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   Landmarks     Neighborhoods     Museums, etc.     Maps       Hauntings

Landmarks
Alcatraz This infamous former prison island in San Francisco Bay is now a national park.		Angel Island State Park The "jewel of San Francisco Bay" can be trekked, biked, and even kayaked. However you go, grand views will be your companion.
China Beach China Beach is popular not only for its great views of the Golden Gate Bridge, but because it's the only beach in the city considered safe for swimming.		City Hall The city hall dome is a replica of the one crowning St. Peter's Basilica. If that's not reason enough to check it out, how about this: Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio were married here.
Cliff House The Cliff House, with its spectacular ocean view, with the barking of sea lions vying with the crashing surf, remains as popular as it in the day it welcomed Presidents.		Coit Tower Monument built in honor of the city's volunteer firemen, with an observation deck that provides a great view of San Francisco.
Ferry Building See the newly refurbished Amtrak terminal.		Fisherman's Wharf Shopping area beginning at Pier 39 and ending at Ghirardelli Square, the wharf is home to such famous sites as The Wax Museum, Haunted Gold Mine, Laser Maze and Medieval Dungeon.
Ghirardelli Square A group of renovated factory buildings filled with shops, restaurants and galleries.		Golden Gate Bridge Stretching 4,200 feet and towering as high as 65-story buildings, this bridge is the gateway to San Francisco.
Golden Gate National Recreation Area The largest urban national park in the world, containing 74,000 acres of land and water.		Grace Cathedral The largest Gothic structure in the West, the church is famous for its gilded bronze doors created by Lorenzo Ghiberti for the Baptistry in Florence.
Haas-Lilienthal House This Queen Anne style home, now a museum, was the house where the merchant family of blue jeans (Haas) and canned goods (Lilienthal) lived.		Japanese Tea Garden Four-acre refuge in Golden Gate Park featuring Japanese architecture and gardens.
Lombard Street The famous section between Hyde and Leavenworth is known as the "crookedest street in the world."		Market Street Considered to be the Champs Elysees of the city, this grand street is filled with shops, hotels, and, along the way, remarkable architecture.
Market Street Railway Restored street cars run on tracks up and down the Market Street Railway.		Mission Dolores The oldest building in San Francisco, it still has adobe walls, original tiles, timbers lashed together with rawhide and hand-carved altars.
Napier Lane The only wooden street in San Francisco.		Old Cathedral of St. Mary This downtown San Francisco landmark was the first Catholic church in California.
Old United States Mint This Greek Revival structure is a trooper of a building, having survived the 1906 earthquake.		Pier 39 Third most visited attraction in the U.S., offers visitors restaurants, shops, entertainment and activities.
Presidio National Park A military installation from 1776 until 1994, the Presidio saw duty for Spain, Mexico and the U.S.; it is now a national park with almost 1,500 acres of hiking and biking trails, beautiful beaches and stunning views.		San Francisco Zoo The penguins win the popularity contest at this zoo. You can watch being fed daily at 3 PM. Or, if you prefer the big cats, come an hour earlier.
St. Mary's Cathedral This modern cathedral is an interesting mix of traditional and contemporary architectural styles.		Telegraph Hill A 179-foot tower from which you can see the entire San Francisco Bay.
Twin Peaks A twenty-minute ride from downtown, this is the best place to catch a San Francisco sunrise.		Transamerica Pyramid Located in downtown San Francisco, this building, shaped like a pyramid, is a well-known symbol of the city skyline.
UnderWater World Visitors view two large saltwater tanks that are filled with the many types of marine wildlife found in San Francisco Bay.		Union Square Bustling square with great shopping. Near the theater district.
Union Street This recently gentrified Victorian neighborhood is also the nighttime hotspot for the college and professional crowds.		Yerba Buena Gardens Five acres of shade trees and murmuring fountains which adjoin the Moscone Convention Center.

Pot of Tage Neighborhoods
Castro San Francisco's famous gay and lesbian neighborhood is filled with interesting cafes, bars and shops worth exploring.		Chinatown This electric neighborhood of 100,000 is not to be missed, and it's not hard to find: listen for the clack of mahjongg tiles and nose out the salty spicy squid.
Embarcadero Major street in the port area of San Francisco that has become a bustling area of shops, businesses and sightseeing attractions.		Haight-Ashbury A memorial to the past. Tourists can visit the homes of former flowerchildren like Janis Joplin.
Japantown A small neighborhood with Japanese restaurants, shops and other attractions.		Marina District Trendy neighborhood in San Francisco with plenty of cool cafes, retail stores and restaurant choices to explore.
Nob Hill One of the most upscale areas of San Francisco, this is the site of two landmarks: The Fairmont Hotel and The Mark Hopkins.		North Beach This neighborhood has retained most of its beatnik charm while adding fine cuisine to its claims to fame.
Pacific Heights Attractive neighborhood where you will find multi-colored Victorian homes.		Russian Hill Visitor-friendly neighborhood which got its name when prospectors found 7 Cyrillic-inscribed gravestones at the top of the hill.
SoMa (South of Market Street) SoMa - "South of Market Street" - is a center of artistic activity along the lines of New York City's Soho district.

Pot of Tage Museums, Arts and Sciences
Asian Art Museum Located in Golden Gate Park, the museum houses art from more than 40 countries, with an emphasis on Chinese ceramics.		Cable Car Museum A museum to San Francisco's beloved cable cars, with a subterranean walkway that lets you see the moving cable.
California Academy of Sciences The West Coast's oldest scientific institution, the Academy, combines a natural history museum, aquarium and planetarium.		California Legion of Honor An outstanding collection of European art in a gorgeous hilltop museum setting.
The Exploratorium Hands-on science museum featuring more than 500 exhibits.		Morrison Planetarium This observatory has a custom-made telescope that projects a field of 3,800 stars.
Palace of Fine Arts Designed to look like a Roman ruin, this golden building is certainly a beauty to behold.		San Francisco Art Institute This is the oldest art school in the West, and the alma mater of some of the nation's most acclaimed artists.
San Francisco Main Library This beautiful, impressive modern structure opened in 1996 and contains seven stories of books and exhibits.		San Francisco Maritime Museum Find everything seaworthy - ship models, ship relics, scrimshaw, whaling gear and figureheads - in this free maritime museum.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art The museum itself is a work of art that houses a strong collection and traveling shows.		The Wax Museum A very popular tourist stop, the museum recreates historic figures and scenes as lifesize wax mannequins.

Pot of Tage

More Things to do in SF

Alcatraz
Alcatraz Island, located in the middle of San Francisco bay, is a must-see attraction for any visitor to the area. One of the most infamous prisons...

Golden Gate Bridge
Stretching 4,200 feet and towering as high as a 65-story building, this well-known bridge is the gateway to San Francisco.

Ferry Building Marketplace
A city landmark transformed into a gourmet food emporium and farmers market.

Chinatown
This electric neighborhood of 100,000 people is not to be missed, and it's not hard to find: listen for the clack of mahjongg tiles and nose out the salty spicy squid.

Fisherman's Wharf
Yes, it’s tacky, touristy and yucky, if you don’t know where to go. But it’s where visitors must go, so here are some fun and unique ways to enjoy...

Angel Island State Park
The largest island in San Francisco Bay features magnificent views of Marin County and San Francisco, while offering a wide variety of recreation for outdoor enthusiasts.

Lombard Street
Known as the "crookedest" street in the world, the steep hills and sharp curves of this one-way road pass by grand Victorian mansions and attract millions of tourists each year.

Aquarium of the Bay
Visitors view two large saltwater tanks that are filled with the many types of marine wildlife found in San Francisco Bay.

San Andreas Fault
Landmark/point of interest; Geological formation

Presidio National Park
A military installation from 1776 until 1994, the Presidio saw duty for Spain, Mexico and the U.S.; it is now a national park with almost 1,500 acres of hiking and biking trails, beautiful beaches and stunning views.

Nob Hill
One of the most upscale areas of San Francisco, this is the site of two landmarks: The Fairmont Hotel and The Mark Hopkins.

Cable Car Museum
A museum to San Francisco's beloved cable cars, with a subterranean walkway that lets you see the moving cable.
Children's museum; Specialty museum

Pacific Bell Park
Home of the San Francisco Giants Major League baseball team.

Conservatory of Flowers
The oldest existing building in Golden Gate Park, this Victorian-era greenhouse showcases a wide variety of tropical and seasonal flowers.

Grace Cathedral
The largest Gothic structure in the West, the church is famous for its gilded bronze doors created by Lorenzo Ghiberti for the Baptistry in Florence.
Religious site

Cable Cars
Since 1873, cable cars have run up and down the hilly city, though after the 1950s, these cars have been kept in operation more out of historic nostalgia. Seventeen miles of track remain and have been deemed a historical landmark.

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Visitors can take a workshop on boatbuilding, board a vessel docked at the Hyde Street Pier or tour the fine collections of maritime lore.

Teatro ZinZanni
Dinner theater

Vesuvio's Bar
Bar/club

Yerba Buena Gardens
Five acres of shade trees and murmuring fountains which adjoin the Moscone Convention Center.

Mission District
Neighborhood

M.H. de Young Memorial Museum
The city's oldest public museum offers exhibits on textiles and pre-Columbian art from the Americas.

Ghirardelli Square
A group of renovated factory buildings filled with shops, restaurants and galleries.

The Castro
San Francisco's famous gay and lesbian neighborhood is filled with interesting cafes, bars and shops worth exploring. The Castro Theatre draws movie buffs year-round with film festivals and movies of every genre.

San Francisco Zoo
The penguins win the popularity contest at this zoo. You can watch being fed daily at 3 PM. Or, if you prefer the big cats, come an hour earlier.

Strybing Arboretum in Golden Gate Park
A labyrinth of 3,000 varieties of trees, shrubs and flowers.

SoMa (South of Market Street)
SoMa - "South of Market Street" - is a center of artistic activity along the lines of New York City's Soho district.

Palace of Fine Arts
The Palace of Fine Arts was built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Expo, which San Francisco hosted.  It was built to have the feel of...

Japanese Tea Garden
Four-acre refuge in Golden Gate Park featuring Japanese architecture and gardens.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts/Yerba Buena Gardens
City-owned performing arts center offering facilities for a variety of acts, both indoors and outside.

Golden Gate Park
Park

San Francisco Fire Engine Tours & Adventures
Tours depart from The Cannery at Fisherman's Wharf

Cityscape at the San Francisco Hilton
Drink and dance to live music with a spectacular view of the city and Bay spread out before you at this classy hotel bar.

Harding Park Golf Course
Offering a regulation 18-hole course and a nine-hole executive course, this traditional golf layout features level greens and tree-lined fairways.

Transamerica Pyramid
Located in downtown San Francisco, this building, shaped likea pyramid, is a well-known symbol of the city skyline.

California Historical Society
California's history is archived here in a library, art collection and bookstore.

Haas - Lilienthal House
This Queen Anne style home, now a museum, was the house where the merchant family of blue jeans (Haas) and canned goods (Lilienthal) lived.

Bay Area Theatresports (BATS)
Theater

Ocean Beach
At the edge of the Pacific, beachcomb, build sand castles or bonfires, but don't swim. The tumultuous waters can be too rough to handle.

GoCar Rentals
Explore San Francisco with GPS-guided storytelling cars

Lincoln Park Golf Course
Challenging and fun course, measuring only 5,146 yards at par 68, doesn't challenge the long-hitters but perfect for newcomers to the game.

American Conservatory Theater
This award-winning stage is known for its innovative productions.

Beach Chalet
This restored roadhouse landmark now houses the Golden Gate Park Visitor Center.

Cartoon Art Museum
This museum for comic-book lovers is in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Fort Mason Center
Marina; Art museum

Japantown
A small neighborhood with Japanese restaurants, shops and other attractions.

Wells Fargo History Museum
Specialty museum; History museum

Top of the Mark
Sip drinks to piano music while taking in a panoramic city view at this lofty and elegant Nob Hill hotel bar.

Mount Davidson
The highest point in the city has a cross on its peak and has been a religious site for years.

San Francisco Bay Bridge
One of the longest bridges in the world, this spectacular structure links downtown San Francisco with the city of Oakland.

Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market
A nonprofit group devoted to sustainable agriculture runs this market 4 days a week.
Flea/street market

Bay Area Ridge Trail
A 400-mile long trail running through the mountains surrounding San Francisco and San Pablo Bays.

Marina District
Trendy neighborhood in San Francisco with plenty of cool cafes, retail stores and restaurant choices to explore.

Geary Theater
This restored historical and architectural treasure is the home of San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater.

Alamo Square
Known around the world for its Victorian rowhouses, this spectacular hilltop park is an ideal spot for picture taking.

Orpheum Theatre
While located in a rather seedy neighborhood, this ornate landmark still hosts a number of traveling musical acts.

Aquatic Park
This waterfront area, once part of Fort Mason, is now a complex for museums and artists.

Hyde Street Pier Historic Waterfront
Take a tour of the tall ships at this antiquated pier.

Grateful Dead House
House in which the band, the Grateful Dead, lived from 1965-1968.

Marine Mammal Center
The largest of six centers that rescue and rehabilitate seals and sea lions found along the California coast.

Queen Anne Victorians
The "Painted Ladies" - find this row of colorful Queen Anne Victorians on the 700 block of Steiner Street.

South Bay
Mount Hamilton and the James Lick Observatory offer wide views of the South Bay.

North Bay
Scenic drive along coastal Highway One through Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

Peninsula
Take Highway 84 through La Honda and you won't regret this scenic coastal drive.

Tattoo Art Museum

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge
Ducks, grebes, geese and loons, sandpipers, plovers and terns - you're sure to catch sight of at least one of the 80 species of waterfowl that feed and frolic in this refuge.

Esplanade
Five-acre downtown park with a waterfall memorial dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Island Hop Tour
Take San Fran by leaps, hopping from island to island by ferry, from Angel Island to Alcatraz.

Telephone Pioneers Communication Museum
Learn about the lives of the telephone pioneers and even about the art of telephony at this free museum.

McLellan Botanicals
A scented paradise for orchid lovers and lovers.

SkyDeck
Observation deck offering views of the city

Art for Children at the de Young Museum
A special area with hands-on activities designed to educate and inspire children.

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Major venue for a variety of famous acts and performers.

Bimbo's
Fashionable since the 1950s, this club continues to attract the best lounge acts and the hottest music.

Embarcadero Center SkyDeck
For a fabulous view of the city and bay area, travel 41 floors up to this indoor/outdoor observation deck.

Lincoln Park
This park in northwest San Francisco overlooks the Marin Headlands and contains scenic hiking trails.

Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall
Home to the San Francisco Symphony, this modern structure created quite an architectural controversy when first built.
Theater

Lyon Street Steps
Give yourself a cardiovascular workout on these steps, after which you'll be rewarde with a panoramic view of the San Francisco Bay.

GLBT Historical Society
History museum; Specialty museum

Cow Palace
Arena/stadium/field

Cliff House
Historic site

Mission Dolores Park
City park located between the Mission District and the Castro/Noe Valley neighborhoods.

Sutro Tower
Towering at 977 feet, this self-supporting steel structure transmits television and radio broadcasts to the general public.

Walter S. Johnson Park
Site of the San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts.

Marina Green
City-owned green located on the bay.

Haight-Ashbury
Center of the long-gone hippie culture of the 1960s, this trendy neighborhood is now a whole new scene with upscale boutiques, Internet cafes and hip restaurants.

Red Vic
Movie theater & Theme Hotel

Great American Music Hall
One of the oldest and nicest clubs in the city, hosting a wide variety of musical acts.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
The museum itself is a work of art that houses a strong collection and traveling shows.

Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The largest urban national park in the world, containing 74,000 acres of land and water.

Asian Art Museum
The museum houses art from more than 40 countries, with an emphasis on Chinese ceramics.

North Beach
Most of this neighborhood's former beatnik charm is retained while adding fine cuisine to its claim to fame.

Coit Tower
Monument built in honor of the city's volunteer firemen, with an observation deck that provides a great view of San Francisco.

Pot of Tage

City Lights Booksellers
Famous bookstore founded and still owned by Beat Generation poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti.

Union Square
A shopper's paradise, this bustling square near the theater district has everything from upscale department stores and boutiques to discount houses. After a $25-million facelift in 2002, the cosmopolitan hub boasts a huge amphitheater, granite pedestals on which street entertainers perform and a tree and flower-lined environment in which to enjoy an espresso or an elegant meal.

The Exploratorium
Unwinding DNA, building a Spectroscope or exploring the brain are some of the many exciting interactive activities people of all ages can enjoy.

California Palace of the Legion of Honor
An outstanding collection of European art in a gorgeous hilltop museum setting.

The Embarcadero
Major street in the port area of San Francisco that has become a bustling area of shops, businesses and sightseeing attractions.

Mission Dolores
The oldest building in San Francisco features adobe walls, original tiles and timbers lashed together with rawhide and hand-carved altars.

Pier 39
This third most visited attraction in the U.S. is a hive of activity with rides, entertainment, restaurants, shops and lively street entertainers. You can easily hop a ferry across the bay to Alcatraz or Tiburon, but don't miss the celebrated sea lion colony that inhabits the nearby abandoned docks.

California Academy of Sciences
The West Coast's oldest scientific institution combines a natural history museum, aquarium and planetarium.

Scenic 49 Mile Drive
Scenic drive

Bliss San Francisco
Spa

Telegraph Hill
A 179-foot tower from which you can see the entire San Francisco Bay.

Pot of Tage

Noe Valley
Neighborhood

Church of St. John Coltrane
Religious site

Twin Peaks
A twenty-minute ride from downtown, this is the best place to catch a San Francisco sunrise.

San Francisco Craft and Folk Art Museum
A museum of craft, folk art, and ethnic art with exhibits rotating every ten weeks or so.

Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
Running from Nogales, Arizona, to San Francisco, this route commemorates the path taken by Anza when he led colonists to San Francisco.

Crissy Field
A popular park for jogging, picnics, biking, and sightseeing.

Steinhart Aquarium
The California Academy of Sciences is the home of Steinhart aquarium.

Fillmore Auditorium
Famed rock concert venue.

Barbary Coast Trail
This 3.8 mile self-guided tour takes you through the history of San Francisco, from the 1906 earthquake to the arrival of the beat poets.

The Wok Wiz Tour
Two-hour historical tour of San Francisco's Chinatown.

The Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf
A very popular tourist stop, the museum recreates historic figures and scenes as lifesize wax mannequins.

San Francisco Opera
Attend one of the best operas in the U.S. From September through January every year.

San Francisco Ballet
Experience wonderful ballet performances from October through May.

Pier 23
This bar, featuring great music nightly, is always packed Blues bar

Filbert Steps
A 284 foot wooden-step walkway leading up to the top of Telegraph Hill.

Pot of Tage

Twin Peaks Tavern
Situated on the corner of Market and Castro streets the Twin Peaks Bar is said to be the first gay bar in the country with windows.

Presidio Golf Course
Just 10 minutes from downtown San Francisco, this golf course was formerly operated by the military but is now open to the public.

The Mission
This vibrant neighborhood represents a diverse mix of Central American and Mexican cultures.

Columbus Avenue
Street

Cow Hollow
Neighborhood

China Beach
China Beach is popular not only for its great views of the Golden Gate Bridge, but because it's the only beach in the city considered safe for swimming.

Union Street
This recently gentrified Victorian neighborhood is also the nighttime hotspot for the college and professional crowds.

The Vampire Tour of San Francisco
Tour; Ghost town; Historic walking area

Dashiell Hammett Tour
Historic walking area

Russian Hill
Visitor-friendly neighborhood which got its name when prospectors found 7 Cyrillic-inscribed gravestones at the top of the hill.
Neighborhood; Scenic/historic walking area

Embarcadero Farmer's Market
A great place to buy fresh trout.

San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau
Contact for tourist information in San Francisco.

Pot of Tage

Treasure Island
Island; Military base/facility

Mee Mee Bakery
Alleged originator of the fortune cookie.

The View Lounge
The view is, of course, the main attraction at this bar at the top of the downtown Marriott Hotel.

Camera Obscura
Landmark/point of interest

Harvey Milk Plaza
Town center/square/plaza

Japan Center
Japantown was once a flourishing center for the Japanese-Americans of San Francisco prior to World War II. One of the oldest Go houses in the country...

Maiden Lane
Scenic/historic walking area

Heart of the City Farmers_ Market
This market is held on Sundays and Wednesdays.
Flea/street market

DNA Lounge
Dance club/disco

Ghirardelli Chocolate Manufactory & Caffe
Manufacturers and sellers of one of the most famous chocolates in the world.
Specialty shop; Factory tour; Town center/square/plaza

Stow Lake
Located in Golden Gate National Park. Small boats are available for renting to sail Stow Lake.
Lake

Pot of Tage

Marin Headlands
Located at the Point Bonita Lighthouse, these headlands offer a suspension bridge and hiking trail.
State park; Nature reserve

Angel Island Immigration Station
Historic station, designed to limit the number of Asian peoples entering California.
Government building; Historic site

San Francisco Public Library
This beautiful, impressive modern structure opened in 1996 and contains seven stories of books and exhibits.
Library

USS Pampanito
World War II submarine docked at Pier 45.
Maritime museum

War Memorial Opera House
This beautiful beaux arts structure is home to the San Francisco Opera.
Architectural building; Theater

Vermont Street
Locals lay claim to Vermont Street as the "crookedest" in town, despite Lombard Street's legendary claim on the title.
Street

Francis "Lefty" O'Doul Bridge
This historic drawbridge, built by the same engineer who built the famous Golden Gate Bridge, crosses Mission Channel at Third Street.
Bridge

Gold Country
Sierra towns featuring Gold Rush-era antique shops, historic buildings and many other points of interest like museums and caverns.

Presidio Army Museum
Now part of the Golden Gate National Park, this museum was a major command center during the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II and the Korean War.

Greenwich Steps
Brick stairway leading up Telegraph Hill.

Natural History Museum
This museum makes its home in the California Academy of Sciences.

Embarcadero Center
With more than 125 stores on three levels, plus seasonal concerts, festivals or art displays for the enervated shopper.

Pot of Tage

Redwood Empire Association
Contact for maps, national and state parks, museums and galleries, B&B's, lodging, camping, suggested tours, and an events calendar.

Museum of the City of San Francisco

Defenestration Building
This odd site is an abandoned building with furniture hanging out of its open windows.

Golden Gate Promenade
Walk, run or bike on this path with spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands and Alcatraz.

Gold Rush City
This walking tour winds through an older, rougher and glitzier San Francisco, encompassing brothels and saloons.

Market Street Railway
Restored street cars run on tracks up and down the Market Street Railway.

South Park
With restaurants and play equipment for children, this is a great place for lunching and relaxing with the family.

Little Italy
Section of the North Beach neighborhood with plenty of Italian restaurants and businesses.

Ecology Trail
Located in the Presidio, this 2-mile hike is a great way to experience the hiking opportunities within the park.

1.5-mile Coastal Trail
This challenging hike in the Presidio takes you along the cliffs between Golden Gate Bridge and Baker Beach.

San Francisco History Room and Archives
Want to dig up old city records for the heck of it? Check the History Room out. It's free.

Pier 7
Take in a view of the Bay Bridge while strolling on this scenic pier.

Grand Pacheco Stairway
Landmark/point of interest

Fort Funston
Scenic section of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area is a favorite for hikers, bikers and beach-goers.
Beach; Park

Lafayette Park
Pacific Heights park bordered by Washington, Sacramento, Gough and Laguna Streets.

Potrero Hill
Neighborhood

Pot of Tage

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