Fisherman's Wharf

Fisherman's Wharf is one of San Francisco's most popular destinations. Visitors can explore the historic ship Balclutha at San Francisco's Hyde Street Pier. Originally called Meigg's Wharf, this bustling strip of waterfront got its present moniker from generations of fishermen who used to dock their boats here. A small fleet of fewer than 30 fishing boats still set out from here, but basically Fisherman's Wharf has been converted into one long shopping and entertainment mall that stretches from Ghirardelli Square at the west end to Pier 39 at the east. The Dungeness crab, a San Francisco favorite, accounts for about 99% of the crab catch on the Pacific. Watching the Dungeness crab being cooked and cracked is like a free show at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf and a popular attraction.

San Francisco's newest trolley car line, the F-line, has been expanded to run from Fisherman's Wharf to Castro Street. Service began in January 2000 and allows riders to see the newly remodeled Ferry Building as well as the recently revived Embarcadero.

A huge colony of sea lions moved into the marina at San Francisco's Pier 39 in 1989 and have been a popular attraction ever since. A fruit stand at popular Pier 39 in San Francisco boasts the latest harvest of the Golden State. Pier 7, the city's longest pier, is at the foot of Broadway just north of the Ferry Building.

Cable Cars

Passengers on San Francisco's Powell/Hyde cable car line are confronted by a sparkling seascape. The turn-of-the-century ferryboat moored at the foot of Russian Hill (left) is a floating museum. The islands in the background are Angel and Alcatraz.

Chinatown

A 1969 gift from the Republic of China, the dragon-crested gate at Grant Avenue and Bush Street is the front door to San Francisco's colorful, clangorous Chinatown. The first of the Chinese immigrants came to San Francisco in the early 1800s to work as servants. By 1851, 25,000 Chinese people were working in California, and most had settled in San Francisco's Chinatown. Fleeing famine and the Opium Wars, they had come seeking the good fortune promised by the "Gold Mountain" of California, and hoped to return with wealth to their families in China. For the majority, the reality of life in California did not live up to the promise. First employed as workers in the gold mines during the gold rush, they later built the railroads, working as little more than slaves and facing constant prejudice. Yet the community, segregated in the Chinatown ghetto, thrived. Growing prejudice led to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which halted all Chinese immigration for 10 years and severely limited it thereafter (the Chinese Exclusion Act was not repealed until 1943). Chinese people were also denied the opportunity to buy homes outside the Chinatown ghetto until the 1950s.

Today, San Francisco has one of the largest communities of Chinese people in the United States. More than 80,000 people live in Chinatown, but the majority of Chinese people have moved out into newer areas like the Richmond and Sunset districts. Although frequented by tourists, the area continues to cater to Chinese shoppers, who crowd the vegetable and herb markets, restaurants, and shops. Tradition runs deep here, and if you're lucky, through an open window you might hear women mixing mah-jongg tiles as they play the centuries-old game.

Castro Area

Castro Street, San Francisco's famous gay district, contains one of the renowned historical theatres in the City. Here, tourists gather under the marquee of the legendary theatre. The Castro Theater is home to several film festivals in San Francisco.

Golden Gate Park

Golden Gate National Park chronicles two hundred years of history, from the Native American culture, the Spanish Empire frontier and the Mexican Republic, to maritime history, the California Gold Rush, the evolution of American coastal fortifications, and the growth of urban San Francisco.

Conservatory of Flowers

The oldest structure in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park is the Conservatory of Flowers. An import from England, this glorious glass confection was completed in 1879 and is considered the Bay Area's most outstanding example of Victorian architeure.                                                  

Japanese Tea Garden

The 3.5 acre Japanese Tea Garden opened in 1894. Filled with koi-filled pools, streams, bridges, a pagoda, an 18th century bronze Buddha, and torii gates, this is a beautiful hideaway in San Francisco.

California Academy of Sciences

Four years and $500 million dollars later, but the results will wow you. It's the only institution in the world to combine an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum, and scientific research program under one roof, and what a roof it is -- a 2 1/2-acre undulating garden canopy carpeted with over a million plants and flowers. There's much to see and do at the Academy that you could easily spend an entire day roaming amongst the high-tech exhibits. Along with the brilliant de Young Museum and beautiful Conservatory of Flowers, it's yet another reason why everyone who's vacationing in San Francisco should spend at least one full day in Golden Gate Park.

Stow Lake

 in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park has rowboats and pedal boats available for rent.

Mission Delores

Established in 1776, Mission Dolores is the oldest building in San Francisco. Moorish, Mission and Corinthian styles combine in the church. Many pioneers are buried in the adjacent cemetery. Mission Dolores has survived four major earthquakes and is one of only two missions that have not been rebuilt. The Mission District is known for its colorful murals. This 2002 design by Precita Eyes' Martin Travers was applied to a security gate.

Baseball Park

AT&T Park More than 40,800 spectators fill San Francisco's AT&T Park, home of the Giants baseball team. The portion of the bay off right field is named McCovey Cove after Giants great Willie McCovey. San Francisco's AT&T Park is called "The Miracle on Third Street" because it is the first privately-funded baseball park to open in the United States in 40 years. On opening day, April 11, 2000, a capacity crowd of 40,800 spectators cheered the home team - the San Francisco Giants - as well as the completion of the city's newest landmark.

SFMOMA

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, or SFMOMA, has been a landmark of the South of Market, or SoMa, district since it opened in 1995. Designed by noted architect Mario Botte, it houses one of the most eclectic art collections in the world.

Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower

A city known for its great views and vantage points, Coit Tower is one of the best. Located atop Telegraph Hill, just east of North Beach, the round stone tower offers panoramic views of the city and the bay. Inside the base of the tower are impressive murals titled Life in California and 1934, which were completed under the WPA during the New Deal. They are the work of more than 25 artists, many of whom had studied under Mexican muralist Diego Rivera.

Haight-Ashbury

One of San Francisco's most famous districts, contains the former residences of many famous musicians, such as Janis Joplin. It remains one of the most diverse areas of the city, with 60's psychedelic shops cohabiting with current establishments.

Lincoln Park Golf Course

Lincoln Park Golf Course was the first public course in San Francisco when it opened in 1909.

Union Square

It is among the top four shopping areas in the nation. Boutiques, spas, galleries and San Francisco's only Frank Lloyd Wright building line nearby Maiden Lane, but it wasn't always so respectable. Once home to the lowest houses of prostitution, the former Morton Street was so depraved that even policemen hesitated to enter.

Ocean Beach

Ocean Beach stretches for four miles along San Francisco's Great Highway. This is a great location for watching the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean, though swimming is not advised.

Lombard Street

Known as the crookedest street in San Francisco, although the true title should go to Vermont St. The angle of the street is so steep that the road has to snake back and forth to make a descent possible. The brick-lined street zigzags around the residences' bright flower gardens, which explode with color during warmer months. This short stretch of Lombard Street is one-way, downhill, and fun to drive.

Yerba Buena Gardens

Yerba Buena Gardens is an urban oasis located south of Market St, a great place to relax in the grass on a sunny day and check out several artworks. The most dramatic outdoor piece is an emotional mixed-media memorial to Martin Luther King, Jr. Created by sculptor Houston Conwill, poet Estella Majozo, and architect Joseph de Pace, it features 12 panels, each inscribed with quotations from King, sheltered behind a 50-foot-high waterfall. There are also several actual garden areas here, including a Butterfly Garden, the Sister Cities Garden (highlighting flowers from the city's 13 sister cities), and the East Garden, blending Eastern and Western styles. May through October, Yerba Buena Arts & Events puts on a series of free outdoor festivals featuring dance, music, poetry, and more by the San Francisco Ballet, Opera, Symphony, and others.

San Francisco Zoo

Founded at its present site near the ocean in 1929, the zoo is spread over 100 acres and houses more than 930 animals, including some 245 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Exhibit highlights include the Lipman Family Lemur Forest, a forest setting for five endangered species of lemurs from Madagascar that features interactive components for the visitor; Jones Family Gorilla World, a tranquil setting for a family group of western lowland gorillas; Koala Crossing, which connects to the Australian Walkabout exhibit with its kangaroos, wallaroos, and emu; Penguin Island, home to a large breeding colony of Magellanic Penguins (join them for lunch at 2:30pm daily); and the Primate Discovery Center, home to rare and endangered monkeys. The 6-acre Children's Zoo offers kids and their families opportunities for close-up encounters with domestic rare breeds of goats, sheep, ponies, and horses in the Family Farm. Touch and feel small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians along the Nature Trail and gaze at eagles and hawks stationed on Hawk Hill.

Alamo Square Historic District (Postcard Row)

San Francisco's collection of Victorian houses, known as Painted Ladies, is one of the city's most famous assets. Most of the 14,000 extant structures date from the second half of the 19th century and are private residences. Spread throughout the city, many have been beautifully restored and ornately painted. The small area bordered by Divisadero Street on the west, Golden Gate Avenue on the north, Webster Street on the east, and Fell Street on the south -- about 10 blocks west of the Civic Center -- has one of the city's greatest concentrations of Painted Ladies. One of the most famous views of San Francisco -- seen on below -- depicts sharp-edged Financial District skyscrapers behind a row of Victorians. This fantastic juxtaposition can be seen from Alamo Square, in the center of the historic district, at Fulton and Steiner streets.

City Hall & Civic Center 

Built between 1913 and 1915, City Hall, located in the Civic Center District, is part of this "City Beautiful" complex done in the Beaux Arts style. The dome rises to a height of 306 feet on the exterior and is ornamented with oculi and topped by a lantern. The interior rotunda soars 112 feet and is finished in oak, marble, and limestone, with a monumental marble staircase leading to the second floor. With a major renovation completed in the late 1990s, the building was returned to its former splendor. Public tours are given Monday through Friday at 10am, noon, and 2pm.