The Best Places to Visit in San Francisco, San Francisco, California

San Francisco is one of those places that seems to have an endless supply of things to do. Far more than I could ever have hoped to fit into just a few days. But staying with family in both San Francisco and nearby San Mateo made it really easy to explore the city. When I think about San Francisco, of course it is the Golden Gate Bridge that immediately springs to mind and finally seeing the red bridge crossing the bay was a dream come true, but there is so much more to explore in the city and surrounds. For a perfect first-time visit to the city, these are some of the best places in San Francisco.

On a side note, one of the first things I learned after arriving in San Francisco is that if you don’t want to stick out as a tourist immediately, then don’t call it San Fran, as apparently locals wouldn’t ever do that. The proper term is ‘SF’, or so I’ve been told!

The San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts looks a lot older than it really is. Built for the 1915 Pacific-Panama Exhibition, the Palace of Fine Arts has the feeling and look of an ancient Greek or Roman temple. It’s a beautiful place to walk around, away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, especially with the artificial lagoon full of birds next to it. A perfect place for Instagram-worthy photos, that’s for sure. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).