San Francisco, the former hippie stronghold on the American west coast, awaits you with a unique atmosphere. The Golden Gate Bridge emerging from the fog, iconic cable cars, Victorian homes, the hustle and bustle of Fisherman's Wharf or a relaxing stroll along the Pacific coast – you are free to enjoy yourself in various ways in San Francisco. You want to know more about California's fourth largest city? Let's explore San Francisco!
Before you travel to the Golden State California, take a moment to consult our tips:
Equipped with our travel tips, you are now well prepared for your journey to the north of America’s Golden State. So, which attractions belong at the top of the must-see list? Welcome to our top 10 San Francisco attractions:
California's bright orange landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge, with its two distinctive pylons, rises from the misty waters of San Francisco. The world' s most photographed bridge is not only a delight to the eye, but also a true masterpiece of engineering.
Opened in 1937 after only 4 years of construction, it was the longest suspension bridge ever built. Since then, the steel giant has been faithfully spanning the Golden Gate Strait, the stretch of sea between the Bay of San Francisco and the Pacific Ocean. Over a total length of 2.7 km, six traffic lanes as well as bicycle and pedestrian paths connect San Francisco in the south and Marin County in the north.
The Golden Gate Bridge proved its incredible stability in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, staying it intact while newer bridges were severely damaged. By the way, the constructors of the Golden Gate Bridge deliberately chose the distinctive color International Orange so that the bridge and its 227-meter-high pylons are always clearly visible, even when it is foggy.
Put on comfortable shoes and walk a little along the San Francisco Bay Trail before you cross the Golden Gate Bridge. This hiking trail around the San Francisco Bay stretches a total of 800 km and crosses 9 Bay Area Counties and 47 cities.
Travel recommendation: Enjoy the Golden Gate Bridge with these tours!
Excellent restaurants, plenty of leisure activities and boats as far as the eye can see – the vibrant waterfront district of Fisherman's Wharf has been one of San Francisco's most popular tourist attractions since the 1970s. The district was created during the 18th century gold rush as a center for fishing trade. The best fish in San Francisco is still available at Fisherman's Wharf, where open-air stalls offer freshly caught dungeness crabs, while some of America's best gourmet places offer a place to linger.
Refreshed, you can then head to Pier 39, the heart of Fisherman's Wharf. The long pier extends into the bay of San Francisco and is more or less a huge shopping mall with numerous small stores, restaurants and even an aquarium. Street artists and musicians create a relaxed and lively atmosphere. Not far from the colorful hustle and bustle on the mall, Pier 39's famous sea lions sunbathe in their resting places by the water. If you still have some energy left after your shopping spree, you can head out to Segway, hiking or boat tours from Fisherman's Wharf.
Our tip: If you're in the mood for something sweet, the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory will certainly make you feel like you're in paradise. You can even get a free sample in the traditional chocolate factory's store.
Travel recommendation: Experience Fisherman's Wharf with these tours!
Even though no more jail sentences are served here, Alcatraz is still the most famous prison in America. A stay on Alcatraz Island was probably twice as bad for the detainees: On the one hand, due to its location in the Bay of San Francisco, they had a permanent view of the vibrant metropolis on the other bank. On the other hand, the island also known as "The Rock" was considered almost escape-proof due to the cold water and strong currents around it.
The first building on Alcatraz was originally a fort with a lighthouse. Later, it became a military and finally a federal prison. Particularly troublesome and famous prisoners such as Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly and Robert Franklin Stroud sat behind Swedish curtains on Alcatraz between 1933 and 1963.
Today, the former prison island is operated by the National Park Service and considered one of the most popular tourist attractions in San Francisco. Visitors can not only enjoy a wonderful view of the Bay of San Francisco, but also have the opportunity to take part in guided tours and learn about the island's eventful history. Make sure to take half a day for your trip, because there is a great deal to discover!
The ferries of Alcatraz Cruises LLC are the only ones that stop at Alcatraz Island. All other ships only pass by. Since tickets are usually sold out a few days in advance, it is recommended to order them online beforehand.
Travel recommendation: Discover Alcatraz on these tours
It is well known that getting around in the mountainous San Francisco area can be quite a hassle. Lombard Street, the "most crooked street in San Francisco", is a particularly striking example of this fact. It meanders down the hill between Hyde Street and Leavenworth Street on an approximately 150 m long, curvy stretch.
When it was built, Lombard Street, like all the other streets in San Francisco, was first laid out straight – with a steep incline of an incredible 27 degrees! Since such a steep descent naturally soon caused problems, the eight serpentines known today, with a milder descent of 15 degrees, were created in 1922. Vehicles are only allowed to travel at a speed of 5 mph in one direction, from top to bottom. Nevertheless, the utmost caution is required!
If you would like to get very close to Lombard Street without a car, there are pedestrian stairs to the right and left of the street from which you can take great pictures of the street and approaching vehicles.
Travel recommendation: Look for tours and activities around Lombard Street here
Apart from the Golden Gate Bridge, images of the iconic cable cars are probably the first thing that comes to one's mind when thinking of San Francisco. A ride in one of these nostalgic vehicles should indeed be high on your to-do list when visiting. The California metropolis is the only place in the world where they are still in service today.
Cable cars are streetcars pulled on cables over the hills of San Francisco. They were the main means of transportation in the city in the late 19th century. A total of 23 lines were in service when cable cars were experiencing a boom in San Francisco. Today, only three lines are still running:
Also, don't miss the opportunity to watch as the cable car turns around at the end of a line on the big turntable. The turning point at Fisherman's Wharf is particularly famous. You can then gain interesting insights into the history of these extraordinary means of transportation at the Cable Car Museum on Mason Street.
There are two ways to drive a cable car: sitting inside or standing outside. The standing version definitely is the way to go! Since there can be long waiting times during the day, try to avoid weekends and rush hour for your ride.
Travel recommendation: Find exciting tours through San Francisco here
If you arrive in Chinatown San Francisco, you will get the impression that you are in a city within a city. In fact, San Francisco counts four Chinatowns. However, the one around Grant Avenue and Stockton Street is by far the busiest of them and also the oldest one in North America. The fact that travelers in Chinatown San Francisco can enjoy a variety of Far Eastern culture and cuisine today is thanks to Chinese immigrants who came to San Francisco in the middle of the 19th century.
The two main streets Grant Avenue and Stockton Street can be reached by walking through the famous Dragon Gate at the entrance to Chinatown. Here, countless restaurants and small stores line up as far as the eye can see. A detour into the side streets can be very worthwhile, however, because the equally excellent restaurants there are usually cheaper than those on the main streets.
If you are curious about what the future will bring, you should visit the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory on Ross Alley. This traditional Mecca of fortune cookies has been located in the same place since 1962 and produces fortune cookies in a wide variety of colors and flavors.
Travel recommendation: Look for your favorite culinary tour here
Anyone who thought New York's Central Park was huge will be in for a big surprise in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. With a length of 5 km and a width of 800 m, the extensive green space in the city' s northwest is about 20% larger than its counterpart in New York. The vast park is full of lakes, picnic areas, monuments, playgrounds and gardens that are perfect for walking, relaxing and people watching.
The Golden Gate Park area is also home to numerous sports facilities and cultural attractions. Some of the most famous ones are the Japanese Tea Garden, a small garden in Japanese style, the M. H. de Young Museum with works of art from ancient to modern times, and the California Academy of Sciences. At the westernmost end of the park, you will reach Ocean Beach, an idyllic stretch of beach where you can stroll along while listening to the waves of the Pacific Ocean.
There are some roads through Golden Gate Park that are open to traffic. However, Kennedy Drive is closed every Sunday, so that skaters in particular can enjoy a perfect ride. Alternatively, rented bicycles, Segways or boats can help you to move forward in the vast expanses of Golden Gate Park.
Travel recommendation: Explore the Golden Gate Park here
No, the San Francisco Twin Peaks have nothing to do with the famous mystery series from the 1990s. However, the Twin Peaks, or more precisely the Twin Peaks panorama, are worth seeing too. Therefore, you will have a magnificent view of the city center as well as of San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Oakland Bay Bridge from the 276 m or 277 m high summits in the middle of the city area.
You will reach the mountain tops via the Twin Peaks Boulevard. At the northern Eureka Peak, you will find a parking lot with the most famous viewpoint, called Christmas Tree Point. By the way, the hills were not always called Twin Peaks. Spanish missionaries, the first settlers in the area of today's San Francisco, called the two peaks "Los Pechos de la Chola,” which means "the breasts of the Indian girl."
To get the best panoramic views of San Francisco, you should go to the viewpoint about one hour before sunset. When darkness sets in, San Francisco will be witnessing a wonderful color spectacle before your eyes!
Travel recommendation: Enjoy the panorama of Twin Peaks on some of these tours
The centrally located Union Square already served as a meeting place during the American Civil War in the 19th century. The central point of the complex, the Dewey Memorial, reminds of Admiral George Dewey and his victory in the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War. All around the memorial, you can sit down, take a break and soak up the urban atmosphere.
Union Square is the bustling shopping district of San Francisco, with numerous stores, restaurants and hotels, as well as art galleries and clubs.
Travel recommendation: Explore Union Square on these tours
Perhaps, you have seen the Painted Ladies of San Francisco in countless movies, TV shows and commercials. These magnificent Victorian and Edwardian houses were built between 1892 and 1896 by entrepreneur Matthew Cavanaugh. An earthquake in 1906 destroyed many of the colorful buildings, but most of them could be restored.
During another restoration in the 1960s, the buildings were given a fresh coat of paint in three or more colors, thus highlighting their architectural details. The word Painted Ladies was first used around 1978 in a book by Elizabeth Pomada and Michael Larson, describing the multicolored painted wooden houses on Alamo Square.
Beautiful snapshots of the Painted Ladies, and also of downtown San Francisco, can be taken from Hayes Street.
Travel recommendation: Explore the surroundings of the Painted Ladies on these tours
The desire for more California has gripped you now? Our article about the most beautiful sights of Los Angeles tells you what you can look forward to in the sunny movie capital. Or would you prefer to pay a visit to the East Coast? Then get inspired by the vibrant New York City.
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