Tucked into the top of a peninsula on America's Pacific Coast, San Francisco is a busy, exciting city of a manageable size, easy to get around, bordered by water on three sides, with the Golden Gate Strait crossed by the famous red bridge.
For the older visitor, the names of its districts will recall memories of the sixties – from the hippie drag of Haight-Ashbury to the home of the gay rights movement, Castro, to North Beach, where the Beatniks hung out. More recently, the place to be is the multicultural Mission, while SoMa (south of Market) is popular with techies.
The city is famously hilly, but the city's Muni bus and cable-car networks can help whisk you around. There are plenty of things to do in Frisco, from a visit to the rock of Alcatraz to the simple pleasure of a ride in a vintage streetcar. San Francisco attracts nearly 17 million visitors every year. It bristles with top-quality restaurants, artisan coffee shops, sidewalk cafés, excellent museums, charming gardens, hidden stairways and eclectic shops, making it a paradise for the curious. San Francisco events such as the zany Bay to Breakers race, sing-along musicals and the colourful, cacophonous Chinese New Year parade tap into the city’s unique character.
Golden Gate Bridge
Walking or biking across the bridge is a must. From the east side, you can marvel at the soaring towers, the city skyline, the Marin Headlands and the Pacific Ocean stretching to the horizon. The most photographed bridge in the world, the Golden Gate never fails to thrill—even when it’s shrouded in a blanket of fog.
Alcatraz
Image Credit: Tim Parkinson (Cropped)
The formidable fortress in the middle of San Francisco Bay known as “The Rock” was once a maximum-security prison that housed notorious inmates such as Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly and Robert “the Birdman” Stroud. Haunting at any time of day, the very popular night tour adds an extra layer of chill—especially on creepy, foggy evenings. For the full effect, get the audio cellhouse tour narrated by former inmates and guards, which recounts harrowing tales of prison life and tragic attempts to escape.
The Hills
Image Credit: Chris Yunker (Cropped)
Heads are perpetually in the clouds atop San Francisco's 43 hills. Cable cars provide easy access to Russian and Nob Hills. Splendid panoramas reward the climb up to Colt Tower – but the most exhilarating highs are earned on Telegraph Hill's garden-lined stairway walks and windswept hikes around Land's End.
The Streetcar
Image Credit: mariordo59
Tourists might well opt for a “Grayline” bus, but a far more interesting alternative is a vintage streetcar. For a couple of dollars (less for senior citizens and youngsters) you can take a streetcar for a grand tour of Civic Center, Downtown and Fisherman’s Wharf. Some of the colourful trolleys that trundle along Market Street were actually brought in from European cities such as Hamburg, Blackpool and Milan. There’s even an original New Orleans streetcar which has been named Desire, though in fact “Desire” was originally just a destination board attached to any New Orleans tram that was travelling to Desire Street. The cars have been lovingly restored and each still bears the markings and design details of its native city.
First Thursday Art
On the first Thursday of every month, something like fifty of the city’s art galleries and dealers stay open until about 7:30pm. The scheme is sponsored by the San Francisco Art Dealers Association and you can tour around the venues with them until closing time. If you’re an art lover, this provides you the opportunity to plan a nice long day enjoying the various venues, often with wine and snacks included, with no pressure to buy. There are lots of other conducted tours and walks available - have a look at the Time Out website.
California Academy of Sciences
Architect Renzo Piano's 2008 landmark LEED-certified green building houses 40,000 weird and wonderful animals in a four-story rainforest and split-level aquarium under a 'living roof' of California wildflowers.
Detour
Detour provides a tour commentary via your smartphone. It’s location-aware, so the audio stays in sync with your precise position. You can even sync up with friends via Bluetooth for a group Detour. There are currently ten tours in the San Francisco package, including Fisherman’s Wharf as seen through the eyes of fishermen and a satirical romp through the bakeries of the Marina District with absurdist German philosopher and “former Rhineland liver farmer” Ulrich Fürst. More info at www.detour.com.
Eat/Drink
Yank Sing dumplings
Exceptionally fresh and flavorful dim sum. Favourites include shanghai dumplings with pork, scallion, ginger and a shot of hot broth.
A Mexican Wrap
Go to the Mission District and choose from dozens of eateries. The steamed tortilla—packed with of meat, cheese, beans, rice, guacamole and salsa fresca—was first introduced in the city circa 1969.
A Hand-crafted Cocktail
Fresh-squeezed citrus, market-fresh herbs and an encyclopedia of hand-blended and artfully infused ingredients can be found on many bar menus around town.
Picnic at the Presidio
On Sundays from April through October, a food truck gathering known as “Off The Grid” offers, with dozens of food vendors, free lawn games, live music and a “bubble bar” on the expansive lawn of the Presidio’s Main Post, overlooking the Golden Gate.
Chinatown
Crowded, chaotic and compact, San Francisco’s Chinatown is a feast for the senses. Enter through Chinatown Gate on Grant Avenue and browse the souvenir stops for kitschy trinkets and imports. Then head to Stockton Street for a taste of the real, working Chinatown, where residents shop for ginseng and herbal remedies. Stop for a bite at one of innumerable eateries, including Yuet Lee for superb seafood.
The Big One
It’s almost certain that the San Francisco and Los Angeles area of California will experience a serious earthquake in the relatively near future. Statistically, a serious quake around magnitude 8 happens every 110-140 years and the last one was in 1906. Exactly where it will strike is impossible to predict but there’s no doubt that a lot of damage will be done to the infrastructure of this area and that many months of hardship will follow. As a tourist, try not to worry.
Image Credit: Nan Palmero
Title Image Credit: Simon Barber (www.flick.com) (Image Cropped)