Great Western Road Trip: What to Do in San Francisco, California

San Francisco has plenty to do for tourists and residents alike. We spent three days in San Francisco and had enough time to do some of the most popular and enjoyable things available. Not everything was what it was cracked up to be, but it was a very enjoyable time nonetheless

However, let me start with the weather. San Francisco is in "sunny California" and even on the coast, but don't expect a warm day on the beach here. San Francisco is known for its perpetual "fog" which comes in around evening-time and doesn't let up until the morning is well underway. This is apparently the cause of the chilly weather and strong cold, winds that plague San Francisco. Make sure to bring warm clothes for chilly weather, because even in the middle of summer, San Francisco is plenty cool.

Thankfully, even if you come unprepared to San Francisco, the middle of the day is still very bearable. Parking in San Francisco is very difficult to find and expensive when you do find it. You won't have the chance to drive and park between the different destinations you're visiting (unless you want to spend hours in traffic), so you'll be spending most your time on foot. I'd recommend doing the majority of your shopping and touring of the city on-foot during the bright daylight hours, at least several after dawn and several before sunset.

If you want expensive shopping, there's plenty to be had and the best of it is centered around Union Square. If you're interested in something a bit more unique (and far less costly), Chinatown is a very enjoyable experience and just a short walking distance from Union Square. In Chinatown, San Francisco, you'll find everything from oriental souvenirs to Asian home decorations and tableware. You can even find authentic Chinese bakeries, some incredibly tasty smoothies made from tropical fruits, and an unfathomable variety of loose-leaf teas.

If you're looking strictly for tourist representations of San Francisco, the greatest concentration is along Fisherman's Wharf on the San Francisco Bay. Here, there is a Maritime Park with examples of the different ships used in San Francisco throughout history. One of the first things I'd suggest you do upon arriving at Fisherman's Wharf is check the newspaper bins for one of several maps and coupon booklets that are available for free. This will save you a decent amount of money on the major attractions and will give you a good idea of what you're looking for.

There are piers all along the wharf with shops, seafood restaurants and other enjoyable attractions. Pier 39 is the most developed one and is set up like an outdoors outlet mall, but with much larger crowds and without the low prices. You can also go to the "Aquarium on the Bay" at Pier 39 for about $15 each, but it's actually a rather small aquarium and only highlights marine life that is naturally found nearby.

Ghirardelli Square is also located at the western end of Fisherman's Wharf and has some classier stores and great samples of Ghirardelli chocolate and ice cream. East from Ghirardelli Square there are plenty of art galleries with very famous and unknown artists alike. We happened to see some of Dr. Seuss's original works and "taxidermy" and much of it was very different from his works that are published as children's books.

You can catch a bay cruise at Fisherman's Wharf, at prices from $10 to $30 and lasting from one to two hours. This is a good way to learn some of the major sites in the city, gain a larger perspective of it, and spend a relaxing hour on the water. I'd suggest the smaller, fishing-boat cruise because you get a much more personable experience from the very friendly crew and it's also the cheapest one available. Just make sure you take your cruise between noon and 4 pm. Any later and you'll be freezing from the wind and water splashing. If you know the dates of your arrival, you can also go to www.alcatraztickets.com and book a tour of the Alcatraz prison and island in the San Francisco Bay. I've heard that the night tours are by far the best, but you'll have to book at least a week ahead because all the Alcatraz tours fill up fast.

One point of interest that is very enjoyable to families or just curious individuals is the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum. It's quite a bit more interesting than an average museum because it highlights just the bizarre and unusual things that Ripley collect on his world travels in the early 1900s.

From the Fisherman's Wharf area, you can also catch the ever-popular trolley and ride it back to Union Square. Or, about a mile south of Fisherman's Wharf is the famous "Lombard St." There is one section of it, between Hyde and Leavensworth that is known as the "Crookedest St." Here, cars have to narrowly zig-zag one-way down a stretch of hill before the road straightens out again. Around the zig-zagging road here are well-manicured gardens and a nice elevated view of the Fisherman's Wharf and bay area of San Francisco.

Another few miles west of Fishermen's Wharf is the Golden Gate Bridge, one of the most photographed locations in the world. If you're able to find the parking on the south side of the bridge (it takes a little work to navigate the turn-offs for it), you'll be in a very nice and scenic park that stretches along the coast near the Golden Gate Bridge. There are trails for walking or bike-riding and they're a very relaxing escape from the bustle of the city. The best hours for photographing a standard picture of the Golden Gate Bridge are in the morning, because the afternoon will have the sun opposite you and the impending fog can make it difficult to get an appreciable shot.

Staying at hotels in San Francisco can get very expensive depending on the time of year, but many of the suburbs have much cheaper rates. Public transportation in San Francisco is available, but in our experience, it's not incredibly efficient for getting where you want to go and it'll wind up costing you about as much as parking somewhere downtown.

San Francisco has plenty more to do than the things I mentioned here; a wide variety of stores and international restaurants are scattered throughout the city. However, these are among the most popular destinations in San Francisco and will give you a very enjoyable time during your trip.