Romantic San Francisco

Our Local Expert Says:

Don't miss this "new" San Francisco institution. Inside, you'll find fantastic foods and crafts local to the area, and outside on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, the Farmers Market brings together local growers to sell their tasty fruits and vegetables.

Description:

While ferries still run from this historic building, it's also been transformed into a veritable shrine to food. The San Francisco Ferry Building Marketplace is chockablock with eateries, specialty culinary stores, and gift shops. Dining highlights include the mouth-watering burgers at Taylor's Refresher, the decadent sandwiches at Lulu Petite (the egg salad with truffle-artichoke pesto on brioche is truly the nectar of the gods), and the Vietnamese-inspired deliciousness of SF's legendary Slanted Door. Shopping for some special culinary treats? Stock up on loads of rare mushrooms and truffle salt at Far West Fungi, the finest fromage at local fave Cowgirl Creamery's Artisan Cheese Shop, and creative chocolate flavor combinations Rechiutti Confections. Want to sample local farmers' bounty? The San Francisco Farmer's Market convenes behind the Ferry Building every Tuesday and Saturday, and features stalls upon stalls of produce, meat, eggs, cheese, baked goods, and prepared foods (we love the tamales and crepes, but everything is tasty). Vendors are friendly and always willing to allow shoppers a sample taste or a detailed explanation of farming practices. After all that munching, take... read more

Our Local Expert Says:

The park is home to the architecturally striking De Young museum, with notable collections of American painters and South American, Oceanic and African indigenous art. Across the Music Concourse is the stunning new LEED Platinum certified home of the California Academy of Sciences, the greenest museum building in the world. Check out its living roof!

Description:

Spanning three miles from the edge of Haight-Ashbury all the way to the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Park contains so many mini-universes and attractions you'll want to (literally) stop and smell the roses on several occasions. Die-hard nature lovers can check out the Rose Garden, the Conservatory of Flowers, or the famous Japanese Tea Garden, featuring a classic pagoda, cherry blossoms, and landscaping straight out of the Land of the Rising Sun. Golden Gate Park's natural highlight, however, is the San Francisco Botanical Garden, which features a horticultural trip around the world (don't miss the redwood grove and succulents section).
Don't miss Golden Gate Park's two world-class museums, the California Academy of Sciences and the De Young Museum. Both were completely rebuilt in their original locations in the past decade, and are worth a visit for their architecture alone. The park is also the perfect place to get active. There are tons of walking paths, several public tennis courts, an affordable pitch and put nine-hole golf course, sport fields, and picnic grounds. You can even rent a boat and head out for a delightful row on Stow Lake. Spring, summer, and fall bring a number of... read more

Description:

This is a living museum in Golden Gate Park that is home to a wide array of rare and exotic plant life from around the world. Visit the 70-acre garden and explore seemingly endless trails with duck ponds, an arbor, herbs, flowers, blooming trees and redwoods, and smaller, specialized gardens with names like the Garden of Fragrance. Also on hand is an education center that provides different gardening, horticulture, botany, and environmental classes for adults and children, plus a horticulture library and bookstore. The public is allowed to stroll through the garden anytime, although they are asked to keep on the paths.

Our Local Expert Says:

The perfect spot for an after dark beach bonfire that's still near enough to your bed.

Description:

The massive beach stretches the length of the city's Pacific Ocean frontage from Seal Rocks all the way down to Daly City. Popular with surfers, kite flyers and families, it's San Francisco's main city beach. Although it can often be foggy and/or windy, on sunny warm days it's a joy. Swimming isn't advisable, as currents and waves can be extremely rough. A trip to Ocean Beach at sunset, followed by dinner at Beach Chalet (make sure you have a pint of the beer they brew on site) is just about a perfect evening. Or, enjoy a bonfire on the beach after dark, per NPS regulations.

Description:

This wildly popular bakery-cafe is sleek and contemporary with its pale wood and light-filled space. The baked goods, the true reason to come here, take the art of the pastry beyond the ordinary. Cookies, tarts, and the award-winning cakes are to die for. Have a soft spot for cupcakes? Flavors rotate daily, including chocolate-hazelnut, key lime, and Persian delight, a very special combination of rosewater-infused buttercream, pistachios, saffron cream, and candied violets. Yes, that's right! The dining menu is a tad overpriced, but offers light California fare--perfect for having enough room left for the true star here, dessert. The service is friendly and quick.

Description:

Constructed as a temporary attraction for the 1915 Pan-Pacific International Exhibition, this Grecian temple of a monument continues to enchant and enhance the city. The original plaster, which made up the bulk of the monuments exterior, has been gradually replaced with funds raised by bond measures and the donations from the Marinas well-heeled residents who were loath to lose such a graceful part of their landscape. Swans in the adjoining lagoon glide by the soaring ochre-tinted colonnades and the imposing dome ringed with panels of centaurs and warriors engaged in battle over nubile maidens. Those column-top statues of sorrowing maidens turned away from prying eyes are using their tears to water the long-gone oaks that originally stood in the planters that they surround. Stroll inside the dome, clap your hands and marvel at the uncanny acoustics, then enjoy a picnic lunch on one of the park benches scattered to provide an unparalleled view of this gem.

Description:

Want to experience San Francisco's must-do attraction? Take the 60-minute Golden Gate Bay Cruise and you'll see why it's the perfect introduction to San Francisco. The narrated one-hour cruise does a loop of San Francisco Bay, sailing next to Alcatraz and under the Golden Gate Bridge!

Departing from Pier 43½ in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf, you'll sail past the San Francisco skyline and view the lively neighborhood of North Beach and San Francisco Maritime National Park.

As you head west toward the Golden Gate Bridge, cruise along Fort Mason and the Marina District which was devastated in the 1989 earthquake. Don't miss incredible photo opportunities when sailing directly under the massive 4,200-foot (1,260-meter) span of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Steaming back into the bay, you'll travel past the wildlife reserves of the Marin Headlands and the legendary town of Sausalito, home to the 1960s flower generation. With Angel Island State Park to your left, you'll slowly cruise around the infamous island of Alcatraz.

On your way back to Fisherman's Wharf, look out for the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and Coit Tower. After a full hour of exciting sights, the barking sea lions at Pier...