Isn’t it on everyone’s bucket list to go to California? Las Angeles. Long Beach. Sacramento. The list goes on with lively cities you can find in California. Today, let’s focus on the one and only, San Francisco!
Your first stop in San Francisco should be nothing other than the Golden Gate Bridge. Unfortunately, it is not golden, which I was highly disappointed to find out about as a kid. The bridge is actually a reddish-orange, but still beautifully impressive. The bridge was named for the Golden Gate Strait, which is the name of the body of water that flows beneath it. For more details about the story behind its name, visit this website.
The Golden Gate Bridge connects the northern counties of California. It consists of giant 746-foot tall towers that get the attention of over 10 million visitors every year. You are able to walk this 1.7 mile long bridge, but only during certain hours. On Pacific Standard Time, walking hours are 5am to 6:30pm. However, during Daylight Savings Time, walking hours are 5am to 9pm. Always be sure to check and see if the hours have changed before going. Also, an important note: pedestrians are only able to walk on the East Sidewalk, which is the side facing San Francisco.
The Golden Gate Bridge will give you a beautiful view of San Francisco and will impress you with its architecture. Be sure to talk a walk, or even a drive, across it when you can!
Our next stop in San Francisco is Alcatraz Island! The federal prison on the island was only open from 1934 to 1963, but hosted some extremely dangerous felons, like Al Capone. Several prisoners attempted to escape, but none were successful. The prison was shut down because it was too expensive to keep open, but it now remains open as a popular tourist destination.
You can take a guided audio tour through the prison. It is included when purchasing a ferry ticket to the island. If you choose to opt out of the tour, you can always take advantage of the additional exhibits and videos around the island.
Finally, stop by one of the oldest Chinatowns in the United States. The San Francisco Chinatown is the largest outside of China, full of history and culture. There are what seems like endless attractions to visit, including the Great Star Theater, Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, and Chinatown Gateway. There are events occuring in Chinatown all year. The Chinese New Year Flower Fair is especially wonderful! To get information all about San Francisco Chinatown, visit this website!
I could go on and on about the wonderful attractions of San Francisco. Now, it is up to you to visit the ones I’ve spoken about and discover your own!
Great blog! This is actually super exciting for me as my family is going on a vacation to California and will visit San Francisco in a little under a year. Now, thanks to your blog, I will be better prepared for my visit and be able to get more out of the trip that I would have. I especially want to visit the old prison as well as the largest China Town outside of China. Well done!
Ever since I have watched Full House as a kid, I have wanted to see the Golden Gate Bridge. I was also confused as a child that the golden gate bridge was not a golden color, as a fan of as things gold I think it would be even more captivating. I would definitely like to visit Alcatraz Island. I can’t believe so many prisoners tried to escape, I would be too scared of drowning! I like how this post is constructed like a Lonely Planet article, including interesting facts about the different sites as well as logistical information.
California has always a great name for the beautiful sights there. The Golden Gate Bridge seems like it would be incredible to see, and I never realized how long the bridge actually is! I also find Alcatraz Island very cool to because of the history there. I really enjoyed reading more into what California has to offer.
This is so cool! My girlfriend and I actually are thinking of moving to San Francisco when we are ~real~ adults. It seems like there are so many cool things to do, thanks for sharing!