San Francisco

Overview:

San Francisco is a popular tourist destination, known for its cool summers, fog, steep rolling hills, and eclectic mix of architecture.  Its famous landmarks include the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Chinatown, and its cable car system.  San Francisco is also the headquarters of five major banking institutions and various other companies such as Levi Strauss, Gap, Salesforce.com, Dropbox, Reddit, Square, Airbnb, Yelp, Pinterest, Twitter, Uber, Mozilla, and Craigslist.  It has several nicknames, including "The City by the Bay", "Fog City", and "San Fran."

What to Experience in San Francisco:  

• Attractions:  Top attractions include visiting Alcatraz Island, riding the Cable Cars, watching the SF Giants play at AT&T Park, enjoying the amazing views from Twin Peaks, and seeing the Painted Ladies.
• Landmarks:  Top landmarks to visit include walking along the Golden Gate Bridge, getting a bite to eat at the Ferry Building, getting a picture of the Transamerica Pyramid, and enjoying the views from Coit Tower.
• Parks:  Enjoy San Francisco's best parks, including the famous Golden Gate Park, former military base The Presidio, and the very popular Mission Dolores Park.
• Iconic Neighborhoods:  San Francisco has a very diverse population and a wide range of cultural neighborhoods.  Some of the more popular areas for tourists are Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown (the largest outside of China), North Beach (SF's version of Little Italy), The Mission, and Nob Hill.

Insider Tips:

• Alcatraz Tours:  Book your Alcatraz tour well in advance of your visit (at least 3 weeks ahead of time).  You can book them online at Alcatraz Cruises.
• 49-Mile Drive:  The 49-Mile Scenic Drive is a great way to see a number of landmarks, vistas, and neighborhoods in one day.  Some of the signs are missing, so it's a good idea to track it with an online map.
• Free Walking Tours:  There are a number of free walking tours sponsored by the SF Public Library, which offer a great way to see unique parts of the city up close - for more information click here.