The legendary streets of San Francisco provide a roller coaster experience for anyone who wants to drive or ride the beautiful trolley cars that go up and down and up and down. Parked cars seem to sit at an almost-vertical angle on many of the steeper streets. The beautiful stone of the older buildings gives way to the dazzle of light off glass skyscrapers and the glinting water and the proud red bridge in the distance.

As you near the water itself, the bustling inner harbor calls with its many shops, varied restaurants and selection of bars. The bay provides a scenic backdrop to it all.

ATTRACTIONS

Fisherman's Wharf
From Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum to the famous Boudin San Francisco Sourdough Museum and Bakery Tour, Fisherman's Wharf provides a fun and eclectic set of activities. The long boardwalk offers hundreds of shops and restaurants along with variety shows, dinner boats, amusement park rides, an aquarium and cruises. Visitors wear themselves out trying to take in the variety, and residents enjoy the multitude of options that allow them to come back again and again.

Alcatraz
One of the world's most famous prisons, known for the impossibility of escape, is now closed to prisoners but open to the public. Alcatraz sits on an island in the San Francisco Bay, and just a short ferry ride across the glittering water leads countless visitors to walk the halls that Al Capone once walked. (Not to mention Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage for the movie The Rock.) Guided tours provide visitors with the chance to experience what the small cells and claustrophobic solitary confinement were like for prisoners, while stories from former prisoners and guards bring a chilling reality to the experience.

Aquarium of the Bay
The clear underwater tunnels of Aquarium of the Bay allow visitors to hang out inches from beautiful fish and intimidating sharks without getting wet or strapping on an oxygen tank. The 300 feet of tunnels replicate an authentic underwater dive. For those with kids, consider a special event at the aquarium such as a birthday party, Halloween party or sleepover.

Pier 39
The Pier provides another array of restaurants and shops and an access point for dinner cruises or bay tours. Exciting rides and a mammoth arcade make great stops for the kids.

San Francisco Zoo
The San Francisco Zoo gets better each year with new exhibits and opportunities. The African Savanna features giraffes, zebras, kudus, ostriches and other African wildlife in a tjree-acre habitat while the outdoor Lipman Family Lemur Forest shows off the zoo's five different species of Madagascar lemurs. An Education Center and Animal Resource Center make the zoo an educational destination while the Children's Zoo gives the kids an opportunity for some hands-on fun.

Metreon
Sony outdoes itself with this jaw-dropping entertainment center. Metreon's is housed in a futuristic high-tech building that incorporates a multi-level Sony superstore, IMAX theater, 15 other movie screens, 10 restaurants and an arcade with rides. Sony technology brings this multi-sensory experience to life.

MUSEUMS AND PARKS

Exploratorium
As one might expect from the name, the Museum of Science, Art, and Human Perception invites visitors of all ages to explore and play. With more than 600 exhibits to pick up, walk through, look through, touch, spin and tinker with, this museum is fun and educational for those at any level of scientific knowledge.

Old Faithful Geyser of California
Scalding hot water shoots predictably from Old Faithful every 45 minutes, making it one of only three geysers in the world to deserve the title. The geyser's water reaches heights of 60-150 feet in the air. After witnessing this natural phenomenon, visitors frequently like to tour the educational exhibit hall.

Presidio of San Francisco
Another fantastic park began as a military outpost, but today provides visitors with beautiful curving trails and grassy meadows. An old fort nestled within the forest provide a treat for historians while other attractions like a bowling alley provide a variety of family activities.

Conservatory of Flowers
The Conservatory of Flowers has provided flower lovers with joy for more than 125 years now. The enormous greenhouse features spectacular tropical plants, and its five galleries feature an impressive collection of exhibits.

Sources:
( http://www.sfvisitor.org )
Accessed December 21, 2004

( http://www.san-francisco-travel-services.com )
Accessed December 21, 2004