Tourist Traps Worth Checking Out
You don’t want to be a tourist but you do want to see the things in San Francisco that art worth seeing. Skip the annoying tourist traps (like the stores and restaurants located all along Fisherman’s Wharf) but make sure to make a stop at these tourist attractions that even a local things you should probably see:
• Alcatraz – It’s true, this most popular of attractions is worth checking out. It’s filled with history and information and the ferry ride over there is pretty nice too.
• Cable car rides – They’re kind of fun and you can say you did them. If you’re savvy about it, you can even take one to where you really want to go so you can do the tourist thing in a functional way. See this article on how to ride them like a local.
• Chinatown – It’s overwhelmingly amazing, you should go get dim sum and some souvenirs.
• Fisherman’s Wharf / Pier 39 – I wouldn’t spend a lot of time there but you should check it out to see what it’s all about. Get clam chowder in a bread bowl from a street vendor, peek at the seals, stop at the arcade museum and move on.
• Golden Gate Park – It’s massive, there’s tons to see there, check it out.
• Sutro Baths – Located over at Ocean Beach, these ruins are interesting and you get to see your San Francisco version of the Pacific Ocean.
• Twin Peaks – Drive up here in your rental car and get one of the best full views of the city.
You’ll notice a few obvious things missing off of this list. The Golden Gate Bridge is a big one. If you want to say you’ve been there, go for it, but you can see it from afar and not really have missed anything by not walking it. Union Square is good for function (it’s near a lot of stuff, it’s great for orienting yourself if you’re lost in the city) but you don’t need to make it a point to stop there. Coit Tower is a good place to go if you’re looking for another stop on the list but it’s just a good view so if you’re going to Twin Peaks, you can skip it. And Lombard Street; it’s really just a curvy street, you don’t have to see it.
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