Why go to San Francisco? The 10 good reasons to go San Francisco
A myriad of neighborhoods
Pacific Heights, North Beach, Marina, Nob Hill... The city is divided into lively neighborhoods.
Discover an authentic Chinatown
It's one of the largest diaspora neighborhoods outside China: a real change of scenery!
Enjoy nature in the city
Golden Gate and Presidio parks, Ocean Beach: nature is everywhere.
Beautiful Victorian houses
The whole town is built of Victorian houses, like the "Painted Ladies".
See the Golden Gate Bridge
The famous San Francisco Bridge is mythical: it's on every postcard!
Incredible national parks
Visit Yosemite, Lake Tahoe and Sequoia & Kings Canyon.
Admire the skyscrapers of Downtown
Union Square and the Financial District are home to some of the world's tallest skyscrapers, so look up!
Discover the city of revolutions
Hippies, beatniks, LGBTs, the Web: San Francisco is the cradle of many cultural trends.
Emblematic Missions & Castro
Mission concentrates the South American communities, its neighbor Castro the LGBT population.
Culture everywhere
Museums and art galleries are everywhere: great intellectual nourishment!
What to visit San Francisco?
Interview: My San Francisco
By Antoine Calvino, author of the guide
Meet Antoine Calvino, the author of this guide, who has made four pilgrimages to San Francisco since 1997. First attracted by the echoes of the Summer of Love, then by the madness of Burning Man and finally by the grandiose landscapes of the Pacific coast and the Sierra Nevada. A little less enthusiastic about the rampant gentrification of the city in recent years.
See the video of the interviewGood to know to visit San Francisco
Timetable
The vast majority of attractions and museums are open every day of the week, generally from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., all year round, with the exception of certain public holidays such as December 25, January 1 and Thanksgiving. When museums that normally charge admission offer free entry, expect crowds.
To be booked
Few tourist attractions in the region require advance reservations. Reservations are highly recommended for an excursion to Alcatraz, or a boat trip under the Golden Gate Bridge. Some of the SFMoma's popular temporary international exhibitions must be booked in advance.
Budget & Tips
It's going to be difficult for us to give you good tips on how to pay less - everything in San Francisco is overpriced! That's why it's a good idea to buy a pass to visit San Francisco's must-sees at unbeatable rates. The City Pass (www.citypass.com/san-francisco), for example, will save you money if you plan to visit 4 of the city's must-see points of interest.
Main events
San Franciscans like to party, a lot and often. Anything is an excuse for a parade, festival or fair. They're particularly fond of masquerade costume, and take any opportunity to bring out feathers, hats and clown noses. The list of festivals is long, but July 4th, Gay Pride, Chinese New Year and St. Patrick's Day are well worth a visit. Even our own Bastille Day on July 14 gives rise to festivities. Particularly in the downtown French Quarter, between the Café de la Presse and the Hôtel de France, where flags and blue/white/red balloons are waving...
Guided tours
To see as much as possible in the shortest time, hop on a red double-decker bus from the Big Bus Tour (www.bigbustours.com) and you'll get around the city without getting tired and with the commentary of the guides. For the sporty, there are guided bike tours or running tours; for the foodies, there are food tours (Local Tastes). And if you are more comfortable in French, let yourself be guided by French-speaking expatriates (Voyage en français). They offer thematic guided tours, often off the beaten track, to discover San Francisco in a different way. You can even discover the wine route from the comfort of a sidecar (www.ridesbyme.com).
Smokers
Smoking is prohibited in public buildings, offices, clubs, concert halls, bars, restaurants and even on terraces. In fact, the minimum distance for lighting a cigarette from the entrance to a building is 4.5 meters (15 feet).
