on Columbus Avenue or
nurse a cold beer over a televised game on Powell Street. The streets that lie between Geary Boulevard and
Nob Hill shelter dozens of bars, from trendy to eclectic.
Gourmet
Cuisine & Dining Out
San
Francisco
is famous for its seafood - freshly steamed crabs at Fisherman's Wharf. But that's only a fraction of its
culinary delights. You can find
everything from Parisian bistros and Basque cafés in the narrow alleys around
Union
Square to Mexican bakeries on 24th Street. The most popular places have a noisy,
relaxed and communal feel. A
thriving Latino community creates spicy salsas, grilled meats and fresh
tortillas. The city's large Asian
population means you can enjoy Chinese or Japanese one day and Thai, Korean or
Vietnamese the next. Nearby, the
world-renowned Napa Valley wine region north east of the city is truly a
Mecca for food
and wine lovers.
World
Class Golf Courses
San
Francisco
has a few beautiful golf courses.
One of the most lavish is the Presidio Golf Course. It is located just minutes from downtown
San Francisco,
this 18-hole course plays 6,500 yards of challenging golf winding through
beautiful Eucalyptus and Monterey Pine trees in the city's trademark hills. There are also two decent municipal
courses in town. The 9-hole Golden
Gate Park Course. All holes are par
3, and this course is appropriate for all levels. The course is a little weathered in
spots, but it's casual, fun, and inexpensive. It's open daily from sunrise to sundown.
The 18-hole Lincoln Park Golf
Course is San Francisco's prettiest municipal
course, with terrific views and fairways lined with Monterey cypress and pine
trees. The 5,181-yard layout plays
to par 68, and the 17th hole has a glistening ocean view. This is the oldest
course in the city and one of the oldest in the West.
Family
Holidays
With
its towers, sweeping cables, and majestic span across the mouth of
San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge is certainly one of the world's
most beautiful bridges. When it was built in the mid-1930s, it was the
longest suspension bridge in the world.
The Golden Gate remains one of San
Francisco's most iconic landmarks, stretching almost 2 miles to
Marin
County and soaring 4,200
feet above the bay. Most people
only see it through a car window, but take extra time and have a lot of fun by
crossing it using your own people-power instead.
The
kids will enjoy a totally unique perspective of San
Francisco and the San
Francisco Bay when you walk or bike across this
national treasure. Not only is it
thrilling to see the surging ocean currents at the mouth of the bay, it's also
spectacular to gaze at the handsome Marin Headlands to the north, the San
Francisco skyline to the south, and sailboats, ferries, and freighters (and a
surprising number of daring kite-boarders) zooming across the bay.
Part
of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Alcatraz Island is one of San
Francisco's (and California's) most famous landmarks. Rich in history, Alcatraz is home to the famous prison that once housed the
likes of Al Capone and George 'Machine Gun' Kelly. Alcatraz also features a lighthouse and
a historic U.S. military fort, plus one of the
best views in the Bay Area - if it's not foggy. Catch a ride on Alcatraz Cruises and
learn all about the Rock's famous residents. You'll also find rotating exhibits,
including information on historic events such as the American Indian occupation
of Alcatraz in the 1970s, fascinating military
history, and stories about the island's challenging living conditions. Audio
tours are excellent. Escape to
Alcatraz
Island, the kids will love
it!