GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
Stretching 1.7 miles across the bay, this Art Deco icon is best seen from Battery Spencer or Crissy Field at sunset. Walk or bike across for the full experience — layer up, the fog rolls in fast.
ALCATRAZ ISLAND
The infamous federal penitentiary turned national park. Book the ferry and audio tour well ahead of time — this one sells out. Great views of the skyline from the water, too.
CABLE CARS
Catch the Powell-Hyde line for the steepest, most scenic ride in the city. Grab an outside pole seat and hang on as you crest Nob Hill.
LOMBARD STREET
Eight hairpin turns down a 27% grade, lined with hydrangeas. Walk down the steps alongside the road for the best photo angle — traffic only flows one way, downhill.
PIER 39 & FISHERMAN'S WHARF
Sea lions took over the K-Dock in 1989 and never left. Browse the shops, ride the antique carousel, and grab clam chowder in a sourdough bowl.
GOLDEN GATE PARK
Bigger than Central Park, with the Japanese Tea Garden, the de Young Museum, and the California Academy of Sciences all inside. Rent a bike and get lost for a day.
HAIGHT-ASHBURY
The heart of the Summer of Love. Vintage clothing shops, vinyl record stores, and technicolor Victorian houses along Haight Street.
TWIN PEAKS
Drive or hike to the summit for the single best panoramic view of the city and bay. Bring a jacket — it's windy up there, day or night.
PAINTED LADIES
The row of Victorian houses at Alamo Square, framed against the downtown skyline. Pack a picnic and watch the sunset paint the sky behind them.
CHINATOWN
The oldest Chinatown in North America. Walk through the Dragon Gate on Grant Avenue and duck into Ross Alley for fresh fortune cookies.
EXPLORATORIUM
A hands-on science museum on the waterfront at Pier 15 — equal parts arcade, laboratory, and funhouse. Great for curious minds of any age.
MISSION MURALS
Balmy Alley and Clarion Alley are packed wall-to-wall with vibrant, political, and psychedelic street art. A free open-air gallery.