San Francisco Tourist Trap Tips by Parklife

When visitors come to San Francisco, they invariably stand either at Market or near Fisherman's Wharf to wait for a ride on the cable car. It's as if once you see a line, there is a magnet pulling you to the end. Everyone needs to travel on the cable car. It's a 'must-do'. No question about it. But why waste 45 min. to an hour just to do it.

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At Least Do This: Perhaps it isn't widely known, but there aren't just two stops on the cable cars (the beginning and the end). The cars have typical bus-stop like points all along their route. These are areas where people can hop on and off the cable car. One such spot is at the top of Lombard Street. It's often a changing point for tourists getting on and off the cable car. Work your day so that you end up on top of Lombard and wait for the next trolley going towards the water. You can usually hop on here and ride down a huge hill overlooking the bay and Alcatraz. It is often so packed you are standing on the side hanging onto the raily so be prepared. But that might just be the best place to be anyway with the wind blowing through your hair and great views. (Whatever you do, don't expect to walk a couple of blocks away from the starting point and expect people to get off making room. Use some common sense.)

Just as a warning. Be aware that when you are posing with street performers or the eclectic people along the piers, many of them ask for money for your privilage to photograph yourself with them. I've even seen some advertise "Get your photo taken with a REAL Punker for $1".

If you want, be my guest. But watch out for the person posing with you who waits until after you snap the photo until they start bugging you for $.

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