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San Francisco Attractions to build memories with your family

We enjoyed all of the sites and sounds of the San Francisco Attractions including the world famous cable cars. San Fran is such a beautiful city.... I was amazed at the sheer size of the city.... it went on for blocks and blocks... in all directions, and the beauty of the city is amazing. It is by far the largest "Big City" that we have visited, but it was by far the easiest "Big City" to get around in. We routinely drove into the city, and found easily accessible parking places.

There is a never ending supply of things to do and see in San Fran.... and getting around is easy! Hope on a cable car, or just stroll around the town... If you are in town for an extended stay, also take advantage of the great opportunities that Northern California offers for some side trips... Napa and Wine Country are close by.... or take a drive along the Pacific Coast Highway.... We have listed all of our side trips and activities in the "Attractions" section, so use that for some ideas!

So.... Here's what you will find on this page.... Here's hoping that this will help you plan a great San Francisco visit.

The San Fran attractions we enjoyed
Tips from our FaceBook Fans
How we traveled to SF
Where we stayed in SF
Other great San Fran Attraction Reviews

Attractions we enjoyed

San Fran is such a diverse "Big City". We found an amazing number of things to do:

Downtown

While enjoying the San Francisco attractions, we enjoyed riding the Cable Cars, shopping in Union Square, shopping and eating in Chinatown, viewing the Golden Gate Bridge from many different vantage points as well as driving on it, Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39, and Fisherman's Wharf.

San Fran Cable Car | Golden Gate Bridge | Pier 39 | The Coit Tower

Alcatraz

We took the ferry to Alcatraz Island, and took the tour of the prison and the island. An audio tour was a part of the tour package, and was a great way to tour the facility.

Alcatraz Island

Here are some great San Francisco Tours that include Alcatraz to help in your vacation planning....

See all available Alcatraz Tours...

The Pacific Coast Highway

We drove along the Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Cruz to San Fran. This is a very short stretch pf the Pacific Coast Highway, but it gives a taste of the stretch. The views of the ocean were magnificent.

Major League Baseball

During our week long stay, we enjoyed two major league baseball games - The Giants vs. The Colorado Rockies, and The Oakland Athletics vs. The Texas Rangers. Major League baseball is a very kid friendly family vacation idea. It is reasonably priced and the stadiums offer a great family experience.

SF Giants| Oakland Athletics

National Parks

We visited several great National Park locations within the city and within easy driving distance. We visited Fort Point - located at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, Crissy Field, Muir Woods, and The Presidio. But the ultimate National Park visit of the trip was to The Yosemite National Park.

Yosemite National Park | Fort Point National Historic Site | Muir Woods National Monument | The Presidio

Here tours of Yosemite National Park departing from San Francisco....

See all other available Yosemite Tours from San Francisco....

Side Trips

We visited several towns and attractions including Santa Cruz, The Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, Wine Country - Napa, The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, and Great America Theme Park in Santa Clara.

Great America Theme Park | The Winchester Mystery House | Jelly Belly Factory Tour

Tips from Our FaceBook Fans

Here are great San Francisco Travel Tips from one of our FaceBook Fans.....

It's colder than you think even in the summer. The sweatshirt kiosks thrive on tourists that don't know the weather.
Make reservations for Alcatraz at least a week in advance. Don't get stuck waiting in line with young children.
Plan ahead and do some research to find a good place to stay. Know what you want to do there so you can stay where you can walk to it.
Riding the cable car. Don't hop on at Hyde street where there is always an endless line. Go to Bay or Mason St and you will still end up in the same Union Square.

How We Traveled To San Fran

By far, the easiest way to arrive in San Fran if you are traveling from a great distance, is to fly into the San Francisco International Airport. The ever ready Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) System is available form the airport - or you can rent a car like we did.

If you are driving, San Fran is one of the friendliest driving in cities that we have ever visited, so no worries there.

WHERE WE STAYED

While there, our family stayed at the Embassy Suites Burlingame. It was very close to the S F airport, and central to the city, and points south of the city. You will notice as you peruse this site that we choose Embassy Suites quite often because of the really large suites, and the "cook to order breakfast" that is complementary.

Embassy Suites Burlingame

The Embassy Suites where we stayed was a little south of the city.

San Francisco Resources

Great deals in San Francisco

Hidden San Francisco treasures is an awesome guide to the best things to do in San Francisco and surrounding SF Bay cities. It includes maps, coffee houses and hidden gems that even local insiders often miss.