Visiting San Francisco? Read about our top tourist picks.

Some call San Francisco the ‘Paris of the West’ because it is such a beautiful city filled with a diverse population, has an interesting history and is surrounded by the beautiful blue water of the San Francisco Bay. San Francisco became what it is today as a result of the Gold Rush of 1849, which increased the city’s population from 1,000 to 25,000 in a year. In San Francisco you can uncover the growth of the city on several walking tours, from the gold rush to the great earthquake and fire of 1906, to the summer of love in 1969 – just be prepared for a workout because San Francisco has some of the steepest streets in the world. You can get a sense of the hills and the entire city on a trolley ride. San Francisco is the gateway to Hawaii, Alaska, the Panama Canal, the Caribbean and many more wonderful cruise destinations.

• Get out on the San Francisco Bay, getting out on the water will give you an overall view of The City, Marin, East Bay and 3 world famous bridges. As if all this isn’t enough the marine wild life is like no other and worth the cost of admission.

• You should check out the different neighborhoods, like Chinatown, where you can visit a fortune cookie factory; the Mission, where the city’s oldest building stands; the Castro, the home of the city’s gay community; or the Presidio, a former military base. Each neighborhood offers a new perspective on San Francisco.
   

• Ride on one of the last functioning cable car systems in the United States.
   

• Wander through the Golden Gate Park and enjoy the beautiful flowers and millions of trees. While there, be sure to visit the Conservatory of Flowers and ride on the carousel.
   

• Head over to Alcatraz and explore one of the world’s most infamous prisons.