| San Francisco is one of the most recognized cities | | | | city has seen no large snowfalls in over one |
| in America, and holiday accommodation here is | | | | hundred years. The summers are usually dry and |
| always at a premium. Holiday villas have recently | | | | cool and the winters mild and wet. |
| started to become a favorite for tourists, but | | | | The city has frequent earthquakes, as it sits on |
| hotels also remain the number one choice. I | | | | top of where the Pacific and North American |
| personally prefer renting out a holiday villa in the | | | | plates meet, in other words on the plate |
| suburbs, when I vacation there. | | | | boundary. As these plates slide together deep |
| San Fran is surrounded on three sides by water, | | | | underground at the earth's crust in a series of |
| and no visitor to the City will ever forget there | | | | tectonic faults, they lead to earth quakes. |
| first view of the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge. | | | | It is comprised of over eight hundred thousand |
| Many tourists like to take a ride on the cable car | | | | people and they are made up of many ethnic |
| up to the top of the steep Russian Hill and those | | | | backgrounds. One third of them are foreign born |
| athletic enough, walk back down on foot to | | | | and half of the rest are non native Californians. As |
| Lombard Street. | | | | a result the city reflects this multi cultural society |
| The Coastal Range mountains stretch from Santa | | | | and is more the richer place for it. |
| Barbara County to Oregon. They run through San | | | | The city is the main Pacific port in America and |
| Francisco and the Bay Area and the city now | | | | many immigrants have made their home in the |
| spreads across these hills and valleys. | | | | city helping it to create a flamboyant and |
| It is here that the famous steep streets of the | | | | eccentric flavour. It has experienced many major |
| city run up the hills and are always a favourite | | | | earth quakes over the years, but each time the |
| place for tourists to visit. The Sierra Nevada | | | | locals have rallied round and helped build it back up |
| range lies to the east and helps prevent the cold | | | | into a stronger and more united city. |
| continental air masses from reaching the coast. | | | | It is also famous for its Victorian architecture. |
| As a result the ocean breezes help moderate | | | | Many are crowded together on narrow hillside lots |
| temperature extremes. | | | | and have been made famous by the numerous |
| Locals say that in San Francisco you can | | | | films that have been made in the area. Some say |
| experience all four seasons in a single day. This is | | | | that it is an act of God that has prevented these |
| possible because of its unusual geographical | | | | magnificent buildings being destroyed by the |
| position. The city occupies a seven mile long | | | | earthquakes over the previous years. |
| peninsula and to its west lies the Pacific Ocean, to | | | | Some of these beautiful houses are now rented |
| the east is the world famous harbour more | | | | out as holiday homes and tourists truly get a |
| commonly known as San Francisco Bay. | | | | great feel of the local culture and cuisine when |
| Linking the two together is the 1.2 mile wide | | | | they stay in these holiday homes. They act as |
| Golden Gate passage. | | | | great bases for the tourists to fully explore this |
| San Francisco has the lowest average summer | | | | wonderful city and many tourists now come back |
| temperature of any American city outside of | | | | year after year to experience this unique cultural |
| Alaska, yet due to its geographical make up, the | | | | experience. |