Audio Guide: San Francisco Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), San Francisco

A commercial and cultural hub of northern California, San Francisco is a popular tourist destination known for its steep rolling hills and eclectic mix of world-famous landmarks. The iconic Golden Gate Bridge, the teeth-rattling cable cars carrying riders up and down Nob Hill, Alcatraz Island, and the oldest Chinatown in North America are just some of the city's prominent attractions, each contributing to its unique flavor.

The original settlement of today's San Francisco emerged in 1776 when a group of Spanish colonists established a fortress (near the present Golden Gate) and a mission (a few miles away) both named after Saint Francis of Assisi. In 1821, the Spaniards passed the territory to the Mexicans, who in turn ceded it to the United States in 1848. The California Gold Rush of 1849 brought rapid growth to the area, transforming San Francisco from an unimportant hamlet to a busy port. By 1901, it had become a major city, largest on the West Coast, known for its flamboyant style, stately hotels, ostentatious mansions, and a thriving arts scene.

After the destructive earthquake of 1906, the city was quickly rebuilt, and on a grand scale too, seeing, among other achievements, the construction of the streetcar system. At the height of the Great Depression of the 1930s, San Francisco undertook great civil engineering projects, including the Golden Gate Bridge completed in 1937.

After World War II, the city hosted the birth of the United Nations in 1945. It was the ground for the rise of the "beatnik" and "hippie" cultures in the 1950s and 60s. The Sexual Revolution, the Peace Movement (following the Vietnam War), the Summer of Love of 1967, and the gay rights movement of the 1970s asserted San Francisco as a center of liberal activism in the United States. More recently, the dot-com boom of the late 1990s, driven by the Internet industry, further invigorated the city's economy.

Still, tourism is one of San Francisco's major industries fueled by attractions like Lombard Street (known for its "crookedness"), Pier 39 (with its colony of sunbathing sea lions), the Aquarium of the Bay, and others. The historic heart of the city is centered on Union Square, the principal shopping and hotel district.

Whatever your idea of a dream trip to San Francisco is, take this self-guided walking tour as a valuable companion and brave the city on foot with GPSmyCity without fear of getting lost!