USA - San Francisco
Prices quoted correct as at June 2026
I’m a person who could not hold a note if my life depended on it, yet I have something in common with the famous songster Tony Bennett, in that we both left our hearts in San Francisco.
“I left my heart in San Francisco
High on a hill, it calls to me
To be where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars
The morning fog may chill the air, I don't care,”
For me San Francisco is the best city in the USA by a country mile and is amongst the top 5 cities in the world for me.
The sad reality, though, is the city is living on borrowed time. Hit by a massive earthquake in 1906, resulting in a massive fire, More than 3,000 people lost their lives and 80% of the city was destroyed. Phoenix like, the current city has risen from the ashes, but with its proximity to the San Andreas Fault scientists say it’s a matter of when, not if, another massive quake will hit the city.
Maybe it’s the underlying risk which gives the city its relaxed, happy go lucky vibe.
In the 1960’s San Francisco was hippy central, culminating n the Summer of Love in 1967, when 100,000 youngsters from around the world visited the city, centred in the Haight-Ashbury district.
The hippy days are long gone and the Haight-Ashbury area is now home to chic stores and tourist traps cashing in on the hippy days.
A legacy of those days is the city remains a, generally, socially Liberal and tolerant place.
San Francisco is often considered the original gay capital of the world. The community took off after WW2 when discharges gay servicemen settled in the city. In the 1970’s it became the centre of the Gay Rights Movement and it was here the iconic flag was adopted.Today the gay scene is thriving, centred on the Castro district and the leather focused SoMa (South of Market) area.
Castro is home to more than 60 gay bars, shops, and historical markers (like the Rainbow Walk of Fame and Pink Triangle Park) into a highly walkable area.
SoMa is long considered the epicentre of the city's leather, bear, and fetish cultures. It has its own dedicated Leather Cultural District to preserve queer historical spaces.
Whilst The Mission known to be a highly inclusive and queer-friendly area, favoured for its cafe culture and the famous Dolores Park (affectionately dubbed the "gay beach" on sunny days).
So just what is there to see and do in the city.
First of all a ride on one of the iconic cable cars is an absolute must, if you really want to do it properly and you have a good grip, travel on the outside of the cable car to get the ultimate experience, for a more sedate experience grab a seat inside. The Powell – Hyde line offers the best views. Single ride, no transfers allowed, $9.00 (£6.75)
Fisherman’s Wharf is the next thing to experience, yes it’s touristy but it’s not tacky and you can get some great food. I remember buying a giant peach from one of the stalls and it was so juicy, I’ve never had anything like it before or since.Another “must eat” product in the Wharf is a crab or clam chowder, served in a carved out sourdough loaf.
Pier 39 is home to a colony of sea lions , although you are more likely to smell them before you see them.
At Ghirardelli Square, boutiques and eateries reside in the famed former chocolate factory.
Continuing with the iconic sights Golden Gate Bridge has to be on the list.
Stretching 1.7 miles across the bay in its unmistakable International Orange hue, the bridge is San Fracisco’s most recognizable landmark and one of the most photographed bridges in the world. Walk or cycle across it for the full experience.
Visit the Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise or sunset for the best light, when the bridge is often framed by rolling fog and fewer crowds.Nearby Golden Gate Park is a 1,000 acre green oasis. As well as offering views of the bridge the park is packed with gardens, lakes, museums, and walking trails. Bigger than New York’s Central Park, it’s the perfect place to slow down between sightseeing
Don’t miss the Japanese Tea Garden, highly recommended, entry $16 .00 (£12.00) for adults, $7 (£5.25) for youths (12–17) and seniors, and $3 (£2.25) for children (5–11), advance booking recommended.
Or a walk around Stow Lake at Golden Gate Park. The California Academy of Sciences is a world-class museum with a planetarium and indoor rainforest all under one roof.
Popular during the day it’s probably best avoided at night.
The Palace of Fine Arts, in the Marina district, is one of the city’s most beautiful and free landmarks.
Built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, the grand rotunda and colonnades were designed to resemble the ruins of Ancient Rome. The monument sits beside a peaceful lagoon, framed by eucalyptus trees, and is a popular spot for a relaxed stroll or a scenic break from the city.
The Asian Art Museum is home to one of the most comprehensive collections of Asian art in the world, with 18,000 works spanning China, Japan, Korea, Tibet, and Southeast Asia — some dating back thousands of years.
The second floor of the museum has a Japanese tea house from Kyoto, painstakingly dismantled, shipped to the city, and reconstructed. Admission Adults $20.00 (£15.00), senior (65+) $17.00 (£12.70), age 3 – 13, $14.00 (£10.50). First Sunday of the month – free.
Lombard Street iis a world-famous landmark in the Russian Hill neighborhood, known as the "Crookedest Street in the World." It features a single, steep, one-way block descending through eight dramatic hairpin turns framed by immaculate red brick paving, manicured gardens, and multimillion-dollar VictorianTelegraph Hill is home to the Coit Tower rises above the city skyline and offers some of the best panoramic views of the city. Built in the 1930s in the Art Deco style, the tower is just as famous for its observation deck as for the Depression-era murals painted inside.
Entrance to the ground floor is free, elevator access to the top is $10.00 (£7.50) with unspecified discounts for seniors and youths / children.
After visiting Coit Tower, head down into nearby North Beach for Italian cafés, espresso bars, and some of the city’s best pizza.
Set in the middle of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz is one of the city’s most fascinating attractions. Once America’s most notorious federal prison, it housed infamous criminals, including Al Capone, before closing in 1963. Today, visitors can tour the abandoned prison blocks, hear stories from former guards and inmates through the immersive audio guide, and learn about the island’s layered history.
The self-guided cellhouse audio tour at Alcatraz is said to be one of the best museum experiences in the US, bringing the prison’s eerie past vividly to life.
The attraction is very popular and can get fully booked months in advance, so advanced booking is essential, although purchasing a San Francisco combo tour may include Alcatraz along with other attractions.
Cost:- Adults and Juniors (12-17) $47.95 (£35.75), Senior (62+) $45.15 (£33.65), child (5-11) $29.15 (£21.75). For a full “behind the scenes” tour you are looking at adult $104.65 (£78.00), Junior $100.35 (£4.75), senior $97.25 (£72.50), children not allowed.
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