the Travel Enthusiast
- 16 Feb
Adam in Adventure travel | NO COMMENTSHow to Discover San Francisco
The Whole city seen from Alcatraz Island
San Francisco has a population of 4,5 million and as a large California city, you can imagine how much it can offer. The best way to access the city as a tourist is by air. Some of the airlines that go from Europe to San Francisco are Lufthansa, British Airways, Turkish Airlines which is one of the most affordable companies.
One of the most visited destinations of the United States, San Francisco is also considered an important urban hub with vast economy. Just like Boston and New Orleans, this California city is also considered very unique.
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travel search by Travelgrove (get this widget)San Francisco from the beginning
The city was founded by Spanish colonists in the second half of the 18th century. They established a fort along a mission named after Saint Francis of Assisi. The city faced a rapid growth due to the California Gold Rush . It was largely devastated by the famous 1906 San Francisco earthquake. But despite the city being almost destroyed, it was quickly rebuilt and became a flourishing metropolis.
After World War II, the Bay Area city started to become cosmopolitan and was strongly influenced by the Sexual Revolution, the Hippie movement and liberal thinking. The city was always known to strongly support the Democratic Party as its society is very diverse and tolerant. The city scape is picturesque with the hill streets unique to San Francisco.
The cuisine of the location is heterogeneous, being affected by number of cultures from European to Asian and Mexican. It’s an ideal destination for passionate food lovers since the city gives home to all kind of restaurants one can imagine.
Top places to visit in San Francisco
The Golden Gate Bridge is the symbol of of the city. It is said to be the most beautiful and photographed bridge in the world. The bridge is large and long with a total length of 9,000 ft (about 3 km). It is 90 ft wide and has a height of 750 ft. Golden gate Bridge is not only recognized as the symbol of San Francisco, but also as one of California’s and even that of the United States as well. The Bridge unfortunately is also renowned to be a starting point for those who attempt suicide. However, recently there was talk of building a suicide barrier which will be completed in 2018. The bridge is also known for having breathtaking viewpoints from both sides, once there, you should see the view from Vista Point.
The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Vista Point, San Francisco
Union Square is situated in downtown San Francisco. It is filled with fine shops, restaurants and luxurious boutiques. Its name comes from the rallies and the supporters of the Union Army during the American Civil War. The Square has some Cable Car lines where you can start your journey to other parts of the city. It also has beautiful palm trees all over and it’s certainly a good place for hanging out, shopping and even for people watching. It’s a usual meeting point for people who live in the city.
Union Square
Alcatraz Island is probably the most famous and picturesque Island in California. It is well known for hosting its notorious prison where all the countries most dangerous and infamous convicts and criminals were sent from 1933 to 1963. One of the prison’s most famous was the Prohibition Era gangster, Al Capone, who was sentenced because of tax evasion and not for his ‘occupaton’ as a crime boss for seven years. Nowadays the prison is a tourist attraction and the gardens around the prison are beautiful, filled with flowers. The view from each part of the island is fascinating.
Welcome to Alcatraz
The Embarcadero serves as a waterfront and roadway of the Port of San Francisco. It is a popular destination for tourists as it is in the city center. It is famous for having lots of shops, beautiful sidewalks with stunning views both of the bay and the city.
The Embarcadero at night
The Fisherman’s Wharf, also known as Pier 39, is one of the busiest and most well known neighborhoods in San Francisco. It has got a lots of sea food specialty restaurants, souvenir shops with scenic views of both the Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. Sea lions are quite common at the pier. Both the cable and the street car passes by the neighborhood.
Pier 39 with it’s Hard Rock Cafe
The city’s Chinatown is the oldest in the United States and has the largest group of Chinese immigrants outside of the Asian continent. It has a a huge number of of shops, you can buy almost everything for a reasonable price. It has a strong Far Eastern tone. The neighborhood also retains its own culture, its traditions, language and lifestyle. It gives home to Asian temples and herbal shops which make the place even more fascinating and intriguing.
Chinatown 2
The famous hippie district of Haight Ashbury is filled with coffee shops, restaurants and storefronts. The hippie subculture at the district is very common and people are very easygoing. Many people, backpackers, campers, and younger people in general visit the neighborhood from all around the country and even the world. The place predominantly prefers Punk Rock music, Rock Music and especially Psychedelic. It’s a very fun place to be, especially if you’re looking for uncommon people and places.
Haight Ashbury
Let’s face it, you haven’t visited San Francisco if you were not riding the cable car at least once, the system is one of the city’s trademarks. Cable cars were initiated between 1873 to 1890 and they are used by 7 million tourists per year. The cable cars sometimes pass through beautiful hill streets that sometimes have stunning view of the bay. It’s a must do activity if you’re visiting San Francisco.
A selfie with a Cable Car.
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