| S.F.
Bay Area — California
San Francisco
Top 15+ Fun Things To Do
in
San Francisco & the Bay Area

Anytime is a good time to visit San Francisco. As
locals, we love playing tourist for the day — the "city by the
bay" and surrounding areas offer so many fun things to do and
see. Here are a few suggestions for visitors and locals alike:
1. Take a FUN Alcatraz
and San Francisco City Tour. Book early because it sells out
almost every day. Once an infamous Federal Penitentiary, Alcatraz
("The
Rock" ) was home to Al "Scarface" Capone, George "Machine
Gun" Kelly and Robert "The Birdman" Stroud.The "Cell
Block" audio walking tours are fascinating. See famous waterfront
views of San Francisco Bay and the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge.
Visit fun local attractions, including Chinatown, Fisherman's
Wharf,
Victorian homes, North Beach... and more!
2. See San Francisco as you've never seen it before - it's one
of the most beautiful cities in the world. Take a Helicopter
Tour and get a bird's eye view of Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge,
Angel Island and the SF skyline. Fly over the spectacular Pacific
Coastline, Marin
Headlands, (offers the best vantage point of the Golden Gate
Bridge), Tiburon (home
to Sam's, our favorite outdoor brunch cafe) and the quaint waterfront
town of Sausalito,
(a "must-see" destination when visiting San Francisco).
3. Treat your honey to a romantic Champagne
Brunch Cruise what better way to cruise the picturesque waters
of San Francisco Bay than sipping on champagne and mimosas and enjoying
a lavish brunch.
4. While visiting San Francisco, take a fun half-day trip to Muir
Woods (see California's Giant Redwood Trees) — they're
among the oldest and tallest on earth. Muir Woods is a very popular
Marin
attraction and it can get very crowded. If you're driving, arrive
early because the parking lots fill up quickly. We suggest that you
take a leisurely tour and leave the driving and parking hassles to
someone else.
5. Looking to do something fun and completely different? Take
an eco-friendly San
Francisco Waterfront Segway Tour — it's a once-in-a-lifetime
experience and a great way to see the city.
6. Take a guided Walking
Tour of Chinatown — it's one of the largest Chinese communities
outside of Asia. Have fun exploring Chinese markets, restaurants,
theaters, herb shops, temples - and visit a fortune cookie factory
too! Enjoy dinner at a popular Chinese restaurant.
7. If you love wine, you won't want to miss the chance to visit
Napa Valley and Sonoma
Wine Country, especially at this time of the year when
harvest season is in full swing. Visit a mix of boutique and large-scale
wineries,
enjoy wine-tasting and learn how wines are made in California's
historic wine region. No need to worry about drinking and driving
— take a fun California
Wine Country Tour (from San Francisco) and leave the driving
to someone else. California has very tough drinking and driving
enforcement.
Cheers!
8. Foodies love San Francisco! And one of our favorite places
to eat, walk and people-watch is North Beach (SF's Little Italy).
It's dotted with quaint little cafes and outside seating everywhere.
Take a Little
Italy & North Beach Walking Tour and enjoy tasting everything
from great coffee, truffles, breads, olive oils, specialty meats...
and more! North Beach has so many great restaurants - here are a
few of our favorites: Rose Pistola (great
buzz), The
Stinking Rose (you gotta love garlic) and Ristorante Mona
Lisa (feels like you're
in Italy). Buon Appetito! North Beach also offers fabulous
entertainment - we highly recommend seeing Beach
Blanket Babylon — it's an internationally acclaimed San Francisco institution
and one of our favorite shows!
9. Take a fun "Hop-On
Hop-Off" Double-Decker Bus or Trolley Tour — it's
what we do in every city we visit. It's a great way to see the
city
at your leisure and then you can come back and spend more time
at your favorite places. Or... take a San
Francisco Shuttle Tour — the in-depth 5-hr guided tour
includes a one-way ferry cruise across the bay to or from Sausalito.
10. If you have the time, don't miss seeing Yosemite
National Park and Giant Sequoias — it's one of the
most naturally beautiful places on earth. See its majestic
granite cliffs, giant Sequoias and spectacular
flowing waterfalls. Bet ya won't want to leave.

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11. Walk across the Golden
Gate Bridge — it's
one of the most amazing views you'll see of the SF skyline, Alcatraz,
Angel Island, SF Bay (usually filled with sailboats), and the Pacific
Ocean. Scenic Vista Point areas are located at each end of the
bridge - it's perfect for snapping photos. If you like to sail,
take a San
Francisco Sailing Cruise and sail under the Golden Gate
Bridge.
12. Visit one of San Francisco's fabulous museums.
Our favorite is the California
Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate
Park— it's the only place in the world that houses one
of the world’s largest Planetariums, an Aquarium and Coral
Reef, a Natural History Museum, and a glass-domed Rainforest -
all under
the same roof! The de Young is another "must-see" museum
(located opposite the California Academy of Sciences). And if you
have time, visit Golden Gate Park's beautiful Japanese
Tea Gardens,located
next door the de Young.
13. Ice-cream lovers won't want to miss a stop
at Ghirardelli Square's world-famous Ice-Cream
Shop. Ghirardelli
Square is a fun place to visit - it offers fabulous waterfront
dining, upscale art galleries, fine shops, live entertainment,
and great people-watching. Of course, no trip to San Francisco
would be complete without a ride on a historic Cable
Car — you
can catch one opposite Ghirardelli Square, at Aquatic Park on Beach
Street. Experience riding up and down San Francisco's famous hills.
Hold on tight!
14. Check out the Sea Lions
at Pier 39 — your
kids will love 'em! Pier 39 also has fun shops, restaurants and
attractions,
including Aquarium of the Bay and their amazing jelly
fish.
15. Spend a day biking, walking, or picnicking
at Chrissy Field and the Marina
Green. We love walking along the
water - and you can't beat the views of the Golden Gate Bridge
and Alcatraz. FYI... there's a big Safeway opposite the Marina
Green where you can pick up a sandwich or deli items for a picnic.
16. If you like to shop, head over to Union
Square — - it's the Bay Area's premier shopping destination,
featuring high-end fashion boutiques, major retail stores, specialty
shops, fine jewelry stores, gourmet restaurants, top hotels, theaters
and art galleries. One of our favorite restaurants in Union Square
(Cheesecake Factory) sits atop Macy's - get a table at the outdoor
Sky Terrace Patio for an incredible view of Union Square and downtown
San Francisco. Westfield San Francisco
Center is another fun shopping
destination, located near Union Square - it's the largest urban shopping
mall this side of the Mississippi and includes great restaurants,
a luxury spa and a movie theater.
17.Drive or walk down Lombard
Street — it's
the most famous crookedest street in the world. The views from
the top of Lombard Street are
stunning. You can see Coit Tower and Alcatraz. The Cable Car (Powell-Hyde
line) stops here to let passengers take pictures.
18. On a Saturday morning, THE place to be in
San Francisco is the Ferry
Plaza Farmers Market at Ferry
Building Marketplace. It's a "must-see" for Foodies!
We hope these suggestions help narrow down what
to see and do in San Francisco — there's still a lot we haven't
mentioned, but this is a good start, especially if it's your first
visit. Whatever you do... have FUN!
Tell us about YOUR favorite things to do and
see in San Francisco and the Bay Area - we'd love to hear from
you.
Find More San Francisco Tours, Day Trips and
Fun Things To Do


More Fun SF Tours
Find More San Francisco Tours,
Day Trips and Fun Things To Do
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