Saturday, May 25, 2019

Exploring San Francisco - City By The Bay




San Francisco is considered one of the top tourist destination in the United States of America.  It is well known for famous landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge an Alcatraz.  Aside from these land marks it also features a lot of architectural sites, coastal attractions, nature parks, steep rolling hills, and a well known Chinatown District.  Many tourist love the city because of its cool summers which is perfect for travelling under the sun.  I always wanted to explore this city.  So, when we had the chance, we visited some of the attractions within the city.  Here are some of the places we visited:





FISHERMAN'S WHARF

The Fisherman's Wharf is considered as one of the busiest tourist attraction in San Francisco.  It is filled with restaurants serving crab and clam chowder, souvenir shops, street performers, and sourdough breads.  It is also the gateway to the San Francisco Bay as there are several Bay Cruise operations in the wharf.













Watch this YouTube video for a walking tour of Fisherman's Wharf:






SAN FRANCISCO BAY CRUISE

Just in the Fisherman's Wharf area, you'll see a couple of cruise operators catering variety of San Francisco Bay cruises.  During our time here we tried the Bridge to Bridge cruise where in you can see most of the San Francisco skyline from the water while cruising through both the Golden Gate Bridge and the Oakland Bay Bridge.  During the the 30-minute cruise you'll pass by the world famous Alcatraz, sail under the Golden Gate Bridge, and spot some of the famous landmarks in San Francisco.  If you're lucky, dolphins might swim with you during your cruise.













Watch this YouTube video for a preview of the San Francisco Bay Cruise:






LANDS END LOOKOUT (SUTRO BATHS)

The Lands End Lookout is where the former Sutro Baths can be seen. Sutro Baths was a previously large saltwater swimming complex until it was burned to ground in 1966.  Today the ruins of Sutro Baths and the Lands End Lookout are one of San Francisco's most impressive sights where you can enjoy stunning sunsets overlooking the Pacific Ocean.










Watch this video for a walking tour of Lands End Look Out (Sutro Baths):






JAPANESE TEA GARDEN

The Japanese Tea Garden is one of the popular attractions in San Francisco, featuring Japanese garden with an arched drum bridge, pagodas, stone lanterns, stepping stone paths, native Japanese plants, koi ponds, and a zen garden. It is located inside Golden Gate Park and is considered as one of the oldest Japanese gardens in the USA.













Watch this YouTube video for a walking tour of Japanese Tea Garden:






PALACE OF FINE ARTS

The Palace of Fine Arts is an events place hosting concerts weddings, dance productions, community events, corporate meetings, and more.  It is also one of the major attractions in San Francisco due to the Greek-Roman inspired architecture of the place. The grounds also have lush gardens and a lagoon with aquatic animals.

















Watch this YouTube video for a walking tour of Palace of Fine Arts:




Due to our limited time in San Francisco, we only have the time to visit a few spots.  San Francisco has a lot more to offer and i believe we only have scratched the surface.  We are definitely going to be back to explore more of what the city has to offer.





Here are some travel tips when you are visiting San Francisco California:

  1. San Francisco is a cold place even during summer time.  So make sure to bring your jackets just in case it gets really windy and cold.
  2. The city of San Francisco is small and most of the tourist areas are close to each other.  it is wise to plan your itinerary well enough for you to travel by foot or use minimal public transportation.  This will save you money on gas and high parking fee rates.
  3. If you plan to visit Alcatraz, make sure to reserve ahead of time as tours often get fully booked on peak times.
  4. Accommodations in San Francisco are mostly expensive, so try to find the best deals ahead and choose a location that will be strategic to your travel itineraries.
  5. There are also several tourist destinations in the outskirts of San Francisco.  Some of them are Napa Valley, Monterey, Berkeley, and many others.  If you have time, don't confine yourself to the city and head out to these neighboring places.
  6. San Francisco is known for its seafood restaurants and particularly for their dungeness crabs and clam chowder.  So, make sure to try it out.
  7. Research for the best place to view the Golden Gate Bridge or better yet get a a Bay Cruise of unparalleled views.
  8. Get discounts on admission and entrance fees to San Francisco's attractions by availing the San Francisco City Pass.


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