San Francisco Information

San Francisco Information

Ideally located between the shores of the Pacific Ocean and the Sierra Nevada Mountains and bordered by the magnificent redwood forests, the city of San Francisco is not only stunningly beautiful, but puts a wealth of sensory delights at your fingertips. Renowned for being progressive and creative, it is a dynamic destination brimming with art, music, architecture and freethinking cultural expression. Positioned at the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, it has a population of almost a million people, with well over 7 million people inhabiting the entire San Francisco Bay region.

The most recognisable landmark in San Francisco is of course the Golden Gate Bridge, the backdrop for countless Hollywood movies and a spectacular sight in its enormity. It is a marvel of modern engineering and can be enjoyed from countless vantage points, including the Golden Gate Park; a great destination for the kids, complete with a carousel, paddle boats, playgrounds, a buffalo paddock and miniature trees. If you visit in the late afternoon, be sure to take advantage of the magnificent sunset views.

One of the more popular attractions is the infamous Alcatraz, located on an island in the Bay, where visitors can tour the prison cells that one held famous inmates like Al Capone. Closed in 1963, it now forms a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Known as “The Rock”, the island’s activities also include audio tours with commentary by former prisoners and guards, as well as trail walks.

For those interested in cultural pursuits, a visit to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is a must. It contains an excellent collection of 20th century paintings, photography and sculpture, and includes work by Pollock, O’Keefe and Warhol. The district of Market Street is well known for its museums and exciting visual art galleries, whilst Union Square is home to many of the city’s cutting-edge theatre companies. For the architectural enthusiast, Alamo Square is a visual feast with its rows of Victorian houses, sharply contrasted against the city’s skyline in the distance.

No visit to San Francisco would be complete without riding the network of cable cars that criss-cross the hilly city. Recognised as a national historic landmark, the cable cars are over a hundred years old and travel along three main routes. Ride one down from Market Street to Fisherman’s Wharf, where tourists congregate to enjoy local seafood, buy kitsch souvenirs and see literally hundreds of local sea lions sunbathe on the pontoons.