I tell you that you visit from San Francisco will bring you a good part of the best attractions that can be enjoyed in a trip to the west coast of the United States.
En San Francisco You will find a very nice city, very easy to visit.
But you will also have excellent panoramic views, corners and some of the icons that you surely have of the United States,
All the information in detail
- 1 What to see and do when visiting San Francisco
- 1.1 Twin Peaks Lookout in San Francisco
- 1.2 Golden Gate Suspension Bridge in San Francisco
- 1.3 Neighborhoods of San Francisco
- 1.4 Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco
- 1.5 Little Italy neighborhood in San Francisco
- 1.6 Haight-Ashbury neighborhood in San Francisco
- 1.7 Painted Ladies Victorian Houses in San Francisco
- 1.8 Castro neighborhood in San Francisco
- 1.9 Mission Dolores in San Francisco
- 1.10 San Francisco City Hall
- 1.11 Downtown San Francisco
- 1.12 Union Square shopping area in San Francisco
- 1.13 Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco
- 1.14 SFMOMA Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco
- 1.15 Slopes in the Nob Hill neighborhood of San Francisco
- 1.16 Lombard, la calle de las curvas de San Francisco
- 1.17 San Francisco streetcars
- 1.18 Coit Tower, vistas panorámicas de San Francisco
- 1.19 Puente colgante Oakland Bay Bridge
- 1.20 Embarcadero, excursiones por la Bahía de San Francisco
- 1.21 San Francisco Bay Ferry Cruises
- 1.22 Palacio de Bellas Artes en La Marina
- 1.23 Fisherman's Wharf entertainment area in San Francisco
- 1.24 Sausalito in San Francisco Bay
- 1.25 Alcatraz Island and Prison in San Francisco
- 2 Tours and excursions in San Francisco
What to see and do when visiting San Francisco
If you want to visit this city on your own California, to help you plan your visit, below I detail some tips with the best places to see on your visit to San Francisco.
Twin Peaks Lookout in San Francisco
The most recommended thing as soon as you arrive in San Francisco is climb Twin Peaks Hill, just as I did during my trip.
If you prefer to make a first tour of the city in order to get situated and then go deeper on your own, you can sign up for the Complete tour of San Francisco in Spanish, four hours long
From its viewpoint you will have the best panoramic views of the city and the bay, which will allow you to position yourself for the subsequent visit in detail of the city.
Golden Gate Suspension Bridge in San Francisco
The main San Francisco tourist icon is undoubtedly the Golden Gate, known as Golden Gate.
This is what the space that opens into the sea between the San Francisco peninsula and the cliff area in the northern part is called.
Bliss sea gate It is crossed by what is undoubtedly one of the most famous bridges in the world, the Golden Gate Suspension Bridge, which delimits the Pacific Ocean for the San Francisco Bay.
In order to enjoy the best panoramic views of the Golden Gate and its surroundings you have several viewpoints on both sides of the suspension bridge.
And, of course, my advice is that you don't forget to take a walk across the bridge, because this way you will feel its enormous dimensions. It's worth it.
Neighborhoods of San Francisco
A characteristic of the city of san francisco is the great diversity of environments that are experienced in the different Neighborhoods, which in one way or another you must visit, and where you will find a mix of skyscrapers and historic buildings.
So you will find different attractions in San Francisco neighborhoods as Little Italy, Chinatown, the Hill of Nob Hill o La Marina.
Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco
So, for example, in the northern part of the city you find the famous district of Chinatown, or what is the same, the San Francisco Chinatown.
The origins of San Francisco Chinatown They date back to the mid-19th century and are the oldest Chinatown in the United States.
I assure you that in your walk through Chinatown At certain moments you will have the feeling of being in a Chinese city.
Little Italy neighborhood in San Francisco
En la zona noreste de la ciudad, cerca del Pier, and north of Chinatown, the district of North Beach, in which we find a neighborhood called Little Italy, Little Italy.
To visit this neighborhood, it is best that you go to the intersection between Columbus Avenue and the street Broadway, right at the beginning of the street Grant de Chinatown.
At this point, if you look south, you can see in the background the majestic skyscraper known as Transamerica Pyramid, que es el más alto de San Francisco, y si miras hacia el oeste, verás como la calle Broadway is lost in the heights of the hill Russian hill.
On your pleasant walk through these streets you will understand why the neighborhood is called Little Italy: In it you will find a succession of Italian establishments, as well as restaurants, cafes and ice cream parlors.
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really in Little Italy You can enjoy an atmosphere more typical of a European city than a large North American city, where you will appreciate the great charm of its very colorful buildings, in some cases decorated with impressive paintings.
At the confluence of said streets, specifically, at the 261 Columbus Avenue, you should not miss visiting the famous bookstore C, which contains great charm, and specializes in world literature, the arts, and books by progressive politicians.
Haight-Ashbury neighborhood in San Francisco
The walk through the district Haight-ashbury It will allow you to experience the feeling of being in a European city.
Furthermore, this neighborhood was the center of the movement hippie in the 60s, and now maintains a bohemian atmosphere with European-style restaurants and cafes, as well as designer shops.
Painted Ladies Victorian Houses in San Francisco
In this neighborhood of Haight-ashbury, an essential visit is the famous victorian houses known as Painted ladies, which you find in Alamo Park.
The park is located at the top of the hill, and the aforementioned group of houses Painted ladies, with its characteristic style of Victorian architecture, has become one of the iconic images of the city.
To such an extent that they have been the protagonists of scenes in several movies.
Castro neighborhood in San Francisco
Another neighborhood that has earned great fame in San Francisco is the Castro, center of the homosexual community.
It had a big boom during the 60s and 70s and now when you go up the Market Street from the city center to the twin peaks hill, its location will be easily recognizable by the profusion of multicolored flags.
With a European-style atmosphere, its busiest area is the confluence between the Market Street and 19 street.
Mission Dolores in San Francisco
San Francisco It is a city where there are still buildings from the colonial era.
That is the case of the Mission Dolores, a church of Spanish colonial style located in the upper part of San Francisco, at the foot of the hill Twin Peaks, and near the Market Street and the district Castro.
La Mission Dolores de San Francisco It was founded in 1776 by Spanish missionaries José Joaquín Moragas y Francisco Palou, and it is the oldest building that currently exists in the city.
It was part of a series of missions built in California and, specifically, the Mission Dolores Its objective was to evangelize the Ohlone Indians.
The Mission It is a small building that was built under the name of St. Francis of Assisi, although over time this mission also became popularly known as Mission Dolores.
Next to the original mission building, in 1918 a large basilica was completed, known as the Mission Dolores Basilica of San Francisco, whose ornamentation has a style churrigeresque.
San Francisco City Hall
El City Hall It is a building where the civic center of the city is located, which stands out for its enormous central dome.
El San Francisco City Hall It was built in 1915 to replace the old town hall building that was destroyed by the great earthquake that devastated the city in 1906, and in its architecture it resembles The Invalides of Paris.
La City Hall dome It is the fifth largest in the world by its dimensions.
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At 94 meters high, it is only 35 meters higher than the dome of the Washington Capitol, and its diameter is 20 meters.
Here you have information about the best tours and excursions in San Francisco which you can sign up for on your tourism visit
Downtown San Francisco
The city center is the area known as Downtown, which is marked by several corners such as the commercial area Union Square and its numerous skyscrapers.
Union Square shopping area in San Francisco
At downtown San Francisco you find the Union Square shopping area,
The main shopping centers and department stores are concentrated here, such as Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Barneys New York, Nordstrom y Saks Fifth Avenue, and also the most prestigious luxury brand stores.
In short, it is the true commercial hub of the city and there are also located the tallest skyscrapers in San Francisco.
Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco
As I mentioned previously, the tallest and most iconic skyscraper in San Francisco is known as the Transamerica Pyramid.
Not only because it is about tallest skyscraper in San Francisco, but above all because of its special design that justifies its name, since, indeed, it is a pyramid-shaped building with four sides.
When you arrive in San Francisco, you will have no problem recognizing it because it is located on the most central avenue in the city, Columbus, in the neighborhood North Beach.
Its name of transamerica comes from originally being the headquarters of the Transamerica Corporation, owner of Bank of America.
This San Francisco icon skyscraper It was built between 1969 and 1972, with the design of the architect William Pereira.
For its construction, the special orographic conditions of the city were taken into account, with great seismic sensitivity, which required special reinforcements in the structure of the building.
This was put to the test in 1989, after a magnitude 7,1 earthquake hit San Francisco Bay, after which the building was not affected.
You will see when you arrive in San Francisco that it is not a city of enormous skyscrapers, which explains why its tallest building has 48 plants.
Of course, when in 1072 the construction of the Transamerica PyramidAt 260 meters high, it was the eighth tallest building in the world, a fact that really now looks ridiculous compared to the large skyscrapers that have risen in recent years in countries, especially in Asia and the Persian Gulf.
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In 1999 the company that owned the building, Transamerica Corp., was absorbed by the Dutch insurance company AEGON, but the T markransamerica It remained there, since it continued to be the headquarters of this financial division.
The Transamerica Pyramid is an office building that cannot be visited by the public.
But if you are especially curious about this peculiar skyscraper, at the entrance of the clay street is the Transamerica Pyramid Visitor Center, where you can watch videos, have information about its history, or buy souvenirs.
SFMOMA Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco
En San Francisco you can also visit a Museum of Modern Art, which took a name similar to that of new york museum, so it is known as the SFMOMA.
It is in the downtown area Downtown of San Francisco, specifically in the 151 Third Street, together to the Yerba Buena Gardens.
Opened in 1935, it includes works, among other artists, by JAkson Pollock, Richard Diebenkorn, Paul Klee, Marcel Duchamp y A.
Slopes in the Nob Hill neighborhood of San Francisco
Near to downtown you have the neighborhood of Nob Hill, north of the city, where you can see the famous hills and steep streets of San Francisco.
It is an area highly visited by tourists because the traditional cable tram, which is now a tourist attraction.
Lombard, la calle de las curvas de San Francisco
You should not miss going to the famous Lombard street, with its incredibly steep hill through which the cars descend between very sinuous curves.
La Lombard street It was designed in 1922 to overcome the great unevenness that existed on the hill where it is located.
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San Francisco streetcars
The traditional cable trams which currently, more than as a means of transportation, remain as tourist attraction.
Coit Tower, vistas panorámicas de San Francisco
In the district of North Beach You have the possibility of going up to a viewpoint to enjoy some Panoramic views of the city and the bay.
This is the Coit Tower viewing point, tower located on a small hill in said district near the Pier y Fisherman's Wharf.
La Coit Tower It was built in 1933 on top of the hill called Telegraph Hill.
Architectural style art decó and 60 meters high, its circular staircase contains numerous murals by artists who have studied in the Decorative Arts School Of California.
Puente colgante Oakland Bay Bridge
In addition to the famous Golden Gate, in San Francisco You also have the chance to see and cross another large suspension bridge.
This is the Oakland Bay Bridge, conocido como el Bay Bridge, which joins the city of san francisco with the town of Oakland, y que es el más largo que cruza la bahía con sus seis kilómtros de longitud.
While the Golden Gate It is arranged in a north/south direction, crossing the access door to the Pacific Ocean from the San Francisco Bay, Oakland Bay Bridge se extiende en sentido este-oeste hacia el interior.
Also with a very spectacular image, in reality the Oakland Bay Bridge They are two successive bridges that span the Yerba Buena Island, which is crossed by a tunnel.
El tramo oeste tiene una longitud de 3.100 metros, mientras que el tramo este tiene 2.800 metros; eso sí, el arco de mayor anchura es de 700 metros, mientras que el arco central del Golden Gate alcanza los 1.280 metros.
El Oakland Bay Bridge It opened in 1936, six months before the Golden Gate, and is currently part of the interstate 80, this section being tolled, although only for westbound traffic.
Embarcadero, excursiones por la Bahía de San Francisco
If you want to make a San Francisco Bay Ferry Tour you must go to the building Pier, from where they depart, among others, the one that will take you to the Alcatraz Prison Island, where you can visit the criminal history.
Bliss San Francisco Maritime Station You will find it in a majestic building built in 1898, which has survived the earthquakes of 1906 and 1989, and which is currently surrounded by modern skyscrapers.
What stands out above all about this building is its clock tower Built with a certain architectural inspiration in the Giralda Tower in Seville.
La San Francisco Embarcadero Ferry Terminal It was the second terminal with the most ship traffic in the United States.
But in the 30s, the Bay Bridges and the famous suspension bridge were built. Golden Gate, which brought with it a significant reduction in maritime traffic.
San Francisco Bay Ferry Cruises
The Pier Terminal currently take the ferries that take you, for example, to the islands of Alcatraz y Angel.
Or also the ferry that takes you to the coastal town of Sausalito, located on the other side of the bay, in front of the city of San Francisco.
In order to take an excursion during your trip to the Californian city, here is a list of ferry routes for sightseeing trips or cruises through the San Francisco Bay with information on the different lines and their routes.
You also have information about the dates on which these ferries operate, as well as their schedules.
Palacio de Bellas Artes en La Marina
In the district of La MarinaIn addition to the leisure areas, you can also see a curious neoclassical building that you may be surprised to find in the city of San Francisco.
It is known as Palace of Fine Arts (Fine Arts), which was built near the Golden Gate in 1915, on the occasion of a Pacific Exposition.
In reality, it is an architectural complex that is located in a large garden and next to a pond.
Fisherman's Wharf entertainment area in San Francisco
And at night, the essential visit is the area of the old fishing port known as Fisherman's Wharf, where you will enjoy shops, restaurants and musical shows.
Situada al norte de la ciudad, junto al distrito de The marine, actually Fisherman's Wharf occupies the space of the old fishing port extending along the street Jefferson and Pier., y durante la noche encontrarás un bullicioso ambiente en sus calles.
Aparte de numerosos restaurantes o bares con música en directo, en esta zona de ocio también verás los populares puestos callejeros donde podrás comprar los típicos cooked crabs that everyone eats on the same street.
To highlight among these large establishments, the Great Bread Factory Boudin Bakery, donde además de ver en directo cómo se fabrican típicas hogazas redondas de pan, podrás degustarlas rellenas con distintas ensaladas u otros alimentos.
In addition, you can visit a museum and take a tour of the entire factory.
El gran atractivo para visitar esta zona de ocio durante el día es, sin duda, ver los sea lions in the wild at Pier 39.
El Pier 39 It is a pier that has now become an attraction, as dozens of free sea lions gather on the various wooden platforms.
The sea lions They are a very common species on the coasts of the North pacific, and specifically in California, where there are several places to see them.
In this regard, for example, I can cite the natural area 17 Mile Drive in the Monterey Bay, or the Piedras Blancas beach, south of Big Sur, where you will also see dozens of sea lions on freedom.
But in San Francisco itself, in the aforementioned Pier 39 You can enjoy them, and so do every hundreds of tourists who visit this corner of the famous leisure area of the city.
Furthermore, the Pier 39 It is an ideal viewpoint to enjoy beautiful Panoramic views of the suspension bridge Golden Gate or the island of Alcatraz Prison.
Sausalito in San Francisco Bay
Among the places you can visit with a San Francisco Bay ferry cruise, one of the most notable to visit is Sausalito. coastal town that you can also reach by road crossing the Golden Gate.
En Sausalito You are going to see one of the most exclusive residential areas of the San Francisco Bay, with its famous houseboats.
Alcatraz Island and Prison in San Francisco
Un Ferry cruise to visit the island and the former Alcatraz prison It is one of the most requested excursions by tourists who visit San Francisco.
This excursion allows you to get to know this historic enclave of the San Francisco Bay, with the prison that was closed in 1963 and is currently considered a national park.
Tours and excursions in San Francisco
For your visit to the Californian city you have the option of signing up for various tours and guided visits of San Francisco in Spanish.
For example, the tour San Francisco complete with Alcatraz Island, which will take you an eight-hour day.
You also have numerous options for excursions around San Francisco.
Finally, if you arrive by plane you may be interested in the option of transfers from San Francisco airport, and for your stay, here you can search hotel in San Francisco.
I'm thinking of going by car to San Francisco, are parking cheap?
Perfect.
I will take all these recommendations into account because I will take some flights to San Francisco for within 3 months.
It sure is a magnificent place! I can't wait to be there
Hello, does anyone know if it is easy to get to San Francisco by car, that is, are there easy to access parking lots?
I plan to spend three days in the Golden Gate, Fishersman and China Town area
regards
excellent options I loved the advice I am from Spain and I am planning my first trip to the US for next month
Fantastic article, we point all these addresses for our next visit…
We already had more clarity about the accommodation: http://www.boxvot.mx/Rankings/Hoteles-historicos-en-San-Francisco
We loved the article, thank you very much for creating quality content 😉 we will use it as an example for our Blog and to inspire more about San Francisco, a city that we recently have on WePlann 😀
HELLO JOSE LUIS.
My boyfriend and I wanted to take a trip to San Francisco in August, but the prices of the hotels we are looking at are mostly exorbitant. I see that on your blog you have sometimes recommended the Motel 6 chain, and in San Francisco there is one in Downtown. I have read opinions on the internet, and some people say that it is in a somewhat dangerous area. What do you think? do you know him? Could you recommend another cheap hotel or motel that is in San Francisco itself? We don't want to be in the outskirts, because as you say it would take a long time to get in and out of the city every day.
I wait your answer!!!
Thank you very much and congratulations for the blog. I have organized my entire trip using the information on your blog!
Ana P.
Ana, from my point of view, the Motel6s have a very good quality/price ratio (I stayed in several during my last trip to the United States; even in San Francisco, although on the outskirts).
I see that it is in an excellent location, very central. And I will tell you that I did not have any feeling of insecurity in San Francisco, so it may be a very ideal option. Of course, without knowing this specific hotel and its location.
Come on, I wouldn't hesitate to stay there.
Joni, thanks for your comment.
Regarding making the trip on your own, don't even hesitate, on the West Coast you won't have any problems...even if you are a newbie.
Precisely, I was ready to publish a note giving basic advice for planning a trip along the west coast, which I have just published within the new section of “Travel and routes through the United States”, which I am going to develop from now on.
http://guias-viajar.com/estados-unidos/planes-viajes-rutas/costa-oeste-consejos-previos-viajar-por-tu-cuenta/
I hope that, to begin with, this note is useful to you. From there, do not hesitate to ask more specific questions, since there are so many possibilities that it is very difficult to answer your question right away.
Hi how are things? First of all, I think this website is fantastic, especially for organizing a trip on your own.
I didn't know where to write my comment and I'll leave it here to see if you can help me, thank you.
I am organizing my honeymoon trip for June 2010, I know there is a lot left but what better way to do it all calmly and on time! I have never organized a trip on my own, nor have I ever left Spain hehe, I mean I am a total newbie, but after reading many forums, my idea is to organize a trip to my dream destination “West Coast USA”, mainly because it is economically more affordable and with more freedom.
This is where my first doubts begin hehe, as you say here, there are tons of places to visit, but of course one doesn't have as much time as one would like to have. I see that you address the topic well here, my question would be, having about 16 days to make the trip, what route would be most feasible for me to see the main attractions of the west coast? My idea is to do a circuit in a rental car.
Well, thank you in advance if you can help me.
all the best