Official Language:
English
|
Currency:
US Dollar
|
Population:
Approximately 750,000 people call San Francisco ho
|
Weather:
Climate and current weather information for San Francisco: The climate in San Francisco is mild all year round with the temperature even in the height of winter rarely dropping below freezing. The summers are usually warm and pleasant with plenty of sunshine, however this is when the worst of San Francisco’s famous fogs can occur. The best months to visit are between mid-September and mid-November. The Pacific climate keeps temperatures above 40°F/4°C degrees and below 80°F/26°C degrees. Summer months fog is common.
|
|
|
|
Cruise ships dock at the Port of San Francisco. From there, you can take a taxi or a local bus to your destination in the city by the bay.
Cruise passengers will enjoy this city. The city’s past is as wild a ride as the famous curvy Lombard Street. The ship docks just South of the Pier 39. To your left the Embarcadero and South Beach District. To your right, Fisherman’s Wharf. Straight ahead, up and over the hill are North Beach and Chinatown.
San Francisco, is a great port for cruise ships to dock. Located in central California, it is on the northern tip of a peninsula at the entrance to San Francisco Bay, bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the West Golden Gate Strait. The city is breathtaking, making it a very popular place to visit. This city is home to the US best Victorian structures, known as the "Painted Ladies," plus several other architectural wonders. Mentioning San Francisco makes conjures up images of the 2-mile-long Golden Gate Bridge, offering the beast views of the city's skyline and bay. San Francisco's hilly streets provide some gorgeous glimpses of the San Francisco Bay and its famous bridges. This is a mosaic of a city, a big picture made from the colorful tiles of bustling Chinatown, the gentrifying Mission, gay Castro, clubby SoMa, hippie Haight-Ashbury and faux-hemian North Beach.But the heart of San Francisco is Union Square, lined with hotels, chic shops and cafes. The sights, sounds and smells (and food) of Chinatown are a must for any visitor to San Francisco. There's also the Civic Center area, home to the Museum of Modern Art, The Opera House and Symphony Hall. A stroll through the Financial District offers fascinating views of some of the city's modern buildings and Fishermen's Wharf is a seafood lover's dream. Shoppers will want to check out Union Square, Ghirardelli Square, the Emnbarcadero and the area South of Market Street. When it comes to dining, the choices in world-class cuisine are virtually endless. The city was settled in 1776, when the Spanish founded a fort (presidio) here to guard the entrance to San Francisco Bay. Later that year the Misión San Francisco de Asís (now called Mission Dolores) was established nearby. In the 1830s a third settlement began at Yerba Buena Cove, in the north-eastern part of the city. The United States took Yerba Buena from Mexico in 1846, renaming it San Francisco in 1847. In 1848 gold was discovered in the interior of California, near Sacramento, and the ensuing gold rush rapidly transformed San Francisco into a booming community. San Francisco was incorporated as a city in 1850.
|
|
Attractions |
 |
 |
Golden Gate Park: About three miles long and a little more than a half mile wide, Golden Gate Park runs you from the frigid waters of Ocean Beach to the steps of Haight Street. Once only sand dunes, the park was painstakingly planted in 1870, and today with its rolling hills, lakes, and multitude of different trees is like a trip to the country within the city. Be sure to visit its aquarium and museums, and quaint Japanese Tea Garden.
Union Square: Shopping central. You’ll find only the big names and the best quality merchandise here. The scene is a whirlwind of strollers, some off to work downtown, others burdened by boxes and bags labeled with fancy names. In between bouts of shopping grab a bench in the square, listen to street musicians, and watch people go by.
Fisherman’s Wharf: Starting from Pier 39 and running west to Aquatic Park you’ll find the charm of Fisherman’s Wharf. Though more a point of tourism with souvenir shops and overpriced food, you can still get fresh crab and seafood on the streets, and hear the barking of seals as they lounge on the docks. Generally, the street performers from musicians to mimes make the trip worth it.
The Golden Gate Bridge: The bridge that couldn’t be built is an engineering wonder. Taking 4 years and the lives of 12 men to accomplish its construction, it was no easy task bridging the treacherous gap between the city and Marin. The color of the deco style bridge is “orange vermillion” and not actually gold, and at 1.7 miles across is a must stroll for first time visitors. 220 feet above the water you’ll gain new appreciation for the men that walked on planks to complete it.
Pier 39: A must for all visitors. It is colorful and fun to look at with its variety of shops t-shirts and pull taffy. The only San Franciscans you’ll find here are the ones ringing up the registers.
Ghirardelli Square: Located at the South end of Fisherman’s Wharf you won’t be able to miss the brick fortress-like countenance of Ghirardelli Square. Once solely the factory of the famous chocolate, it now houses a multitude of interesting shops and fine keepsakes. A quality of shopping with a much higher caliber than the rest of the Wharf, it’s worth taking a look at – especially to try the chocolate.
Alacatraz: You know it as “the Rock.” Opened as a fortress to protect the bay in 1850 from foreign invaders, Alacatraz island quickly came to house prisoners of war, and later the bad seeds of our society. Take the tour that walks you through America’s once most inescapable prison and learn its exciting lore. Find out about the Birdman of Alcatraz, Robert Stroud, and theories on whether or not prisoners like the Morris brothers (made famous by Clint Eastwood) made it to shore alive.
Museums/Theaters: San Francisco loves its culture. Opera, ballet, and the symphony season are big to-dos where the gentry and aficionados come out in their best black and whites. The symphony runs year round, the magic of opera comes to life June through January, and the ballet from March to May. San Francisco’s modern museum the MOMA, located south of Market houses contemporary art, and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge has many of the classic masters.
Cable Car Ride: If there is one thing you should try to do before leaving the city it's ride a cable car. There’s nothing like coming up over a steep hill in a cable car and having a vista of the bay open up before you.
|
|
More Information |
|
|
|
Port of San Francisco
Pier 35
The Embaradero
San Francisco, CA 94133
Web: www.sfport.com
Phone 415 274-0400
Port Parking: $9.00 per day
Located at Pier 27
Web: www.sfvisitor.org
|
|
