Book before you go!
by Axholmemiller
Visit the marvellous Alamo Square for a real contrast between old and new. Photo opportunities are brilliant. See main photograph.
If planning a trip to Alcatraz, and it ought to be a must for everyone, try and book before you go. Hotels aren't allowed to pre-book trips for this wonderful experience and I'd pre-booked on line weeks before arrival. It certainly paid dividends on the day, long queues were avoided and in the hot sun lessened the wait for the ferry to the island.
If you are staying in Union Square and want to avoid the big queues from Fisherman's Wharf for the cable cars, take the normal bus service, which actually goes in the other direction but is half the price and much quicker. I loved Alamo Square, the contrast between old and new was startling. See the photo below. A tour of the Napa Valley is a must if you have time to get away from the city. Be sure to see the pelicans that hang around Fisherman's Wharf.
Victorian Houses
by emilienoelle
San Francisco is famous for its old, Victorian homes. Unlike Vicorian Houses located in other cities, those in San Francisco are unique due to their size and shape. They are tall and narrow, living in cozy, closely set rows. And since almost every street in San Francisco is on a steep hill, the foundations of these houses may be as high as 8-10 feet at one end while being only a few feet tall on the other to insure that they are level. The houses are beautiful to look at and essential to the character of the city, but don't even think about buying one unless you are extremely wealthy. One of these houses can go for several million dollars, even in less than perfect condition.
Get ready for some award winning people watching!
by jzeidman
Golden Gate Park is amazing. It's a huge park plunked down in the NorthWest corner of San Francisco between the Sunset and Richmond districts that has it all in the way of parks. Japanese Tea Garden, Rose Gardens, Palm Tree Gardens, auditoriums, museums, research centers, events and MUCH MUCH more. Great for a day of picnicking, walking, biking or roller blading. Good for all ages and walks of life. Also hosts many important events including the SF Aids Walk, biggest walk on the west coast. This is a very liberal, diverse and stimulating place. It is never bland, ordinary or predictable. Expect to see people of every race, color and origin. You can walk by ten different types of ethnic cuisine on one city block. The people here are unique and very open about their lifestyles and personalities. Enjoy the diversity that makes this town a haven for those seeking a retreat from the hum drum of run of the mill life.
Enjoy the diversity... ...
by noahsdad
Enjoy the diversity... Compare the loud, outdoors, red/gold of Chinatown with the serene, interior, earth-tones of Japantown... See the Mission with its Native-American influenced interior, and treat yourself to a taqueria... See the Castro and try a cool non-chain coffeehouse in the Noe Valley... Don't forget to eat well in Italian-American North Beach... The 'crookedest street'--Lombard Street--is a cliche but still worth it... A dynamic, diverse, cultured, multifaceted gem of a city!!! Enjoy the scenery on the coastal highway south to Big Sur and north to Mendocino; it was white-knuckle for me much of the time but still unforgettable. See a winery in the Napa Valley.
San Francisco Tip
by Psychokiwi
I remember standing at a rest area right before the Golden Gate Bridge and looking at Alcatraz. I went there for a visit the next day, but the night is first saw it was amazing. It was not nighttime but dusk and the lighting was perfect.
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The Gateway to China town (January 2011)
Walking Ocean Beach in Winter
I Like the B.A.R.T.!!
Downtown from Lincoln Park
