A visit to San Francisco should be on everyone wish list of places to visit at some point. The city offers great food, a wonderful skyline, the sunny climate and a warm welcome for it visitors. Depending on whom you speak to about San Francisco it conjures up different memories and thoughts, whether it’s from the movies, music, history or business and technology something will spring to mind thus, it’s easy to see why San Francisco is regarded as one of the world’s top destinations.
We are all familiar with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge – seen in the Xmen movie, the cable cars on the steep rolling hills of Lombard Street – the crookedest street in the world, famous for appearing in the comic car chase in the film, ‘What’s Up Doc?’ There is Alcatraz Island, home to the infamous prison, which closed in 1963.
San Francisco is also about the experience you have while you are here. The city is a melting pot of culture of people and culture – it is said when you are here you hardly meet anyone from San Francisco. It all start when many where coming here in search of Gold. Many are still coming but for different reasons; San Francisco attracts nearly three million international visitors each year.
It was here during the gold rush period in 1873 that Levi’s founders struck their gold in denim. San Francisco is home the Levi’s worldwide head quarter and museum. Visitors to the Levi and Strauss & Co. SF California get to try out new jeans design before they go on sale to the rest of the world; you also get the opportunity to buy special edition jeans. Want something altered? In house tailors will hem, taper, add or remove belt loops and even stencil your name in the jeans.
For movie and music lovers you can visit the Golden Gate Park, the focal point of the summer of love in the 1960s. The Haight, the epicentre of the hippy era is just a few blocks away. Today among the high-end boutiques that now line the streets, there are still remains of those tie-dyed, acid-dropping days in some of the fading murals and the odd smoke shop such as Pipe Dream and The Love Ganesha – Marijuana.
A little up from the corner of Haight and Ashbury streets – the ground zero of hippydom – lies three story clapboard house at 710 Ashbury is where the rock band Grateful Dead, led by Jerry Garcia, set up home for two years from 1966.
The city has also splash out $60 million on the San Francisco JAZZ Center. It’s just blocks from Davies Symphony Hall, War Memorial Opera House and the Asian Art Museum. The Exploratorium, San Francisco’s internationally acclaimed museum of science, art and human perception is a must-see*. The Academy of Sciences is another visitor choice, it was constructed from material from its previous site, the ‘living roof’ is covered in 1.7 million lion plants that help to cool it in the California heat and the walls are packed with thousand of pairs of jeans to provide insulation.
San Francisco never disappoint when it comes to spectacular sights, and the Bay Bridge, the world’s largest self-anchored suspension span, is home to a monumental high-tech light sculpture featuring 25,000 individually programmable bulbs.
There are many ways of getting around enjoying the sites. There is the Segway tour of the Golden Gate Park. There is the Famous San Francisco’s fancy dress race Bay to Breakers, which has been going for over 100 years. There is the Michael Isgar San Francisco Run Tours offering bespoke treks running around the city for around $40 an hour. You decide on the route, which include running over the Golden Gate Bridge or down Lombard Street.
Enjoy the sights for less with the San Francisco CityPASS, which saves nearly 50 per cent on attraction and admissioins, to major attractions such as the California Academy of Sciences, a Blue and Gold Fleet Bay Cruise, the Aquarium of the Bay and the Exploraturium*. Go further for less with the MUNI and Cable Car 7-day Passport and take in Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown and the City’s famous cable cars with unlimited rides.
In boats, visit the bay to see the world’s fastest boats and best sailors compete for the 34th American’s Cup. The event starts with the Louis Vuitton Cup races from 4 July to 1 September and ends with the America’s Cup finals from 7 to 22 September.
*coming soon