3-DAY ITINERARY

A sample trip plan, straight off the boombox

DAY ONE — CLASSIC LANDMARKS

TimeActivity
MorningRide the Powell-Hyde cable car up Nob Hill
MiddayWalk down crooked Lombard Street, then explore Fisherman's Wharf
AfternoonFerry out to Alcatraz Island for the audio tour
EveningSunset at Crissy Field with the Golden Gate Bridge glowing behind the fog

DAY TWO — PARKS & CULTURE

TimeActivity
MorningCoffee and pastries in North Beach
MiddayBike through Golden Gate Park, stop at the Japanese Tea Garden
AfternoonBrowse record shops and murals in Haight-Ashbury
EveningDim sum in Chinatown followed by a walk through the Dragon Gate at night

DAY THREE — NEIGHBORHOODS & NIGHTLIFE

TimeActivity
MorningPhotos at the Painted Ladies, Alamo Square
MiddayMission burrito lunch, then check out the murals in Balmy Alley
AfternoonHike up Twin Peaks for panoramic city views
EveningRooftop cocktails downtown, then dancing in SoMa
Getting around: the Muni bus and streetcar network covers the whole city, and cable cars cover the steep stuff. A rental car is optional — parking is scarce and hills are steep!