Fisherman's Wharf and its Electric Cable Cars.
San Chico has a lot of places to go and a lot of things to see. I would first recommend going to the Fisherman's Wharf and the Piers, where the tourists run free from here to there. You can only listen to different languages around you, very interesting(almost like the subway in New York). The Fisherman's Wharf, together with the Piers, is by the ocean, so it is normally really cold(bring coats to anywhere you go). Like the poet said, "The coldest winter I've experienced was the summer in San Francisco". So be aware of that... a fleece won't do you bad. The Fisherman's Wharf holds very interesting things such as the lazy sea lions on the porch, the millions of white little boats and also, very popular restaurants such as the Hard Rock Cafe and the Bubba Gump, the restaurant created from the movie "Forrest Gump". And yep, it's all about shrimps! Hehe.
Alcatraz.
In Pier 39, you can catch a boat to Alcatraz, which is also a must-see in the white city of San Francisco. Alcatraz was a prison that held the worst criminals in the United States in the 30's, such as Al Capone and Machine Gun. It is very interesting to feel the atmosphere of this historical place. Alcatraz was also used by the Native Americans as a home after it was shut down. They crashed in the island for almost two years, as a protest to Nixon, the president of the USA at the time. Alcatraz is an island, so you will really have to take the boat. And I would recommend you to take a camera, because you can see the whole city of San Chico from there and it's a marvelous view, people.
Haight Street.
Ok, so, now, let's hit back from the island and go back to our lovely white city. One of my favorite places to go is directly to Haight Street. I've been there so many times in two years that I feel like it's already my place. Hehe. The Haight is known as the place where the hippie movement started. Being brief, in the summer of 68, called the "Summer of Love", a bunch of teenagers and adults got together as a family and started living of music, drugs and love(one for another). Food was free, medicine was free, life was free from everything that was related to capitalism. They would sleep in the park, Golden Date Park, which is by the end of the street. Today, the street holds a million stores. It is a big panel with the hippie movement stamped on it. But be very careful! Haight Street is a dream for those who love alternative and underground things... but everything is really expensive. If you want cheap-hippie, you should go to Fairfax, Bolinas or even Berkeley, which are after the bridges, beyond the ocean.
Golden Gate Bridge.
Talking about a bridge, who else should I talk about besides the Golden Gate Bridge? This is for sure one of the most beautiful places I've been. Every time I pass it by car(which is at least 3 times a week because I live in Tiburon, Marin County), I feel like I still don't know it, like I'm surprised to see it, just like the first time I saw it. The feeling is like you're on vacation forever. Really good. The Golden Gate is very amazing, but it definitely stays under fog most of the time. In the summer, the weather is hot and the water is cold, forming a dense mist right where the beautiful bridge stands. It sucks for whoever wants to take pictures. But if you're lucky and the fog is not dense(or not there at all), you can climb your car up to Headlands, where you can see the bridge very well and take pictures of it. Be careful not to fall, Headlands is really high!
Castro Street.
Another very interesting and fun place to go if you have the time is on Castro Street. Castro is where the homosexual population concentrates the most. It is very cool to see people having the freedom to kiss, hug and pinch each other's butts in the middle of the street without being a person of the opposite sex. Nobody looks or discriminates, besides homophobes who are brought there whitout knowing it's the gay place. If you have the chance, watch "Milk" before getting there. It is the story of Castro Street and Harvey Milk, the first assumed homosexual man to become a politician in the United States. You can see how the street became what it is and how beautiful the story about it is. Don't forget to get in the gay sex shops and check out some weird things you've never seen before. And remember: open your mind, whenever you go. You'll see things better.
People love to go to Lombard Street. I do not mind about it that much, because it's only a steep little street, but it is interesting and it is a post card of San Francisco, so you should probably go see it. Take a lot of pictures.
Sausalito.
If you're going to that side of the bridge, don't forget to go to Sausalito. That is a must-see too. I have never seen one person talking badly about it. After you passed the Golden Gate Bridge to the north, you'll find the place warmer and without a single fog. That's called "Marin County". Marin is where the rich people from San Francisco used to go to relax on the beach and have their beach houses. Today, it holds a lot of different cities such as Fairfax(the hippie), Sausalito(the sunny), Tiburon(the european-like), San Rafael(the biggest) and Corte Madera and Larkspur(the quiet and calm). Go about it and you'll be enchanted by so much charm.
Napa Valley.
Talking about that side of the mountains, if you love wines, you can drive to Napa Valley. For those who love it, I don't need to say much, because California wines are delicious. Mainly the ones that come from Napa. There, you can find wineries such as the Carnero, Cellars, Black Stallion and several others. It feels a little bit like France and if the weather is good, pictures are very welcome.
Muir Woods.
When you're in Marin County, don't forget to go to Muir Woods, where they hold a park discovered by John Muir, a nature savior. There you can find giant sequoias that aged for thousands of years and are still standing. Sometimes you need eight people to hug one tree. It is beautiful and calming. It is basically a natural museum.
Union Square.
Going back south, people! Let's head back to our San Francisco. If you like shopping, you should go to Union Square, where our hippie San Francisco gets a bit of a New York look. Union Square holds thousands of stores such as Apple, Victoria's Secret, Gap, Macy's and Louis Vuitton. It is a dream for shopaholics. I don't like that type of fuss, so I've been there twice or three times. But everybody loves to go there, so I recommend it.
From Union Square, you can take one of the two-floors red buses. They are like a guide bus. I didn't have the chance to get it yet, but I sure will before I get away. They say it's really good if you want to know about San Francisco and they explain it in various languages, which is good for the ones that don't speak english.
Love Fest.
If you're around for the months of september and october, I would recommend you to try to figure out about the big street parties that happen. Every year, parties such as the Folsom Street Fair(sadomasochistic fair), Love Fest, Pride, How Weird Fair and Decompression Party are held in different parts of the city. They are very funny and different occasions and they represent a lot of what is the freedom of speech. There are naked people, crazy ones, the ones with costumes... everything is a big party. And it's beautiful. You won't find these types of parties in another place, only in San Francisco.
Civic Center.
The Civic Center is also a very nice place to go. It's a beautiful building and it's good to take pictures of it. Enjoy it. And since you're in Van Ness, if you go up, you'll find the biggest Guitar Center in San Francisco. If you like music, that is a trip that you definitely should take.
Chinatown.
Chinatown is also a very known place to go. People love to buy souvenirs there, since everything is really interesting and cheap. I go crazy for buying stuff when I go there. Never leave without a bag in my hand. I think there's also a guided walk, if you ask for it in the stores. They know the information. I've never done it, but I bet it's interesting... mainly to known how everything ended up so similar to China.
Frida Kahlo's exposition at SFMOMA.
If you like expositions and museums, I would recommend the following ones: Palace of Fine Arts, Exploratorium, deYoung and MOMA. There are a lot of other museums and exposition places you can go, but these are must-sees, if you're into art and science.
Twin Peaks.
To end the trip, I recommend you to go to the highest place in San Francisco, the Twin Peaks. From there, you can have the view of everything we talked about until now. And you can check how white San Francisco is. Don't forget to take your camera because this is a very amazing view and it's just amazing to take pictures.
"I Left My Heart in San Francisco" Monument at Union Square.
I've lived in San Francisco for almost three years now. It's my pleasure to say that I know it very well and every time I see something new, it surprises me. San Francisco is my love and I will never forget it. I will miss the beautiful sky, the unworried people, the clean streets and the nature that surrounds it. San Francisco will always be in my heart.
Now, let's sing this hit from the 60's from Scott MacKenzie, "If you're going to San Francisco". That talks exactly about it and how it is. "You're gonna meet some gentle people there".
If you're going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you're going to San Francisco
You're gonna meet some gentle people there
For those who come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
In the streets of San Francisco
Gentle people with flowers in their hair
All across the nation such a strange vibration
People in motion
There's a whole generation with a new explanation
People in motion people in motion
For those who come to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
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