Attractions in San Francisco

One of the most breathtaking structures in the world, the Golden Gate Bridge connects San Francisco and Marin Headlands, offering incredible views of the San Francisco Bay Area. The iconic, orange towers of the Golden Gate Bridge, the quintessential symbol of San Francisco, are visible from almost every high point in the city. The bridge, which spans 4,200 ft, opened in 1937. Driving or biking across is a thrill, racing under the towers, while the half-hour walk allows you to absorb its enormous size and wonderful views.

Golden Gate Park is the largest and most beautiful of San Francisco's parks. Spreading more than three miles west from the Haight as far as the Pacific, Golden Gate Park attracts throngs of joggers, polo players, roller-skaters, cyclists and strollers. The park also offers peaceful spots with excellent ocean vistas.

Experience the culture and character of Asia at restaurants, shops, markets, and bakeries of historic Chinatown. Visit the elegant Chinese Presbyterian Church and the Pacific Renaissance Plaza, which houses shops, restaurants, and the Oakland Asian Cultural Center.

San Francisco's Chinatown begins at the dragon-crested gate at Grant Avenue and Bush Street, a gift from the Republic of China in 1969. Chinatown's 24-square blocks in the middle of San Francisco boasts culturally unique stores, open markets and facades, resembling shopping in Hong Kong. Try Dim Sum, a traditional Chinese breakfast.

A landmark park in San Francisco, Union Square offers great shopping, an active theater district and high-end hotels.

Surrounding the park square are major department stores - Nordstrom, Macy's, and Emporium - luxury boutiques and superstores. Sporting new granite plazas, a new terraced stage on Post Street, light sculptures designed by artist R.M. Fischer, a new café and four grand entrance corner plazas bordered by the park's signature palms, the remodeled square pays captures the unique history and beauty of San Francisco. The Cable Cars and the city's most personalized walking tours (only $20) depart right from Union Square.

The first neighborhood in San Francisco to convert its Victorians into popular boutiques, art galleries and restaurants, Union Street's distinct turn-of-the-century atmosphere makes a walk along its streets is a delightful journey back in time from an architectural perspective.

Fascinating art stores and galleries are scattered about Union Street, where some of the city's most fashionable and upscale citizens live and play. The annual Union Street Spring Festival adds to the fun.

San Francisco's historic waterfront, Fisherman's Wharf is famous for seafood restaurants, unique shopping, street performers, live music and breathtaking Bay views.

Waterfront marketplaces include: The Anchorage, The Cannery, Ghirardelli Square and PIER 39. The Wharf's Fish Alley sells sole, shrimp, salmon, sea bass, squid and fresh crab. See a fleet of historic ships at Hyde Street Pier, a component of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, which includes the Maritime Museum.

The USS Pampanito, a WWII fleet submarine, may be boarded at Pier 45. Walk to the museums of Fort Mason and on to the expanse of parkland along the Marina District, which afford excellent views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Bay cruises depart several times a day from piers 39 and 41. Visit www.fishermanswharf.org.

Pier 39 is a year-round festival marketplace located right on San Francisco Bay. After an up-close look at a California sea lion, check out a street performance, more than 110 shops and enjoy a bite to eat at one of the pier's delightful restaurants. For more information, visit www.pier39.com.

The rocky islet of Alcatraz was America's most dreaded high-security prison in 1934. Surrounded by the freezing, impassable waters of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz made an ideal place to hold the nation's most wanted criminals - such as Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly.

Due to massive running costs, the prison closed in 1963. At least 750,000 tourists each year take the hour-long, self-guided audio tours of the abandoned prison, which include sharp anecdotal commentary and the chance to spend a minute locked in a darkened cell. Take the ferry from Pier 41 to Alcatraz Island and tour the historic cell blocks. For reservations, call (415) 705-5555.

A historic state park on San Francisco Bay, Angel Island offers tram tours, bike rentals, camping, and sea kayaking. Angel Island is a microcosm of U.S. history spanning from the Miwok Indian times through the Cold War. Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to sunset, year-round. Limited ferry service in the winter. For more information, call (415) 897-0715 or visit www.angelisland.com.

Candlestick Park has a long and colorful history as the home of the San Francisco 49er's. The championship San Francisco 49ers have won so many Super Bowls since their move to the world-famous stadium in 1971 that the sign in the parking lot reads "Home of the Super Bowl Champions."

Located in the southeast corner of San Francisco at Candlestick Point, Candlestick Park is the coldest, windiest and foggiest ball park in the U.S. Watching 49ers game here is an awesome experience, just don't forget a jacket! Ticket Office: (415) 656-4900.

Called baseball's perfect address, SBC Park - formerly Pacific Bell Park - opened in 2000 as the home of the San Francisco Giants and immediately became a landmark in a city of landmarks. With sweeping views of the city and bay and modern amenities, SBC Park is an incredible venue for sporting events, concerts and for watching the Giants swing into victory.

With downtown San Francisco on one side and the San Francisco Bay on the other, this classic brick baseball park is a unique and exciting destination, and the site of the 2007 All-Star game.

SBC Park is located in one of the sunniest, warmest areas in San Francisco. A unique public promenade has been developed along the waterfront from right field to center field where fans can watch the Giants game through a fence at no charge and where San Franciscans can enjoy new access to the bay 365 days a year. Ferries dock directly adjacent to the ballpark beyond the right field wall.

The San Francisco Zoo is Northern California's largest zoological park and conservation center. This urban oasis, nestled against the Pacific Ocean, provides a comfortable climate for 250 different animal species in naturalistic surroundings, and many Zoo activities and events.

The historic San Francisco Zoo is being transformed into the New Zoo, a conservation zoo that is dedicated to the preservation of wild places and wildlife. The new conservation zoo seeks to foster respect and appreciation of wildlife and to provide enlightening and awe-inspiring experiences for all ages.

The Zoo now boasts a new entrance, a host of new visitor amenities, a restored carousel, beautiful artwork, and a new exhibit featuring some of the most incredible animals on earth at the Lipman Family Lemur Forest.

One of San Francisco's most interesting attractions, Lombard Street is "The Crookedest Street in the World" because of its eight sharp turns on a treacherous 40-degree slope. Lombard Streetgoes all the way east, up Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower, and continues west down through the Marina to the Golden Gate Bridge. A walk in either direction makes for a pleasant hike.

To get to Lombard Street, take the Hyde St. Cable Car line, which stops on the crest. The best place to photograph Lomabard is from the bottom of Leavenworth St. looking up. Some of the most expensive real estate in the city exists on Lombard Street.

This Russian Hill neighborhood possesses stately mansions, condos and townhouses. In the spring and summer, Lombard Street is alive with color, as the chrysanthemums are in full bloom.

The Aquarium of the Bay is a unique educational and entertainment facility dedicated to the rich, diverse aquatic life of San Francisco Bay and surrounding waters. A window to the Bay, he Aquarium focuses on its distinctive ecosystems and seeks to entertain, educate and inspire preservation of this natural resource.

The four parts to your exciting journey - Discover the Bay, Under the Bay, Touch the Bay and Save the Bay - all play a role in the Aquarium's mission to create experiences that inspire the conservation of San Francisco Bay and marine environments. Visit www.aquariumofthebay.org.

The Palace of Fine Arts, the magnificent home of the Exploratorium, was created as part of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The Palace, designed as a "valentine for San Francisco" by renowned architect Bernard Maybeck, was made to last one year.

The people of San Francisco decided to keep the imposing structure which, over time, has held art exhibitions, telephone books, and army jeeps.

The Exploratorium is a cutting-edge, hands-on museum of science, art and human perception that is fun, experimental and awe inspiring. Artists and scientists create unique, interactive exhibits exploring phenomena of the natural world.

Located in the Palace of Fine Arts, the Exploratorium features hundreds of exhibits to touch, look through, pick up, and tinker with. The Tactile Dome offers a sensory journey in total darkness. The Exploratorium also offers a gift store and café. The Exploratorium is open Tues.-Sun. and select Monday holidays 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. For more information, call (415) 561-0308 or visit www.exploratorium.edu.

Ghirardelli Square features fabulous views of San Francisco Bay, landscaped gardens, a self-guided historic walking tour, several shops and award-winning restaurants.

Although its oldest building, the Woolen Mill, dates back to 1864, Ghirardelli Square is famous for its years as a chocolate factory, 1893 until the 1960s. In 1964 Ghirardelli Square became the country's first manufacturing complex renovated into a festival marketplace. For information, call (415) 775-5500.

The Metreon is an innovative entertainment and technology marketplace with 15 movie theatres, an IMAX theatre, three interactive attractions, nine restaurants, world-class shopping, and special events.

Located on the third floor, the 15-screen Loews Metreon is San Francisco's largest movie complex with a panoramic view of the Yerba Buena Gardens Esplanade and the San Francisco skyline.

Every auditorium features huge screens, state-of-the-art projection technology, and advanced digital cinema sound systems. Metreon's IMAX Theatre features an 80' x 100' screen for 2-D and 3-D capabilities. Visit www.metreon.com.

Since the magnificent carved doors of San Francisco's Orpheum Theater opened more than 75 years ago, the Orpheum has presented an illustrious array of American theatrical entertainment across its stage and screen. From vaudeville to movies to musical comedy, this historical landmark has intrigued patrons with its visual and architectural beauty and performances.

In 2005, the Orpheum hosts the Pre-Broadway engagement of London's latest smash Jerry Springer - The Opera. The Best of Broadway series continues to play. Visit the Orpheum website.

The Presidio preserves an astonishingly complex cultural and natural heritage within its 1,480 acres just south of the Golden Gate. As a U.S. Army post, the Presidio protected commerce and trade, and played a logistical role in every major U.S. military conflict from 1848 until closure.

World and national events - from military campaigns to the rise of aviation, from World Fairs to natural disasters - left their mark here. Since 1994, the Presidio has been part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Today, visitors enjoy the history and beauty of more than 500 historic buildings, a collection of coastal defense fortifications, a national cemetery, an historic airfield, a saltwater marsh, forests, beaches, native plant habitats, coastal bluffs, miles of hiking and biking trails, and spectacular vistas.

Presidio Trust Special Events Office: (415) 561-5444; email: events@presidiotrust.gov.

Of the San Francisco's many hills, Nob Hill boasts incredible views of San Francisco Bay, especially when observed from a California Street cable car, running from the foot of Market Street, over the hill and down to Van Ness Avenue.

Nob Hill's noble tenants include Grace Cathedral, a replica of Notre Dame in Paris, Huntington Park, site of art shows and graced by a replica of a 16th-century Roman fountain, the Nob Hill Masonic Center, an architectural dazzler hosting various musical events, and the Cable Car Museum.

The East Bay communities - Oakland, Berkeley and Alameda - offer a fascinating mix of culture and history just across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Jack London Square is a captivating collection of shops and restaurants on Oakland's western waterfront.

Lake Merritt in the downtown corridor is ideal for jogging enthusiasts and midday daydreamers. Berkeley, a well-known liberal stronghold and home to the University of California, offers unique shopping, trendy restaurants and world-renowned cultural and performing arts.

Since 1941, the San Francisco Cow Palace has welcomed visitors for year-round events, conventions, and livestock shows, and is home of the famous Grand National Rodeo. The Grand National Rodeo, Horse & Stock Show will celebrate its 61st show April 7-16, 2006 at Cow Palace with rodeo performances bareback riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing, saddle bronco riding, team roping, tie-down roping and bull riding.

The event will also feature a horse and livestock shows, and "Celebration of Western Art." This juried art show features well-known artists whose work portray the life, people, animals, landscape and activities of the cowboy and the West. For Cow Palace Event and Ticket Information, call (415) 404-4111 or visit www.cowpalace.com.

South San Francisco Historical Society Museum - The South San Francisco Historical Society Museum houses a collection of photographs and memorabilia following the history of the " Industrial City." Self-guided walking tour maps are available. Open 1:00 pm - 3:00pm, Tuesday and Thursday. Located at 601 Grand Ave.

Twin Peaks offers breathtaking panoramic vistas of San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley. Experience awe-inspiring views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Downtown San Francisco, Angel Island, Alcatraz, the Pacific Ocean, and the hilltops of Yerba Buena Island. At the most-traveled point, there is a direct view down Market Street into downtown. San Francisco glows in the dark, so pick a clear evening to watch it light up the night sky. Look through the coin-operated binoculars for a closer view.

One of the largest museums in the world, the Asian Art Museum is devoted to Asian art with a collection of 15,000 objects spanning 6,000 years of history. The museum - reopened in March 2003 at its expanded Civic Center facility - is one of the greatest public learning centers in the country and one of the most technologically advanced in the world.

Over a million books, 400 electronic work stations, a children's discovery center, and special rooms on African-American, Chinese, Filipino-American, and gay/lesbian works surround the light-filled atrium.

Located under the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Discovery Museum was conceived, designed and constructed solely for children. The Discovery Museum is a fantastic place where children of all ages and their families find limitless opportunities for discoveries in art, science, and media.

Dozens of entertaining exhibits include crewing on a boat and exploring San Francisco Bay. For more information, (call) 415-487-4398 or visit www.badm.org.

This $44 million entertainment and arts complex, located at 701 Mission Street, features performances and exhibits that showcase San Francisco's artistic diversity.

Atop Telegraph Hill in North Beach, Coit Tower offers incredible views. Murals on its ground floor walls were painted in 1933 by some 30 local artists, each piece depicting a different aspect of the Great Depression.

Designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta, the SFMOMA houses an extensive collection of 20 th Century art - painting, sculpture, photography, architecture and design, and the media arts.

On the first floor, with its large atrium lobby, are a 299-seat theater, an interactive Education Center, the museum shop, and CaffË Museo. Art galleries occupy the top four floors.

Selections from the permanent collection of art, sculpture, furniture, and photographs are displayed along with changing special exhibits. Across from SFMOMA, the Center for the Arts provides performance/exhibition space for artists to reflect San Francisco's cultural diversity.

The Bay Model is a three-dimensional hydraulic model of the San Francisco and Delta areas capable of simulating tides, currents and river inflows. The model is over 1.5 acres in size and represents an area from the Pacific Ocean to Sacramento and Stockton, including San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun Bays, and a portion of the San Joaquin Delta. Self-guided tours in five languages are available. For information, call (415) 332-3871 or visit www.spn.usace.army.mil/bmvc.

Only 12 miles north of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, in an isolated canyon, grows the ancient coast redwood forest known as Muir Woods.

Experience the tranquility of majestic coastal redwoods - some 500 years old - and canyon ferns as you follow a gentle scenic trail. Muir Woods offers numerous hiking trails, streams and interpretive displays.

Stroll through 1,000 year old giant redwoods towering 260 feet high and experience why naturalist John Muir called this "The best tree-lovers monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world."

Tours are available from San Francisco. Open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset. Entry fee: $3 per adult (17 and older). For information, call (415) 388-2595 or visit www.nps.gov/muwo/home.htm.