| Located on the USA's Pacific Coast, the city of | | | | continues to be a massive tourist draw and has |
| San Francisco is one great big melting pot full of | | | | also featured in many popular TV series and films. |
| people from all walks of life. As a result, the city | | | | As well as unique culture, the city also boasts |
| has developed and nurtured its own unique and | | | | equally unique landmarks. The iconic Golden Gate |
| highly colourful cultural identity. This hugely | | | | Bridge that joins the city to the rest of Northern |
| influential city has been largely responsible for | | | | California is a true engineering marvel that |
| changing attitudes and cultures throughout the | | | | overlooks the infamous island of Alcatraz, once |
| world; and where San Francisco leads, the rest of | | | | considered the USA's most secure prison. The |
| the world follows - eventually! | | | | Coit Tower sits proudly atop Telegraph Hill and is |
| Being sited on the San Andreas Fault, one of | | | | one of the city's more noticeable landmarks, |
| Earth's most active tectonic plates, means that | | | | alongside the Tranamerica Pyramid - the tallest |
| the residents of San Francisco continually live with | | | | skyscraper in the city. |
| the threat of earthquakes and this has certainly | | | | Other San Francisco tourist hot-spots include |
| affected their attitude to risk. Almost entirely | | | | Fisherman's Wharf, looking out to the Island of |
| destroyed by a massive earthquake in 1906, a | | | | Alcatraz. Fisherman's Wharf features a fantastic |
| large tremor devastated the city most recently in | | | | selection of restaurants and shops and is the |
| 1989, although with minimal fatalities. As a result | | | | departure point for the tour of Alcatraz prison, |
| the residents of San Francisco have developed a | | | | which now serves as a tourist attraction devoid |
| uniquely different approach to life, living under the | | | | of any dangerous criminals! And one hot-spot is |
| daily threat of obliteration by earthquake but | | | | totally unique: Lombard Street is a street like no |
| ensuring that, in the meantime, their days are | | | | other in the world, bedecked in flowers and |
| lived to the full. | | | | winding its way up the side of a hill in a series of |
| Each year the people of San Francisco enjoy | | | | hairpins that slows the traffic to a complete crawl. |
| hosting many street carnivals and festivals, the | | | | To make sure you get the best out of a trip to |
| most famous being the world's largest Gay Pride | | | | San Francisco aim to book into a hotel in the |
| parade, which takes place each September. | | | | Union Square district, as it is very central for all |
| Others include the Chinese New Year parade in | | | | the city attractions and a hub for the legendary |
| February and the LoveFest held in late summer. | | | | Street Cars. And remember to book your hotel in |
| The former has developed as a result of San | | | | San Francisco early if you're going during any of |
| Francisco's Chinese community, and the city is | | | | the major festivals or parades, as they soon fill |
| home to one of North America's largest and | | | | up! |
| oldest Chinatowns. Established in the 1850s, it | | | | |