San Francisco Vacation Guide

The quintessential boomtown, San Francisco has been alternately riding high and crashing since the gold rush. Those bearish during the heady days of the dot-com bubble had barely finished dancing on the grave of the Internet economy when biotech...

Alcatraz Considering how many movies have been set here, you might feel like you've already "been there, done that"—but you really shouldn't miss a trip to America's most infamous federal pen. Husky-throated onetime inmates and grizzled former guards bring the Rock to life on the wonderful audio tour; you'll hear yarns about desperate escape attempts and notorious crooks like Al Capone while you walk the cold cement cellblock. But it's not all doom and gloom: you'll enjoy stunning views of the city skyline on the ferry ride to and from the island.

Want to get a slice of local life by just hanging out, skipping the sightseeing? These experiences will let you pretend you're a San Franciscan, without a whopping rent check.

On the Move Cable Cars. This one's a no-brainer. But don't miss the Cable Car Terminus at Powell and Market streets, where conductors push the iconic cars on giant turntables, and the Cable Car Museum, where you can see how cable cars work. Adventure Cat Sailing. Them: playing on the trampoline at the bow of this 55-foot catamaran. You: enjoying a drink and the bay sunset on the stern deck.

All About Chinatown (PHONE: 415/982-8839. www.allaboutchinatown.com). A delightful "behind-the-scenes" look at the neighborhood. Owner Linda Lee and her guides stop in Ross Alley and at a Buddhist temple. At herbal and food markets you'll learn ...

Beyond the aroma of cappuccino and focaccia, the café tables spilling onto the sidewalk, and the convivial air, North Beach is alive with the spirit of the Beatniks, those revolutionary artists who electrified San Francisco and shocked the ...

Despite—or perhaps because of—the astronomical cost of living here, San Francisco offers loads of free diversions. Here are our picks for the best free things to do in the city, in alphabetical order. (That is, in addition to the ...

Looking for an unusual San Francisco experience that'll give you bragging rights? Try one of these quirky choices—even a local would be impressed. ATA. Dedicated to getting anyone's art in front of an audience, Artists' Television Access has been showing films by local artists for more than 20 years. An open-minded crowd comes to ATA's tiny space, where $5-$10 gets you a peek at what might be the next groundbreaker. www.atasite.org

Marin County Marin County beckons from the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge—the ultimate playground for anyone who likes being outdoors. Hordes of visitors crane their necks at the huge redwoods in Muir Woods National Monument; mountain bikers zoom down Mt. Tamalpais; and scenery buffs head to the Marin Headlands, Stinson Beach, and the Point Reyes National Seashore to gaze at the vast Pacific. Over 40% of Marin County is parkland, so there are plenty of places to hike and reconnect with nature.

San Francisco's major parades and festivals are notoriously creative, energetic, and often off-the-wall. Among the hundreds of events on the city's annual calendar, here are the ones that are especially characteristic and fun.

The eternal lure for twentysomethings, cheap rent, first helped spawn an indelible part of SF's history and public image. In the early 1960s, young people started streaming into the sprawling, inexpensive Victorians in the area around the ...

San Francisco fairly teems with murals. Since the 1970s, groups of artists have worked to transform the city's walls into canvases, art accessible to everyone. Muralists here fall into two loose categories: those in the Latin American tradition ...

Fashion, business, and history collide in this broad swatch of the city, where you can eat for pennies or spend your rent in a single sitting.

These areas prove that terrific restaurants can spring up in gritty surroundings—and often, they'll help spur a general neighborhood improvement. This serving of gentrification comes with tempting menus and stylish dining rooms. The hip SoMa once was a warehouse district punctuated by blue-collar households. Nowadays, the same streets are chockablock with residential lofts, trendy bars and clubs, and scores of restaurants that fuel the mostly young and single local crowd.

Locals and visitors alike flock here for gorgeous bay views, a world-class waterfront esplanade, and a ferry building that is much better known for its food than its boat rides.

One of the city's oldest neighborhoods, North Beach continues to speak Italian, albeit in fewer households than it did when Joe DiMaggio was hitting home runs at the local playground. But the Italian presence in the markets and cafés is deliciously unmissable. Columbus Avenue, North Beach's primary commercial artery, and nearby side streets boast dozens of moderately priced Italian restaurants and coffee bars that San Franciscans flock to for a dose of strong community feeling.

You'll never go hungry here, in some of San Francisco's most jam-packed restaurant neighborhoods. From dirt-cheap taquerías to hip tapas joints, city dwellers know this sector as the go-to area for a great meal.

One of the city's best public transit rides is on the 22-Fillmore trolley, from the edge of Japantown at Geary Boulevard and Fillmore Street, up through mansion-lined Pacific Heights, then down to Cow Hollow and the Marina. We recommend jumping ...

The Haight-Ashbury was home base for the country's famed 1960s counterculture, and its café scene still reflects that colorful past. For ethnic flavors, go to the neighborhoods on either side of Golden Gate Park.

If you take it from Hollywood, Chinese tongs (secretive fraternal associations) rank right up there with the Italian Mafia and the Japanese yakuza. The general public perception is one of an honor-bound brotherhood with an impenetrable code of ...

Cafés are a way of life in North Beach, and if you're as serious about your coffee as the average San Franciscan (or Fodor's editor), you might want to stop in at all three of these spots.

While on Telegraph Hill, you might be startled by a chorus of piercing squawks and a rushing sound of wings. No, you're not about to have a Hitchcock bird-attack moment. These small, vivid green parrots with cherry-red heads number in the ...

In the 1960s Native Americans attempted to reclaim Alcatraz, citing an 1868 treaty that granted Native Americans any surplus federal land. Their activism crested in 1969, when several dozen Native Americans began a 19-month occupation, supported...

If you're in town with children (and you have a car), the sprawling, bayside Presidio offers enough kid-friendly diversions for one very full day. Start off at Julius Kahn Park, on the Presidio's southern edge, which has a disproportionate ...

In the 1860s, San Francisco was booming. The California gold rush and the transcontinental railroad had swelled the city's population, and San Francisco needed a magnificent public green space to emulate its older, eastern siblings. City Hall chose an unlikely location: a vast expanse of sand dunes on the western side of the city. The local government cut a deal with the squatters who lived in the area, and in 1870, Golden Gate Park was born…on paper, anyway.

San Francisco's gay community has been a part of the city since its earliest days. As a port city and a major hub during the 19th-century gold rush, it became known for its sexual openness along with all its other liberalities. But a major ...

With its spectacular cityscape, atmospheric fog, and a camera-ready iconic bridge, it's little wonder that San Francisco has been the setting for hundreds of films. While you're running around town, you might have the occasional sense of dé...

Traditional sit-down Japanese showers and communal bathing are two out-of-the-ordinary features of Kabuki Springs & Spa (1750 Geary Blvd., Japantown, 94115. PHONE: 415/922-6000. www.kabukisprings.com). The renowned $155 Javanese Lulur ...

Something from McEvoy Ranch's body-care line, like their olive mud soap or their gardener's hand salve, all made with locally produced, organic olive oil. A book published by City Lights, like one of their new political dynamos or something old-school like Allen Ginsberg's evergreen Howl. A Phthalates-free EarthLust stainless-steel water bottle overlaid with intricate graphics, of say, an owl, that you can stylishly sip from while climbing the hills, available at Spring.

Taking in a beachside sunset is the perfect way to end a busy day in the city (assuming the fog hasn't blown in for the afternoon). Always bring a sweater—even the sunniest of days can become cold and foggy without warning. Icy ...

The size of AT&T Park hits you immediately—the field, McCovey Cove, and the Lefty O'Doul drawbridge all look like miniature models. At only 13 acres, the San Francisco Giants' ballpark is one of the country's smallest. After Boston's ...

Concierges can be the Great Finesser of your trip: finding hard-to-get reservations or tickets, helping with business matters, and generally making your stay easier. Here's the inside scoop from a former concierge.

Kids can be fussy eaters, but parents can be, too, so picking places that will satisfy both is important. Fortunately, there are plenty of excellent possibilities all over town.

North Beach may have the highest coffee profile, but fantastic brews can be found all over town. Tear yourself away from Columbus Avenue and head to Hayes Valley's Blue Bottle Coffee (315 Linden St., near Gough St., 94133. PHONE: 415/252-7535), ...