San Francisco Travel Guide
For details of what to do and see in San Francisco check out our San Francisco guide to car hire in San Francisco.
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One of the most visited cities in North America, and a place filled to the brim with attractions to keep you entertained and enthralled, San Francisco is one of the most cosmopolitan and lively places in the world. The Bay City is a place that oozes charm and sophistication; but is unafraid to let its hair down and party.
San Francisco is a city with many instantly recognisable landmarks including the iconic art deco style suspension bridge, The Golden Gate Bridge, and the Transamerica Pyramid building.
The San Francisco bay metropolitan area is home to around 7 million people in total, amongst them some of the most important artists and activists in the country, who have between them gained the city a reputation for being one of the most bohemian and liberal places to live in the USA. San Francisco is the capital of Gay America, and hosts an outrageously flamboyant parade every June in Gay Pride week.
Other attractions include the island of Alcatraz in the middle of the bay, where America's worst criminals were housed for many years, the Embarcadero, and the famous Pacific Heights neighbourhood, where some of America's most expensive houses are located.
San Francisco itself is home to the largest Chinatown in the world, and there are several other large communities within the city, making it one of the most diversely populated cities that you could ever visit, and ensuring that the many different cuisines available in the city's dozens of restaurants mean that you never need eat the same meal twice during your holiday in San Francisco.
Shopping is fantastic in San Francisco, and amongst the best bargains to pick up (aside from gold leather jeans) are the latest gadgets developed in Silicon Valley nearby, and fine wines from the California vineyards that surround the city. One of the best ways to spend a few days in Northern California is to hire a car and drive through the lovely countryside around San Francisco and explore the many vineyards and small towns that make up the Californian Winelands.
San Francisco offers sport and relaxation in the large leafy parks, and during the day, a staggering number of museums and art centres give you the chance to soak up some culture and history, while at night, it offers the chance to have some good old-fashioned fun, and there in no shortage of places to go in San Francisco: the city boasts more than 2000 bars and nightclubs to cater to every taste, meaning that one thing is for certain, you won't get much sleep in San Francisco.
