DK Eyewitness - DK Eyewitness Top 10 San Francisco

Clockwise from top: Golden Gate Bridge, statue at the Palace of Fine Arts, a cable car, sailing by Alcatraz, Golden Gate Park, sea lions at Pier 39, detail of City Halls interior

The glowing Golden Gate Bridge, spanning the stunning Bay, is the quintessential image of San Francisco, but this vibrant city has so much more to offer from the clacking wheels of cable cars to the smell of steaming crab pots, red and gold pagodas to grand Victorian mansions and, with Eyewitness Top 10 San Francisco, its yours to explore.

The misty hills of San Francisco have known Spanish conquistadors, Mexican settlers, the fortune seekers of the Gold Rush, and todays lively Latin American, European, Filipino, Russian, and Pan-Asian populations each with their own festivals, neighborhoods, and eateries. Cultural diversity in this town is impossible to ignore just walk down the street to hear a babble of languages. North Beach is home to Italians, the Mission is Hispanic and Asian, and Chinatown speaks for itself. The variety of ethnic restaurants is vast there are over 4,500 places to eat in this foodie town: sushi bars, taqueras, dim sum parlors, brasseries, and Michelin-starred restaurants.

The city shines with culture, from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the de Young Museum to opera in Golden Gate Park and the Fillmore Jazz Festival. To intrepid explorers, the city reveals her more hidden treasures, from the backstreet Tin How Temple to the cypress-tree sculptures in the Presidio forest. The citys annual events are legendary: the Bay to Breakers race, the explosive Chinese New Year parade, and of course the dazzling pageantry of the San Francisco Pride parade.

Whether youre coming for a weekend or a week, our Top 10 guide brings together the best of everything the city has to offer, from iconic sights like Alcatraz to day trips to the Wine Country. It gives you tips throughout, from things to do for free to how to avoid the crowds, plus easy-to-follow itineraries, planned to help you visit a clutch of sights in a short space of time. Add inspiring photography and detailed maps, and youve got the essential pocket-sized travel companion. Enjoy the book, and enjoy San Francisco.

EXPLORING SAN FRANCISCO

From the back alleys of Chinatown to the Pacific shores, San Francisco offers visitors everything from historic sites and museums to cruises in the vast Bay. Here are some ideas for making the most of your stay, whether you have a weekend to fit in the must sees, or have enough time for day trips and exploring the citys hidden gems.

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Two Days in San Francisco

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Day 1

Morning

Start the day at , where luxury department stores and boutiques glitter around the historic plaza.

Afternoon

Walk a few blocks to .

Day 2

Morning

After a Dungeness crab omelette and Irish coffee at for a tour of the historic prison; the audio guide is a must.

Ferry Building

Afternoon

Walk or bike across the .

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Four Days in San Francisco

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Day 1

Morning

In . Enjoy lunch on the terrace of its sculpture garden.

Pagoda, Japanese Tea Garden

Afternoon

Explore the rainforest and the living roof at the .

Day 2

Morning

Learn about early California history at the oldest building in the city, has Depression-era murals.

Afternoon

Head to .

Day 3

Morning

Take in the woodlands, vistas, and Civil War sites of . Savor a Mexican lunch at the impressive Officers Club.

Afternoon

Explore for dinner.

Sea lions basking at Pier 39

Day 4

Morning

Cross the to enjoy a winery tour and tasting.

Afternoon

Relax in the spas and eateries of .

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Top 10 San Francisco Highlights

The living roof of the California Academy of Sciences

Top 10 San Francisco Highlights

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GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

As with most of the worlds wonders, many said the Golden Gate Bridge could never be built the span was too wide, the ocean too deep, and the cost too great. In 1872, railroad tycoon Charles Crocker conceived the idea, but it took a visionary engineer, Joseph Strauss, to put forth a realistic proposal in 1921. After 10 years of opposition, funding was finally secured. The bridge opened in 1937, and has been an emblem of San Francisco, and Americas icon on the Pacific, ever since.

NEED TO KNOW

(415) 921-5858 www.goldengate.org

Google Map

• For a uniquely powerful view of the bridge, while enjoying a Sunday champagne brunch, opt for one of the many cruises around the Bay, departing from the Embarcadero Pier and Sausalito. Quality purveyors are Hornblower Cruises ((415) 788-8866, www.hornblower.com), and Call of the Sea/Seaward ((415) 331-3214, www.callofthesea.org).

Deco Style

The bridge owes its striking style to the consulting architect Irving F. Morrow. He simplified the pedestrian railings to uniform posts placed far enough apart to allow for unobstructed, breathtaking views.