Top 5 Things to do When Visiting San Francisco

As one of the most vibrant cities in California, San Francisco can be a great place to travel to in the

Summer months, especially if you're in the local area. And with the heatwave that occurred recently,

there's no better time to visit the city that caused Mark Twain to exclaim 'dang, this city is cool!' Ok, so

maybe those weren't his exact words, but besides the climate that Twain was clearly referencing, the city

features amazing food, cultural diversity, various museums and parks, an active population, natural and

historical sights, and beaches that will draw you in and keep you coming back for years. Plus, it's near

wine country so you can easily change your urban exploration to a rural expedition on a whim. Pacific

Coast Highway, or PCH as the native Californians know it, is regarded as one of the most stunning routes

in the country; it becomes a two-lane highway in northern California where it twists and turns, managing

to squeeze between the ocean and the hills. This route is not recommended for travelers in a hurry, but be

aware that what it lacks in speed, it more than makes up for in views. So, San Francisco is that rare place

where getting there is actually part of the experience. This summer I went up to San Francisco for their

famed "Bay to Breakers" 7 mile run which literally spans from the Bay to the Pacific. Yeah... it was rough,

but afterword I rehydrated and refueled at an Asian Heritage Festival that happened to be going on

downtown. And the summer before, I found some brand new, racing 195 skis in a thrift shop for $20.

That's the best aspect of this city, you go there for one thing— like a run, or the beaches, the sights, the

food— and you leave with an entirely different and unexpected experience. As you can probably tell, I

could go on and on about San Francisco, but instead take a look at my suggestions for your next visit.

1. See Chinatown

If there is one thing that everyone should do in any

large city in the US, it's visit the local Chinatown.

The food is one of the most

delectable, scrumptious, mouth-watering things I

have encountered. My buddy and I once spent $40

each ordering peking duck, noodles, fried rice,

dumplings, chicken, green beans, shanghai rice

cakes, soup, and dessert to the horror of the

waiters and the people around us, but WHEW,

what a meal that was! I don't think I'll ever be as

blissfully happy again. If you can find them, I

recommend 'taro buns'—they're a bit of an acquired taste, but extremely delicious for dessert. Aside from

the food (can you tell I'm a college student yet?), the area itself is fun to explore. There are shops

everywhere willing to bargain, people bustling through the streets, and it gives visitors a glimpse of

another culture transplanted. Try either the Chinatown Walking Tour, which lasts about 3 hours and

features a Dim Sum Lunch after exploring the city or the Chinatown Cultural Discovery which also lasts

about 3 hours, but focuses more on tasting the cuisines and exploring unique places in the city. They are

both great tours, just slightly different.

2. Wine Tasting

San Francisco is known for the varied and

characteristic wineries that lay just above

and below the city. The main areas for

wine tastings are Napa and Sonoma,

which both lay north of the city, but there

are a few sprinkled around the south in

areas like Santa Cruz. If you want a trip

that is active and adventurous, there is an

8 hour Mountain Biking & Wine

Tourcombo, which features wine tastings

paired with mountain biking on a single

track trail that is maintained by locals.

Want to see the famous beaches? Then take a look at this Winemaker Tour, which features a different,

local winery every Friday while aboard the Chardonnay II for 2 hours, sipping the fine wines and enjoying

the surf as you glide through the water. For you cosmopolitans out there that wish to stay in the heart of

San Francisco, the Wine Bars and Cable Cars Tour lasts 5 hours and covers many wine bars in the heart of

San Francisco over the course of an evening. If you want the best of both worlds—a tour of the city and a

wine tasting—check out the 8 hour long, Green Dream Wine Tasting Tour—it includes a look at the city

followed by a picnic lunch, as well as a trip to Sonoma, wine tastings, and even chocolate and cheese

tastings.

3. Tour the City

Tour the city and learn about some of its history, explore the streets, or maybe just see the sights; there is

a plethora of opportunities available on our site depending on the time of day, season, activity, etc so you

should definitely check it out for a full listing. That being said, here are a few that stood out to me.

If you're looking for a glimpse into San Francisco's past, then check out these three trips first. They all

claim to offer a unique perspective of San Francisco in a number of different decades. The first is 20's

inspired Postcard San Francisco Tour featuring an in depth 3 hour ride on a 20's inspired passenger car (a

5 hour tour that also includes Alcatraz can be located here). With a guide sporting full driving attire of the

time—goggles and all—one can't help but wonder if this is Mr. Toad's wild ride! Moving from the 20's to

the 40's, the very unique Fire Engine Tour plops you aboard a 30's-40's fire engine from San Francisco's

past. Not only is your tour guide in full firefighting attire, but they even provide you with a costume of

your own on this hour long tour of the city. Moving from the 40's to the 60's, there is the famed Magic

Bus tour, which provides riders with a glimpse into the 1960's, all while touring the city juxtaposing the

60's with today's SF; Far out! Moving away from the past and into the present, for the active there is a 4

hour Golden Gate to Sausalito bike tour featuring amazing views and routes only accessible to

pedestrians—providing views most other tours can't.

Now for the more traditional tourists, there is a longer, very comprehensive tour called Dylan's Famous

Tour which encompasses the city, the nearby Muir Woods, Sausalito and more in 5 hours' time. It even

points out homes used in movies and allows you to trek through the woods amongst the trees for an hour.

However, if you're looking to just focus on the city, there is the Real San Francisco Tour, which focuses on

urban exploration and urban trekking and covers all of the city in 6 hours—definitely wear some good

shoes on this tour! Lastly, but not least, there are two different Segway Tours available here and here.

They are both run by the same company, but one offers more in depth viewing of the wharf, while the

other focuses on exploring the city.

4. Drive PCH

Like I mentioned earlier, Pacific Coast

Highway is in my opinion, the most

gorgeous roads someone can take, and

I've traveled up and down the east coast

so I know my pretty roads. Some tours

will likely take you down the coast, but

nothing beats doing it yourself on your

own time. That way, you can snap some

photos and stop when you want to stop.

Do it. You won't regret it. And if you do,

email me here, but I'll have you know that

as of now, the inbox is still empty.

5. Go to a Concert or Event/Break the Mold

Personally, I'm the type of traveller that only books my flight, and plans nothing else. As a consequence,

I've missed 4 flights, a train, and had to book several motel rooms at 2 or 3 in the morning, but I have

formed great friendships during those same trips as a consequence—when you have to find a place to stay

for the night, you end up knocking your heads together in a way that creates lasting bonds. Now, will I

continue this practice later on in life? Hell no! And I only recommend it for young people who can still be

reckless and unreliable without those words having a negative connotation for them.

What I do recommend is the deeper underlying tone to these actions: Getting out of your comfort zone. I

know it's trite by now, but when you do, it makes for some amazing memories. This summer, I stumbled

upon some $20 skis in a thrift shop and wandered through an Asian Festival after running Bay to

Breakers, and last summer I stumbled upon a Gay Pride Parade/Festival when I was in SF. And when I

think back, I don't think I would have done many of those things knowing about them beforehand—they

were the types of experiences made better by stumbling upon them. So what I am really getting at here is

go out, meet new people, and explore. These trips are meant to aid in that process as much as possible,

but nothing beats sheer curiosity and human interaction.