San Francisco
Where to begin!! San Francisco has it all, it is one of California’s largest cities and draws hundred thousand visitors each year. One of the most popular sites besides the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and Park is Pier 39 at the embarcadero, where you can find food of all sorts, eclectic shops, an aquarium, and sometimes if the weather is right you can have a walrus or two wave at you. The Ghirardelli chocolate factory serves delicious ice cream sundaes, and tours are constantly boarding to view the city’s highlights. If you choose to walk down the streets, be careful as you may get a good scare from SF’s famous “Bush Man!” On your way to catch and unavoidable bread bowl of clam chowder, you will see plenty of street performers that make a living from the inevitable awe of the tourists. San Francisco has the unique cable car system that is a must experience if you are around. The carts are a dependable form of transportation alternative to the hills that San Francisco is built upon. San Francisco’s downtown is mainly focused around shopping and world- class restaurants, museums, and a state of the art Academy of Sciences. Often, also downtown they have festivals ranging from quirky, to expressive. San Francisco is also where you can find the “crookedest” street in the world and features tight turns and fragrant flowers, and breathtaking views. One of those sights is Alcatraz Island, the site of a federal penitentiary that closed its doors in 1963 and housed some of the world’s most dangerous criminals. Daily visits to the island are available. San Francisco also is home to the San Francisco Giants, and the San Francisco 49ers, so there is consistent traffic coming in and out of the city. At night, the city has a raging nightlife and breathtaking views of the lights from the skyscrapers, bridges, and the city’s 849,774 (2015) habitants.