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San Francisco is a multi-faceted city with attractions that appeal to travelers of all ages, and one of the best ways to see many of San Francisco’s most coveted sights is with a guided tour. Tours come in every form in this city, with walking tours, cruises and even kayaking adventures on the Bay. There are also options for San Francisco visitors who want to see more than just the city; day trips visit areas like Yosemite, Wine Country and the breathtaking Muir Woods National Monument.
Flying high above San Francisco is one of the most unique ways to take in the sights. Air tours of San Francisco range from seaplane tours to helicopter tours, and all feature professional tour guides who will narrate the entire adventure. Many of the air tour options offer more than just birds eye views of the city, they also feature additional adventures such as wine country tours, lunch stops in Sausalito, visits to Alcatraz or passes for a sunset dinner cruise.
Famous for residents like Al Capone, Robert Franklin Stroud (the Birdman of Alcatraz), James “Whitey” Bulger and George “Machine Gun” Kelly, Alcatraz is one of the most famous prisons in the country. Award-winning audio headset tours of this National Historic Landmark are offered daily, featuring transportation to and from the island. For the ultimate sightseeing experience, travelers can indulge in one of the tours that combine an Alcatraz tour with other options like Wine Country tours, seaplane tours, city tours and Sausalito day trips.
The sights in San Francisco are almost too numerous to count. With Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square, Golden Gate Park, Lombard Street, Haight-Ashbury, beautiful Pacific Heights and more to see, San Francisco city tours come in handy for the camera-wielding traveler. The transportation options on these tours come in many forms, such as double-decker busses, vintage cars, segways, bicycles, trolleys and even GPS guided talking GoCars. Options abound for travelers interested in getting to know this city, whether they want to see it by day or night, alone or with a large group.
The beautiful San Francisco Bay is a prime choice for a cruise. San Francisco cruise tours afford unique views of sights like the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands, Sausalito, Angel Island, the Bay Bridge, the piers that serve the city and Alcatraz. Sunset cruises, dinner cruises, lunch cruises and more are available for travelers’ enjoyment, and they come in different forms, from catamarans to deluxe yachts. There are also many combination tours available, which also include city tour passes or helicopter tours.
Whether visiting San Francisco or living there, day trips afford opportunities to take in more than just the sights of the Golden Gate City. These day trips and longer excursions begin in San Francisco, and travel to such renowned destinations as Yosemite, Monterey, Carmel, the Muir Woods, Napa Valley and even the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose. Travel by coach or in private, luxury SUVs on one of these day trips from San Francisco.
Of all the tour transportation options, the most iconic is the double-decker bus. Two-levels and bright red, these classic San Francisco tour busses give travelers the option of sitting inside or sitting up top, taking in the fresh air while they see the sights. Sitting on the upper level of double-decker busses also offers great photo opportunities as the bus travels by San Francisco’s most notable attractions and landmarks. These fun tour bus options are available for everything from night tours and downtown loop tours.
Touring a city in a van or bus is one thing, but nothing affords such an up-close-and-personal experience as a walking tour. On these San Francisco walking tours, travelers can see the back alleys, pedestrian-only markets and temples of Chinatown, wander into the bakeries and cathedrals that define North Beach, or indulge in culinary delights in the restaurants of Little Italy. Travelers with a taste for the more unique side of San Francisco can even take a walk on the darker side with the San Francisco Vampire Tour or the Ghosts of Chinatown tour.
With vast vineyards, rolling hills, stately wineries and award-winning restaurants on quaint strips, Northern California’s Wine Country is one of the most breathtaking destinations. Day trips from San Francisco to Napa and Sonoma include visits to both small and large wineries, with tasting opportunities, photo opportunities and stops for lunch. Wine fans can take the Wine Train, a private SUV or a mini van as they tour the area, and many Wine Country tours can be combined with adventures like Alcatraz tours and visits to Muir Woods.
There are many affordable ways to visit the top attractions in San Francisco. Passes like the CityPass and the Pier 39 Attraction Pass include admission to dozens of destinations, as well as admission to tours of the city. Families can find passes to attractions like the Wax Museum at Fisherman’s Wharf, which includes over 300 intricately detailed sculptures, and the California Academy of Sciences, which includes a planetarium, an aquarium, a museum of natural history and a four-story rainforest all under one roof.
With all there is to see and do in San Francisco, planning a sightseeing trip can be a bit overwhelming. This guide to San Francisco attractions provides almost all the information a traveler could need on the most popular destinations in the Golden Gate City, including Alcatraz Island, North Beach, Union Square, Coit Tower, Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, the Castro District, Golden Gate Park, Pier 39 and more.
Walking through the city streets and winding alleys of San Francisco offers more than just people watching and views of unique architecture. Local artists have been dressing up the streets of this city for years, bringing vibrant colors, comical depictions and even social political narratives to the canvases created by the sides of buildings and retaining walls. More than 600 murals stimulate the senses in these areas of San Francisco. The best part is that wandering past these local works of art is totally free.
The neighborhoods of San Francisco are as diverse as they are fascinating. Whether moving to the Golden Gate City or just trying to get to know its most unique areas, this San Francisco neighborhood guide breaks down the basics of each neighborhood, outlining the main drags and some of the more notable hotspots unique to each. No trip to San Francisco would be complete without visiting such destinations as the Castro, Haight-Ashbury, SoMA, Chinatown, North Beach, Union and Pacific Heights.
Sometimes having too many options can seem problematic – how do you figure out exactly what to do in a city with so many options? This list of things to do in San Francisco provides travelers with a few ideas for how to spend their day or night in the City by the Bay. Suggestions range from popular tourist choices to activities that even the locals engage in, and there are options for every age group.
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