The Golden Gate Bridge: The picturesque, International Orange colored bridge with massive 746-foot towers is easily the most recognizable and iconic attractions in San Francisco. The 8,981 foot long bridge connects San Francisco and Marin County across “The Golden Gate”, which is the narrow strait where the Pacific Ocean meets the San Francisco Bay. The bridge officially opened on May 27, 1937 and has been in operation ever since. More than 10 million people visit the Golden Gate Bridge every year and an average of 110,000 commuters, visitors and residents cross the bridge every day. Besides making the perfect Tik Tok of the bridge or just driving across, you can also bike the bridge and walk across the bridge and really experience the beauty of San Francisco.

Alcatraz: Arguably the most popular tourist attraction in San Francisco, Alcatraz Island attracts more than 1.4 million visitors per year. Originally opened to the public in 1973, the Island features an amazing view of the inner workings of the infamous prison that was open from 1934 to 1963. Visitors get a chance to see famous landmarks like the main cellhouse, lighthouse, recreation yard dining hall and more while listening to a self-guided audio tour. The island has a rich history as a secure prison that allowed no successful escapes despite more than a dozen escape attempts and was the home of  notorious criminals like George “Machine Gun” Kelly, Al Capone and the “Birdman” of Alcatraz.

Palace of Fine Arts: Designed by famous architect, Bernard Maybeck, this beautiful building located in the Marina District was originally built for the Panama-Pacific Exhibition in 1915 and has been called “one of San Francisco’s most recognizable landmarks”. Added to the list of San Francisco Designated Landmarks in 1977, it is a popular tourist attraction and event venue. The beautiful dome building inspired by Greek and Roman architectural styles is worth checking out on any visit to SF.

Coit Tower: This easily recognizable landmark is located high above North Beach and Fisherman’s Wharf on top of Telegraph Hill. The 210-foot tall tower opened in 1933, a gift to the city by Lillie Hitchcock Coit as a dedication to volunteer fireman who died in 5 major San Francisco fires. The tower has a strong resemblance to a fire hose (which would make perfect sense), however the architect claims that this was not the case. Tours of Coit Tower are offered, which will take you through each level of the building with a docent speaking about the history of the tower and explaining the significance of the 27 hand-painted murals done by local artists, leading up to the impressive 360-degree, panoramic view of San Francisco from the top of Coit Tower.

Pier 39: Probably the most “touristy” attraction in San Francisco, Pier 39 is a fun area for people of all ages. It is a lively spot located right on the San Francisco Bay filled with shops, art galleries, restaurants, bars and more. Located right next to Pier 39 are the docks which were taken over by the bay’s infamous Sea Lions who, for some reason, decided to take over a section of the West Marina in 1990, right after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. It is estimated that up to 900 of these funny creatures come and go to their new home and you can always find a group of interested tourists watching their antics. Popular attractions to Pier 39 are the Aquarium of the Bay, the San Francisco 7D Experience, Magowan’s Infinite Mirror Maze, The San Francisco Carousel, Boudin Bakery, Trish’s Mini Donuts and the Only in San Francisco Store. Pier 39 is also the departure point for the Alcatraz Tours Ferry, the Blue & Gold Fleet and various sailing and fishing charters.

Golden Gate Park: This large urban oasis in San Francisco is more than 20% larger than Central Park in New York City and covers a staggering 1,017 acres of land. Officially deeded as a recreational park area back in 1870 (in anticipation of massive growth in the population of the city), the once sandy lot was cultivated into the beautiful area that exists today. More than just outdoor recreational area, Golden Gate Park has plenty of things to do like visiting the De Young Museum, Checking out the American Bison living in the park, seeing some fun exhibits at the California Academy of Sciences and visiting the Chinese Pavilion, Pioneer Log Cabin and the Japanese Tea Garden. It is also the location of San Francisco’s amazing music festival, Outside Lands, taking place over 3 days every August.

Wine Country: Nestled about 50 miles north of San Francisco, Wine Country (Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley) is a magical place filled with beautiful vineyards, amazing wineries, Michelin Star restaurants, spas and cute, boutique hotels. Offering some of the best wine tasting in the world, it is a popular place for winery tours, day trips and long weekends of relaxation.