San Francisco Tourist Attractions
Vacation Ideas

Just about any angle makes a good photo so just click away. You’ve just got to visit Lombard Street on your San Francisco vacation.

It is said that no one ever escaped alive from Alcatraz.. Just take the tour and you’ll see why that is probably true. The tour starts with a boat that leaves from the waterfront, near Pier 39. At the prison you get an interesting tour of prison life sprinkled with many behind the scenes stories.

The shopping, especially in the Union Square district which features Nordstrom’s, Niemen Marcus, Macy’s, Nike, many art galleries and other interesting stores, is fantastic for all ages.

If all that shopping makes you hungry and thirsty, stop in at Lefty O’Doul’s for a beer and a Hof Brau style meal at a reasonable price. The ethnic diversity of San Francisco is wonderful. Two of the most interesting areas are Chinatown and North Beach.

The latter is primarily Italian. There are numerous museums and parks in San Francisco. The area near the Golden Gate Bridge features the Exploratorium, a great place for kids. The de Young, and the Palace of Fine Arts are nearby. The Presidio, once home to a large military installation is a fantastic place to hike and is also home to the Letterman Digital Arts complex owned by Lucas Films.

There are hotels and motels available in most price ranges and with a variety of amenities. You needn’t spend a fortune to have a great time in San Francisco. San Francisco is a very dog friendly city, so traveling with your pup is very convenient.

My Fiancée and I went to San Francisco on a trip and I can say it was a wonderful experience. In fact were planning on going again. We chose the Fairmont to stay at since it was in a desirable location.

The staff was very kind and was always willing to help us if we needed it. The room was clean, the service was great and the cost wasn’t all that high for the area. The façade, as well as the interior of the hotel, is absolutely stunning. The columns, the gold trim and the beautiful period furniture add to the hotels splendor.

The views from the hotel restaurants are wonderful as well. You truly feel as if you’re living the life of luxury. The first day we took off to China town. San Francisco has the largest Chinatown in the United States. If you’ve never been there I highly recommend it. We got pork buns from the Chinese Bakery, as well as dried Melon candy, and the two of us strolled down the street checking out the shops.

You can find tons of little trinkets, souvenirs and gifts in the little shops lining the streets. However, if you are looking for stunning home furnishings, art and clothing you can find places that offer luxurious Chinese imports.

I got a nice little silk Kimono bathrobe at a place called Asian Image. It’s truly gorgeous and I wear it nightly. The second day we spent our time at Alcatraz Island. We took the Alcatraz ferry to Island. It’s about a fifteen-minute trip and it’s really cool because you can stand atop the boat and watch as the big barges go by.

We ordered tickets to Alcatraz in advance, which is favorable since it’s hard to get a hold of tickets due to the prisons popularity. Food isn’t really allowed on the island unless you purchase it from a gift shop so plan ahead to eat before you enter the island.

The Pier and the Ferry have snacks for sale and San Francisco has tons of restaurants around. The prison was truly astonishing. I’d seen it on movies and television and always wanted to go there. We took a self-guided tour and were allowed to wander around most of the grounds.

It’s a great place for history buffs like me. It’s a trip that will take the whole day so don’t plan anything other than a nice dinner afterwards. If you hurry it can take three hours to see the island. San Francisco is a place I’d highly recommend to anyone.

The beauty and the splendor of the city is enough to draw people in. The city is full of attractions such as; the pier, Fisherman’s wharf, Trolley’s, shopping, restaurants, museums and even Alcatraz and Angel Islands. You won’t be disappointed and you won’t run out of San Francisco tourist attractions.

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