Don’t let San Francisco’s tiny 7-mile-by-7-mile area (under 10 percent of the dimension in Los Angeles) fool you. This vibrant, cosmopolitan metropolis is that is surrounded by the Bay and Pacific Ocean is awash with outdoor activities, Michelin-starred eateries and historic landmarks as well as world-class museums and local mom-and-pop stores that are tucked away into an intricate web of hills filled with Victorian houses, parks that are green and a spirited ethos. Nature-based hikes that are energizing and strolls along beach and city-proper trails are as integral a aspect of life within San Francisco as Karl the Fog (yes San Franciscans have named their most well-known weather pattern) and can creep in at the nick of time during all four seasons. You can find an artistic and musical trip, delicious food or just can’t wait to experience the thrill of taking a cable car ride or traversing the Golden Gate, this guide covers it all. Here are 24 of the top activities to try the following time that you’re visiting San Francisco.
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Golden Gate Bridge
The arching of crossing the Golden Gate Strait, which connects the Pacific Ocean to the San Francisco Bay The most famous landmark of the city connects San Francisco to Marin and Sausalito. It’s just under 200 meters, the Golden Gate Strait is a walkable on foot, yet accessible by automobile. It’s difficult to comprehend the enormity and beauty of this bridge until you’ve crossed it.
You should stop at in the Welcome Center at the statue of Joseph Strauss, the bridge’s designer, and then look for the plaques detailing the bridge’s story and of course, take the obligatory photograph. To learn more about the bridge’s history you can sign up for a free guided walks of the structure with San Francisco City Guides.
Muir Woods National Monument
The majestic trees in Muir Woods National Monument might be called Sequoia Sempervirens to botanists or naturalists. But to visitors like us, they’re California redwoods of the coast and are among the largest and longest-lived trees on the planet. The preserve covers 558 acres and was named in honor of the conservationist John Muir and proclaimed a national monument by the president Theodore Roosevelt in 1908.
It is one of the most pristine old redwood forests in the Bay Area. Every step you undertake here is an absolute amazing. There are approximately 6 miles of trail inside the park that weave through the massive trees and lead to areas like Cathedral Grove and Bohemian Grove as well as in Redwood Creek. For more experienced hikers, they can take their hike to the nearby Mount Tamalpais State Park.
San Francisco Cable Cars
The carriages and horses for a long time were unable to conquer San Francisco’s steep hills which is why in 1873 Cable car lines were created. Three lines of the initial eight lines remain in operation today. They’re a symbol for San Francisco, the world’s only manually operated cable car system and among the most visited attractions in the city. It is estimated that 9.7 million people take a ride every year. The majority of them are tourists, however some people still make use of these moving monuments to travel across the city, exactly as was planned more than 150 years back.
The ride is an open-air vehicle and a sluggish roller coaster. Once you’re on the bus it, you’ll either be sitting on the benches with wooden seats to have a more relaxed ride or opt for a thrilling experience by standing on the car’s exterior, grabbing poles as the vehicle is driven up and down narrow streets of San Francisco.
California Academy of Sciences
A stunning museum of natural and science located in Golden Gate Park, the museum was rebuilt completely in 2008, and the newly Renzo Piano-designed building has distinctive architectural features like a roof that is covered in native plants. Its “living exhibitions” are among the most impressive. The rainforest is that is populated with frogs, plants and free-flying bird species as well as butterflies, as well as a flooded rainforest tunnel brimming of Amazonian fish.
The other live animal exhibits include a replica swamp where visitors can gaze down on Claude Albino, the resident alligator, with its ruby-red eyes and a gang of playful African penguins that share the tank with pyjama-sharks and sea stars.
They can swim and perform flips. Also, there’s The Steinhart Aquarium, with jellyfish and a live coral reef. Less “live” displays include Shake House, an immersive exhibition that lets visitors (safely) feel the types of tremors that rattled in the Bay Area during the city’s two largest quakes — the Loma Prieta Earthquake and the Great Earthquake of 1906.
Alcatraz Island
It is possible to recognize it by its actual name or in the form of “The rock” (thanks Nic Cage!). It was the prison that was a federal penitentiary for the past 29 years. It also, at one time, was home to the notorious gangster Al Capone. It was famous for its unsuccessful escape attempts. The island is only 1.25 miles off the coast and, enticed by the glitzy light of city lights, 34 inmates attempted to swim through the freezing, choppy waters until they were free.
Today, you can take a an hour-long ferry ride to the island, and then take to the notorious prison from a close. Audio tours take people through the central cell block, laundry facilities, and the chow house. Be sure to visit the ruin of the mansion with 15 rooms where extravagant parties were held.
The mansion was destroyed down to the ground in the 19-month takeover by the residents of Alcatraz Island by Native American activists in the year 1970. Outdoor areas to visit include Eagle Plaza and The Recreation Yard, and the beautiful gardens on the island, cared for by volunteers who are part of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.