Just back from a work/vacation trip to San Francisco experiencing all the top things you have to see and do. See what San Francisco top things made our list!
San Francisco Top Things – Chinatown
Our 1st stop was Chinatown, the oldest in North America, and one of the largest outside Asia. Dating back to the 1850s, Chinatown covers 24 square blocks in downtown San Francisco. And there is plenty to see and do here.
Just a block north of Union Square, is the Dragon Gate marking the southern entrance to Chinatown. This archway was designed by 3 Chinese-American architects who won a city design contest in 1967. And it includes many materials fabricated and donated by the Republic of China including the guardian lions.
There are 2 lions on each side of Dragon Gate. But the gate is just the beginning of what you’ll see here. Inside Chinese culture is on display. There are many shops, stores an places to eat. But there is one place in particular you just have to see.
About 5 blocks from the gate is the Golden Gate Fortune Cookies Co, an authentic fortune cookie factory. Not only can you buy bags of assorted fortune cookies, but you can see them being made. And for only $2.00, they will make a custom fortune cookie with a personalized message you get to write. It comes in a box and makes a nice gift to take back home.
Another reason to come to Chinatown is to eat. And our daughter’s recent obsession is soup dumplings which we found a block away at Fusion Dumpling. There are many delicious dim sum options to choose from that will appeal to all ages. But after some food, we are ready for the next iconic San Francisco top thing to see and do.
San Francisco Cable Cars
The cable car system in San Francisco is the last remaining in the world. Originally built in the late 1800s, only 3 of the original 23 lines still exist. And we were able to walk just 3 blocks to jump on one at Powell and Washington streets.
This line on Powell Street goes all the way to Fisherman’s Wharf, which is where we want to go to next. It’s recommended to purchase your fares on the MuniMobile app that we downloaded while waiting. 1-day passes including the cable cars are $13 each, but it’s good all day.
Once onboard, it’s standing room only. This stop is in the middle of the line, so many people have already boarded. But we grab a handle and hang on. The ride itself is an exciting way to see San Francisco as the car goes up and down the streets. And at one stop along the way, many people get off. It’s at Hyde and Lombard Streets, the start of the scenic drive with 8 switchbacks.
Once past the stop, we get to move up to a front seat for the rest of the ride. And this provides us with spectacular views as we approach the wharf, including Alcatraz Island in the distance.
San Francisco Top Things – Fisherman’s Wharf
No trip to San Francisco is complete without a stop at Fisherman’s Wharf. It is one of most well-known tourist attractions with plenty of shops, restaurants and activities to do. And our cable car stops right across the street from the Buena Vista Cafe. Credited with introducing Irish coffee to America, you can stop in for the popular drink.
We decided to get 2 Irish coffees and a hot chocolate to go while we walk around the wharf. And soon thereafter, we run into Hira, a national park ranger. The San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park visitor center is just around the corner. And Hira gladly stops to talk to us about the park and the surrounding area.
But today we don’t have much time to visit. Though you could spend a whole day exploring their maritime museum and fleet of historic ships from Hyde Street Pier. So, we continue down Jefferson Street that takes us past many shops and restaurants. And it takes us to its famous sign.
The iconic Fisherman’s Wharf sign is at the corner of Jefferson and Taylor Streets. And right behind it is a place you have to go if you like sourdough bread.
Boudin at the Wharf is the flagship location for the bakery that brought us San Francisco sourdough. Inside you can see the bakers making the classic bread, a cafe, store and restaurant. But we get some bread to go, because there’s still one place we have to see.
Pier 39 and Sea Lions
It’s been about a 1/2 a mile walk to Pier 39 which has shops, restaurants, an aquarium and more. But one of San Francisco top things to see here are the sea lions. Months prior to the 1989 earthquake, a sea lion colony hauled out on the marina docks here.
And before we even walk out on the pier, we can hear their barking. The sea lions make a distinctive sound that our daughter thinks is hilarious. And halfway down the pier, we pass a dock with 6 sea lions on it. Some are barking while the 2 on the end are pushing each other into the water.
Eventually the 2 on the end both get in the water and they even swim right below us. Our daughter is fascinated and is loving every minute of it. We eventually walk down to the end of the pier to see the rest of the colony.
There are more people at the end, because there are easily over a 100 sea lions here. Though they are not as close to the pier as the ones we passed earlier. But it’s amazing to see them all together.
At the end of Pier 39 are great views of San Francisco Bay. And of course, we can see views of Alcatraz Island in the distance. We didn’t have time for a boat tour this trip, but there are plenty of tour options you can take.
San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square
Another San Francisco top thing to see and do is Ghirardelli Square. The site of the former Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory is now an integrated retail complex. It’s just past where we started on Fisherman’s Square, a block from the cable car stop. And if you’re driving, they also have an underground parking garage.
There are many shops and restaurants here, but come for the chocolate. Stop at The Original Ghirardelli Chocolate & Ice Cream Shop to buy their famous chocolate squares. If you see a line, it’s for their world-famous hot fudge sundae and other decadent desserts. We skipped the line to buy an assortment of chocolate squares, including some fall flavors we’ve never seen.
Also in the back of the ice cream shop you can see North America’s largest flowing chocolate wall. This custom wall features real chocolate and provides a sweet aroma. There is also the original “G” from their famous sign, and some chocolate making equipment you can read about. After our 1st visit, we take the cable car back to our hotel near Union Square. But we came back another night for dinner.
Housed in Ghirardelli Square are many restaurants including the San Francisco Brewing Co. & Restaurant. With a large selection of beers, varied menu options and kids menu, there’s a lot to choose from. We got a Cali chicken sandwich, smash burger and kids cheese pizza. All were very good with large portions.
They also have interesting beers, like their margarita lager with a salt rim and lime. But the star is their Churro Y Chocolate stout complete with a house made churro and Ghirardelli chocolate dipping sauce. The beer is better than the churro!
The Golden Gate Bridge
Of course, the one San Francisco top thing you have to see is the Golden Gate Bridge. And there are many ways to see or experience it. For starters, you can drive over it, though you will have to pay a toll. But we drove over it 4 times and it was worth it. And each time it was a little different.
San Francisco Bay is known for its fog. And the 1st day we drove on the bridge, it was so foggy we couldn’t even see the bay. But luckily, the fog cleared later and we got better views. But another place to see the bridge is from a viewpoint.
The Golden Gate Viewpoint and Battery Spencer on the other side of the bridge provide fantastic views. Even at night with some fog, they’re still great viewpoints. Though bring a jacket as it can get really windy up there.
On the San Francisco side, The Presidio has multiple spots to see the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s an old army base with many buildings including the popular Fort Point at the base of the bridge. The Presidio is free to enter and there are multiple parking locations.
Another good location is Crissy Field which also provides great views of Alcatraz. It’s a little farther from the bridge, but has a long walkway right on the bay. As you can see there are many ways to see and experience the Golden Gate Bridge.
Summary of San Francisco Top Things to See & Do
We saw a lot of the major sights in San Francisco. The top things we saw and did were experiencing Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghirardelli Square. Riding on a cable car was also fun. And one of our favorite things was to see and hear the sea lions at Pier 39. But experiencing the Golden Gate Bridge is one of those things everyone needs to do while in San Francisco. Whether it’s driving over it or just viewing it from different times from various locations, it’s a must to see.
There are also many amazing places to see just outside of the city. Looks for future posts on our stops at Muir Woods National Monument, Point Reyes National Seashore and more!
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