San Francisco – 20 attractions for 2 days (1 day)
If you are alive, San Francisco
will not let you get bored.
If you are dead, San Francisco
will return you to life.
If you read it, then you are going to visit San Francisco (San Francisco), City located in California, United States. Frisco, as they call him the people, is considered among tourists one of the most popular American cities, along with New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
In this and the following articles, I will review San Francisco attractions that can be visited in one or two days. The list is exclusively indicative, based on our personal wishes with Andrews, but very typical. The program is designed mainly to those who love a lot to walk and stare around. Fans of clubs, bars, restaurants and other parties are hardly learned for themselves. For lovers of museums, the number of information also strives for zero, for we consciously went around the party))
You will find information on the following topics:
Below the list of articles of general content, which, for sure, will be useful when preparing for traveling:
So, let’s begin. Before you go to learn attractions, you will have to leave the car somewhere. So first «Landmark», with which you will meet in the city, with a group «Kar Man», Local parking will become.
Parkovka
Park the car on the street is quite difficult, especially on weekdays. In any case, travelers, whose feedback we read before traveling. Our first walking day on San Francisco fell on Sunday and we have no problems with parking. As it turned out, on Sundays, cars can be left on the street almost without restrictions and free (most restrictions act from Monday to Saturday). Can be considered, we were lucky. We left the car on that day near 29 pier, it seems, on the Sansome Street or somewhere nearby. Even specially asked someone from the local whether it was possible and received an affirmative answer.
The second day of the festivities in the city fell on Monday, but then there were no difficulties, probably we chose the most popular place to start a walk – Fulton Street, stretching along the northern tip of Golden Gate Park. Studied all the limitations, found it possible to park the car outside for free, and did it.
Most likely, parking problems arise on weekdays within the overwhelmed downtown. In all likelihood, find there free, and the more free space will be problematic. Either you have to pay parking through parquet, or look for an indoor / underground parking, in which prices will be significantly higher. The situation is often the situation: hour parking costs about $ 2, but the car can be left no more than 4 hours (in some places no more than 2 or even 1st hour), then it will need to be rearranged in another place. The type of this covered parking lots can be much more convenient if you count the car for the whole day and forget about it. Approximate cost: about 10 dollars in the first 4 hours, from $ 20 for a whole day.
In the city center, organized parking can be found in Embarcadero Center, 5th and Mission Streets, Union Square, Sutter and Stockton Streets and DR.
The city is most convenient to move on public transport (more about it at the end of the article in the section with technical information) or on foot.
I can advise the official website of San Francisco city transport agency, there you can find a lot of useful information, including parking (you can choose our).
Well, the car was attached. Now you can relax and say: «Hello, San Francisco!».
1 day in San Francisco
On the first day we went through several districts, which, perhaps, enjoy the most popular among tourists:
- Fisherman’S Wharf (embankment),
- our Hill and Nob Hill (Lovers for unhurried walks, Cute houses and other city landscapes)
- Union Square and FINANCIAL DISTIRICT (Business center and shops),
- Chinatown (Chinese quarter with appropriate color),
and also looked to the bridge Golden Gate And rolled on Baker Beach. In general, the day turned out very saturated, and the evening remained free, so there are space for fantasies and cultural entertainment.
Here for clarity San Francisco scheme with division by districts:
Fisherman’S Wharf («Fisherman») – San Francisco Bay Embankment
It is from the embankment for many tourists to get acquainted with the city. Many berths with moored boats, cute types of the bay (San Francisco Bay) and cities, a famous thirty-ninth pier with shops and marine cats, cafes and restaurants with seafood dishes, excursions to the famous Alcatras prison, a great aquarium, street musicians and much more.
Next I will describe the sights of the San Francisco Embankment in more detail.
Prison on Alcatraz Island)
There was no time on this small island in San Francisco Bay, a protective fort was located, then a military prison, and then a prison for especially distinguished and dangerous criminals. The last milestone is attracted to Alcatraz, who became a museum, crowds of tourists who want to see where the misfortune of Al Capone was serving. By the way, he himself chose Alcatraz as a place for «Corrections», that was an exception to the rules, and maybe even privilege.
Scheme of Alcatraz Island and its attractions:
From where the ferry is sent: from the 33rd Pier (Pier 33).
Departure time: can be changed, specify on the site (see.below).
Ticket price:
- Day tours: Adults – 30 dollars, children (5-11 years old) – 18.25 dollars, adolescents (12-17 years old) – 30 dollars, family (2 adults + 2 children) – 90.25 dollars, elderly (62 years and older) – 28.25 dollars;
- Night tours: Adults – 37 dollars, children (5-11 years) – 21.75 dollars, adolescents (12-17 years old) – 36 dollars, elderly (62 years old and older) – 34.25 dollars.
Additional Information:Official site of the island; Here you can also deal with interesting and useful information; Website on which you can order a tour and buy tickets for Alcatras.
What is worth considering?
- Tickets better book online at least a couple of weeks before the visit, as the landmark is very popular and wishing to visit the island really a lot. For example, when we passed past the ticket office on September 14, the tickets could only buy on the 17th number, that is, to get tickets in place may not work, especially in high season.
- According to statistics, two to three hours go to visit the island. You can easily float on any outgoing ferry.
- There is no place to buy food on the island, so better stock.
Aquarium (Aquarium of the Bay)
If you like to consider algae, fish, rods and other maritime representatives in huge glass corridors – that way. If you have never seen a similar landmark, you will probably like it, for children. If you were – You can skip, all aquariums, one way or another, are similar.
Location: Pier 39.
The cost of the input ticket (without City Pass): Adults – 21.95 dollars, children (4-12 years old) – 12.95 dollars, elderly people (65 years old and older) – 12.95 dollars, family (2 adults + 2 children) – 64 dollars (without visiting all sorts of 3D movies, tours and shows that are paid separately).
Mode of operation: summer – from 9:00 to 20:00, in winter – from 10:00 to 18:00.
Additional Information:Official site Aquarium.
You can buy here such «Packages» and save:
Pier 39 (Pier 39)
So somewhere, and here exactly peeps every tourist walking along the bay – on the famous Pier 39 – The most noisy and lively place of the fishing marina.
It is here that all sorts of shops with souvenirs, cafes and restaurants, California wine, seafood delicacies and the main local attraction – seals.
Pier 39 diagram:
Location: the starting point – Crossing the streets of Embarcadero and Beach Street.
Working hours: Shopping and entertainment starts work around 10 am, restaurants opened around half the twelfth, although some break their doors before to feed visitors with breakfast.
Additional Information: Paid parking is located right in front of the pier. Visitors who have decided to dine in one of the restaurants in Pier 39 receive 1 hour free parking until 18:00 or 2 hours after 18:00.
Sea lions on the pier
One of the most interesting fun on the pier 39 – sea lions that «sunbathe» Here from January to July (although we found them and in September, just not in such a large number). Owners of yachts, apparently, have long ceased to pay attention to them, giving up a few docks. For tourists, sea lions as a magnet, for a little where visitors are delayed for a long time on the pier, as here))
Nearby there is a small museum dedicated to these cute creatures. There you can see the skeletons of sea lions (it should be noted, it is very curious, on which it keeps it a hoping body) and find out how to distinguish a male person from female.
Clam Chowder
Even if it seems to you that you are not hungry, you should taste such a local dish as Clam-Chauder Or, in our speaking, crab chowder. Why? First, it is tasty, and secondly, nowhere, except on the San Francisco Embankment, you will not find. All tourist is known – came on thirty ninth pier – Eat a chowder!
Pampanito submarine (PAMPANITO)
Lovers of large ships and boats have the opportunity to visit a huge submarine on the embankment «Pampanito», which fought in the second world war. Inside the museum is arranged, that is, a walk on the compartments is included in the visiting program.
We did not go inside, only looked from the outside, so how interesting everything is – Do not know. I think on an amateur, though, impressive many.
Address: Pier 45 (Pier 45).
The cost of the entrance ticket: Adults – 15 dollars, children (up to 5 years) – free, children (6-12 years old) – 9 dollars, elderly (62 years and older) – 11 dollars, family (2 adults + 4 children up to 18 years old) – 45 dollars.
Mode of operation: The boat is open to visit all year round, daily from 9:00 pm, closing time must be specified.
Additional Information:official site «Pampanito».
Sea National Historical Park (Maritime Historical National Park)
In the West Fisherman District’S Wharf spread the park marked in the title. As a park he does not represent anything special – For the most part, just a grass on which holidaymakers are lying and admire the water of the bay.
On the territory of the park there is a maritime museum (Maritime Museum), which we safely bypassed the party, like all other San Francisco Museums. Maybe we are so with them, but after the Museums of New York, most others seem boring.
