Sign in with Facebook"How to, and not to, see San Francisco" San Francisco by goingsolo
San Francisco Travel Guide: 9,082 reviews and 19,107 photos
San Francisco is a fascinating city. It has a unique landscape, cultural diversity and enough activities to fill the days and nights of travelers of any interest group. It is basically a lot of activities and a great many sites packed into a relatively small square mileage metropolitan area.
From a cultural standpoint, San Francisco is more interesting than any other US city because it has the most diverse population of ethnicities, lifestyles and income brackets. In a sense, it is a monument to integrated society in that people from so many walks of life inhabit this fairly tiny city and pretty much live in relative harmony. That's not to say that the city doesn't have crime and conflict, because it does. But, on the whole, there is a laissez faire attitude and acceptance of the differences of its population.
The city by the bay has some unpredictable weather that surprises some visitors who think that summertime means warm temperatures. But few complain because the sun does come out eventually and you'll find some of the best year round weather in San Francisco.
The city is a collection of neighborhoods, slanted streets and steep hills. Gym shoes are not necessary here, but walking shoes are a must as this is a place for sightseeing, or rather sight seeing. Many of San Francisco's top attractions are places where you'll find the best views of the city, the bay or even both.
I spent a woefully inadequate three days in San Francisco and tried to do as much as possible. Needless to say, I didn't take it all in and this page falls well short of complete. But I did see a great many things and many great things in the 72 hour time span.
I managed to hit a lot of the must see places and to wander into some places that are better left unseen. It was three days of eating, walking and touring this great city, Just enough to get an overview of all the things I want to explore in greater detail when I return. On this page, I'll take you through my tour of San Francisco and try to give some tips on what to do and what not to do.
One caveat: I'm trying my best to match up photos and tips and may get a few confused. Please feel free to point out any discrepancies you might see as this is always much appreciated.
- Pros:Fascinating mixture of culture, history and natural beauty
- Cons:Expensive with unpredictable weather and those California drivers
- In a nutshell:One of the most fascinating cities in the United States
Reviews (35)
Weather related
What to Pack
(1)
Someone, I believe it was Mark Twain, said that the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. Due to... more travel advice
Transamerica Pyramid
Off The Beaten Path
(6)
You won't find too many tall buildings in San Francisco. The Transamerica Pyramid, at 48 stories high, is the tallest... more travel advice
Tenderloin District
Warnings and Dangers
(1)
For such a small city, San Francisco has a large homeless population. I was told that this is due to a combination of... more travel advice
Bay Bridge
Favorites
(6)
The Golden Gate Bridge gets the spotlight in San Francisco. It is the most known and most picturesque bridge in the... more travel advice
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goingsolo
“"Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life."”
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Comments (5)
helpful tip on the Palace hotel (esp. on thin walls)
Hey again, I just checked back to see your finished (?) page on SF. Some really good tips here, and a couple of very nice photos. It seems like you had a nice time!
Very nice page...will re-visit when it's completed. Sounds like you went to a lot of good restaurants.
Nice job so far. Can't wait to hear more of your opinions of "my" city. I like the city pictures you've taken.
What? You didn't try the chicken feet? Great start with good info; I'll be back to see more. We will be heading back to SF in August :o) ~ Helen