THINGS TO DO IN SAN FRANCISCO

Stretched across 7 miles, San Francisco is packed with activities that would please foodies, outdoorsy types and curious wanderers of all ages. Some of the San Francisco attractions include – the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Ferry Building Marketplace, Twin Peaks, Golden Gate Park, and many more.

Golden Gate Bridge

The orange arches amidst the rocky seascape of the San Francisco Bay have made the Golden Gate Bridge the most popular San Francisco attraction. The name has been referred to the body of water it spans. It was built to travel between San Francisco and Marin Country. The best shot of the bridge can be seen from the Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point which is situated on a hill overlooking San Francisco. One can find some scenic trails which lead to secluded beaches – Kirby Cove and Black Sands Beach.

Ferry Building Marketplace

San Francisco attraction, the Ferry Building Marketplaces, is popular amongst foodies. It is a public food market featuring small restaurants, grocery stores and snack stops. You can find variety of staples such as Mexican food, seafood, burgers, Japanese delicatessen, nut shop and a cheese and dairy bar. It is an impressive fact that despite having the formal restaurants, the visitors love to pick up to-go meal and enjoy it along the scenic waterfront. Just avoid coming on the weekends as you will end up standing in long queues. The market is open from 10am to 7pm, the farmer market from 10am to 2pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 8am to 2pm on Saturdays.

Golden Gate Park

This San Francisco attraction is equivalent to California’s Central Park, about 174 acres bigger. It takes a full day to experience so many things offered by this park. Within its evergreen borders are trails, playgrounds, sports, picturesque picnic spaces, gardens, sports courts, museums and more. The best part is the Japanese Tea Garden, serving as the oldest Japanese Garden in the USA. The Conservatory of Flowers is another standout which is the oldest existing public conservatory in the Western Hemisphere.

There is the California Academy of Sciences that features – planetarium, an aquarium, natural history museum and the Osher Rainforest that houses 1,600 live animals.

The Exploratorium

Also known as “a learning laboratory”, this San Francisco attraction consist of 600 hands-on exhibits covering various subject matter – psychology, engineering, biology and geography. There are six main galleries, highlights include – the tactile dome, the pitch-black sphere, the colored shadow area, and the 10,000-toothpick sculpture of San Francisco. It not only attracts children but also people of different ages.

Cable Cars

The Cable Cars is one of the most popular San Francisco attraction seen in a television show or a movie. It has been given the title of a National Historic Landmark in 1964. The history reveals that the cable car was conceived by Andrew Smith Hallidie after he witnessed an accident involving a horse-drawn buggy trying to climb a steep San Francisco hill and failing. Approximately, nine million visitors ride the cable in a year.