Cable Cars
Apart from the obvious benefit of being an easy way to
get around the streets of San Francisco, being able to hang
out the side, gliding down steep hills amongst traffic is an
experience that you will not find anywhere else in the world.
The journey on a cable car can be a little expensive - US$7
for a 2-mile journey, however it’s definitely something that
you must do whilst in SF.
Lombard Street
It’s the worlds windiest street as well as being extremely
steep, however it is also fairly difficult to get to as far as it’s a
very steep walk from the west end of Lombard Street to get to
the top, and if you want to drive down it in your own car, the
traffic and queues waiting to enter the street are exhausting.
Of all the tourist attractions in SF, this is probably one you
can afford to miss as even if you do decide to visit, it’s
difficult to get a great view or shot of the street.
Muir Woods
About a 30-45-minute drive (depending on traffic) north of
SF is a large forest known for its huge redwood trees some
of which are over 1000 years old. Muir Woods are also
historically significant as in 1908 President Roosevelt created
the Muir Woods National Monument. These woods, along
with many of the popular tourist attractions, get very busy
though, so plan ahead. It’s usually best to travel either early,
or late in the afternoon. An entry fee of US$10 for adults
is semi expensive and they are quite strict about food in the
park so check their website if you are planning to stay for any
length of time.
Sausalito
Just across the Golden Gate Bridge is a cute little seaside
village that you can get to either by continuing on from your
bicycle tour of the bridge or incorporate with your visit to
Muir Woods as its on the way. With enchanting boutique
shops, cafes and galleries, it’s a lovely place to spend a lazy
few hours. The views back to the city are spectacular and one
of the best things about this little town is that it’s fairly quiet.
Wander along the boardwalk, find the houseboats famous in
this area and just take a general break from the city.
Ice Skate in Union Square
Depending on when you are visiting SF, you can ice skate in
Union Square from November through to the end of January.
The ice skating rink erected in Union Square is a must do. It’s
a magical feeling skating outdoors in the winter time with the
giant Christmas tree towering above the rink. It does get busy
and can be a bit crazy on the ice with all the varying levels of
skaters, but it’s such a fun thing to do and fairly unique.
Finally, don’t forget San Francisco is the home of Silicon
Valley and some of the major world tech players like Google,
Facebook, Instagram etc. Although many of these are not
open to the public, it is still an interesting day trip if you
have the time. Google allow you to walk around the campus
grounds and get a feel of the quirky site. Intel has a museum
and EBay a souvenir shop. Facebook and Instagram sadly are
off limits unless you “know someone”.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP:
VIEW OF SAN FRANSISCO FROM NORTH VISTA POINT;
LOOKING TOWARDS THE BAY BRIDGE FROM THE TOP OF
POWELL AND CALIFORNIA STREETS;
SOME OF THE BEAUTIFUL STREET ART AROUND THE
HAIGHT DISTRICT;
CABLE CARS FROM FISHERMAN’S WHARF;
SUNSET FROM THE 31ST FLOOR OF THE WESTIN ST FRANCIS
HOTEL IN UNION SQUARE
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