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San Francisco Bay Area
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San Francisco Overview
The San Francisco Bay Area is a refreshing mix of culture and environment. Big city connects to open grasslands and forest. Chinatown, the Mission District and the Haight all offer glimpses into other cultures. This was the heart of the hippy movement in the '60's as well as the gold rush of 1849. Known best for its sourdough bread, trolley cars and incredibly steep streets, San Francisco has plenty to offer visiting tourists.
TIP: Click on the ads to the right for LARGE DISCOUNTS on multiple attractions. Most of the major attractions are included and you'll save a lot of money. We wouldn't have them on our site if they weren't a benefit to you.
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Point Reyes offers a wide variety of landscape including forest, marsh lands, rocky coast and grassy plateaus filled with wildflowers. MORE DETAILS
Muir Woods offers astounding coastal views. Stinson Beach is a large sandy beach and is popular with surfers. Olema Valley is a hikers paradise with trails through forest, grassy meadows, and steep ridges. MORE DETAILS
Golden Gate offers 59 miles of pristine shoreline. Fort Mason, Fort Point, Nike Missile Site, the Presidio and Alcatraz are some of its historic sites. MORE DETAILS
Fort Point is a large brick structure built at the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers back in 1853. MORE DETAILS
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Mt. Tamalpais offers vistas of the Farallon Islands 25 miles out to sea, the Marin County hills, the San Francisco Bay and on rare occasions, the Sierra Nevada mountains. MORE DETAILS
Sea Cliff features a large sandy beach popular for swimming and pier that ends at a partially sunken, concrete ship. MORE DETAILS
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Paramount's Great America rides include Demon, Invertigo and Top Gun. MORE DETAILS
Santa Cruz Boardwalk is a classic boardwalk amusement park and possibly the oldest one in continual use in California. MORE DETAILS
Antioch Water Park is a smaller water park featuring a southwest theme with boulder landscape and slides like Rattler's Run. MORE DETAILS
Crocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay water park features an Australian theme with rides like The Screamin' Wombat and Kookaburra Cay. MORE DETAILS
Raging Waters San Jose water park features rides like Great White Shark, Dragon's Den and Pirates Cove. MORE DETAILS
Waterworld water park features a Hawaiian theme with rides like Honolulu Halfpipe and The Big Kahuna. MORE DETAILS
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Marine World is a combination wildlife park, aquarium and theme park. MORE DETAILS
San Francisco Zoo is a large city zoo with over 250 animal species displayed in a comfortable climate along the Pacific Ocean. MORE DETAILS
Oakland Zoo is a large city zoo with more than 400 animals on display. MORE DETAILS
Steinhart Aquarium is a large scale aquarium with mostly local species. MORE DETAILS
Aquarium by the Bay is a moderate-scale aquarium located at the ever-popular Fisherman's Wharf east of the Golden Gate Bridge. MORE DETAILS
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Fisherman's Wharf is a 10 block stretch of San Francisco harbor. Pier 39 is the center point of the wharf with two stories of more than 100 stores and attractions. Other attractions include an aquarium, Maritime Museum and astounding views of the bay. MORE DETAILS
The Cannery is an outdoor mall that was previously Del Monte Plant #1. It is now home to specialty shops, galleries, restaurants, bars, comedy clubs, a farmer's market and live entertainment. MORE DETAILS
Harbor Cruises aboard one of the ferrys leaving Fisherman's Wharf several times daily, or a dinner cruise with Hornblower Cruises. Travel in comfort to Alcatraz Island, Sausalito, Tiburon, or under the Golden Gate Bridge to name just a few of the offered destinations. MORE DETAILS
Cow Palace hosts concerts, ice skating events, expos, rodeo, the circus, boxing and more. MORE DETAILS
Seaplane sightseeing adventures fly over major attractions like Fisherman's Wharf, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Prison and Muir Woods National Park. Flights last from 30 to 40 minutes and provide rare photo opportunities. Have you ever heard of seaplane accessible wineries? MORE DETAILS
Hot Air Ballooning over the Napa Valley region. Get a birds-eye view of some of California's most popular vineyards and chateaus. MORE DETAILS
Tour Companies in San Francisco range from walking tours of historic Victorian neighborhoods or Chinatown to fully narrated tours aboard double-decker buses, fire engines, vintage automobiles, zebra-striped safari vehicles or bay boat cruises. MORE DETAILS
Wine Tasting is less than an hour away from Geyserville in the north to Los Gatos in the south. French-style chateaus to family operated wineries offer some of the best varietals in the world. Visit wineries such as Rubicon, Andretti, Beaulieu Vineyards and many more. MORE DETAILS
Bike Rentals are available near Fisherman's Wharf. A popular route includes a bike trail leading from Fisherman's Wharf to the Golden Gate Bridge. MORE DETAILS
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Stinson Beach is located on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge. Stinson offers long stretches of sand, great surf and nearby state and national parks make this a popular locals hangout. MORE DETAILS
Baker's Beach is without a doubt, San Francisco's most scenic beach with its unobstructed view of the Golden Gate Bridge. It is a favorite of the locals and offers a sandy beach and grass-covered sand dunes. MORE DETAILS
Ocean Beach is San Francisco's largest beach offering four miles of sandy beach. The paved Ocean Beach Esplanade parallels the entire length of the beach offering a comfortable place to walk, bike or rollerblade. MORE DETAILS
China Beach is San Francisco's safest beach for swimming and lifeguards are on duty during the summer months. There are conveniences such as changing rooms, barbeque pits and and sun protected areas. MORE DETAILS
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Petaluma Village Outlets is a collection of over 60 outlets for stores like Bose, Saks Fifth Avenue, Vans, Mikasa and more. MORE DETAILS
The Cannery has over 30 shops and restaurants located in the old Del Monte Plant No. 1. Unique shops include the Basic Brown Bear Factory where customer design and make their own Teddy-Bears, a Russion collectibles store and more. Entertainment can almost always be found in the courtyard. MORE DETAILS
Ghirardelli Square has nearly 30 shops and restaurants located in the old Ghirardelli Chocolate factory. Ghirardelli is no longer made here but a chocolate shop, cafe and souvenir shop remain. Other specialty shops include a Chinese jade jeweler, a music box store, a store selling traditional Scandinavian items and more. MORE DETAILS
Crocker Galleria is a traditional shopping mall featuring shops like Polo Ralph Lauren, Gianni Versace, Johnny Walker & Co. Wine & Spirits and more. MORE DETAILS
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Miscellaneous Recommendations
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Giants Baseball at SBC Park. MORE DETAILS
A's Baseball at McAfee Coliseum. MORE DETAILS
49ers Football at Monster Park. MORE DETAILS
Raiders Football at McAfee Coliseum. MORE DETAILS
Alcatraz Prison was once the home of notorious criminals like Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly and is now closed except to tourists. MORE DETAILS
Lombard Street is a one block stretch proclaimed as "the crookedest street in San Francisco", that tourists wait in line to drive down. MORE DETAILS
Coit Tower is located on San Francisco's east side atop Telegraph Hill. Enjoy 360-degree views of the city from the top of a 210-foot tower. Situated within Pioneer Park, this historic tower also features depression-era murals and a gift shop. MORE DETAILS
Zeppelin Airship Tours offers vistas of the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz and more from the quiet cabin of a Zeppelin Airship. MORE DETAILS
Chinatown is the largest chinese community on the west coast. Visit Chinatown for souvenirs and authentic chinese food. MORE DETAILS
Anchor Steam Brewery is an award winning brewery offering tours and a tasting room. MORE DETAILS
Exploratorium is a collection of exhibits and hands-on demonstrations of modern science, biology and physics. This is a great place for both children and adults to expand there minds. MORE DETAILS
Haight Ashbury was the heart of the 1960's hippy movement and is now an eclectic assortment of head shops, drag boutiques, aroma therapy salons and free spirited people. MORE DETAILS
Napa Valley is the heart of California's wine success. Hundreds of world-renowned wineries blanket the Napa and Sonoma Valley region. This is where you'll find the big names like Niebaum-Coppola, Robert
Mondavi, Kendall-Jackson and Beaulieu Vineyards to name a few. MORE DETAILS
Spanish Missions were built by the Spanish all along the California coast between 1769 and 1823. Their purpose was to convert the indigenous peoples to Christianity and as strongholds for their newly claimed territories. Four of these missions can be found in the San Francisco region. MORE DETAILS
Maritime Museum is not only a museum but several piers offering historic tallships, military ships, a ferry boat and WWII submarine. Tours are available. MORE DETAILS
Golden Gate Park stretches over 1000 acres through the city and features a plethora of sites and activities including museums, lakes, recreational areas, a historic lodge & carousel, horseback riding, a microbrewery restaurant and too much more to name. MORE DETAILS
Horseback Riding is available through multiple stables and ranches in the San Francisco region. Traverse the trails of wine country, along the coastal bluffs of Bodega Bay, through Golden Gate Park or along the sands of Ocean Beach. MORE DETAILS
Japanese Tea Gardens More coming soon. MORE DETAILS
Twin Peaks is an area of higher elevation on the south side of San Francisco that offers panoramic views of the entire Bay Area. This is considered a 'must see' by many Bay Area tour operators. MORE DETAILS
Pacific Heights is the area of San Francisco offering the most beautiful collection of Victorian homes in the entire city. Turrets, gables and gingerbread adorn these colorful mansions that span several square blocks and offer outstanding views of the San Francisco Bay. MORE DETAILS
Tiled Steps is a long, 163-step staircase that is covered in a colorful display of mosaic tiles. The staircase leads from the community below to Grand View Park where spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Pacific Ocean can be found. MORE DETAILS
Sausalito is an upscale harbor town located across the bay from San Francisco. Visitors enjoy shopping, walking, kayaking the harbor, fishing and boating. A seaplane offers views of the entire bay, or catch a ferry from Fisherman's Wharf. MORE DETAILS
Nike Missile Sites are decommissioned antiaircraft missile command centers from the Cold War Era that are located throughout the Bay Area. One site has been restored and offers tours to the public. MORE DETAILS
Train Rides are offered through the lush Santa Cruz Mountains with Roaring Camp Railroads, along a historic route in the east bay area with Niles Canyon Railway or through wine country on the Napa Valley Wine Train. MORE DETAILS
Winchester Mystery House is a Victorian home constructed by the heiress of the notorious Winchester Rifle founder. Sarah Winchester believed she was haunted by the people that Winchester rifles had killed over the years and she needed to continue building on the home in order to avoid being harmed by these ghosts. The result is a 160 room Victorian mansion bordering on bizarre with doors in the floor, staircases that lead to dead ends, and unfinished room additions throughout the property. MORE DETAILS
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San Francisco International airport offers convenient access to the city of San Francisco and coastal regions. MORE DETAILS
Oakland International airport offers convenient access to all 'East Bay' regions and inland. MORE DETAILS
San Jose International airport offers convenient access to all of the southern Bay Area Regions inland and coastal. MORE DETAILS
Another option to consider would be
Sacramento airport.
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Traffic & Transportation
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Rush Hour Traffic is a problem between the hours of 7am-9am and 4pm-6pm. The freeways can be especially conjested going toward San Francisco in the mornings and out in the evenings. Try to avoid the 80, 580, and 880 freeways during these hours. The 80 near the Bay Bridge has the worst traffic conjestion of any S.F. freeway.
Toll Bridges connect San Francisco to the rest of the Bay Area. All eight bridges require tolls. Further information can be obtained on the FasTrack website. Most bridges only collect tolls for traffic going in one direction.
Public Transportation is good in the San Francisco region.
BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) is a metro-train system that transports commuters to and from the East and West Bay regions.
Golden Gate Transit offers bus and ferry service throughout the entire Bay region.
MUNI (San Francisco Municiple Railway includes the famous San Francisco trolleys and other rail transportation throughout the region.
Caltrain offers quick transportation between San Francisco and San Jose.
Check out our Resources page for links to rental car, Amtrak and Greyhound bus information.
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Winter brings average lows in the 50's and highs in the 60's. Mostly rain and rare hail storms occur. Days can be misty throughout and fog is VERY common.
Spring brings average lows in the 60's and highs in the upper 70's. Rain showers are still common but decreasing. A marine layer often burns off in the afternoon. Fog is common.
Summer brings average lows in the 70's and highs in the upper 80's. Marine layer burning off by the afternoon and/or fog is likely.
Fall brings average lows in the 60's and highs in the 70's. Thunderstorms can occur. Fall is our favorite season to visit the coastal regions due to lessened chance of fog.
Ocean water temperature ranges from the lower 40's in winter to the 60's in summer.
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Dec-Apr 2010-11 - Whale Watching Expeditions from Sausalito Harbor, on the northern side of the bay. See albatross, blue whales, humpbacks, schools of dolphins sometimes numbering in the hundreds, and whatever else happens along while you're out. Boats travel to the Farallon Islands Marine Sanctuary 27 miles off the coast. The whales are migrating from the Bering Sea to Baja California for their winter breeding. 3/4 day excursions aboard 40-foot+ fishing boats that have restrooms, a galley and plenty of room. The return trip offers opportunity to capture stunning scenery of the Point Bonita Lighthouse, Golden Gate Bridge and the rugged, Northern California coastline. WEBSITE
Feb 19, 2011 - Chinese New Year Parade serpentines through Chinatown. This cultural tradition began just after the Gold Rush era in the 1860's. Attractions include a world-famous Dragon Parade with floats, lion dancers, stilt walkers, bands, fireworks and a 201-foot Golden Dragon that requires over 100 men and women to operate. WEBSITE
Feb 2010 - San Francisco Crab Festival occurs at both Fisherman's Wharf and The Cannery at Del Monte Square. This month long event features culinary creations with Dungeness Crab, car shows, Tulipmania, special aquarium exhibits and more. WEBSITE
May 22, 2010 - KABOOM! music and fireworks festival at Piers 30/32. Live bands and fireworks syncronize for a spectacular show. WEBSITE
May 22, 2010 - Uncorked! Wine Festival at Ghirardelli Square offers wine tasting, gourmet foods and entertainment. Hosted by the American Center for Wine, Food & Arts located in Napa Valley. WEBSITE
Jun 27, 2010 - Pinot Days Festival wine tasting event at Fort Mason. This is the second-annual event so please help to make this a success. Vintners of Pinot Noir from California, Oregon and Burgandy, France converge to personally pour their best. Several events are available throughout the three day festival. WEBSITE
Aug-Nov, 2010 - White Shark Viewing Expeditions from Sausalito Harbor, on the northern side of the bay. Not all expeditions see a Great White Shark, but other sea-life such as albatross, whales, jellyfish, squid, schools of dolphins, and much more can be seen. Boats travel to the Farallon Islands Marine Sanctuary 27 miles off the coast. White Sharks are protected and have been multiplying and growing to enormous size for decades. 3/4 day excursions aboard 40-foot+ fishing boats that have restrooms, a galley and plenty of room. The return trip offers opportunity to capture stunning scenery of the Point Bonita Lighthouse, Golden Gate Bridge and the rugged, Northern California coastline. The website we've provided also offers links for White Shark diving if you're that crazy. WEBSITE
Sep 11-12, 2010 - Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival offers an overload of chocolate treats from Ghirardelli as well as other Bay Area chocolatiers. If that isn't enough, be sure to watch the ice cream sundae-eating contest. WEBSITE
Oct 10, 2010 - Italian Heritage Day Parade is the oldest event of its kind in the United States. Events take place on Columbus Day and feature a parade, floats, live music, food & wine and dancing. WEBSITE
Oct 7-12, 2010 - Fleet Week takes place in the bay near Pier 39 and honors America's service men and women fighting for our freedom. Festivities include an entire week of military air and sea shows, tallship parades, live music and much more. WEBSITE
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