Top San Francisco attractions

One of the perks of working as a group leader abroad is getting to visit a fair amount of tourist attractions in a new city. That’s how, two years ago, I spent a month in California’s Valley. Only an hour away, day trips were carefully planned to San Francisco trying to squeeze a lot of excitement combined with visits to top San Francisco attractions. These are our selection:

·Cable car. You won’t regret taking it. SF takes its hills seriously.

Cable Car Tickets

·Lombard Street. Known as one of the steepest streets in the world, zero practical, 100% picturesque.

Views from Lombard Street

·Japanese Garden. A fascinating culture paying attention to every little detail one could imagine. Enter Asia while you can still enjoy a proper hot-dog right after exiting this oasis.

Just a tree in San Francisco’s Japanese Garden

·Chinatown. Same as in almost every other town I know. The reason why you should pay a visit would be its size and themed little buildings being oppressed by downtown’s huge money-maker buildings.

San Francisco’s Chinatown

·Downtown shopping. This is America, right?

·People watching at 5 pm by the biggest corporate skyscrapers.

San Francisco downtown

·Ferry Terminal. Looking good, broad selection of food markets and pretty active in its surroundings. Acts pretty much like a meeting point.

Ferry Terminal

·Golden Gate bridge. Walking it is highly recommended. Learn to embrace foggy days while avoiding tourists in your pics.

Golden Gate Bridge

·Bay boat ride. Alcatraz island stopover included, or not.

San Francisco Boat Ride

·Ashbury & Heights. Nowadays a hipster venue, it once was a hippie hot-spot. We wonder what the crowds will look like in 10 or 20 years’ time. Sure they are the coolest then too.

Heights and Ashbury

·Pier 39. Sea lions, weird and quirky museums, endless souvenirs, street music, packed.

Pier 39

A bit further, I’d recommend you take these half-day and day trips:

·Sausalito. Right-hand side after crossing Golden Gate bridge. Admire the city from the distance. Skyline views, Atlantic sea, colorful buildings, plenty of seafood restaurants and cozy little shops. Chill atmosphere as an excuse to spend some bucks.

·Muir Woods. In my wish list for adventures to come in the USA. Sequoias in an out-of-this-world nature-perfect environment.

·Santa Cruz. Lifeguard cabins painted in pastel colors, beautiful bodies and a retro amusement park by the beach. More shops than you can check out in one single day, music everywhere, fresh fish caught right there, skateboards, candy, shorts, bleached hair, and sea lions if you head to the end of the boardwalk.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

·Yosemite National Park. Ever heard about El Capitan or Half Dome? You don’t have to be an experienced climber to enjoy a day or two at this world wonder. Pines, park rangers, tall waterfalls you didn’t know they exist like Bridal and Horsetail (pro photographer? There’s a special period when they are looking terrific if the weather helps)

Yosemite National Park

·Pinecrest. Taste of Orange beer and crusty wood oven pizza. A place where you would head for a weekend and summer long days. Pristine and ice-cold lake, be bear aware signs, huge pines, and BBQ. Idyllic.

Me enjoying Pinecrest lakeshore

Have you ever visited San Francisco?

Greetings from a Merida to Tulum bus while listening to Solar System, by Crystal Fighters. “Pais Vasco to San Francisco… “

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