San Francisco, everyone’s favorite city, is located at the tip of a peninsula between
the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific coast. A compact city of steep rolling hills surrounded
on three sides by water, San Francisco is renowned for its summer fogs, Victorian architecture,
cable cars and beautiful vistas. Just remember: Don’t call it Frisco and do bring warm clothing.
The famous quote “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco” isn’t
from Mark Twain but it is a pretty accurate statement of the city’s weather. Here’s
a a look at the top tourist attractions in San Francisco.
Number 10. Palace of Fine Arts.
The only structure remaining from the 1915 World’s Fair, the Palace of Fine Arts features
a classical Roman rotunda with curved colonnades situated in an idyllic park setting with a
classical European-Style lagoon. It’s a great place to unwind, have a picnic, and
watch the swans float elegantly by. It also has a theater offering a variety of shows,
musical and cultural events.
Number 9. Chinatown.
Established in 1840s, San Francisco’s Chinatown is reputed to be the oldest and one of the
largest and most famous of all Chinatowns outside of Asia. Many of the Chinese who settled
here were merchants or immigrant workers, working on either the transcontinental railroad
or as mine workers during the Gold Rush. The tourist section of Chinatown is mainly along
Grant Avenue, from Bush to Broadway.
Number 8. Alamo Square.
The Alamo Square is a residential neighborhood and park that is best known for the famous
Painted Ladies row of Victorian houses on its east side along Steiner Street. There
are also many other pretty Victorians encircling the lovely park. The park includes a playground
and a tennis court, and is frequented by neighbors, tourists, and dog owners. On a clear day,
the Transamerica Pyramid building and the tops of the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge
can be seen from the park’s center.
Number 7. Transamerica Pyramid.
Located in the heart of the Financial District., the Transamerica Pyramid is San Francisco’s
other famous icon besides the Golden Gate. According to its architect, William L. Pereira,
a pyramid is the ideal shape for skyscrapers, offering the advantage of letting more air
and light in the streets below. Finished in 1972, the Transamerica Pyramid has a height
of 853 feet and is still the tallest building in the San Francisco skyline.
Number 6. Lombard Street.
Located between Hyde and Leavenworth streets, Lombard Street is famously known as the “crookedest
street in the world” although it is neither the crookedest street in San Francisco nor
the steepest. The one-block portion of Lombard Street that contains eight hairpin turns was
created to reduce the hill’s natural steep slope. The speed limit in this section is
a mere 5 mph.
Number 5. Golden Gate Park.
Once an area of sand dunes, Golden Gate Park is a large urban park with windmills, bison
and a carousel among its many attractions. It is about 20% larger than New York’s Central
Park, so unless you have a bike, you’ll want to plan which area you want to visit.
A popular tourist attraction is the Japanese Tea Garden with beautiful ponds, bridges,
and Japanese-style structures including a tea house.
Number 4. Cable Cars.
The world-famous Cable Cars run on three lines in the steep streets of San Francisco between
Market Street and Fisherman’s Wharf. These cars are a fun ride, especially if you get
to stand on the running board. They are perhaps a bit impractical for everyday use though
residents do, in fact, use them on a regular basis. The cable car is such an attraction
that, especially on weekends, it takes longer to wait in line to ride up Powell Street than
it does to walk the short but sloping distance.
Number 3. Alcatraz.
Often referred to as The Rock, the small island of Alcatraz served as a lighthouse, a military
fortification, and as a prison. It was home to some of the most notorious criminals of
the time including Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly. Surrounded by the freezing water of
San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz was believed to be inescapable. The most famous attempt was
carried out by Frank Morris, and brothers John and Clarence Anglin using an inflatable
raft made from several stolen raincoats. Today, the island is a popular tourist attraction
and a historic site. It is operated by the National Park Service and is open to tours.
Number 2. Fisherman's Wharf.
One of the most popular tourist attractions in San Francisco, Fisherman’s Wharf runs
all the way from Pier 39 through to Municipal Pier at the end of Aquatic Park. For over
a century its historic waterfront was the hub of San Francisco’s fishing fleet and
is still famous for having some of the best seafood restaurants in the city. Other tourist
attractions at the wharf include souvenir stores, historical buildings, scenic vistas
over the Bay and the famous sea lions at Pier 39.
Number 1. Golden Gate Bridge.
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the strait between
San Francisco and Marin County to the north. The bridge took four years to build, and was
completed in 1937. The Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge span in
the world when it was completed, and has become an internationally recognized symbol of California.
The famous red-orange color of the bridge was specifically chosen to make the bridge
more easily visible through the thick fog that frequently shrouds the bridge.