San Francisco is different from the rest of California: cooler, hillier, more European. Colorful Victorian houses climb steep streets, cable cars rumble uphill, and the Golden Gate Bridge spans the bay, often half in the fog. A city for walking, compact enough for a few full days.
The Golden Gate Bridge
The city's most famous landmark. Best on foot or by bike: the forum often recommends cycling over the bridge to Sausalito and taking the ferry back, a good half day. The fog usually comes in the afternoon, in the morning the view is often clearer.
Alcatraz
The former prison island in the bay is one of the most sought-after tickets in the city. Important: book weeks in advance, otherwise everything is sold out. The audio tour with the voices of former inmates is worth it.
Hills, cable cars and neighborhoods
The historic cable cars carry you up the steep hills, past the winding Lombard Street. Add lively neighborhoods from Chinatown to North Beach to the Mission District, each with its own character.
A gateway to California
San Francisco is a good start for the West Coast: down Highway 1 to Big Sur and Los Angeles, or up into the Sierra Nevada to Yosemite.
