No. 3 - Named San Francisco's best museum, the Exploratorium is a fun, quirky museum of science, art, and human perception that features some 650 "please touch" exhibits. Its pitch-black Tactile Dome may inspire you to approach challenges in a whole new way.
No. 4 - The city's most popular destination, Fisherman's Wharf overlooks San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. The historic waterfront still serves as a working fishing pier, so expect fresh seafood at area restaurants. Nearby San Francisco attractions Pier 39, The Cannery, and Ghirardelli Square are touristy, but prove irresistible to many visitors.
No. 5 - Do some time on "The Rock:" A short ferry ride on the Blue and Gold Fleet deposits you on Alcatraz Island, and the self-guide brochure directs you from the former penitentiary's dock to its cellhouse. Evening tours, led by park guides, are also available on his island-of-no-escape in the San Francisco Bay (Ferry departs Pier 41).
No. 6 - Moving historic landmarks, the cable cars of San Francisco operate seven days a week along century-old routes. For a unique tour of the city, take the California Street line, which runs from the Financial District, through Chinatown, and over Nob Hill. The Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde lines both terminate near Fisherman's Wharf. Board in San Francisco wherever you see a brown-and-white stop sign.
No. 7 - A dragon-draped archway at the intersection of Bush and Grant streets announces the entrance to Chinatown in San Francisco. Streets teem with fish and vegetable stalls, herbal shops, temples, and eateries. (Lichee Garden, Hunan Home's, and R&G restaurants all rate high with diners.) Museums include the Chinese Historical Society of America and Chinese Culture Center.
No. 8 - In between appointments, stroll over to North Beach, San Francisco's Italian neighborhood, for a snack. The espresso is strong and the cannoli sweet at Caffe Trieste, and century-old Molinari's deli appeases the hungry. Once fortified, pay a visit to City Lights Bookstore, Mecca for bohemians and serious book-lovers alike.
No. 9 - Picture-postcard-worthy views include Alamo Square, where San Francisco's circa-1900 Victorian homes are juxtaposed against the towering backdrop of downtown's skyscrapers (Webster, Broderick, Oak, and Golden Gate streets), and Lombard Street, the world's crookedest. Its vertiginous path winds past ornate houses and descends steeply (between Hyde and Leavenworth streets).
No. 10 - If you can escape for a short while, hop a Red-and-White Ferry to Sausalito from Fisherman's Wharf. The ride takes one-half hour. The panoramic view of San Francisco Bay is spectacular, and Sausalito's sunny, inviting outdoor cafés and small shops overlooking the city are utterly charming.
