The Jewel Of California: San Francisco

San Francisco is a gem of the United States and the most gorgeous city. The Golden Gate Bridge is the icon of San Francisco and gives the marvellous look to the city.  California is filled with rich history, architectural marvels, beaches, parks, museums, great neighbourhoods and a full pack of entertainment.

San Francisco is influenced by Art deco landmarks with Victorian rooflines, wind-sculpted treetops. Hop on the historic cable cars for the city tour to Russian and Nob Hills, and picturesque panoramas view  

Discover more things to do and top tourist attractions to visit in San Francisco.

Golden Gate Bridge

TheGolden Gate Bridge is the most iconic and photographed site in the whole California state. One can have a glimpse on sunny days of the radiant orange colour of the Bridge. It's a completely free visit to this marvel at the feat and embraces the beautyof art-deco design and engineering. It’s heaven when the fog rolls in San Francisco vista and it is one of the most beautiful bridges in the world. It’s 1.7 miles across, it is possible to catch a bus back for a view. 

Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz Island is located in San Francisco bay and it is one of the most infamous prisons of the United States of America. The historic Alcatraz penitentiary was operated for thirty years, later on, it was closed in 1963 and re-opened as a tourist attraction in 1973. You take a ferry for this island and do the audio-guided tour here. The narration is voiced by former inmates and guards of Alcatraz, which offers a glimpse into life in the prison and a list of the historical facts.

Iconic Beaches

Beaker beach, Kirby Cove Beach and China Beach offers a panoramic view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Getting to these beaches requires a mile-long hike down and it is a great spot to relax & chill. If you want to play a game of volleyball in San Francisco, then Montara State Beach the perfect spot for you. If you are looking for a place for surfing in San Francisco, then you should visit Fort Point and Ocean Beach.

Legion of Honor

It is a marvellous neoclassical Beaux-Arts building in an amazing setting and it is San Francisco's most magnificent museum. The museum was designed as a replica of the Palais de la Légion d'Honneur in Paris and the Legion of Honor was the gift of the socialite, philanthropist, and patron of the art Alma de Bretteville Spreckels. The museum has a remarkable collection of European decorative arts, paintings, sculpture, and antiquities from the Mediterranean. The museum is in Lincoln Park, a green space with a golf course and coastal woodlands.

Art Galleries and Museums

San Francisco is flooding with wild, unexpected fine art museums and dozens of galleries. de Young Fine Arts Museum, Asian Art Museum and the Palace of Fine Arts are the most important Art Museums in San Francisco.

In Golden Gate Park, the de Young Museum is a fine arts museum that covers a variety of time frames and geographical locations.

Asian ArtMuseum was opened in 1966, with the basis of the collection of the art collector Avery Brundage and the museum has an extensive collection of sculptures, paintings, ceramics, bronzes and jade carvings.

The Palace of Fine Arts is the last remaining historic site from the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition.The palace has been restored, along with the grounds, and today hosts art exhibitions and performances.

Fisherman's Wharf

If this is your first visit to the city then you must visit this place. Fisherman's Wharf is one of San Francisco's most popular tourist area. The view from Pier 39 towards the city is amazing. Once Little Italy and this is the oldest section of San Francisco, is known for its restaurants, shops, and beautiful setting along the waterfront.

It's fun to stroll around here and taste some food & wine in the area. You can also take a boat ride or cruise for a panoramic view of the city. Some of the popular attractions in the area are Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, MuséeMécanique, Ripley's Believe it or Not! and Ghirardelli Square. Restored 19th- and 20th-century ships and WWII submarine line the waterfront at the Hyde Street Pier, which is now the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park.

Ride the Cable Car

SanFransisco is covered by many small hilly areas, so in 1873 cable cars were introduced to help locals connect with the hills the city is built on. Today, a few cable cars are remaining which offers to explore the historic part of the city. Since 1964, these tram-like vehicles were declared a historic monument and it is the only public transportation system declared monument because of unique distinction. The Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde are the most scenic routes and it connects major historic sites in the city.

Coit Tower

It is a 64 m long tower in the Telegraph Hill neighbourhood of San Francisco and it offers panoramic views of the city. It is the Art deco tower and the interior features fresco murals in the American Social Realism style, embracing San Francisco’s heritage of labour reform and dignifying the worker, the murals were created by 25 artists.

Twin Peaks

Both hills are more than 900 ft. high and they are uninhabited. You can have one of the amazing views out over the city and bay. You can drive to the north peak parking area, park your car, and soak up the pleasing view. Hiking is also possible to get up on the twin hill. San Francisco has 43 hills and it is one of the highest hills.

Chinatown

San Francisco's Chinatown is a whole other province. It is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia and the oldest of the kind in North America. It was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake, Chinatown was rebuilt entirely in the Chinese style and was soon even more attractive than before. In history, unique architectural strategy helped Chinatown carve out a place for itself under the threat of hate and violence. San Francisco’s Chinese business leaders had an idea for a fresh start a way to keep their culture alive, by inventing a completely new American-Asian culture.

Now visiting Chinatown has become one of the top things to do in San Francisco, It is filled up with temples, antique, souvenir shops, restaurants, teahouses, theatres, stores, and traditional pharmacies.

If you're planning to see the popular tourist attractions in San Francisco, the best place to stay is near Union Square. You'll find a plethora of hotels, restaurants, upscale shops, theatres, and galleries here. Heads are eternally in the clouds atop San Francisco's 48 hills. Cable cars offer easy accessibility to Hills, and magnificent panoramic views from up. There's another kind of high in San Francisco, marijuana is legal here for adults of age 18 and over with ID.

Microclimates add magic to San Francisco days, when it's raining in the outer reaches of Golden Gate Park, it might be sunny in the Mission. A few degree’s difference between neighbourhoods gives the green light for salted-caramel ice cream in Dolores Park. San Francisco is a large city built on hills with many uphill climbs so, it is preferable to rent a vehicle to explore and roam around the city.

Story written by Dhawal Goshar