The Golden Gate Bridge
Emblematic of San Francisco and California as a whole, the Golden Gate Bridge is an ideal landmark for a city and state that act as a bridge to the rest of the world through culture and social change. Sitting at 1.7 miles long and 90 feet wide, the bridge clears the water by 220 feet while the total weight of the bridge is almost 900,000 tons. It was constructed over 4 years starting in 1933 and opened to traffic in 1937.

Besides the technical prowess, the Golden Gate Bridge functions like any other bridge or road on a day-to-day basis. The actual roadway is six lanes wide and features a moveable median barrier that allows the number of lanes to be shifted by four lanes on one side and two on the other during times of heavy traffic, then moved back to normal when the period of dense traffic concludes.
Pedestrians only have access to the east sidewalk when walking the length of the Golden Gate Bridge, whereas bicyclists are allowed on both sides of the bridge but must yield to pedestrians. The bridge provides an excellent view and lives up to the monument that is synonymous with San Francisco.

Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park was designed by William Hammond Hall in 1870 who was inspired by Fredrick Law Olmsted's Central Park. The park stretches
1,107 acres and is said to be the third most visited park in the United States. Golden Gate Park is home to numerous tourist attractions that connect nature and built structure.

One of the buildings closest to the entrance of the park contains a Conservatory of Flowers which hosts nearly 2,000 species of plants from lowland tropics, aquatic plants, potted plants, highland tropics, and more. Golden Gate Park is also home to Strybing Arboretum. Also known as the San Francisco Botanical Garden, this 55-acre section of the park consists of over 7,500 types of flora from across the world. The garden is broken into four different areas of plants that are Mediterranean, mild-temperature climate, Montane tropic, and a specialty collection.

Another building in the park is the California Academy of Science which is a natural history museum that features an aquarium, planetarium, 3D theater, lecture hall, and two restaurants. The park also has a playground that was redesigned in 2007 and named the Koret Children's Quarter. Found within the playground is a carousel that was originally built in 1914.

Alcatraz
Alcatraz Island started its service to the United States as a military fort and was generally used during the Civil War as a prison but was still referred to as Fort Alcatraz. In 1934, Alcatraz was designated as a federal prison and remained a federal prison until it was eventually closed in 1963. It served as the place that prisoners who caused issues at other prisons would be sent, as escape was deemed nearly impossible.

After being closed in 1963, due to being too expensive to operate and saltwater causing severe structural damage over time. It remains a National Historic Landmark to this day and is open to the public.
Many of the families of the prison guards grew gardens while living on the island that fell into disrepair after Alcatraz closed. Recently, as a part of the Gardens of Alcatraz project, these overgrown gardens have been restored to their original splendor. In the process, the organization found that some of the original plants remained growing, including some varieties that had been thought to be extinct.

Lombard Street
The so-called crookedest street in the world, Lombard Street became famous due to its extremely tight and winding street built on a steep hill. The 600-foot length of road turns back and forth eight times and was designed with horses and early cars in mind, as otherwise, no vehicle could make the journey at all. Arguably its most famous feature, Lombard Street is accented with hydrangea bushes down its length that bloom all year long. The street was designed by owner Carl Henry to combat the 26 percent grade.

Taking a drive down Lombard Street is free, but it will probably take a while as there is usually a line of cars waiting to take a trip down the zig-zag road. This problem of overcrowding is exacerbated by the five-mph speed limit, but once the view from the top of the hill becomes visible, the wait will most likely seem worth it. From the top of Lombard Street, the Bay Bridge, Colt Tower, and the San Francisco Bay are all visible.
Oracle Park

 
The Giants' home stadium, Oracle Park was first opened in 2000 and cost over $300 million to build. Some of the notable sights to see within the San Francisco ballpark are the nine-foot-tall statue of baseball player Willie Mays at the entrance, an 80 foot tall Coca Cola bottle that is filled with slides for kids to play on, and a miniature version of Oracle Park that has become a fan-favorite attraction.

Besides hosting the Giants' baseball games throughout baseball season, Oracle Park is home to a massive number of events throughout the year. From concerts with groups like Weezer and Green Day, to community events, and even a free, annual opera concert taking place this year on November 11th. There are also tours of the ballpark offered, previously closed during the pandemic, that reopened in October of 2022.

Walt Disney Family Museum
In 2007, Diane Disney Miller, daughter of Walt Disney, founded The Walt Disney Family Museum. The museum is located within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in a former Army Base called the Presidio.

The museum is 40,000 square feet and displays the history of Walt Disney with areas dedicated to different points in his journey called Early Beginnings, The Move to Hollywood, Exploring New Horizons, The Transition into Features, New Success & Greater Ambitions, Patriotic Contributions, Postwar Rebuild, Walt & the Natural World, Disneyland & Beyond, and Remembering Walt Disney.

Trolley
Crisp ocean views and California's only iconic public transportation, Trolleys were invented in San Francisco nearly 150 years ago and were named a National Historic Landmark in 1964. The suspension bridge includes three lines; two lines start at Powell and Market and continue to the Fisherman's Wharf, and one starts at California and Market and continues to Van Ness Ave. Board the landmark at the beginning or end of each route at the cable car turntables or the brown-and-white cable car signpost. Maps and schedules can be found on the MuniMoble app. Cable cars run seven days a week and have special schedules on weekends. Tickets are $7 per person.

The trolley spans 6-acres of beautiful California real estate that takes riders back in time. Invented in 1873, Andrew Smith Hallidie's cable car system was based on early mining systems and dominated the transit system in the area for three decades. On April 18, 1906, the great earthquake and fires severely damaged the city. By that time, Frank Sprague's 1888 electric streetcar had been perfected since it was cheaper to build and maintain and was faster. In 1947, the city looked at buses as a cheaper mass transit option and began trying to remove the historic cable cars but subsequently failed and the line was named a National Historic Streetcar Landmark.

This form of transportation in the historic California city is the last manually operated cable car system that hosts 62 stations and sees 5.7 million riders annually.

California Academy of Sciences:
Home to a planetarium, aquarium and national history museum, San Francisco's non-profit California Academy of Science includes well-respected research scientists across specialties including zoology, anthropology, botany, and biodiversity.

Located in Golden Gate Park, the academy launched in 1853 and holds the title of California's oldest operating museum and research institution for the natural sciences. This nonprofit is governed by a Board of Trustees who are nominated by the Academy Fellows.

It was originally named The California Academy of Natural Sciences, but was renamed shortly thereafter in 1868. In 1916, they moved to the North American Hall of Birds and Mammals in Golden Gate Park and became the first building on the site that was to become permanent. In 1923, the Steinhart Aquarium was added, and then in 1934, the Simson African Hall was added. However, in 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake damaged the buildings and subsequently received a full $500 million renovation. The Academy reopened in 2008. The new building focuses on an environmentally friendly design that features a Platinum LEED certification that includes 50 percent less water waste, rainwater is utilized for irrigation, a 2.5-acre green roof, and was constructed of 20,000 yards of recycled concrete by SWA Group.

Even if you have a few hours, be sure to visit the Osher Rainforest where a four-story glass dome is a live rainforest, or the Swamp where you can come face-to-face with Claude, an American alligator with albinism. If you are looking for a reef without going for a dive, stop by the Reef Lagoon where you can watch stingrays roam around the Philippine mangrove lagoon. Whatever you are looking for from the animal kingdom can be found right here at the California Academy of Sciences. Tickets start at $37.25 and can be purchased online.

Chinatown
Located on 24 city blocks, San Francisco's Chinatown is the oldest of its kind in North America and one of the city's most popular tourist attractions. The area is one of the most densely populated neighborhoods west of Manhattan, yet also one of the poorest in San Francisco with a median income of $20,000 a year as opposed to $76,000 city-wide. Chinatown, which was once a lawless and wild place has become a tourist hub and shining place for Chinese culture in California and across the country.
As a port of entry in the mid-1800s, San Francisco saw an influx of Chinese immigrants due to the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. The Chinese population increased rapidly during the latter half of the 19th century and Chinatown became a haven for the community. Now, approximately one-third of the entire population of the city is Asian and most of them are Chinese.

In 1970, Clayton Lee, a Chinese American architect designed the famous Dragon's Gate along the southern end of Chinatown along Grant Avenue. The gate features green tiled pagodas atop stone pillars. The three entryways were adorned by a trio of stone lion statues that were added to supposedly ward off evil. The gate is a great landmark to visit on your way to the Red Blossom Tea Company where you can buy rare teas from China and Taiwan.

While in the cultural hub, be sure to stop by the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. Located down Ross Alley and anchored by red lanterns, the shop is where you will find handmade fortune cookie wafers in a variety of flavors including green tea and chocolate. The tiny shop first opened in 1962 and now produces 20,000 cookies a day for local restaurants to give out.

While visiting Chinatown, culture is all around you, and what better way to understand and enjoy it than the Chinese Cultural Center? The center manages two galleries and puts on three of its own music festivals a year. Located on the third floor of the Hilton, there is a rotating exhibit that features contemporary artists. The center also organizes walking tours through Chinatown and visits the Taoist temple and herbal pharmacy to name a few stops. The tour then ends with lunch at a local dim sum restaurant.

Pier 39
San Francisco's Pier 39 boasts spectacular views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge that visitors enjoy as they walk through the two-story outdoor mall. Pier 39 also includes 14 various sit-down restaurants like the Pier 39 Sports Bar, The Fog Harbor Fish House, Hana Zen Japanese Grill, Luigi's Pizzeria, and The Hard Rock Caf???(C). Go wine tasting at The Wines of California Wine Bar on the right side of the pier and take in the views on the patio. If wine isn't your thing, go beer tasting at Beer39. Located on the second floor on the left side of the pier, Beer39 has 39 different brews available. They've crafted four flights of three beers each for tastings.

Sea lions call the Pier 39 marina home after the earthquake in 1989. They are at the end of the pier on the left-hand side where they head down to Santa Barbara in May and head back to San Francisco by the end of July after mating season. Pier 39 is also home to the Aquarium of the Bay where visitors can check out what's living in the water just off the dock, watch sharks being fed, and enjoy the views.

Check out the stage behind the carousel for free entertainment from magic shows to jugglers. Sightsee at new heights with the latest addition to Pier 39 with The Bay Plunge or test your sense of direction with The Mirror Maze. Whatever you are looking for, Pier 39 is a great option for everyone.

Ghirardelli Square
The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company began in 1849 when Italian immigrant, Domenico Ghirardelli opened a shop in a tent in Stockton, California selling candy to the Gold Rush miners. Later that year he opened a second shop in San Francisco. While in Italy, Ghirardelli was an apprentice as a teenager for a Genoa chocolatier. From there, he sailed to Uruguay to work, but a year later in 1838 he started a confectionery business in Lima, Peru but left there shortly thereafter after hearing about the Gold Rush to try his luck. In 1856, he opened a general store in Hornitos, in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and sold his chocolates there.
In 1852, The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company was incorporated in San Francisco and has become the oldest, continuously operating chocolate producer in the country.

Ghirardelli Square is a full city block of 19th-century brick architecture buildings that were once factories and repurposed in the 1960s as a collection of restaurants and stores that surround the square's mermaid fountain. Located on the lower floor of the Clock Tower, visitors can purchase large sundaes from the old-fashioned ice cream parlor. Catch a glimpse of where the chocolate is made at the Clock Tower building as well. There are four ice cream salons within the square to devour while enjoying the 1922-era Ghirardelli sign that can be seen from the Bay.

Boudin Bakery
When you find yourself in need of a pick-me-up after a long day at the ASLA show be sure to stop by the historic Boudin Bakery. The sourdough bread in San Francisco is special because of the flavor of the dough found in the strain of wild yeast within the mother dough that thrives in the Northern California weather conditions.

Beginning in 1848, this unique bakery is the oldest continually operating business in San Francisco. Legend has it that as the area saw a boom in 1849 and immigrants craved fresh baked bread and one of the "49ers" added the wild yeast to the mother dough. Today, the bakery continues their tradition and chooses to utilize the mother dough.

Boudin Bakery has four locations across the city including a three-tiered experience at Fisherman's Wharf where the mother dough is maintained and visitors can enjoy the Boudin Museum, a Boudin Bistro, and a Boudin Bakery & Caf???(C) all within the complex along Jefferson Street and between Taylor and Mason Streets. If you are staying at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, head to the adjacent Embarcadero Center to get a taste of Boudin at a Boudin Bakery. There is also a Boudin Bakery in Union Square along O'Farrell Street and one at the Richmond District on Geary Blvd. Whichever location you chose, be sure to order a sourdough bowl filled with vegetarian chili, broccoli cheddar, or garlic tomato.