San Francisco

With a skyline like Manhattan in miniature, the City by the Bay occupies a series of hills, which adds immensely to its dramatic setting. It is packed with museums, nightclubs, and fine restaurants that reflect the city's cosmopolitan potpourri of nationalities — much thanks to San Francisco's birth as a result of the California Gold Rush in 1848. The Chinese population alone numbers more than 120,000, reflected in an authentic Chinatown. North Beach is a mini-Italy vibrant with lively cafes. The Castro district is famously gay. And remnants of the Hippy era that was born here linger in the Haight-Ashbury district. Getting around is easy on ...

With a skyline like Manhattan in miniature, the City by the Bay occupies a series of hills, which adds immensely to its dramatic setting. It is packed with museums, nightclubs, and fine restaurants that reflect the city's cosmopolitan potpourri of nationalities — much thanks to San Francisco's birth as a result of the California Gold Rush in 1848. The Chinese population alone numbers more than 120,000, reflected in an authentic Chinatown. North Beach is a mini-Italy vibrant with lively cafes. The Castro district is famously gay. And remnants of the Hippy era that was born here linger in the Haight-Ashbury district. Getting around is easy on the city's world-famous historic cable cars, with Union Square — in the heart of the shopping district — a great starting point. Downtown, elegant skyscrapers tower over buildings dating back to the 1850s. Grandiose mansions atop Nob Hill recall the days of the railroad magnates, while Grace Cathedral is one of America's finest ecclesiastical structures. Down by the water, Fisherman's Wharf draws tourists for its seafood market and sea lions. Offshore (and reached by ferry) lies Alcatraz — an erstwhile prison, now a museum. Many of the best museums, including the Academy of Sciences, are found in Golden Gate Park.

About the Expert

Christopher P. Baker has authored guidebooks to Costa Rica, California, and various Caribbean islands for Frommer's, Lonely Planet, and National Geographic, among others.