Big City Tales

One Golden Memory After Another | March 5, 2013

An early morning fog blankets the expanse of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.

The City by the Bay

For a city known more for its fog than clear blue skies, it may come as a surprise that San Francisco ranks amongst the most popular tourist destinations in ‘sunny’ California, and the world for that matter!

Indeed, despite being tagged with ‘Fog City’ as one of its nicknames, there are plenty of other aspects about San Francisco that keep people coming in droves to experience the city’s charm. And, like me, wanting to come back to experience them all over again…

The City by the Bay basks in the glow of evening light.

Take a Ride on the ‘Wild’ Cable Car Side

San Francisco’s cable car system has the distinction of being a national historic landmark that is still operational. The three lines that run intersect with the city’s other mass transit options and are adjacent to neighbourhoods such as Fisherman’s Wharf, Nob Hill and Union Square. Propelled by cables underneath the city streets, the cars chug along at a whopping nine miles per hour, making for a very different kind of ‘wild’ ride!

Nearly 10 million people ride San Francisco’s historic cable car system every year.

Wind Your Way Down Lombard Street

If a series of hairpin turns on a steep one-block stretch of road is your idea of a fun driving experience, Lombard Street is calling your name.

Designed by city planners to make the road more navigable for cars through the Russian Hill district, Lombard is one of the world’s most crooked streets and is also noted for being paved in red bricks and elaborately landscaped.

The long and winding road of Lombard Street.

While the Day Away at Fisherman’s Wharf

Eat your fill of fresh seafood, frolic with the seal lions, hop on a cable car or board an old-fashioned ship…so much to cram into a day at the wharf! And don’t forget about the bounty that lies offshore in the bay. Alcatraz Prison and Angel Island are just a short boat ride away, offering some of the most panoramic views of the San Francisco skyline.

Take a Ghost Tour at Night in Chinatown

San Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest and largest in North America, and is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. Amble through the streets and alleys, sample delectable delights, or find the perfect Chinese herb to cure what ails you. Meanwhile, keep a lookout for the spirits that are known to haunt the area at night – Boo!

Where the Golden Sun Shines for Everyone

As Tony Bennett crooned in the closing lines of his classic 1962 hit song “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” there is a lot to love about this city and “coming home” is all the more sweeter when greeted with a golden sun.  True, the sun may not shine as much as some would like, but when it does it there’s no denying the magic it casts across the glorious city by the bay!

“When I come home to you, San Francisco, your golden sun will shine for me.”