SAN FRANCISCO CITY GUIDE

So, you’re going to San Francisco? That’s awesome! Located in between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean, this beautiful, hilly city is full of unique things to do. When I first moved to the Bay Area from Southern California, I was amazed by the micro-climates. You can be freezing on Nob Hill in SF and drive half an hour to boil in hundred degree weather on Mt. Diablo. Even within the city of San Francisco the weather can vary wildly. Every summer you’re sure to see tons of tourists wearing “I heart SF” sweatshirts that they were forced to buy to keep warm! I hope this guide will help you have a wonderful visit to this unique place…

THE PRESIDIO

This former Army base is one of the city’s most beautiful spots with lots of green, open spaces, towering Eucalyptus trees and amazing views of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. This is my very favorite part of San Francisco!
NOT TO BE MISSED:
• Walt Disney Family Museum Created by Walt’s family and filled with rare memorabilia and exhibits that tell his amazing life story
• Outdoor Art Installations Spire, Wood Line, Tree Fall and Earth Wall art created by Andy Goldsworthy (free)
• Palace of Fine Arts Incredible building originally built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exhibition (free)
• Tunnel Tops Outdoor area built on top of the Presidio Parkway tunnels with picnic sites, lawns and a nature play space for kids (free)

FUN FACT:
George Lucas’s Industrial Light and Magic is located in the Presidio too. The grounds surrounding the building are gorgeous and a fun place to stroll around. From here it’s a short—and lovely—walk over to the Palace of Fine Arts.

THE WATERFRONT

There are tons of notable spots along the Bay in between the Bay Bridge (which leads to the East Bay) and the Golden Gate Bridge (which leads to the North Bay).
NOT TO BE MISSED:
• Musée Mecanique This place is a total delight and you pay only for the antique games you want to play with (free)
• Fisherman’s Wharf Kind of cheesy and touristy BUT there’s still some fun to be had like watching the seals, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not and a double decker carousel
• Exploratorium Absolutely awesome interactive hands-on science museum
• Ferry Building A San Francisco landmark since 1898 this is now home to trendy eateries and shops
• Fort Point Former military fort tucked under the Golden Gate Bridge (free but please give them a donation!)
• Hyde Street Pier Historic ships and a maritime museum near Ghirardelli Square
• Ferry Boats Ferries leave for points beyond like Alcatraz, Sausalito and Angel Island—be sure to reserve your day on Alcatraz well in advance

GOLDEN GATE PARK

NOT TO BE MISSED:
• San Francisco Botanical Garden A unique urban oasis with over 8,000 plants on display
• California Academy of Science One of the largest museums of natural history in the world, housing over 46 million specimens
• Japanese Tea Garden The oldest public Japanese garden in the United States

And so much more can be found in the park including the Strybing Arboretum, Buffalo paddock, the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden and Stow Lake. Plus nearby you can explore the ruins of the Sutro Baths!

WITHIN THE CITY

NOT TO BE MISSED:
• Coit Tower 210-foot tower on Telegraph Hill with murals inside from the 1930s
• Cable Car Museum Check out displays and the mechanism that actually powers the city’s unusual transportation system (free)
• Japantown First settled in the 1860s the shops and restaurants here are mostly in an indoor mall (free)
• Chinatown The largest and oldest Chinatown in North America (free)
• Salesforce Park Four-block long elevated urban oasis with 600 trees and 16,000 plants arranged in 13 different botanical feature areas (free)

HOT TIP:
The cable cars are pure joy to ride on! Don’t miss hopping on while you’re in town. Here’s how.