Explore the Golden Gate Bridge and a Lot More in San Francisco

At the time of arrival in San Francisco, one thing grabbing attention even from the flight is the Golden Gate Bridge, the spectacular engineering piece marvel spans over 2.7km with a height of 227m connecting San Francisco Bay and Marin County. It is a perfect first glimpse to bring a smile, while you kick off your San Francisco vacation on a tour package.

How’s the Climate In Here?

The coastal city has a mild warm summer, slightly moist monsoon and mild winters. The weather is strongly influenced by the cool currents from the Pacific Ocean. However, the weather all-around the year is a seasonal temperature with subtle variation, making San Francisco an ideal destination, whatever the season may be.

There is one unusual phenomenon during summer. The rising hot air from California’s valley creates low pressure and draws wind from the Pacific high, creating a characteristic known as “cool wing and fog”. It is a unique weather phenomenon as the dense low settled fog to the ground, also known as “Overcast” and these extended periods of cloudiness are widely considered by locals as – “June Gloom”, “No Sky July” and “Fogust”(a view from above the clouds).

Places to Visit in San Francisco

San Francisco never makes its tourists/travellers have any dull moments. The city has some of the most outstanding restaurants, iconic sights, rich culture and several ongoing events throughout the year (parades, food festivals and concerts). There are tons of things to do and explore. We have listed down the places to visit in San Francisco that you definitely shouldn’t miss: -

Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz Island is a 15min ferry ride; the best place to board the ferry is the neat Bat Street intersection. The tour starts at the cell house, recreation yard and chow house, taking almost half of the day to explore and ends at the gift shop, this whole iteration will take 3/4^th of the day.

Getting into the warden’s house is a 15-room mansion, depicting the history with lavish artefacts that are well preserved. Some of the key highlights of Alcatraz Island are cell blocks with multiple rows stacked on top of each other, the nesting area for sea birds that offer a spectacular view of the bay and Golden Gate Bridge- (SF) and if bird watching is not your cup of tea, you can have a stroll to the beautiful a garden that was once maintained by prisoners.

Aquarium of the Bay

Alcatraz Island and Aquarium of the Bay share the same starting point – PIER 39. The aquarium is home to more than 20,000 marine animals with 200+ different species showcasing the beauty and diversity of the northern Californian aquatic ecosystem. The whole tour won’t take more than 2 hours. So, visitors usually combine Alcatraz Island and Aquarium Bay visits on the same day.

Wander through the 300-foot acrylic tunnel surrounded by sharks, skates, anchovies and bay rays. The attraction is subdivided into three zones – under the Bay, discover the Bay, and touch bay and North American river otters. With three of the first bays offer a spectacular view beneath the surface. The touch bay lets visitors touch several types of sea creatures like skates, leopard sharks, sea stars, frogs and sea cucumbers. It’s a great place to rejuvenate for tourists, especially animal lovers.

Scenic Stroll at Lombard Street

This world-famous iconic street has inspired the locality design in the video game “GTA San Andreas”. The landmark showcases eight sharp switchbacks and stretches down a steep slope between Hyde and Leavenworth. The site is perfect for photogenic individuals as there is perfectly manicured landscaping of flower ridge on each bend, developed on an uphill architecture, offering a spectacular view from the downside. Many films have had scenes shot on Lombard Street.

The street offers an iconic view, however since it is a residential area, traffic congestion might not be an issue, but posing a selfie in someone’s driveway while they head out to work or just doing daily chores, isn’t very considerate. It is advised to show respect and minimal interference in their day-to-day functioning.

Enjoy the Baker Beach

If you wish to have a perfect panoramic view of the Golden Gate Bridge with calm and soothing surroundings, Baker Beach is the place to go. Travellers arrive here mostly for fishing or to have a peaceful stroll on the shoreline.

There are live performances to look for, typically held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday around sunset. It is one of the best outdoor picnic spots in San Francisco. People arrive here for gatherings and picnics or just to enjoy the sunset.

If you still have plenty of time, there’s a short walk to Marshall’s Beach, a secluded spot only accessible via stroll, the beach also has various other trails, one along the green spaces that extend just below the Golden Gate Bridge, where it leads to Fort Mason. A full-day visit just to relax is highly recommended at this place, it is one of the top recommendations to exfoliate mentally.

Experience the Sky Star Wheel

Standing 150 feet tall in Golden Gate Park’s music concourse, Sky Star Wheel boasts unparalleled views from downtown San Francisco to the Pacific Ocean. The wheel features 36 well-ventilated gondolas. You’ll able to see the greenery of Golden Gate Park, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island to the north and flashy skyscrapers of downtown San Francisco.

Operational hours are 10 AM to 10 PM, all days open. The ticket ranges from 12 to 20 USD. You can reach Golden Gate Park on “Muni”- San Francisco public transit system, from downtown to union square. The music concourse including the Sky Star observation wheel, is a short walk away, so both the venue can fit easily on a single-day itinerary.

Ride Cable Cars right into Chinatown

Symbolizing the early innovation which made the city iconic, riding up and down the hills of San Francisco. The experience starts at the cable car turnaround point at Market Street or Powell. The arrival can be well heard by the iconic car bell ringing, which can be heard even from a block away. Cable cars in San Francisco are one of the last manually operated cable car systems. So, do check it out before this iconic tram system is phased out.

The system operates between 7 AM and 10:30 PM on all 7 days of the week. The line passes through some of the best neighbourhoods like - North Beach, Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square and Chinatown. The ride is 8 USD on each side as standard.

Must-Try Cuisines

San Francisco can lay claim to inventing everything from sourdough bread to fortune cookies. So it’s no wonder that some of the nation’s best delicacies are to be found in San Francisco. We have listed down some of the must-try dishes in the city:

Dim Sum in Chinatown

The steamed dim sum is either vegetable/meat based is the steamed dumpling either is a popular street food in San Francisco. It is one of the top breakfast meals in the city. Easy on the stomach and on the pocket.

Clam chowder

Served in a sourdough bread bowl; the soup originated from the east coast. San Francisco added its regional touch to it. A bowl of clam chowder is one of the best cuisines you can have in this city.

Swedish pancakes

One of the beloved breakfast dishes, symbolizing melting pot culture- Swedish pancakes are a must-try for all visitors. It can be found from morning till night with more than 18 variations on offer.

Ghirardelli milk chocolate and hot fudge sundaes

Situated on a small retail plaza on Ghirardelli Square, the company started in 1850, with a takeover by the locals in the 1960s. The dessert being iconic offers the view of the original chocolate manufacturing equipment, while sampling other varieties.

Seafood at Fisherman’s Wharf

Since it is a coastal area, it is also a seafood hub, and that reflects in the cuisines on offer. The most popular dishes here are Dungeness crab, oysters, clam chowder, shrimp po boy and catfish po boy.

There is a lot to explore, a lot to see and a lot to cherish in San Francisco, including the Golden Gate Bridge. Enjoy your vacation worry free by booking a San Francisco vacation package. The city boasts of a rich and diverse culture, world-class cuisine and numerous attractions catering to all ages and interests. Get ready to explore the best USA has to offer.