San Francisco

San Francisco is the most European and the most tolerant of American cities. You simply cannot plan a Western USA trip without a visit here. 

There are many neighborhoods to explore, each with its distinct character, where you will enjoy discovering an everyday life that is very different from your own.

The "City by the Bay" can sometimes feel like an urban roller coaster with its many hills, steep streets and surprising staircases.

CHINATOWN

The official entrance to Chinatown is marked by the Chinatown Gate  (Dragon Gate), a large colourful gateway arch that was a gift from Taiwan in 1969. San Francisco's Chinatown is the oldest in North America and the largest Chinese community outside Asia. 

If you really want to get a feel for Chinatown, it's best to go early in the morning when the local residents do their shopping. Grant Avenue is the neighbourhood's major thoroughfare with its many souvenir and gift shops. There is also Washington Street and Waverly Place , a quiet narrow street where you can find a wide variety of brightly painted balconies in a striking mix of colours and styles.

Portsmouth Square is known as the Heart of Chinatown. This small park is rich with history and contains many commemorative statues and plaques. It is a popular spot for local residents, and you will find Tai Chi adepts there early in the morning, children at the playground, and seniors playing cards and Chinese chess.

The famous fortune cookie was invented in San Francisco, and they are still made at Golden Gate Fortune Cookies, 56 Ross Alley.

NORTH BEACH

North Beach is a charming and vibrant neighborhood packed with local history that stretches from Broadway and Columbus Avenue to around Washington Square. The neighbourhood is San Francisco's "Little Italy" and is very lively in the evenings, especially on Columbus Avenue which is lined with many coffee shops, bars and restaurants.

North Beach was also the birthplace of the “beat generation”, a literary movement that grew up in 1950s San Francisco.

TELEGRAPH HILL

Telegraph Hill is another of the city's many neighbourhoods. As it is located on the 86-meter-high and very steep hill of the same name, it is easily recognizable. The hill owes its name to a semaphore built in 1850 at its top, which was used to notify the population as to what type of ship was passing through the Golden Gate.

Coit Tower , a slender white concrete column rising from the top of Telegraph Hill, is an emblem of San Francisco’s skyline. It was built as a tribute to the city's firefighters by one of their great admirers and patron, Lillie Coit. The tower is 65 metres high and has an elevator to an observation deck, which offers spectacular views of San Francisco. Take some time to admire the magnificent fresco murals inside the tower's base.

Admission to the tower is free but there is a small fee to use the elevator.

On leaving the tower, we suggest that you head east and follow the signs for the Filbert Steps , an impressive series of brick and wooden stairs leading down the hill amidst gardens and trees. Once at the bottom, you will find the Fog City Diner at 1300 Battery Street, one of the many curiosities of San Francisco, where you can eat well at a good price.

FISHERMAN’S WHARF

The neighbourhood known as Fisherman's Wharf is actually a waterfront area and popular tourist attraction that encompasses several piers along with a wide array of restaurants, shops, museums and shopping centres.

As you pass by Fisherman's Wharf, you can't miss the stars of the neighbourhood: the famous colony of sea lions on Pier 39! Just a few meters from the pedestrian area, hundreds of sea lions have taken up residence on the wooden docks and like to bask in the sun.

Pier 39 is also home to more than 100 shops, a dozen restaurants with stunning bay views, and many street artists and musicians who perform here each day. 

BAY CRUISE

Admire the San Francisco hills and skyline from a different angle, sail under the Golden Gate Bridge and around legendary Alcatraz Prison, with a cruise of San Francisco Bay.

As mornings are often foggy, it is better to take a cruse in the late afternoon. Be sure to bring a windbreaker and sweater.

PAINTED LADIES

The famous “Painted Ladies of San Francisco", otherwise known as “Postcard Row" or the “Seven Sisters", are a row of 1860s Victorian houses painted vibrant pastel colours, located across from Alamo Square in the Hayes Valley neighborhood. You have probably seen them in movies or TV or in media photos of the city.

On a clear day, there is a superb view of the Financial District skyscrapers in the background.

ALCATRAZ

This is a three-hour tour that you won't want to miss, but it's so popular that it may be hard to get tickets. Of course, we are talking about the most mysterious and famous prison in the world, so its popularity comes as no surprise!

Alcatraz is known for its terrible living conditions, its cramped cells, and its sinister isolation rooms from which escape was nigh impossible. The tour includes access to the island and its gardens, the penitentiary and also the screening of a short documentary film.

Four different tours are available, lasting between 2½ and 5½ hours. The night tour is the most impressive. Book online as early as possible (at least 3 months in advance).

LOMBARD STREET

Known as the “Crookedest Street in the World", Lombard Street in the Russian Hill neighbourhood is famous for its steep 1-block section with eight tight hairpin turns designed to reduce the hill's natural 27% grade. The view looking up from the bottom of the street is truly impressive.

Be warned: Lombard Street is quite an urban driving challenge… take it slowly and in low gear! Between Hyde Street and Leavenworth Street.

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

San Francisco's history is filled with significant events, such as the gold rush in Sierra Nevada, which explains the name given to this famous red bridge. For many immigrants, San Francisco was a gateway into America and the bridge became a symbol of hope, a "golden gate" to new beginnings.

Inaugurated in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge is 2.6 kilometres of roadway 67 metres above the water, 1 million tons of steel, 129,000 kilometres of cable, and 25 painters who maintain the bridge's paintwork on a continuous basis.

The bridge can be crossed on foot or by bike (there are several bike rental companies on the Piers) and you can even take the bus back into the city if you time it right. If you have the chance, walk across the bridge at sunset (bring a windbreaker and some warm clothing!). Visit their website for opening hours : www.goldengate.org/bridge/visiting-the-bridge/bikes-pedestrians/.

*Note: if you drive south across the bridge, into San Francisco, you will have to pay a toll of about $8 (per car or RV). With a rental car, your best option is to prepay the toll before crossing, because cash payment is not accepted on the bridge. Payment can be made up to 30 days in advance or up to 48 hours later.

If you do not pay the toll, the rental company will charge the toll directly to your credit card, adding a hefty administration fee.

You can pay by phone or on the website. Just choose the "Pay future toll" or "Pay recent toll" option and enter the requested information (including the vehicle licence plate number and State).

MARIN HEADLANDS

If you have a car, don't miss driving across the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin County, to the rocky promontory of Marin Headlands , which offers breathtaking views of Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco.