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.

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.

Ghirardelli 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.

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.

Lombard Street

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.

Marina District

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 "New" Waterfront

Beaches

Golden Gate Bridge

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. Free guided walking tours of Golden Gate Park are conducted by Friends of Recreation and Parks, 415-263-0991.

Bay Bridge

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

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.

Yerba 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 Theater, Curran Theater, 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.

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.