San Francisco Things To Do - Attractions & Must See

After the Gold Rush of 1849, San Francisco quickly became the most important city on the West Coast. Besides the Golden Gate Bridge, there are many landmarks and attractions you definitely should see.

No trip to San Francisco is complete with checking out the Golden Gate Bridge. Get the best views and photos from the northwestern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula.

Alcatraz is almost as iconic as the Golden Gate Bridge, gaining notoriety as an inescapable prison that housed some of America's most famous criminals. This is definitely a must see. Your ticket includes a boat ride to and from the island and an audio guide.

San Francisco's Chinatown is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia and the oldest Chinatown in North America. The intricately carved Dragon Gate at the entrance is the only authentic Chinatown Gate in North America. A trip to San Francisco isn't complete without a visit to Chinatown and its array of shops, restaurants and attractions.

Fisherman's Wharf gets a lot of criticism for being too touristy, but there are actually many fun things to do in the area. Near the waterfront, there's a great bakery called Boudin's that specializes in sour dough bread. The attached restaurant serves up sour dough bread bowls filled with clam chowder.
Pier 39 gets the most criticism of all of Fisherman's Wharf for being tacky and touristy, but it's a highlight because of the colony of sea lions that live at the end of the pier. They're incredibly noisy and quarrelsome and great fun to watch.
**_Editor's note:_** _The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about things to do in San Francisco._