Mar
24
2013
The Lands End park, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, draws hikers from a wide area. It is a particular favorite of those in the San Francisco area.
The trails within Lands End offer a number of adventures to those looking to see the wild lands of the Pacific Coast. One of the most popular trails within Lands End is the Coastal Trail. This trail is a converted railroad bed that follows the rocky coastline with amazing vistas from the high cliffs above the Pacific Ocean.
Hikers along the Coastal Trail also Continue Reading »
Jun
17
2012
The best place to see the sea lions at Pier 39 is at the Marine Mammal Center. The center is free to visit, but the docent led tour is highly recommended. These tours occur on Fridays and Mondays at 1 PM and 3 PM and at 11 AM, 1 PM and 3 PM on the weekends. On the tour, you will be taught about the life cycle of the sea lion and also get to visit the Mammal Center’s hospital where they care for a variety of sick or injured mammals.
If you choose to visit the sea lions at Continue Reading »
Sep
08
2011
Besides the Golden Gate, no other sight is as iconic to San Francisco as its cable cars and trolleys. San Francisco’s street railway system formed the backbone of the city as it grew in the latter half of the 19th century. Cable cars and trolleys, or streetcars, enabled many people to move throughout the city safely and quickly to go to jobs, for business and for pleasure.
Cable cars first made their appearance in San Francisco. In 1869, Andrew Hallidie witnessed a horse-drawn car accident. The damp, coastal climate of San Francisco created slick surfaces on its steep streets. Continue Reading »
Aug
27
2011
A trip to San Francisco would not be complete with spending some time on the cable cars. The bright red open aired cable cars can be seen taking locals and visitors up and down the beautiful hills of the city. You can catch it anywhere, but you might want to get on close to Pier 39 and ride to the top and back just to check everything out. Often it will be crowed and you will have to stand and hang on, but that is just part of Continue Reading »
Aug
15
2011
The California Palace of The Legion of Honor, less formally known as The Legion of Honor, was built by sugar and thoroughbred horse breeding magnate, Aldolph Spreckels in 1924 as a gift for his wife. This outstanding structure was created in memory of California solders who paid the ultimate price for their country in World War I.
The entry way graced by a sculpting cast of Rodin’s ‘The Thinker’ leads to collections of art dating back 6000 years. Items can be traced from 4000 BC to 14 Continue Reading »
May
25
2011
Planning a summer trip to the San Francisco Area is a great way to enjoy US Culture and save some money on an international vacation. Here are a few of the areas you’ll want to check out on your trip this year…
The Mission District: This up and coming area is full of Latino culture and eclectic shops. When you’re done exploring here be sure to grab lunch or dinner at one of the Mission’s many new trendy restaurants but be sure to bring cash in case some of Continue Reading »
Apr
29
2011
The Asian Art Museum, located in San Francisco has artwork dating over 6,000 years ago. The Asian culture is on display through each of the Asian Art Museum’s collection of over 17,000 objects. This museum is the premier location to see beautiful work done by Asian artists throughout the ages.
These are some interesting items on display at the Asian Art Museum today.
Probably the most meaningful piece is the bronze Buddha. This was donated to the museum, along with about half of the other artwork adorning its halls, by the museum founder Continue Reading »
Apr
16
2011
When visiting the San Francisco Bay area, one of the place people should visit is San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art. This is a great place for the entire family; with multiple exhibit to look at, good hours, and very reasonable ticket prices.
There is a wide variety of modern art types to investigate while at the museum. For example, there are different galleries that include paintings and sculptures, photography, media arts, as well as architecture and design. For people who enjoy photography, they are really going to love the selection at Continue Reading »
Jan
19
2011
If you enjoy wine tasting you know that one of the drawbacks to being able to fully enjoy the experience (as in: sampling wines without reciprocal fear of driving to the next destination while impaired), then you might want to consider the Napa Valley Wine Train.The train provides a relaxed three hour thirty-six mile round-trip journey between the historically quaint town of Napa through one of the world’s most famous wine valleys to the destination of picturesque St. Helena, and then back again.Dedicated to preserving a past way of life, the Napa Valley Wine Train is instrumental in maintaining and using historic rail cars that no longer exist on the American landscape.Guests can opt for either a Continue Reading »
Oct
08
2010
Most visitors to San Francisco have heard of or enjoyed the wonderfully scenic 49-mile drive that highlights many of the city’s most historic and picturesque settings. And while the self-guided drive has its storied attractions, it also has a detriment: it’s self-guided. Which means you may drive past a landmark of historical significance and not even know it!But with the advent of the GoCar Tour you can see many of the city’s spectacular delights in a little yellow car that talks. Yes, you read that right the car talks. You can fold up your map and keep your eyes on the sights as the GPS-guided tour navigates your way and takes you to all the best sights the city has to offer. It’s almost like having a friend take you around. And should you happen to see a cute little caf you would like to try you can stop the tour at any time and park or take pictures.Tours start under 47 and reviews are coming in that they are “extremely accurate” and the little tidbits offered in the talking tour are Continue Reading »