Busy Girls Guide to San Francisco

Its 'summer of love' hippie culture drew people from around the globe in the 1960s. Today, San Francisco is a welcoming and open-minded city with liberal attitudes & a diverse, multicultural society.

Read on for all the essentials packed into our mini guide...

When to go?

Lively all year round, just before or after the summer peak season is perhaps the best time to visit.

Getting there and getting around

Fly from Manchester to San Francisco with British Airways or Continental Airlines.

Once there, ride the famous cable cars, choose from a variety of walking tours SF City Guides , or hire a bike Blazing Saddles to ride along the shore & across the Golden Gate Bridge for memorable views.

Key attractions

Iconic landmarks include the classic Beaux-Arts structure of the War Memorial Opera House; the hubbub of the waterfront at Fisherman's Wharf the dark, brooding island of former prison Alcatraz & the graceful arches of the art deco Golden Gate Bridge.

The diverse neighbourhoods of Chinatown, Japantown, North Beach (or 'Little Italy') & Little Saigon are well worth exploring.

Cafe culture

The spiritual home of fifties Beat poetry & the swinging sixties, North Beach is now San Francisco's capital of eclectic, Bohemian life.

Enjoy Italian heritage, lively nightlife, people-watching & great coffee in the cafes SF North Beach

Shopaholics

Visit South of Market (SoMa) for trendy shops & cut-price outlets; Haight Ashbury, for vintage clothing; Union Square, for designer boutiques & the Marina & Pacific Height, for stylish urban fashion.

Family fun

Roam beautiful grounds & a playground in the Golden Gate Park - fiddle with interactive displays at the Exploratorium museum & try an unusual trip through the Presido military post & over the Golden Gate Bridge in a shiny fire truck with San Francisco Fire Engine Tours

Nightlife

San Francisco has many excellent restaurants & bars. The Latin quarter of Mission District is well known for tapas, vibrant bars & trendy cafes. The Castro is the rainbow-flagged 'queer quarter'; or, if you're feeling adventurous, try SoMa - the fact that this is the location of the annual leather & fetish-filled Folsom Street Fair should prepare you for the nightlife here!

Busy tip

Visit the Top of the Mark sky lounge in the Mark Hopkins Intercontinental Hotel & drink in 360 degree views of the city along with its famous 100 Martinis.

Top tip

Tipping is customary; 15% is standard at bars & restaurants & at least &dollar3 for hotel porters, unless service really has been atrocious!

San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau

I hope you have a fantastic time!

Love Rowena x

Rowena is The Busy Girls Guide Travel Expert - to see her quick guide to Malaysia click here