While not always on the top of everyone’s list of cities you must visit in the US, often due to the fact it gets overlooked for its glitzier neighbor of Los Angeles, San Francisco is most definitely a city worth your time. What’s more, it’s a city with the charm of being surrounded by coastline on all sides but for the south. With all that coastland, it perhaps shouldn’t be a surprise that many of the delights can be explored from the water’s edge or even on the water itself. Here are a few things to do when you hit the Golden City.
Hitting up the hotspot of the coast
There are plenty of beaches and coastal areas in San Francisco that are worth your time. However, few of them have the lasting appeal or the legacy that Fisherman’s Wharf has. A tourist hotspot, it is full of stores, eateries, and places to stay, but some of the hidden treasures of Fisherman’s Wharf are worth taking a look for in particular. This includes taking a ride on the classic cable cars for a tour around the district, enjoying a working old-fashioned arcade with the Musee Mecanique, or take a stroll through Aquatic Park, which offers some truly picturesque views of the bay from a protected location.
Enjoy the sights from a new vantage point
San Francisco is an attractive city, but you shouldn’t be content with seeing it just from solid ground. There are plenty of boat tours you can take of the waterfront, enjoying the sights of not just the city but also the dolphins, whales, and some other sea life when it’s in season. If you want the luxurious treatment with a few friends, then a private yacht charter in San Francisco can be your way of enjoying the best in hospitality while taking in the sights of the city at the same time. Whatever kind of experience you want on the water, you can find it.
Hit the sands
Of course, there are plenty of beaches in San Francisco to visit, whether you want to swim, surf, or even take a trip under the waters. If you want something idyllic and secluded, Quarry Beach on Angel Island offers some of the best swimming water, while Baker Beach offers excellent views of the Golden Gate Bridge, not to mention being one of the most popular spots to catch the sights of dolphins. If you like to catch the sights underwater, however, there are plenty of great dive sites in Francisco. One of the most exciting sights is that of the two ships, the Lyman A. Stewart and Frank H. Buck which can be seen just off the coast of Lands End, to the point that it’s even visible in low tide.
The above are just a scant few examples of what you should check out when you visit San Francisco. Like many of the great cities of the US, it’s one that can keep you enthralled visit after visit. Why not give it a try to find out for yourself?
*Post contributed by travel writer and adventure lover, Chelsea Watson*
