Explore -- Nearby Areas: San Francisco Attractions & Historic Sites


Alcatraz (415) 981-ROCK. www.alcatrazcruises.com Tour the famous maximum-security prison known as the "Rock." Both self-guided and narrated tours are available, daytime and evening. Advance reservations urged.
Aquarium of the Bay The Embarcadero at Beach St. (888) SEA-DIVE. www.aquariumofthebay.com Located at the popular PIER 39, this immersing aquarium takes visitors from underneath the surface of the San Francisco Bay. Moving walkways inside of two 300-foot-long tunnels provide a tour of marine life suspended above, while touch pools are hands on slippery fun.
Angel Island State Park (415) 897-0715. www.angelisland.org A popular spot for outdoor recreation; including hiking, biking, camping and kayaking. Historic sites include Civil War housing and the old U.S. immigration station, the "Ellis Island of the West." Ferry Service, (415) 705-5555.
Barbary Coast Trail (415) 454-2355. www.barbarycoasttrail.org For a different and fun approach to exploring San Francisco, take this self-guided tour consisting of a 3.8-mile walk (almost entirely flat or gently sloping) and a 20-minute cable car ride through the city's most historic and vibrant neighborhoods. The trail begins downtown at the Old Mint, passes through Chinatown, then down to the old Barbary Coast, and ends at the last cable car stop on Russian Hill. Purchase a map at most bookstores and follow the large gold medallions inlaid into the sidewalks of San Francisco.
Botanical Gardens 9th Avenue at Lincoln Way, at Golden Gate Park. (415) 661-1316. www.sfbotanicalgarden.org The Botanical Gardens house an international collection of plants, from far-reaching regions such as South America and New Zealand.
Cable Cars www.sfcablecar.com San Francisco’s moving historic landmarks are still clanking up and down the steepest hills. The cable cars run between Union Square and the waterfront, and along California Street.
The Cannery 2801 Leavenworth St. (415) 928-0289. www.thecannery.com This old canning factory now features galleries, nightclubs, restaurants, a variety of shopping boutiques, and a museum on the city itself. The Cannery is also home to San Francisco’s legendary street performers, who entertain daily.
Coit Tower One Telegraph Hill Blvd. (415) 362-0808. The top of the 210-foot tower offers a spectacular view of the city and the Bay. Murals on the first floor provide a glimpse into 1930’s San Francisco life.
Ferry Building Marketplace One Ferry Building. (415) 693-0996. www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com A major transit hub connecting San Francisco neighborhoods and Bay Area communities, the historic ferry building houses a mecca of restaurants, cafés, and shops filled with goodies. On Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, the Farmers Market brims with fresh and organic foods.
Fisherman’s Wharf The Embarcadero. (415) 391-2000. www.fishermanswharf.org This bustling area full of family attractions and dining spots is a favorite visitor destination. Restaurants offer fresh seafood, with crab a specialty December-June. A fleet of historic ships berths at Hyde Street Pier. The Aquarium of the Bay is located here, as well as the entertaining sea lions.
Ghirardelli Square 900 North Point St. (415) 775-5500. www.ghirardellisq.com Home of the world famous Ghirardelli Chocolate, this National Historic Landmark features shops, galleries, and restaurants.
Golden Gate Bridge Hwy. 101 North. (415) 921-5858. www.goldengatebridge.org Cross this world-famous bridge by foot, bike or car to the vista point for a fantastic view of the City, Bay, and Alcatraz Island.
Golden Gate Park Attractions in and around the city’s scenic park include the the Japanese Tea Garden, the de Young Museum of Art and the Botanical Gardens.
Japanese Tea Garden Tea Garden Drive at Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Golden Gate Park. (415) 752-4227. Explore hidden paths and amazing sculpture, along with the beautiful traditional foliage of Japan. Relax at the teahouse with green tea, Japanese cookies and rice crackers.
Mission Dolores 16th and Dolores Sts. www.missiondolores.org One of the first structures built by the Spanish upon their arrival in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1776, the Mission provides a magnificent example of the detailed architectural style of the time.
Pier 39 The Embarcadero at Beach St. (415) 705-5500. www.pier39.com Take a stroll along the waterfront and visit shops and restaurants in this two-level outdoor marina.
Saint John Coltrane Church 1286 Fillmore St. (415) 673-7144. www.coltranechurch.org At noon on Sundays, this tiny church holds not-your-usual services: three soulful hours with the music of the energetic "house" band, Ohnedaruth, playing John Coltrane's unmistakable saxophone sounds throughout. A unique spiritual experience!
San Francisco Zoo 47th Ave. at Sloat Blvd., off the Great Highway. (415) 753-7080. www.sfzoo.org Open 10-5 daily. See all sorts of animals, from tigers and gorillas to koalas and penguins. Visit the Aquarium and the Primate Discovery Center.
Sutro Baths Geary Blvd. at the Great Highway (north Ocean Beach area). www.sutrobaths.com Visit the ruins of philanthropist Adolph Sutro’s vision – a large, public bathhouse, long since destroyed by fire.


San Francisco Museums:
Asian Art Museum 200 Larkin St. (415) 581-3500. www.asianart.org Featuring works from over 40 countries, this museum holds the largest collection of Asian art in the world outside of Asia.
California Academy of Sciences 55 Music Concourse Dr., Golden Gate Park (415) 379-8000. www.calacademy.org This complex includes the Natural History Museum, Morrison Planetarium, and Steinhart Aquarium. Exhibits cover science and nature from astronomy and geology to anthropology and zoology.
California Palace of the Legion of Honor Lincoln Park, 34th Ave. and Clement St. (415) 863-3330. www.famsf.org/legion Patterned after the neoclassical Hotel de Salm in Paris, the museum’s collection holds more the 75,000 prints, paintings, drawings and sculptures. Rodin’s The Thinker ponders the meaning of life and art in the front courtyard.
De Young Museum 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, at Golden Gate Park. (415) 863-3330. www.famsf.org/deyoung The fully renovated de Young Museum, a San Francisco tradition since its founding in 1895, houses 17th through 20th century American art, in addition to Native American, African and Pacific art.
Exploratorium 3601 Lyon at Marina Blvd. (415) 561-0360. www.exploratorium.edu Housed in the rear of the Palace of Fine Arts, this famous museum features over 650 interactive exhibits that challenge perceptions and explore scientific phenomena.
Museum of Modern Art 151 3rd St. (415) 357-4000. www.sfmoma.org Features over 16,000 works including American Abstract Expressionist and early Modernist paintings and canvases, as well as over 9,000 twentieth century photographs.
Pacific Heritage Museum 608 Commercial St. (415) 399-1124. With nearly 10,000 square feet of exhibition space, this museum showcases works highlighting the artistic, cultural, and economic history of the Pacific Rim.