Local chefs meet the fishing fleet as catches of Dungeness crab, sole, and salmon are unloaded on the docks of Fisherman's Wharf. Visitors slurp clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls and nibble on "walkaway" shrimp cocktails as they amble the waterfront boulevard past marine supply and souvenir stores, seafood restaurants, and steaming crab pots. Sightseeing boats depart from the piers for cruises around the bay, under the Golden Gate Bridge, and to Alcatraz, aka "the Rock," the notorious former prison where Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly spent their "leisure" time. The city's famous street performers hold forth on the sidewalks and at Pier 39, a two-level village of shops, restaurants, and entertainment where elegant gondolas and ponies glide around a doubledecker Venetian carousel, sharks swim by at the Aquarium of the Bay, and hundreds of wild sea lions perform on K dock. In February, 39,000 blooming tulips herald spring during Pier 39's festive Tulipmania, and in late November, the pier's lighted tree announces the multiethnic Holiday Harmony celebration. At Hyde Street Pier, the nation's only floating national park, are a Scottish square-rigger and antique vessels of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Knot-tying, sailraising, and sea-chantey singing are all part of the fun. In a historic warehouse, the new interactive visitor center showcases the city's maritime heritage. Don't miss the Wax Museum. From the ghoulish Chamber of Horrors to the intriguing Hall of Religions (featuring a huge display of The Last Supper), San Francisco’s Wax Museum houses one of the world’s great collections of amazingly realistic wax figures. You’ll find the likeness of all your favorite dignitaries, celebrities, and villains here, including Julia Roberts, Jack Nicholson, and even William Shakespeare. Be sure to see the museum’s latest arrivals–Paris Hilton, Donald Trump and Tom Hanks!

Once the chilling destination of maximum-security convicts, Alcatraz now sees hundreds of thousands more tourists per year than the total number of prisoners in its entire 29-year life as a federal penitentiary. Audio-assisted tours in several languages recount the history of the island and its famous inmate inhabitants: Machine Gun Kelley, Al Capone, Robert Stroud, "the Birdman of Alcatraz." The weather on Alcatraz can be as unstable as an ex-inmate. It's never hotter than 75 degrees Fahrenheit or colder than 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but temperatures can change rapidly by the hour. The nicest weather is most likely to occur April through May and September through October; for a taste of some true San Francisco fog, the summer months usually won't let you down. Sometimes it can even be warm and sunny in the city and cold and windy on the island. The best option is to prepare for all potential variations and bring a sweater or a jacket. As some San Franciscans are fond of saying, "Always dress in layers and hope to be pleasantly surprised." Once you're on the island, it's only a short uphill walk to the prison (there's a shuttle that runs from the dock as well). You can take the award-winning, 35-minute cellhouse recorded tour, grab some souvenirs from the bookstore, and step outside to enjoy spectacular views of the bay. On a clear day, the views of the San Francisco skyline and bridges are alone worth the crossing by ferryboat. There's no food on the island, but in case you decide to bring some with you, there's a picnic area by the dock (and a snack bar on the ferry). A boat heads back to the city every half-hour-unlike the prisoners, you can leave anytime you like!

Drive through San Francisco’s most scenic neighborhoods, including Fisherman’s Wharf, Downtown, Union Square, Chinatown, the Financial District, North Beach and the Ferry Building. You can hop off to explore on your own at Chinatown, Ferry Building or Union Square, and then hop on again when the next trolley comes by. It’s an exciting way to get acquainted with this exhilarating city. The nation's only moving national historic landmarks, the cable cars still run on 8.8 miles of track along three of their original hundred-year-old routes. These motorless carriages travel by gripping onto the constantly-running underground cable on the ascent and releasing on the descent. Average speed: 9 1/2 miles per hour. Steepest grade: 21.3%.

Looking north, from San Francisco to Marin County. The world's best-loved bridge is recognized everywhere as a symbol of San Francisco. Built in 1937, the 1.7-mile suspension span was designed to withstand the forces of nature, including gale force winds and earthquakes. Make your trip to San Francisco complete with a 1-hour Golden Gate Bay Cruise. Depart Fisherman’s Wharf and cruise along the North Beach shoreline past Aquatic Park, Hyde Street Pier, and the ships of the National Maritime Historic Park. The ship sails directly under the Golden Gate Bridge, providing spectacular views of this massive span. As you steam back into the Bay, you sail past the Marin County town of Sausalito and Angel Island State Park. Turning back toward San Francisco, the infamous island of Alcatraz appears on the horizon. Sailing back into Fisherman’s Wharf, you see and hear the barking sea lions of Pier 39 and view the SS Jeremiah O’Brien and USS Pampanito, both veterans of WWII.

Built during the gold rush of the mid-1800s, thousands of gabled, turreted, gingerbread-trimmed Victorian mansions are the city's "Painted Ladies," many of which have been lovingly restored in hilly Pacific Heights and along the streets of the Fillmore district. The four-blocksquare green aerie of Alta Plaza Park rises in terraces to a ridge surrounded by hundreds of vintage mansions, designed by such renowned architects as Bernard Maybeck and Willis Polk. Across from the Spreckels Mansion, a French limestone palace built for a gold rush magnate, residents, their dogs, and children romp on the sprawling lawns in Lafayette Park. Cottage Row on Bush Street is a sweet circa-1890 streetscape in lower Pacific Heights; nearby, the Ortman-Schumate house, at 1901 Scott Street, is an ornate Italianate landmark from the 1870s. Among the 200 or so shops between Jackson and Bush Streets are chic boutiques selling pricey antiques, French birdcages, elegant housewares, and vintage and designer wear, as well as Italian coffeehouses and cafés on every block.

And so much more to do!

San Francisco's Chinatown begins at the dragon-crested gate at Grant Avenue and Bush Street, a gift from the Republic of China in 1969. Besides the well known Chinatown Gate, the approx. 24-block area contains a lot of pagoda-roofed buildings, as well as nicely decorated lamp posts and phone booths in Chinese style.

Chinatown also has several temples; three of them are located in the Waverly Place, which is also known as the 'street of painted balconies'. This street is certainly worth a visit. Another nice and much-photographed place in Chinatown is the corner of California and Grant, which has some nice pagoda-roofed buildings.

The best way to visit San Francisco's Chinatown is by strolling through the streets. San Francisco’s oldest street—Grant Avenue—runs eight blocks through the center of America’s ethnic capital to over 1.5 million people of Chinese descent. Don’t miss the open markets on Stockton Street and all the little alleys between Grant and Stockton or you'll miss some of the most interesting parts of Chinatown.