While San Francisco, California, is a city that offers many world-class attractions,
luxurious accommodations, and tantalizing dining options, it's geographically fairly
small. In terms of area, it only covers about 49-square miles. But what it lacks in terms
of size, more than makes up for that in what it delivers. There is so much to see and experience
in this beautiful, bayside city. So, if you're planning a trip to San Fran anytime soon,
make sure you give yourself enough time to take in all that it has to offer.
San Francisco is bursting with character, dripping in culture, and oozing with history.
There are many different lively and colorful neighborhoods to explore, and you and your
family will absolutely fall in love with its scenery. San Francisco is known for its rolling
hills and its close proximity to the majestic Redwood forests, where some of the tallest
and oldest trees on the planet call their home. The bay that it's built alongside is
also equally gorgeous. And then you have the iconic and ever-so-impressive Golden Gate
Bridge, which no trip to San Francisco is complete without visiting.
San Francisco is also home to a whole slew of top-tier museums where you can learn all
about the city's history, its relationship to the famous Gold Rush of times past, and
many other fascinating topics that will invigorate your mind and broaden your horizons. And after
a day of exploration and entertainment, you'll be able to wet your whistle and grab a bite
to eat at some of the best bars and restaurants in the world!
Join Viewcation as we take a look at some of the best things to do and see in the San
Francisco bay area. We promise you that after watching this video, you'll be tempted to
book your flight and make hotel reservations because despite what you think you might know
about San Francisco, it's a city that always has room to surprise you!
Golden Gate Bridge
We'll go ahead and get this one out of the way, seeing as how it's one of the most famous
features of the city. Straddling the Golden Gate Strait, which connects the San Francisco
Bay to the Pacific Ocean, this iconic landmark connects San Francisco to the towns of Sausalito
and Marin.
The Golden Gate Bridge is easily walkable on foot, but it's also worth experiencing
by car or even bicycle. Really though, it's hard to simply describe this phenomenal structure
as it is really the kind of thing that you have to see to believe. It's about 2 miles
in length as well, which is pretty impressive considering how much traffic it sees on a
daily basis.
To learn a little bit about its history, visitors can check out the Welcome Center, where there
is a statue of the bridge's designer, Joseph Strauss. There, you should be on the lookout
for the plaques that describe its construction and purpose. And of course, you should probably
snap a selfie to show all your friends back home what you're up to.
At the Welcome Center, you can also sign up for a free walking tour of the bridge, which
will shed a little bit more light on its backstory.
Not to get too off-topic, but if you're enjoying this video so far, be sure to take a moment
to show us a little support by giving it a like and by subscribing to the Viewcation
channel! And don't go anywhere just yet. Keep watching to see some of the many other attractions
that make San Francisco one of our favorite vacation destinations.
Golden Gate Park
Stretching across over 1,000 acres of California countryside, this park offers so much to see,
explore, and do. It would literally take you days to experience all that it has to offer.
From trails to pristine picnic spaces to gardens and even museums, Golden Gate Park is jam-packed
full of fun activities for the whole family.
The Japanese Tea Garden is one of the standout attractions at the park. As the oldest Japanese
Garden in America, it's really a sight to behold. It's made up of five acres of well-manicured
gardens that are adorned with bamboo-accented walkways, koi ponds, cherry trees, and a five-story
traditional Japanese pagoda. There you will also find a Zen garden which is the perfect
place to stop and meditate. After you've pondered the meaning of life for a bit, unwind at the
tea house where you can try a pot of Pu-erh.
Alcatraz
Sitting on top of a tiny, rocky island in the middle of the bay, Alcatraz is known for
being the former site of a federal penitentiary that once housed some of the most notorious
criminals of the 20th century. Most notably, it's the prison Al Capone once called his
home. Before it was used for that purpose, Alcatraz was a military prison that incarcerated
prisoners of the Civil War as well as the Spanish-American War. It's also notable for
being the site of the West Coast's first lighthouse.
The prison shut down during both of these eras because of its high operational costs,
and it was put into the hands of the National Park Service back in 1972. Today, Alcatraz
welcomes about one million tourists per year.
Chinatown
While New York's Chinatown tends to get most of the attention, San Francisco's Chinatown
is equally as impressive. It's host to one of the largest communities of Asian people
outside of Asia. It's also one of the oldest Chinatowns in the US.
Immigrants from China first arrived in California during the Gold Rush. After they were ousted
from the gold mines due to racism and discriminatory legislation, the Chinese immigrants moved
to San Francisco to build businesses and a place of their own to call their home.
Since Chinatown only covers about 24 city blocks, it's easily accessible by foot. Grant
Avenue is the borough's main street, but the Chinatown Gate is where you'll find a wide
variety of gift shops. Waverly Place is home to the oldest Chinese temple in the country,
and Ross Alley is where you'll find the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, where you can
take a tour and see how these iconic Americanized treats are made. Throughout Chinatown, you'll
also find many excellent herb and spice shops as well as fantastic restaurants and cafes.
Ride A Cable Car
If you've ever seen a film that's set in San Francisco, then you've surely seen a cable
car before. These have been transporting people to-and-fro around San Francisco since the
late 1800s. The cars run on tracks, and they are pulled around by a massive system of underground
cables. Their distinctive bells can be heard jingling from blocks away, and they are fairly
inexpensive to ride on. Each trip goes just one way, but in the process, you'll be treated
to some of the most incredible views of the city that San Fran has to offer. Plus, ascending
and descending the city's famed hills Is always pretty thrilling in itself.
Fisherman's Wharf
Best known for being the home of the tourist gem Pier 39, excellent waterside restaurants,
sourdough bakeries, and a handful of museums, including Ripley's Believe it Or Not, Fisherman's
Wharf provides the classic San Francisco experience.
It's packed full of fun things to do for the whole family, and there are many quality hotels
in the area to stay in as well. Street performers can be seen lining the streets and walkways,
and a picture-worthy locale can be found just around every corner.
Visit Ghiradelli Square to satisfy your sweet tooth or grab a steam pot of Dungeness crab
and prawns if you're a fan of seafood. And don't forget to greet the sea lions that help
make this neighborhood one of the premier San Franciscan hotspots.
Lombard Street
Famous for its nickname of the 'crookedest street in the world', Lombard Street is one
of the most popular landmarks in the city. Annually, millions of visitors drive or walk
down its eight super-tight hairpin turns. It's surrounded on all sides by Russian Hill
mansions and beautifully landscaped greenery and flowers.
A visit here won't take up much time, but it's in close proximity to other notable San
Franciscan attractions such as Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, and the next destination
we'll be discussing North Beach.
North Beach
This neighborhood, which is sometimes called San Francisco's Little Italy, is predominantly
and historically populated by the city's Italian American residents. Here you can feast on
authentic pizzas and pastas, sip artisan cappuccinos, or enjoy a scoop of decadent gelato.
The Italian culture that can be experienced here is super colorful and endearing, and
there are a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and other establishments to visit. Visitors
that are into music, art, literature, architecture, and shopping could easily spend all day here.
Columbus Ave is North Beach's main drag, so that's a great place to start if you're looking
to stretch your legs and explore a bit. We highly recommend also taking a walk up the
extremely steep Filbert Street to see the architectural wonder that is Colt Tower – which
happens to be one of the most iconic features of North Beach's skyline.
Muir Woods National Monument
You can't visit San Francisco without taking in the sky-high Redwood trees! At Muir Woods,
which is just about 16 miles north of San Francisco, you'll get a chance to get up close
and personal with some of the state's most cherished flora. Plus, it's a great spot to
visit to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a bit.
The biggest redwood tree that can be found here is about 258 feet tall. To put that into
perspective, imagine 50 cars stacked on top of each other horizontally. Plus, some of
these trees are 600 to 800 years old!
Muir Woods, which is free to visit, has six miles of trails, however, none of them are
very challenging. If you're looking for a hike that is a bit more demanding, we recommend
venturing on over to the nearby Mount Tamalpais State Park.
While we would love to spend all day telling you about all the amazing sights and attractions
that await you in and around San Francisco, unfortunately, we're going to have to wrap
this video up.
What are you most excited to see on your next trip to San Francisco? And if you've already
been, what are some of your favorite attractions there? Let us know in the comments section
down below.
And before you go, make sure you take a moment to show us a little support by giving this
video a like and by subscribing to the Viewcation channel if you haven't already. While you're
at it, tap the bell to turn on notifications. That way, you can keep up with all of our
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As always, thanks for watching! And, Safe Travels!