Where is San Francisco and how to get there?
San Francisco is a city located in California, USA. It is the commercial and cultural center of northern California and home to numerous attractions and famous landmarks. The city is situated on a peninsula between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
The best way to reach the city is to either fly to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), which is located in the southern part of the city. Alternatively, there are also options of flying to Oakland International Airport (OAK) where most of the cheaper airlines fly to. Apart from flying you can also easily reach San Francisco by car from anywhere within California.
San Francisco Attractions
San Francisco is a city with a great variety of attractions and things to see and do. You can either take one of the many different San Francisco tours that are offered or take on the best spots by yourself.
While we did not visit every single attraction ourselves during our visit we can still present you with the best spots we felt like are worth seeing when exploring the city.
Visit the Golden Gate Bridge
Clearly one of the biggest San Francisco attractions, the Golden Gate Bridge is considered one of the wonders of the modern world. Connecting the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean the bridge was one of the largest and tallest suspension bridges in the world at the time it was built in 1937. You can enjoy the view of the bridge from both sides, either way it will leave you stunned!
Chill at Golden Gate Park
A good way to escape a bit of the city bustle is to visit the largest park of San Francisco. The park is a picturesque public space with a conservatory, museums, a botanical garden and many more attractions. With over 1.000 acres in size you should really take your time to explore its various trails and gardens. During our visit we visited the conservatory of flowers which is a nice place to hang out on a sunny day.
Explore Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
When exploring San Francisco attractions one usually ends up seeking out places along the famous bay area. Yet, the other side clearly has its beauty as well and is worth a visit too. After reaching the far west side of the Golden Gate Park you will reach the Pacific Ocean. A bit further up the beach is a park and lookout area that deserves a visit. This place is called the Point Lobos Natural Reserve and rewards its visitors with some spectacular ocean views. If you are here with the car you can park it right in front. You can also enjoy some food at the Cliff House Restaurant and walk down the beautiful trails to the ocean. Rough winds might await you here but the views are incredible and it doesn’t feel like you are in a city at all.
If you are interested in discovering more natural areas in and around San Francisco we highly recommend you to take one of the San Francisco Yosemite tours that will bring you to one of the US’s most stunning natural parks of Yosemite. Read about our own Yosemite Park adventure and discover one of our favorite natural parks ever!
Have some Food in Chinatown
San Francisco’s Chinatown is one of the oldest and largest Chinese enclaves in the US. It is here where American Chinese food was born and dishes like chop suey and the fortune cookies started to be found on western plates. The streets are filled with historic buildings and markets and you should definitely not miss out on trying one of the many Chinese restaurants. We tried one of them called The Hong Kong Clay Pot Restaurant and were quite satisfied with our meals. If you are into traditional and original Chinese cuisine this is definitely a place to visit.
Take a Ride with the Cable Car
I know its one of the most touristic San Francisco attractions but its still worth it! The cable cars are one of the most iconic landmarks of the city and only three lines still remain intact. It still is very interesting to see them functioning and to experience driving up and down the steep hills. It is also a very practical way of getting from the docks to the center of the city. This definitely is the best way to get around San Francisco.
San Francisco is a great city to explore when you are in California. The mix of old and new along with the different influences of European, American and Asian make this city an amazing melting pot of cultures. Despite the tourist crowds you can still enjoy the many attractions both within and outside of the city.
If you want to explore the areas natural surrounding you can