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Major Attractions in the San Francisco Bay Area
Don't miss these World-Famous Bay Area Things-to-Do!
Executive Inn & Suites is conveniently located on the east bay, near access to both East and West San Francisco Bay attractions. We offer luxury accommodations and waterfront views that are much more affordable than rates found on the &other side of the bay", so remember to "Stay Here" while you "Play There", and you'll have a lot more cash to spend on the things you came here to do!
After the fog burns off each morning, you'll find typical blue skies offering unique and changing bay area views from any of the 43 "official" hills over which the city is built, as well as from major sites located on them: Coit Tower, Lombard Street, Twin Peaks, Nob Hill, and more.
The San Francisco Bay Area attractions featured here are all in a class of their own. Most are known world-wide, and each is a part of the reason that this area is so popular as a travel destination. Whether it's the iconoclastic Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 for shopping and much more, the Union Stree or South Market Districts, Coit Tower, or Alcatraz, you won't have to worry about things to do, just which to do first.
Oakland & San Francisco major attractions listed by distance from hotel:
Chinatown - 12.7 miles
San Francisco's Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in North America and the largest Chinese community outside Asia. Since its establishment in the 1840s, it has been highly important and influential in the history and culture of ethnic Chinese immigrants to the United States and North America. Chinatown is an active enclave that continues to retain its own customs, languages, places of worship, social clubs, and identity. Popularly known as a "city-within-a-city", it has developed its own government, traditions, over 300 restaurants, and as many shops.
There are two hospitals, numerous parks and squares, a post office, and other infrastructure. Visitors can easily become immersed in a microcosmic Asian world, filled with herbal shops, temples, pagoda roofs and dragon parades. In addition to it being a starting point and home for thousands of Chinese immigrants, it is also a major tourist attraction — drawing more visitors annually to the neighborhood than the Golden Gate Bridge.
Chinatown offers a taste of Asian history and culture, with countless shops, delicious ethnic cuisine, open markets, museums and more. Celebrate the Chinese New Year in February.
The Embarcadero - 12.7 miles
201 the Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111
Scenic waterfront with deep-water piers, scenic promenades and ferry service. Upscale shops, dining and a farmers market also available.
South of Market (SoMa) -12.8 miles
This district includes the Museum of the African Diaspora, the California Academy of Sciences, the Cartoon Art Museum, the California Historical Society Museum and Rincon Center.
Aquarium of the Bay • 13.4 mi
The Embarcadero at Beach St, San Francisco 415/623-5333
View the underwater world of the San Francisco Bay at the Aquarium of the Bay. A moving footpath will take you through clear acrylic tunnels, where you can view sharks, stingrays, and varied marine life living in the one-million gallon aquarium.
Fisherman's Wharf - 13.8 miles
Once a major fishing pier, Fisherman's Wharf has become the most popular tourist attraction in San Francisco, with great views of the ocean, the Golden Gate Bridge and the city of San Francisco. The Wharf offers plenty to do, with seafood restaurants and shopping from one end to the other. Many enjoy watching the hundreds of sea lions, which have taken up residence on the docks near Pier 39. One thing is for sure: There’s something for everyone at Fisherman’s Wharf: food, views, history, family fun and more.
Dining: A food lover's haven, Fisherman's Wharf boasts some of the best dining in the world. Salivate over fresh Dungeness crab served steaming hote at outdoor stands or in a variety of gourmet recipes at the Wharf’s many seafood restaurants. Smell the fresh sourdough bread baking. Savor some locally made chocolate. The Wharf's eclectic mix of international cuisine is sure to make a hit with your taste buds.
Entertainment: During the day, street performers are here to tirelessly entertain you: magicians, mimes, musicians, jugglers, clowns and fire-eaters take pride in their efforts to make you feel welcome at Fisherman's Wharf. At night the wharf offers live music, theater, dancing, comedy clubs and much more.
Alcatraz: Over the course of its history Alcatraz – known as The Rock – has been a Civil War fortress, infamous federal prison, bird sanctuary, the first lighthouse on the West Coast, and the birthplace of the Native American Red Power movement. Today, more than a million people come to Alcatraz each year to learn about the island's human history and to see its birds, tide pools and gardens. You can see easily see The Rock from anywhere along the Wharf’s shoreline. Numerous cruises take you around and to the island.
Cable Cars: San Francisco is one of few places in the world where people can ride on a national historic landmark. Refurbished and equipped with new tracks, cables, turntables and cable propulsion machinery, San Francisco’s famed cable cards operate much as they did on August 2, 1873 when Andrew S. Hallidie guided the first car down the Clay Street grade. Two of the three cable car lines stop in Fisherman’s Wharf. Catch the Powell-Mason line at Taylor St. and Bay St., or the Powell-Hyde line at Hyde St. and Beach St.
Hyde Street Pier: Hyde Street Pier is home of the world's largest collection of historic ships by tonnage, where visitors can board several National Landmark vessels, including the schooner Alma and the 1890 ferryboat Eureka. Hyde Street Pier also offers regular ranger guided tours, chantey sings, special programs and hands-on demonstrations for all ages.
Sea Lions: One of Fisherman's Wharf's most popular attractions, the amazing sea lions of PIER 39 hold huge appeal for visitors of all ages. Most of the year, you can find hundreds of these local sea mammals gathered on the docks beside PIER 39, cavorting, eating and basking in the sun. Their numbers vary depending on time of year, but their distinct barks can always be heard from blocks away.
Angel Island: The other island you see from Fisherman’s Wharf is Angel Island, one of the last undeveloped islands left in the San Francisco Bay. It is maintained by the National Park Service and can be used for biking, hiking and picnics. Additional information is available at www.angelisland.org.
Coit Tower - 14.0 miles
1 Telegraph Hill Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94133, (415) 362-0808
The Coit Tower is a 210-foot concrete building located at the top of Telegraph Hill. It was built in 1933 as an art deco tower to beautify the city of San Francisco. Visitors can enjoy the history museum located inside and view the many murals painted in 1933 by over 30 artists depicting life during the Great Depression. From the top of the tower, there is a 360 view of San Francisco and the Bay area.
This charming neighborhood features Victorian homes that have been transformed into boutiques, galleries, restaurants and cafés. Attractions include the Octagon House and the Vedanta Temple.
Lombard Street- The Crookedest Street in the World • 14.4 mi
Between Hyde and Leavenworth streets
Lombard Street runs east-west through many blocks in San Francisco, but it is famous for one block on Russian Hill between Hyde and Leavenworth Streets. This block is steep and hilly, with eight tight hairpin curves. It is paved with bricks, and every curve is lined with beautiful flower gardens. There are beautiful Victorian mansions on either side of the street, making it very picturesque. This one-way section of Lombard street is a must-see for anyone visiting San Francisco.
Alcatraz • 14.8 mi (to the ferry)
41 Pier, San Francisco, CA 94133 415-705-5555
Alcatraz Island is located 1.5 miles from Fisherman's Wharf. It is the site of the first lighthouse in the Western U.S., and was a penitentiary from 1934-1963. It is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and offers tours of the prison and views of the lighthouse. It is a good place to view gardens, tide pools, bird colonies, and wonderful views of the bay.
The Marina offers access to San Francisco Bay and Marina Green, a grassy playground with views of the Golden Gate Bridge. The area includes the Palace of Fine Arts and bustling Chestnut Street.
Japantown (also known as Little Osaka, Funayville, or J Town) comprises about six square city blocks in San Francisco. San Francisco's Japantown is the largest and oldest such enclave in the United States.[Features Japan Center, a five-acre complex of shops, theaters, sushi bars and restaurants.
The Golden Gate Bridge • 17.4 mi
Hwy 101 (Doyle Drive) and Hwy 1 (Park Presidio Blvd)
The Golden Gate Bridge is probably the most recognized bridge in the world, and a well-known symbol of San Francisco. It is the second longest suspension bridge in the United States, connecting the city of San Francisco to Marin County to the north. Millions of people cross the Golden Gate Bridge every year by driving, walking or biking. The graceful bridge, which spans 1-3/4 miles and reaches a height of 746 feet above the water, is one of the major attractions in San Francisco, attracting about nine million people each year.
This lovely waterfront area is a park on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It has been a fortified location since 1776 when the Spanish made it the military center of their expansion in the area. As part of a military reduction program, Congress voted in 1989 to end the Presidio's status as an active military installation and on October 1, 1994, it was transferred to the National Park Service, ending 219 years of military use. Residents of San Francisco and the Bay Area have a unique and stunning resource in the Presidio, a national park within the boundaries of our city. Several restaurants have opened on Presidio land, and the old military structures house both commercial and non-profit entities. The Presidio is home to wild plant and animal species, hiking trails, and waterfront habitat. The Presidio is open 24 hours, every day of the week. No fees are required to enter the park. You can access the Presidio's restaurants, trails, and businesses by car, foot or public transport. Detailed driving and transit directions and information on the free PresidiGo shuttle are all available from the Presidio Trust website.
San Francisco's largest park, Golden Gate Park covers over 1,013 acres and is 3 miles long by 1/2-mile wide, larger than New York City's Central Park. This unique park features a golf course, the Conservatory of Flowers, M.H. De Young Museum, the Japanese Tea Garden, Morrison Planetarium, the Asian Art Museum and the Strybing Arboretum.
San Francisco Zoo • 21.3 mi
1 Zoo Road, San Francisco, CA. 94132 (415) 753-7080
The San Francisco Zoo is located between the Pacific Ocean and Lake Merced, in the southwest corner of San Francisco. Founded in 1929, the zoo covers over 125 acres and houses 950 mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates from all over the world. A new African Savanna exhibit opened in May of 2004, which features giraffes, zebras, antelope, and birds from Africa; and in 2002, the Lipman Family Lemur Forest opened, which features five different species of lemurs from Madagascar. There are many other exhibits, including a Children's zoo, where children and their families see and touch domestic rare breeds of goats, sheep, ponies, and horses in the Family Farm, touch small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians along the Nature Trail, and view the eagles and hawks on Hawk Hill.
