San Francisco's best attractions are akin to a walk down the city's memory lane, from the gold rush era through the roaring 1920s and 1930s and all the way to a very modern day. A ride on the city's fabled cable cars, designed by Scotsman Andrew Hallidie in 1873, is an open-air treat with fantastic views at every turn (www.sfmuni.com). The Powell-Hyde cable car will deposit you at Fisherman's Wharf, where a short walk to Pier 41 will land you on a ferry boat to Alcatraz Island, home of the notorious penitentiary which was closed in 1963 (www.nps.gov/alcatraz). Believe it or not, the cellblocks that housed Al Capone and others are painted pink!
Looking west from Alcatraz Island is the Golden Gate Bridge. Opened in 1937 and over 2 km long, this span of gold (some would call it orange) is synonymous with San Francisco and its bay. Consider a walk across the span, but do bring a jacket. Back on land, the city's museums are a big draw. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (www.sfmoma.org), featuring the largest collection of 20th century American art on the west coast, and the spanking-new Asian Art Museum (www.asianart.org), which houses the city's cache of priceless Asian art in a reworked Beaux Arts building, are top choices.
Views are also a big draw in San Francisco, especially the one from Coit Tower at the top of Telegraph Hill. The tower is a 212 ft. monument to the city's firemen and, some say, resembles a fire hose nozzle. Another stunning view can be had from the top of Twin Peaks, the only point from which to ogle both the Pacific ocean and San Francisco bay. Take a cab and ask the driver to wait.
The city's best greensward is Golden Gate Park, stretching for over three miles and across a thousand acres (parks.sfgov.org/site/recpark_page.asp?id =17796). Must stop is the Conservatory of Flowers, modelled after London's Kew Gardens and stunningly refurbished in 2003. The Japanese Tea Garden and the Strybing Arboretum will also delight, and if the mood to bike or blade strikes, you're in the right spot. If you'd rather walk and nosh, a visit to the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market is in order (ferryplazafarmersmarket.com). Nearly a hundred vendors sell everything from fruits and vegetables to pies, breads and cheeses. Perfect for a late-morning or mid-afternoon pick-me-up.
If sports are your game, consider taking in a San Francisco Giants baseball game at nearby SBC Park (www.sfgiants.com). The new-ish city-centre stadium looks much older thanks to its brick exterior; the club level seats afford an excellent view of the action and great eats. Major league football is played at Candlestick Park, home to the five-time NFL champion San Francisco 49ers (www.sf49ers.com). For fast-paced professional basketball, a BART ride over to the Oakland Coliseumgets you to the home of the Golden State Warriors (www.nba.com/warriors).