This guide by AAA will help you plan your trip to #SanFrancisco. Take the ferry to Alcatraz Island and see the prison where Al Capone and and George "Machine Gun" Kelly did time, stop by Fisherman's Wharf and take in the sea lions, or take a stroll across the Golden Gate Bridge. Be sure to leave your car at the north side lot for the 1.7 mile stroll across the bridge.
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AAA Destination Guide: Official AAA maps,
travel information and top picks
AAA Destination Guide: San Francisco includes trip-planning information
covering AAA recommended attractions and restaurants, exclusive
member discounts, maps and more. Â
Cable cars, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Transamerica Pyramid—San
Francisco is a travelogue of iconic images. Even if you’ve never been to
California, you’ve seen these seven hills in classic films and TV shows.
For a first-time visitor, every sight is new but familiar. Who wouldn’t
recognize the lantern-strung alleys of
Chinatown, the stately Victorian mansions
of Pacific Heights or the serpentine twists of
Lombard Street? Who hasn’t sung the Tony
Bennett song? Our photographic memories
of San Francisco go back to the Great
Earthquake of 1906, and more recently,
Loma Prieta. Our cultural mileposts include
the leather bars of Castro Street, the Latin taquerias of the Mission
District and the incense shops of Haight-Ashbury (though the flower
children sport more piercings and tattoos these days).
The “gay capital of the world,†San Francisco has a higher percentage of
gay and lesbian residents than any other U.S. city. By contrast, it also
has the fewest children. Soaring home prices have forced all but the
richest families out of the market. Today’s gold rush is real estate—and
tourists. Half a million arrive for Gay Pride Month in June alone. Others
come for the Cherry Blossom Festival, the San Francisco Opera and
Chinese New Year. Everyone saves room in a suitcase for designer
labels from Union Square and kitschy souvenirs from Fisherman’s Wharf.
It’s all part of the San Francisco experience—uniquely American, and a
world apart.
Essentials
Cross the Golden Gate Bridge, one of the engineering marvels of the
world. Dress warmly and leave your car in the north-side lot for the 1.7-
mile stroll across the bay.
Rest in Golden Gate Park. This thousand-acre haven is a favorite among
locals for its tranquil garde