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Profile

San Francisco is a centrally located metropolis in Northern California's Bay Area. From within, San Francisco boasts an assortment of diverse districts and cultures that come together to create a variety of urban sites and attractions. From The Mission's Latino-based community and its colorful collection of restaurants and markets to the Asian-infused populous comprising the Japan and Chinatowns to Leidesdorff Street in the Financial District, named for the African-American businessman responsible for building the city's first hotel, there's plenty to discover and enjoy.

Rich in history for producing such landmarks as the Golden Gate Bridge and the fabled cable cars, which still run on select routes originally mapped out over a hundred years before, San Francisco has long been one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

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Weather

San Francisco has a temperate marine climate and enjoys mild weather year-round. Fog rolls in during the morning and evening in the summer, but it doesn't stay long. Bring a light jacket, since the average high is only 62 F and seldom rises above 70 F, while the average low is 51 F and it is known to get breezy by the bay.

Current Weather

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Attractions

Alcatraz was once one of the country's highest security prisons. Today it's one of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area's most popular destinations. Alcatraz now sees hundreds of thousands more tourists per year than the total number of prisoners in its entire 29-year life as a federal penitentiary. Take a 15-minute boat ride from Pier 41 out to "The Rock" for a tour of the prison system. On a clear day the views of the San Francisco skyline and bridges alone are worth the crossing by ferry. Call (415) 705-5555 or visit www.blueandgoldfleet.com for information on an Alcatraz tour and Bay cruise.

The Cable Car Museum (1201 Mason St.; 415-474-1887; www.cablecarmuseum.org) gives an historical view of the importance of the cable car to San Francisco and a look into the daily operations of today's system. On display are mechanical devices such as grips, track, cable, brake mechanisms, tools, detailed models, and a large collection of historic photographs. The museum also houses three antique cable cars from the 1870s. Admission is free.

Within a two-hour drive from the city, visitors can witness the Old Faithful Geyser (1299 Tubbs Ln.; Calistoga; 707-942-6463; www.oldfaithfulgeyser.com) during one of its daily eruptions approximately every 30 minutes. One of three famous geysers in the world, Old Faithful's source is supplied by an underground river while hot molten magma provides the heat that together force the super-heated water and vapor to erupt skyward anywhere from 60 to 100 feet through fractures in the ground. Take a self-guided tour of the park or visit exhibit hall for more on the history of Old Faithful. Open year-round.

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Family Fun

Zeum is a visual performing and media arts center for young people and their families. Experience amazing hands-on fun and explore the art of play in "Toyz," an interactive exhibit for creating and playing with all kinds of toys from spin-art flying discs to action figure animations to racing sail cars. Zeum is located on the corner of Fourth and Howard Streets on the rooftop of Yerba Buena Gardens, which itself features an ice skating rink, bowling center and original 1906 carousel. For more information visit www.zeum.org or call (415) 777-2800.

Breaking ground as a first-of-its-kind entertainment and technology marketplace, Sony's Metreon (101 Fourth St.; 415-369-6100; www.metreon.com) is a four-level, 350,000-square-foot complex of action and adventure for all ages. Visitors will discover a number of hi-tech family-friendly attractions, interactive gaming, unique shopping, and the city's only IMAX Theater featuring the world's largest 3D screen. Plenty of dining and shopping choices are available for a break in the action.

The city's popular Pier 39 is home to Aquarium of the Bay (The Embarcadero at Beach St.; 415-623-5300; www.aquariumofthebay.com) which offers visitors a "window to the bay" to explore the diverse aquatic life of the San Francisco Bay and its surrounding waters. The four-part journey includes see-through tunnels to "walk" among the marine life and touch pools for up close and personal encounters. It's a memorable and fun-for-all-ages experience. Children under three are admitted free.

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Cultural Arts

Housed within the walls of San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts, along with the 1,000-seat Palace Theater, the Exploratorium (3601 Lyon St.; 415-397-5673; www.exploratorium.com) features more than 650 art, science and interactive technology exhibits. It was one of the first science museums to build its own website in 1993, and has since grown to 15,000+ pages to serve 15 million visitors a year. Contributions from visual performing artists via films, 3-D collages and live theater ensure visitors an educational and true-to-life experience.

One of the oldest continuously performing theaters in the Bay Area is Lamplighters Music Theatre (469 Bryant St.; 415-227-4797; www.lamplighters.org). The only year-round musical theater company in San Francisco, they are known for producing the entire Gilbert & Sullivan canon as well as classics like "The Merry Widow," Die Fledermaus" and "My Fair Lady." Lamplighters has been a theatrical production and cultural cornerstone in the city for more than 50 years.

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (151 3rd St.; 415-357-4000; www.sfmoma.org) features a collection of nearly 6,000 paintings, drawings and sculpture, including pieces by Picasso, Matisse, Warhol, Calder, and other masters. Walk through the exhibit of 20th Century Photography or head to the Koret Center for some in-depth learning with a self-guided headphone tour and artist lectures.

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Sports/Recreation

City Kayak (Pier 38, The Embarcadero; 415-357-1010; www.citykayak.com) allows visitors to explore the city from the bay and features spectacular sunset and skyline views. Choose guided or unguided trips from a number of pre-arranged tours including a City Kayak Tour along a scenic water route, Full Moon Kayaking with magnificent night views, or for slightly more advanced paddlers, there's the Alcatraz and Golden Gate Bridge tour under the bridge or around the island. Baseball fans can try to shag one in the infamous McCovey Cove just beyond the right field wall of PacBell Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.

Adventure Bicycle Co./Bike & Roll (734 Lombard at Columbus Ave.; 415-771-8735; www.bicyclerental.com) does bicycle rentals and tours throughout the city. Go solo or ride with a guide through parks, across the bay, through challenging terrains, and along scenic trails on rugged, built-to-last bikes by name brands like Quality Trek, Klein and Fisher. Ride across the Golden Gate and back or return by ferry. Group tours and discounts are available. Riding maps detailing the top attractions and best routes are provided free.

Located on the Rooftop at Yerba Buena Gardens near the Zeum complex is the Yerba Buena Ice Skating and Bowling Center (750 Folsom St.; 415-777-3727; www.skatebowl.com) which offers public skating and bowling for individuals or groups. Lessons are available. Discounts are given for groups of 10 or more with advance reservation.

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Accommodations

San Francisco's seaside location along with its many citywide attractions make it a popular destination for tourists who will also find more than 3,500 restaurants and more than 30,000 hotel rooms to suit every taste and budget.

Renowned for its beauty and panoramic city and bay views, Mandarin Oriental (222 Sansome St.; 415-276-9888; www.mandarinoriental.com), San Francisco's third tallest building, is located in the heart of the city within walking distance of Union Square and many famous landmarks. Guests are greeted by a beautiful black marble lobby before choosing from among the hotel's 154 rooms and four suites all bathed in sophisticated décor with accents of Asia. Dine in style at Silks, featuring flavors of the Pacific Rim combined with traditional Californian, or unwind for an afternoon tea or evening cocktail in The Mandarin Lounge. Rates begin at $260 per night with special discounts available for children 12 and under.

The Argonaut Hotel (495 Jefferson St. at Hyde, Fisherman's Wharf; 415-563-0800; www.argonauthotel.com) is an unusual mixture of hotel and museum space, with 10,000-square-feet of the Maritime National Historical Park's Visitor's Center on the ground floor. The four-story, timber-and-brick landmark structure, built in 1907, houses 900 square feet of nautical-themed rooms and 13 suites many of which offer exceptional views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. Accommodations are first-class at this luxury Kimpton Boutique Hotel in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf. Package rates start at $179 per night and include valet parking, breakfast for two, cable car passes, and Pier 39 fun pack.

For a quaint, quiet setting, Inn 1890 (1890 Page St.; 415-386-0486; www.inn1890.com) is a charming Bed & Breakfast that provides seven rooms of comfort and value on the other end of the bridge crossing a block away from Golden Gate Park. The historic Queen Anne Victorian Inn offers European-style elegance, spacious rooms and modern conveniences within its tall ceilings and hardwood floors with optional fireplace. Complimentary continental breakfast included. Rates begin at $89 per night.

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Shopping

San Francisco and the Bay Area offer visitors a premier shopping experience beginning with the popular Pier 39 (Beach and Embarcadero streets; 415-705-5500; www.pier39.com). This two-level, 45-acre complex houses a marina filled with lounging sea lions and exquisite bay views, and features a festival marketplace with 110 unique shops and 11 restaurants, including The Cable Car Store, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Houdini's Magic Shop, and Treasure Ireland, as well as numerous games and attractions.

One mile west of Union Square visitors can experience all the sights, sounds and tastes of the Orient on this side of the Pacific in San Francisco's historic Japantown (415-922-6776; www.sfjapantown.citysearch.com) and Chinatown (Grant Ave.; www.sanfranciscochinatown.com).

With a history dating to the early 1860s, Japantown continues to thrive and expand its community. Highlighted by the Japan Center, which stretches three blocks outlined by Post and Fillmore streets, it's home to a variety of antiques and craft shops, art galleries, bookstores, restaurants, hotels, theaters, Japanese baths, and Karaoke bars.

Beginning with a dragon-crested gate at Grant Ave. and Bush St., crowded streets, bustling markets and busy restaurants mark San Francisco's Chinatown, the largest and most commercial in North America. With origins dating from the 1850s, it's a 24-block version of the real thing condensed into a community of pagoda-roofed buildings, Buddhist temples and shops aplenty.

Ghirardelli Square (900 N. Point St.; 415-775-5500; www.ghirardellisq.com) is most famous for its years as a chocolate factory beginning in 1893. In 1964 Ghirardelli Square became the country's first manufacturing complex renovated into a festival marketplace. In addition to fabulous views of the bay, landscaped gardens and a self-guided historic walking tour, it boasts more than 50 shops and award-winning restaurants. Be sure to request a Ghirardelli Square visitor discount pass for special offers and free chocolate.

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Nightlife

Located in the heart of San Francisco's old Fillmore District, the Boom Boom Room (1601 Fillmore St.; 415-673-8000; www.boomboomblues.com) offers guests a sultry, swanky evening of Blues, groove and soul seven nights a week. Boogie down to the dance floor and soak in the sound, or sip a cocktail and lounge out in the low-lighted and hip atmosphere of this downtown staple.

Suite One8One (181 Eddy St.; 415-345-9900; www.suite181.com) is an elegant and atmospheric late night lounge that operates from 9 p.m. every Thursday through Saturday as an alternative to overcrowded dance clubs and noisy bars. The interior features soft lights and stylish décor with musical sounds to suit a variety of tastes. Suite One8One also features a VIP space for more intimate settings and a large outdoor patio.

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Travel Info

The San Francisco Visitor Information Center (900 Market St., corner of Powell; http://onlysf.sfvisitor.org), operated by the San Francisco Convention and Visitor's Bureau, provides service and information in a variety of languages including Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Japanese. Their 24-hour special event and activities hotline is available by calling (415) 391-2001. The SFVIC also provides long distance calling cards at one-third off the regular price, and sells guidebooks and maps at their web store. Click on the "Shop-n-SF" icon for more details.

For travel values, the San Francisco City Pass features a book of admission tickets at a 50% discount for attractions like the Blue and Gold Fleet Bay Cruise, Exploratorium, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and more. Also included is a week of unlimited cable car rides and public transportation. The cost is for the City Pass is $40 and is available through the SFVIC website by clicking on "Shop-n-SF".

The Go San Francisco Card allows access to more than 30 of San Francisco's top attractions, savings of up to 20% at shops and restaurants, savings of up to $45 on day tours and services, free gifts, personal guidebook, and more, and is available in 1,2,3 or 5-day denominations. Priced from $49 for adults and $29 for children. Visit www.sfvisitor.org for more details.

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Fast Facts

The Golden Gate Bridge, widely recognized as a symbol of San Francisco, was built from 1933 to 1937. The bridge spans the Golden Gate strait, a mile-wide gap between the bay and the ocean, separating Marin County from the city. Often shrouded in thick fog, the 4,200-foot-long suspension span was designed to withstand the forces of nature, including gale force winds up to 100 miles per hour, and earthquakes. The Golden Gate Bridge is painted "international orange" and has welcomed nearly two billion vehicles.

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Links

San Francisco Official Site

Hello San Francisco

City Search San Francisco

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Ecotourism Adventures

Adventure Cat is a catamaran sailing charter docked at the famous Pier 39. Powered solely by wind, Adventure Cat is the ideal way for environmentally conscious tourists to experience the San Francisco Bay. Sail beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, around Alcatraz and pass along Kirby Cove for an unforgettable and breathtaking view of the city. Adults can enjoy drinks in the covered cabin below, or for the more adventurous, enjoy the exterior top deck atop a safe cargo net with waves splashing below. Adventure Cat is ideal for children, seniors, or anybody desiring a unique experience in San Francisco. Tickets cost $15 - $45 and can be purchased at www.adventurecat.com or by calling 1-800-498-4228.

SF's Fisherman's Wharf Pass Offers 33% Discount at 12 Attractions

San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Pass is a one price admission pass to wharf attractions, tours & cruises and offers a 33% discount for a savings of up to $29. The visitor program includes all 12 of Fisherman's Wharf's major attractions but allows you to choose and pay for only six. The purchase price for Wharf Pass is $61 for adults and $38 for children (five to 11). Beginning the day of first use for the pass, holders have three days to visit each attraction once. That's six of 12 attractions to see over the course of three days, and include San Francisco CitySightseeing, Red & White Fleet Golden Gate Bay Cruise, Turbo Ride at PIER 39, Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and more. For additional information, visit www.wharfpass.com.

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