Today we want to share the 6 top rated tourist attractions in San Francisco and the Bay Area. The San Francisco Bay Area is home to an estimated 7.6 million residents and spans nine counties near Suisun, San Francisco and San Pablo. With iconic sights such as the famous Golden Gate Bridge and Napa Valley, it is a little wonder that it pulls so many tourists every year.
Are you planning to go for a vacation or relocate to San Francisco for a long period of time? San Francisco is know to be one of the most expensive cities to live so make sure to find a cost effective short term accommodation while living there. Once you have settled in you can start exploring this vibrant city and it’s amazing places. The following are six of the best places everyone should visit during their stay in SF.
Sonoma County
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Lover of wine? We have some good news for you. Sonoma County, located North of Marin County which is part of the San Francisco Bay area, is home to the world-famous Sonoma Valley wine production area. The area has more than 425 wineries.
Wine lovers will enjoy unforgettable excursion trips where they can tour these wineries and taste different wines. But apart from that, Sonoma County is home to popular museums such as The Sonoma County Museum, Pacific Coast Air Museum and The Sonoma Valley Museum of Art.
Additionally, the area boasts of more than 50 state and regional parks including the famous Jack London State Historic Park which is where the gravesite of this famous author and his wife is found.
Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park is among the top-visited parks in America, with an estimated 25 million visits every year. What you probably didn’t know is that the park was once home to more than 200,000 homeless residents after the 1906 earthquake and fire.
If you are traveling with your kids, they will enjoy playing in the Koret playground, which happens to be the first public kids’ playground in the U.S. Sports enthusiasts enjoy a wide range of athletics fields and courts such as football, tennis, golf and bowling. Overall, there is never a dull moment in Golden Gate Park.
Here is one final interesting fact about Golden Gate Park; the first tweet was made from this park!
The Golden Gate Bridge
It is pointless to visit the San Francisco Bay Area if you will not go to the Golden Gate Bridge and have a few (or a lot) of pictures taken. But don’t mistake it; the Golden Gate Bridge is not golden in real life; it is a bright red orange in color.
Initially, the U.S Navy wanted it to have blue and yellow stripes for visibility. However, by the time they arrived in San Francisco, it had already been painted red orange and the consulting architect chose to have it remain that way, as he thought that the color was visible enough and pleasing to the eye.
Today, the bridge, which took a whopping four years to build, is considered as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Needless to say, it is among the most photographed places in the world.
Fruitvale
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Do you enjoy Hispanic culture? If so, we bet you will enjoy being in Fruitvale. Formerly known as Brays, Fruitvale is home of Oakland’s biggest Hispanic community.
Be sure to visit here and enjoy unique festivals and delectable Hispanic dishes as you look at exhibits in the Institute of Mosaic Art. Get all the tacos you want on the international road which is full of taco food trucks. Want more tacos? Visit 22nd Street and the Goodwill parking lot. If mural hunting is your thing, then you can do so in Rue de Merde.
The Russian River
Looking for a place to relax and enjoy the calming feeling of nature? One of the best tourist attractions in San Francisco is the Russian River. Known for its leisurely pace, locals and visitors alike enjoy lazing down this river.
Tourists enjoy kayaking and exploring wildlife and discovering hidden beaches along the river. If you are looking for something more relaxing, feel free to bring your beach blanket and lounge on the beach.
Mount Tam
Being on vacation is no reason to just lie around. Get your heart pumping on a hike to Mount Tamalpais. With an elevation of approximately 2,571 feet, you are sure to have a good time going up and down this mountain. Other than hiking, you can choose to go horse bike riding, road cycling or hang gliding. The breathtaking scenes of Mount Tam are a common inspiration to most artists.
Conclusion
The San Francisco Bay Area is no doubt an exciting place to consider if you are looking for a place to visit for your next vacation. Attractions aside, the area is known for its bubbly entertainment scene, relatively fair weather and friendly people. We hope you enjoy your stay here!
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