Here are some of the top ways to spend your time in the Golden City.
Top 5 Cant Miss
Walk or bike over the Golden Gate Bridge.
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The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most recognizable sights in the U.S.
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Walking or biking across the bridge is almost mandatory during a first visit to the city.
Watch the Giants play at Oracle Park.
Rooting for the home team in San Francisco means cheering on the Giants atOracle Park.
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Seriously, this is where sitting in the nosebleeds can really pay off.
Just bring a glove so you’re prepared to catch a foul ball or homer.
Tour the Mission murals.
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Get out and see some fabulous street art for free with a self-guided tour of the Mission District murals.
Eat your way through Little Italy.
Experience Sausalito’s small-town charm.
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Many liken it to Positano, Italy.
Find fresh air at the Presidio.
Take in the view from the Presidio Tunnel Tops.
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ThePresidio Tunnel Topsprovide green space above a six-lane highway.
Admire art that pushes boundaries.
It’s the antidote to artistic pretentiousness.
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Feel a sense of pride in the Castro.
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The Castro is as iconic as neighborhoods get.
Do anything but drive on JFK Promenade.
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Travel by cable car.
The celebrated cable car system an attraction in itself has been transporting people around the city since 1873.
It remains both an excellent mode of transit and a super Instagrammable experience you must try.
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Plus, it’s easy to hop on a cable car near many ofthe city’s best hotels.
Tickets can be purchased through theMuniMobile appor at kiosks around the city.
Ferry over to Alcatraz.
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Tour North America’s oldest Chinatown.
Spanning 30 square blocks, the neighborhood is its own little bustling metropolis.
Walk down Lovers' Lane.
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For an outdoor treat, take a quiet stroll downLovers' Lane, the oldest footpath through the Presidio.
The roughly half-mile trail is paved and rated easy to moderate.
Stand in awe at the Palace of Fine Arts.
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Rebuilt during the following decade in a more permanent fashion, it remains a stunning landmark.
Its a great place for a walk or photoshoot.
Picnic at Alamo Square Park.
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But it also offers a spectacular view of the entire city on all sides.
Pack a blanket and a snack to sit out and people watch to your heart’s content.
Flip through Beat classics at City Lights Bookstore.
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As far as bookstores go,City Lightsis San Francisco’s most famous.
Find a vintage gem at TreasureFest.
The open-air market includes clothing, antiques, handmade products, and live music performances.
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There are plenty of food trucks on hand to feed the hungry masses as well.
Check the website for upcoming dates as this flea is open only one weekend a month.
Cruise the bay.
Get a different perspective of the city by hitting the water on a bay cruise.
This will allow you to get up close to several attractions including Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island.
Keep an eye out for seals and other sea life, too.
Build something new at the Exploratorium.
TheExploratoriumis a museum and “public learning laboratory” that allows anyone to become a mad scientist.
you might use the tools available to create whatever you pull from your imagination.
Otherwise, go anytime to learn from regular speakers and interact with the exhibits.
Lose yourself in art at SFMOMA.
To say theSan Francisco Museum of Modern Artis huge would be an understatement.
Grab a snack at the Ferry Building.
Looking to get a tasty treat?
Stop and smell the flowers at San Francisco Botanical Garden.
TheSan Francisco Botanical Gardenstretches across 55 acres and showcases the most magical flora in the city.
Sip a tiki drink in the Tonga Room.
Get afruity cocktailand a few island-inspired bites and feel transported to the tropics.
Have afternoon tea at the Palace Hotel.
Want to feel a little more regal?
Head to thePalace Hotelfor afternoon tea.
Peruse a dispensary.
Keen to have a quintessentially San Francisco experience?
Pay a visit to one of the city’s many dispensaries.
Think of it like going to a wine shop.
If you need any help, just ask a friendly “budtender.”
Check outWeedmapsto find a location.
Climb the Filbert Street Steps.
Take in a San Francisco Symphony performance.
Check the schedule on thesymphony’s website.
Get an Irish coffee at Buena Vista.
Come for a cup of coffee with a twist atBuena Vista.
The cafe claims to be the spot where the Irish coffee was perfected in America in 1952.
Warm yourself up with one at the bar and see whether it lives up to your standards.
If not, that’s OK. ## Indulge at Ghirardelli Square.
If the nameGhirardelli Squarerings a bell, odds are you have a sweet tooth.
Head in for a taste, or visit its neighboring restaurants and bars for a larger bite.
Stroll the Japanese Tea Garden.
TheJapanese Tea Gardenis an absolute treat for any anthophile.
If you visit during the spring specifically March or April don’t miss the cherry blossoms.
Drive down the “crookedest street in the world.”
It takes eight sharp turns in zig-zag fashion on the hill between Hyde and Leavenworth Streets.
Spot sea lions at Pier 39.
Some years ago, hundreds of them descended on the pier and quickly ousted the boaters.
Get nostalgic at The Walt Disney Family Museum.
The Walt Disney Family Museumis a must-see for any Disney fan making their way through San Francisco.
It showcases the personal side of the man behind the brand with interactive exhibits and plenty of insider knowledge.
Attend an outdoor music festival.
Avid festivalgoers are likely familiar withOutside Lands, one of the most popular music festivals in the world.
Listen to the ocean at The Wave Organ.
Well, San Francisco’sWave Organis sort of like that but on a much larger scale.
The acoustic sculpture has been part of the city’s waterfront since 1986.
Peruse the exhibits at the California Academy of Sciences.
Get groovy at an old-school roller disco.
See masterpieces old and new at the Asian Art Museum.
Go on the first Sunday of the month for free admission.
Forget you’re in the U.S. inside this French Gothic cathedral.
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Grace Cathedralfeels like a slice of 12th-century Europe in the heart of San Francisco.
Get a bird’s-eye view from Twin Peaks.
Twin Peaksis a park comprising two near-identical hills offering 360-degree views of the city and surrounding Bay Area.
A trail just 0.7 miles long scales both peaks and provides incredible photo opportunities.
Go back in time in Haight-Ashbury.
Flower children will develop a soft spot for this neighborhood famed for its hippie culture.
Take your clam chowder in a bread bowl.
Really, though, you might find this signature dish on just about any seafood menu.
