The home of the Golden Gate Bridge has a thriving counter-culture to this day. Although they may have gone more upscale since the 1960s, areas like Fillmore and Irving streets and the Castro are still home to gay communities and spirited individuals. The iconic cable cars run on three lines in the steepest areas of the city, between Fisherman’s Wharf and Market street, and are well worth a ride.
Alcatraz remains the most visited of San Francisco’s attractions, an island accessible by boat from the city. If visiting the notorious maximum security prison doesn’t appeal to you, eating and drinking at the city’s staggering array of venues just might. Chinatown and Richmond remain the best areas for Asian fare, with the Mission the best for Mexican and North Beach the undisputed king of pasta and pizza joints. Eating and drinking out is very much a neighborhood affair, with Haight-Ashbury still the place among the hippy crowd and the Marina attracting young professionals.
San Francisco attractions
Alcatraz: boats ply the San Francisco bay taking tourists to this former penal colony, still the most visited attraction in the city.
Haight-Ashbury: the epicenter of the hippy universe and former and current home of numerous famous musicians. This is the place to sample San Francisco’s much-lauded alternative scene.
Golden Gate Park: fine views of the iconic bridge set among gardens, lakes and a buffalo sanctuary. The Beach Chalet is 1930s San Francisco bay chic.
Chinatown: one of the biggest of its kind in the US, with a whole host of oriental restaurants. Other Asian areas also include Richmond around Grant street, which is fast becoming a popular alternative.
Museum of Modern Art: one of the best modern art collections in America, including works by Jackson Pollack and Marcel Duchamp.