The beautiful city of San Francisco is actually part of a 7×7 square mile landmass barely connected to the landmass of California. This accounts for the large and impressive bridges for which the city is known. Although San Francisco is frequented by millions of visitors each year, there still remains a friendly and welcoming vibe throughout. This guide introduces you to the top 4 tourist attractions in the city, as well as providing information on the accommodation options surrounding the site.
1. The Golden Gate Bridge: This incredible structure is what most people think of when San Francisco is mentioned. At almost 9,000 feet across, it dominates the surrounding landscape. It has been called one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, and can be viewed from along the shoreline or walked across on the pedestrian walkways. On nearby Lombard Street, still within the Gold Gate district, there are dozens of boutique hotels offering accommodation to visitors.
2. Pier 39: This is without a doubt the busiest and most popular tourism attraction in San Francisco. Located in the Fisherman’s Wharf area, Pier 39 takes up over 45 acres, much of it actually being a large pier. The area is famed for the many hearty seafood restaurants serving up specialities like clam chowder in bread bowls, as well as an emphasis on the marine life in the form of an aquarium, marina and sea lions sunning themselves on the pier. A walk of just a few minutes will bring you to nearly 100 hotels, including every big hotel chain you can imagine. For a quieter, more intimate look at life in San Francisco, consider one of the smaller independent boutique inns.
3. Chinatown: San Francisco is home to the largest Chinese community living outside of Asia, and the Chinatown district is an incredible glimpse into the diversity of the city. Not only can you experience wet markets, authentic Chinese restaurants and a dense population, many of who are foreign born, but you can see where Chinatown blends into the rest of San Francisco, becoming a melting pot of sorts. Don’t miss the incredibly small Gold Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, making it onto nearly every tour of the area. You can find several accommodation choices in the area, both long and short term, including several fabulous boutique hotels.
4. Alcatraz Island: The famed Alcatraz Penitentiary is located on an island just off the coast of San Francisco, and can be reached by ferries which depart of tours multiple times each day. No longer in use as a jail, it served as a prison for the toughest inmates, as it was deemed impossible to escape. Al Capone was one of the more famous inmates who called it home. While there are no accommodation on the island itself, you can find plenty of great small and independent hotels just near the launch at Fisherman’s Wharf.
Wherever you decide to explore while on your holiday in San Francisco, be sure to find convenient and comfortable accommodations in one of the many friendly, welcoming boutique hotels in the city.
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