San Francisco Things to Do

There are at least two jokes in Portugal about the size of things in the USA: One says that in the USA everything is so big that even the small things are big. The other says that the streets are...

A couple of streets , right in the middle of SFO city is China Town. It houses chinese food, culture and gift items: Colourful and a collectors delight. Below are some pics: Also my main San...

Just over 76 years ago, on 27 May 1937, some 200,000 spectators gathered near the entrance of the San Francisco Bay for the opening of one of the technological wonders of modern times—the Golden Gate...

Almost as iconic in the American imagination as the Golden Gate Bridge is Alcatraz. In legend it was the inescapable prison, that housed some of america's most famous criminals. This is definitely a...

"Historic Fisherman's Wharf" is the classic San Francisco experience where you will find a range of hotels, specialty restaurants, famous attractions, unique shops, breathtaking scenery and...

Thousands of people in Portugal discuss the best way to promote tourism in our country. Well, sometimes it just a question of luck, as in San Francisco. The sea lions decided to invade pier 39, and...

This landmark is the highest hill in San Francisco close to Downtown and Fisherman's Wharf. It's also made famous by a flock of escaped parrots that live here made famous by the documentary, "Parrots...

I knew. I knew that with its European look, its fog, cold and humidity, San Francisco was England instead of USA. The disguise failed in Alamo square. Ah! Ah! Got you. Those Victorian houses don’t...

Looking at backsides from a stroller all day gets old in a hurry so give the wee folk (and yourself) a break at the Koret Children's Quarter. This awesome kid's heaven has been a park fixture since...

The Top of the peaks of the Twin Peaks provide a more magnificent view of the Bay Area! That is if you can climb the 200 step foot path reinforced with wood going to both of the peaks of the twin...

No, I'm not a midget. No, I have no inferiority complex. No. The truth is that the tree is really very big. They say it's redwood, the only tree higher than giant sequoia. Having been there, a few...

If you have wee folk along on your mural walk (see previous tips), this is a great place to let them out of the stroller and run wild for a bit. This little gem of a playground has been an oasis for...

When you're in this area of San Francisco it's hard not to notice this standout piece of architecture. However, the most extraordinary thing about it is that, like the Eiffel Tower, it wasn't meant to...

Ever since 1873 ... the iconic Cable Cars have been moving locals, travelers, and tourist up and down the hilly streets of San Francisco ..... if you have never been on one ... you must do it ......

So after my walk in the Mission, it was time to trot over to the Castro; only a few blocks away but a 180-degree shift in local culture. As the Haight was the infamous center of '60's Flower Power, so...

We really did it. We went to Ashbury-Heights, and, despite all the musical warnings that we listened to in Portugal, we forgot to wear a flower in our heads. Sorry! And we did feel bad, because, the...

We arrived here looking for a little serenity and emerged needing valium. The garden has been a fixture since 1894 and described as having "peaceful waters" over which one can have a "meditative cup...

This building is very easy to identify. It is somewhat of a symbol of San Francisco and resides in the modern downtown district. I had a little bit of fun getting my camera and walking to where the...

We visited Ghiraldelli square just because we wanted to taste the famous Chocolate store. The square took its name of Domingo Ghirardelli that took the square in 1893 and made here the base for the...

well the cheesecake factory atop the eight floor of Macy's west is a things to do tip also, why? because it offers panoramic view of the whole union square area and you will see the skyline of St....

Beach Blanket Babylon Musical Revue Steve Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon was recommended to us by two friends independently. one currently living in San Francisco and the other had just returned from...

The Palace of the Legion of Honor is actually an art museum in Lincoln Park but was designed as a memorial to California's World War I casualties. It is even an exact replica of the Legion of Honor...

Japantown is a neighbourhood located on the western side of the city. San Francisco's Japanese community dates back to the 1860's, and the area is jam packed with Japanese restaurants and sushi bars,...

Wow! A Gothic church in USA! Am I dreaming? Of course not. It's just one more sight of American complex for the lack of history, using their wealth and technology to reproduce the signs of European...

Riding over the bridge, the views are expansive over the harbour (pic 4) and when you reach the other side you can look back and see the bridge from a different angle (pic 5). So, as you descend the...