If you’re visiting San Francisco places to see that a first time visitor shouldn’t miss are the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf and Alcatraz Island. And if it’s your first visit, a cable car trip and a few hours spent in a couple of museums might be on your list. The city has dozens of excellent museums; two of the most popular are the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Asian Art. You can even see places to eat troy oh.
San Francisco’s Chinatown is the largest in North America, and the compact area is home to a variety of traditional shops, restaurants (more info on a great option here), cafes and bakeries. The neighborhood is located a few blocks from Union Square, the unofficial center of the city. Various guided tours of Chinatown are available, although one of the pleasures is exploring the back streets and alleyways for yourself. Highlights include the Dragon Gate, the area’s traditional entrance, and a visit to the Golden Gate fortune cookie factory.
Th Golden Gate Bridge is possibly the most famous bridge in the country, and even if you don’t drive over it, the 1.7 mile long bridge can be enjoyed from several vantage points. There’s also a welcome center, which is a combination museum and gift shop, and the area outside the building offers some of the best views of the bridge. Free walking tours of the bridge are offered twice a week, and walking the trails in the Golden Gate Recreation Area is popular.
Although touristy and often crowded, Fisherman’s Wharf is one of those San Francisco neighborhoods that you just have to visit. Many tours of the bay start from here, and the area has dozens of places to eat and drink, ranging from fine dining to ice cream and shakes. Many offer outdoor seating and the chance to enjoy the views and the atmosphere. And some of the city’s other tourist attractions are located here, including the Cartoon Museum, Madame Tussauds, the Aquarium of the bay, and Pier 39, the best place in the city to see hundreds of sea lions.
Like other San Francisco attractions, you’ve probably seen Alcatraz in movies. The once notorious prison on an island attracts almost 1.5 million visitors a year, making it one of the country’s most visited national Parks. Tours leave from the Fisherman’s Wharf area, and often take in other attractions, such as Muir Woods. Highlights of a visit to Alcatraz include the spectacular views of the San Francisco skyline from the bay, as well as the chance to see the cells, and the beautiful gardens once maintained by inmates. Part of the island is also a major bird sanctuary.
Like other big cities, San Francisco has other neighborhoods begging to be explored. North Beach has a somewhat Bohemian feel and is still home to several Italian restaurants, and while Haight Ashbury may not be the center of Hippy culture anymore, it’s still a vibrant and eclectic neighborhood. And for one of the most culturally diverse areas in the US, the city’s Mission district is worth a trip.
