25 Things to See in San Francisco

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San Francisco has a lot of things to offer and covering all the places on a first visit is close to impossible. So here are the 25 places which I covered in 3days and are also the must see places according to me while in SFO.

 

1.Golden gate bridge : If you are visiting San Francisco then how can you miss Golden Gate Bridge??? This Beauty is one of the Iconic Landmarks of the Bay Area. You can walk, Drive or bike on the bridge. We choose to Bike on the bridge and had an awesome experience with panoramic views of the city.

Admission : Free

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWainLHheEc/?hl=en&taken-by=eazynazy

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2.Alcatraz Island : It’s a small Island known for it’s military prison and a federal prison,  where you can actually feel the history within the walls. You will have to travel in a cruise to reach the island which is included in tickets of Alcatarz Tour. It took us 4 hours to tour the entire island. you will see/learn a lot of history,especially the attacks and escapes that occurred.  If you have to pay for any attraction in SF, Alcatarz is definitely a worth.

Admission : 45$

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3.Lombard Street : San Francisco is a hilly area and Lombard street is one of the steepest streets in the city with eight sharp hairpin turns.Though some people find it challenging driving on Lombard street but I would recommend walking to the top of the street as that spot overlooks the city and give you great views of downtown and the east bay.

Admission : Free

 

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4.Painted Ladies : These are Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings painted in three or more colors that enhance their architectural details. Painted ladies is one of the most photographed places in San Francisco with a jaw-dropping backdrop. There is a huge picnic spot and a play area for kids to have fun while you enjoy the views of the city.

Admission : Free

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWbR0EfBKW-/?hl=en&taken-by=eazynazy

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5.Coit Tower :  It is a 210 foot tower in the Telegraph Hill neighborhood of San Francisco. When you enter , you will get to know a lot of SFO’s history and you can also ride the elevator up the tower and see the whole city and bay and get a great 360 degree panoramic shot.The views are great both during day and night.

Admission : 7$

Location : 1 Telegraph Hill Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

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6.Palace of Fine Arts : As the name itself says it’s truly a ‘Palace’ of Fine Arts. This place is absolutely jaw dropping with it’s Gorgeous architecture surrounded by a lake full of turtles, swans, and ducks. There are also tons of benches for you to sit, relax, maybe even have a picnic. The best thing about this place is, it’s full of greenery and fresh air away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Admission : Free

Location : 3301 Lyon St, San Francisco, CA 94123, USA.

 

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7.Union Square : It’s an High end shopping district where you can find almost  everything you want or you can just sit here for hours and watch the live entertainment as there is tons of seating available.You can also find San Francisco’s hearts here which are cool for a photo op.

Admission : Free

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8.Dragons Gate : Dragons gate is the entrance for the china town. The architecture of this gate makes a perfect photo op.

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9.China Town : I always love visiting China towns and love their lively atmosphere. Walking under the lanterns , tasting their authentic Chinese food , exploring their culture and shopping at it’s cheapest price you can ever find in USA will make you feel like you are in China

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWlhr7bh21l/?hl=en&taken-by=eazynazy

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10.Ghirardelli Square : Ghirardelli Square is a landmark public square with shops and restaurants. We went there only to taste the Ghirardelli Choclates & Ice creams as it was their first store in USA. It was crowded with tourists with long waiting lines but the lines move fast. I ordered the world famous fudge sundae and it was perfectly delicious(Absolutely worth the wait). You can’t think of missing this place if you are in San Francisco.

Location : 900 North Point St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA

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11.Embarcadero :  Embarcadero is a 3 mile roadway with waterfront and from which piers extend into the bay. It has Ferry Building Market place, Pier 35 (from where cruises depart), Pier 39 (the most visited place in SFO) and the Fisherman’s wharf. There are tons Food and clothing stalls and  activities going on on here. oOne can easily spend an entire day strolling.

12.Fisherman’s Wharf : There’s plenty to see & Plenty to do here with many stores to Shop for less, sizzling Sea Foods to try, Free Exhibits, Paid Museums, Street performances, Artists , Breathtaking views of the bay bridge , Alcatraz ,Ocean and Sea lions will make a perfect place to relax or for a photo opp . Don’t forget to take a selfie at the Historic Crab Sign before you leave 😉

Admission : Free

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13.Pier 39 : Pier 39 is the second most visited place in San Francisco after the Golden Gate Bridge . Besides it’s live performances, Food and Shopping , it has alot of activities for kids from Merry go round to Aquarium . The coolest part was ‘The Musical Stairs’ – presented by Artist Remo Saraceni . You can Actually create your own music while you walk up and down the stairs which is something I have never experienced.

Admission : Free

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14.Aquarium of the Bay : The aquarium is fairly small but they have lot to see. There were tunnel,touch and feel pools, and the best part is feeding the sharks. People might find the tickets are bit expensive but The money you spend on your ticket goes to conservation efforts and free educational programs which makes it quite fair. And trust me, if you are going their with kids, you ain’t coming back home lol.

Admission : 25$

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15.Cupid’s spain : This is also one of the best place for photo ops in SFO . It’s a giant contemporary sculpture depicting Cupid’s bow, situated on a lawn with bay & city views. It also has a place where you can sit and have a picnic or just stroll around the area.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXPW4eCBwU9/?hl=en&taken-by=eazynazy

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16.Tiled Steps : It’s so satisfying to watch a beautiful art on the stairs and click some pictures. It’s tourists place with lots of people waiting for their turn to take picture. Once you go at the top you enter in to Grand view park which has amazing views of Sunset, Ocean beach, and the Marin Head lands.

Admission : Free

Location : Moraga St ,San Francisco, CA 94122

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWtXg_Ah-GN/?hl=en&taken-by=eazynazy

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17.Twin Peaks : It’s bit of a hike but gets really easy if you have a car. Up there you have a great view of the city  and you’ll likely see a bunch of people around but everyone is generally really nice and willing to help take pictures. Definitely a place to put on the list while in town.

Admission : Free

Location : 501 Twin Peaks Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94131

 

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18.Japanese Tea Garden : This place actually made me feel like am in japan with  full of Fancy bridges, koi ponds, statues and towers and lots of beautiful flowers. Great place to walk and take pictures .

Admission : 9$

Location : 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, CA CA 94118, USA

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19.Crissy Field : Crissy Field is a part of Golden Gate recreation Area with a beautiful view of ocean and Golden Gate bridge . It has a grass to setup a picnic or to do a photoshoot.

Admission : Free

Location : 1199 East Beach,San Francisco, CA 94129

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20.Point Bonita : As soon as you exit the golden gate bridge you will find Point Bonita lighthouse on your right. You will have to walk through a small cave to reach the lighthouse which has some gorgeous views of Ocean, Bay bridge and the city skyline from a different angle .

Admission : Free

 

 

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21.Lands End : It’s the most amazing hiking trail in the city with Ocean beach, Sutro baths and Labyrinth. We started at the Sutro baths ruins and made our way down to the walkway that leads to the cave , from there we had a spectacular scenic ocean trail and ended up at Labyrinth.

Admission : Free

 

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22.San Francisco City Hall : It is a historical building located in the heart of SFO. Visiting this place was a magical experience. We went on a weekend and it was not much crowded. While we were there, we saw some marriages and wedding photoshoots happening and people dancing to the music which was so good to watch. Later i learnt that it is one of the top 10 beautiful halls for weddings in the USA. 

Admission : Free

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdSj8dnhYrm/?hl=en&taken-by=eazynazy

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23.Muir Woods : It’s a part of California’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area with giant coastal redwood trees which are awe-inspiring.This place is perfect for a nature lover to have a relaxing day far from hustle and bustle of the city. The admission fee is 10$ per adult and If you are visiting before 9 am then it’s free. The parking is very limited and so as of 2018 this park will be the only national parks to require a reservation to visit. So I would recommend checking for availability before you visit.

Admission : 10$

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24.Yerba Buena Gardens : These are some beautiful gardens in the middle of the city where you can just come and relax or have a picnic. It’s opposite to St. Patrick’s church .There’s a play area for kids and a nice waterfall where you can walk under.

Admission : Free

Location : 750 Howard St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA

 

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25.Color Factory : This place is for Instagram lovers, ofcourse you will have fun too but most of the people come here to take pictures for their Instagram, as it’s becoming one of the most Instagrammable places in SFO. As the name itself says,it’s full of colors. There were rooms dedicated to each color.

Admission : 36$

Location : 575 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcu0SrQBRo7/?taken-by=colorfactoryco

Summary : I would recommend using a Bus,Bike and ofcourse cable cars to stroll around the city as Parking is quite expensive and at times you might difficult to find one.