Visit San Francisco This Summer for a Truly Unforgettable Experience

The city by the Bay has something for everyone this summer. From walking through the majestic Japanese Tea Gardens to crossing the cold haunted sea that leads to Alcatraz Island, you're sure to be entertained when you visit San Francisco. For the traveler anxious to set sail in the Golden Gate state, here are a few suggestions for a memorable trip.

Fisherman's Wharf
Gather with friends and family and try one of the many seafood restaurants lining the wharf. The Dungeness crab is a staple with street vendors on Taylor and Jefferson streets and is worth every penny. A word to the faint of heart: the crab is fresh from the bay and is cracked and bagged while you wait. If seafood isn't your thing, try visiting Boudin Bakery on Jefferson street for soup in their famous sourdough bread bowl.

Pier 39 is a must-see while visiting the wharf. Here you will find the Underwater World Aquarium, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Blue & Gold Fleet (the vessel that will take you over to Alcatraz), and many interesting shops. Don't leave without seeing the plethora of sea lions sun bathing on the north side of the pier.

While visiting Fisherman's Wharf, take a moment and stop by Ghirardelli Square, home of the scrumptious Ghirardelli chocolate. There are also antique shops to explore just outside of the cocoa shop. Before you leave, sample one of the area's restaurants for a unique dining experience that is sure to please you.

Union Square
This is the place to be if you enjoy shopping and wonderful food. Union Square holds San Francisco's theatre district as well as its finest shops and restaurants. Choose from a variety of options as you walk along Geary, Post, Powell, and Stockton streets such as: Niketown, Neiman-Marcus, Tiffany's, Café Bastille, and much, much more. For those looking for a quick bite to eat, check out California Pizza Kitchen on Van Ness Avenue for a wonderful, affordable, and unique dining experience. Take the cable car down the west side of Union Square for a truly unforgettable experience.

San Francisco Zoo
The San Francisco Zoo is perfect for children and adults alike. Come visit the two newborn giraffes and find out how you can even adopt one of your own! The San Francisco Zoo does something that many other zoos frown upon; they let you feed the animals!

Take your turn feeding the giraffes as you plan your next move through the African Savanna! Next, take your children over to the newly restored carousel located near the Lemur Forest section. While you're there, travel on the Nature Trail over to Koala Crossing and Penguin Island. The zoo is currently being renovated and additional amenities are being added all the time.

Alcatraz Island
Reserve your spot on the Blue & Gold Fleet ferry that will take you across the icy cold waters leading to Alcatraz Island. Advanced reservations are recommended in the summer months as the fleet leaves hourly and fills up fast.

Upon arrival at Alcatraz Island, venture past the lighthouse and into the dark, seedy cells once occupied by the likes of Al Capone and the "Birdman of Alcatraz" Robert Stroud. Mom will be so proud when you show her the picture of you standing in Solitary Confinement. Watch a video of what life was like on Alcatraz when you are leaving the stone cold compound and take an audio tour as you wander through the halls. Photos of the prisoners and their misdoings line the walls through the confinement. Former prison guards have been known to grace Alcatraz visitors with stories from their days on the prison commonly referred to as "The Rock". Whatever you do, make sure you bring warm clothes because the San Francisco Bay is otherwise unbearably cold in the summer!

Golden Gate State Park
Leaving without seeing Golden Gate State Park in San Francisco is like leaving grandma's house as a child without dessert on Thanksgiving. The park is one of the largest urban parks in the world and is larger than New York City's Central Park. It consists of 75,398 acres of land and water that extends from the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge to San Mateo County.

It costs only $3.00 to enter the Japanese Tea Gardens in Golden Gate State Park, but the memory is priceless. Enjoy a relaxing stroll through the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States. Visit the wet garden and zen garden as you pass through the 5-acre masterpiece. Relax away daily stresses and anxieties as you sip on soothing tea in the tea house. Pose for pictures as you cross the beautiful rust-colored bridges and stepping stones that line your way over to the koi pond. Visiting the Japanese Tea Gardens in Golden Gate State Park is an all-day adventure and can be as long or short as your time allows.

Whatever your way of life, San Francisco has you covered. There is no shortage of lively events, relaxing escapes, scenic byways, and excellent food to calm the inner craving you seek this summer.