Tourism is San Francisco's No. 1 industry. More than 16 million people visit the city each year to enjoy San Francisco's natural beauty, world-class arts and recreation, and famous landmarks. Research shows 96 percent of affluent households travel, and readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine have repeatedly ranked San Francisco the No. 1 city in the United States to visit. Visitors spend more than $6.5 billion in the city annually. The average daily expenditure for all visitors is $123.58 per day.

Considered one of the great hotel cities in the world, San Francisco offers a selection to please every taste and budget. The city's hotels hold an estimated 30,000-plus rooms.

Sightseeing, shopping and dining top visitors' activity lists, with entertainment and recreation close behind. A remarkable 96 percent of visitors surveyed say they would like to return.

The most popular areas and attractions in San Francisco are Fisherman's Wharf (visited by 81 percent of all visitors), Chinatown (74 percent), the Golden Gate Bridge (73 percent), Union Square (65 percent), cable-car rides (65 percent) and Golden Gate Park (56 percent). Many visitors also explore regional attractions, such as the giant redwoods, the wine country and the region's famous beaches.

Places to Go

Fisherman's Wharf
Eight-seven percent of visitors to the city include Fisherman's Wharf on their itinerary--and with good reason. The wharf abounds with shops and restaurants; waterfront marketplaces include The Anchorage, The Cannery, Ghirardelli Square and Pier 39. Still a working wharf, "Fish Alley" sells thousands of tons of sole, shrimp, salmon, sea bass, squid and other deep-sea delicacies. During crab season (mid-November through June) devotees line up for the best of the catch. A fleet of historic ships berth at Hyde Street Pier, near the Maritime National Historical Park and Museum.

Ghiradelli Square
Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, the oldest continuous chocolate manufacturer in America, has called San Francisco its home since 1852. Once a family run confectioner's shop, now the Ghirardelli Manufactory & Soda Fountain where the original equipment can still be seen in operation, sits as the cornerstone of the popular square surrounded by shops and restaurants and an open plaza where visitors and locals alike sit on benches and savor the famous chocolate and sumptious ice cream sundaes.

Pier 39
California's second-most popular attraction is Pier 39, with its sunning sea lions, more than 100 one-of-a-kind stores, restaurants and fun-filled attractions, including the new Underwater World aquarium. Pier 39 is also home to a 350-berth marina, a waterfront park and the Blue & Gold Fleet. A two-tiered carousel and performances by street entertainers add to the fun.

Chinatown
The entrance to Chinatown at Grant Avenue and Bush Street is called the "Dragon's Gate." Inside are 24 blocks of hustle and bustle, most of it taking place right along Grant Avenue, the oldest street in San Francisco. Exotic shops, renowned restaurants, food markets, temples and small museums comprise its boundaries. Each February, Chinatown is the focal point for the city's Chinese New Year, a week of festivities culminating with a huge downtown parade, replete with dancing dragons.

The Cannery
Built in 1907, The Cannery was once a Del Monte peach cannery.  Today, these historic buildings, with three levels of walkways, balconies and bridges, wrap around an inviting courtyard.  Here, one can relax under 100-year-old olive trees and have an alfresco snack or an elegant meal while being entertained by street performers. Discover a variety of shops and galleries filled with the latest in objects and fashions.  Live entertainment is featured daily and The Cannery offers one of the finest comedy clubs in the city.  Just one-half block from the Hyde Street cable car turnaround, The Cannery is located at the corner of Leavenworth and Beach streets.

North Beach
North Beach, rich in Italian heritage, includes cabarets, jazz clubs, galleries, inns, restaurants, bakeries and delicatessens -- a perfect spot for cappuccino and espresso. Coit Tower atop Telegraph Hill is blessed with marvelous views and famed Diego Rivera murals on the ground floor.

Japantown
The heart of Japantown is Japan Center, a five-acre complex of hotels, shops, theaters, sushi bars and restaurants at Post and Buchanan streets. Each April, Japantown celebrates its Cherry Blossom Festival.

Mission District
The heart of San Francisco's predominantly Latino neighborhood is 24th Street, a colorful collection of restaurants, taquerias, Mexican bakeries, produce markets, specialty shops and murals. Mission Dolores at 16th and Dolores streets is the oldest structure in San Francisco. Many of the city's pioneers are buried in an adjacent cemetery. In May, the city celebrates Cinco de Mayo and Carnaval.

Golden Gate Bridge
Called the world's most incredible piece of outdoor sculpture, the majestic Art Deco style Golden Gate Bridge, completed in 1937, links San Francisco to Marin County. For a real aerobic workout -- and spectacular views of the city, the East Bay hills and the Pacific Ocean -- climb the steps near Fort Point that lead up to the bridge and walk across.

Golden Gate Park
The 1,000-acre park's trove of attractions includes Stybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, a "living library" where 6,000 plant species, including a stunning display of California redwoods, flourish; the Japanese Tea Garden; a children's playground; the Asian Art Museum; MH de Young Memorial Museum; and the California Academy of Sciences, with its aquarium, Morrison Planetarium and laserium. Tennis courts, stables, baseball diamonds, polo grounds, croquet and lawn-bowling greens, an archery field, a golf course and a fly-fishing pool draw the sporting crowd year-round.

San Francisco Zoo
The zoo opens new habitats all the time, but Gorilla World, Koala Crossing and the Primate Discovery Center are still the top draws. Youngsters can feed, pet and play with barnyard animals in the Children's Zoo. For times and more information, call 415-753-7083

Exploratorium
A playful museum where kids make the discoveries for themselves, activating more than 700 exhibits. For more information, call 415-561-0360. Combine your visit here with some kite-flying on Marina Green or a visit to the wave organ at the end of the St. Francis Yacht Club jetty.

The Presidio
Recently incorporated into the Golden Gate National Recreation Area is The Presidio, a former military post, home to coastal defense forts, a national cemetery and an historic airfield. The heavily wooded land, which overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge and borders the Pacific Ocean, is filled with a plethora of recreational beaches, hiking and biking trails, as well as some of the most spectacular vistas in the city. In 1995, the US Army officially transferred the Presidio Golf Course to the stewardship of the National Park Service, which opened the historic Presidio Golf Course to public play. The course is one of the most picturesque and popular on the West Coast.

Union Square
The attraction for serious shoppers, the hub of San Francisco's downtown retail district features elegant stores and richly appointed shops that cater to every taste and do it with style. It's Fifth Avenue, Rodeo Drive, State Street and local success stories all in one.

Cable Car Ride
A ride up one of the city's hills on a cable car is rated as a "must do" by visitors to San Francisco. Cable cars operate along three routes: The Powell-Hyde line begins at Powell and Market streets, terminating at Victorian Park near the Maritime Museum and Aquatic Park; the Powell-Mason line also begins at Powell and Market, but ends at Bay and Taylor near Fisherman's Wharf; the California Street line runs from California and Market streets to Van Ness Avenue. For route information, call 415-673-MUNI.

Museums and Galleries
For a list of museums in the city, visit our Moving to San Francisco section.

Yerbas Buena Gardens
Along with its manicured lawns, sculptures, performance spaces and museums, Yerba Buena Gardens hosts the $56 million Rooftop, an area devoted to San Francisco's youth, which includes a 130,000-square-foot children's garden, child-development center, bowling alley, ice-skating rink and Zeum, an art and technology center for kids. Completing the Rooftop is the 93-year-old, hand-carved Charles Looff carousel originally from San Francisco's Playland at the Beach.

Of course, there are also indoor recreation options in San Francisco for less outdoorsy types. At the edge of Yerba Buena Gardens is Sony Metreon, which opened its doors in 1999. With more than 350,000 square feet of shopping, restaurants, movie theaters, interactive arcades and attractions, Metreon has fast established itself as a major recreation destination in the city's SoMa district. 

Theaters
Visitors and residents enjoy Broadway show, improvisational comedy, musical reviews and dramatic theater throughout the city. Situated on San Francisco's Union Square is TIX Bay Area, a half-price ticket booth that has day-of tickets to performances at many of the large and smaller houses. Within walking distance are American Conservatory Theater, Cable Car Theatre, Curran Theatre, Mason Street Theater, Golden Gate Theater (pictured) and Theater on the Square.

Alcatraz
Phased out as a federal penitentiary in 1963, Alcatraz is now a unit of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Once home to America's most hardened criminals, the island reopened to the general public in 1973. On-island activities include self-guided trail walks, audio-cassette tours narrated by former inmates and guards through the main cell block and ranger-led tours of the island. Advance reservations for this popular attraction, accessible only by ferry from Fisherman's Wharf, are strongly urged. Call 415-705-5555.

Lincoln Park
Home of an 18-hole golf course with some of the most famous views of the city and Golden Gate Bridge, Lincoln Park also boasts the newly renovated California Palace of the Legion of Honor. This world-class museum features medieval to post-expressionist European art in its permanent collection.

49-mile Scenic Drive
This is an excellent introduction to the city of San Francisco. Driving time is about three and a half hours (but try to avoid the congested downtown area during commute hours). Detailed maps of the route are available from the San Francisco Visitor Information Center on the lower level of Hallidie Plaza at Market and Powell streets, near the cable-car
turnaround.

San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau
Much of the information provided here was provided by the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau. At the Bureau's Visitor Information Center, a multilingual staff is on hand to answer questions. Just drop by and visit Benjamin Swig Pavilion on the lower level of Hallidie Plaza at Market and Powell Streets. Open weekdays from 9 am-5:30 pm, Saturday until 3 pm, Sunday from 10 am-2 pm Or call 415 391-2000. You can also call 415-391-2001 24 hours a day for a recorded message listing daily events and activities.