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San Francisco & Napa Attractions
San Francisco & Napa Attractions
Nothing compares to San Francisco attractions like Fisherman's Wharf and Golden Gate Park! Here's a short list of fun things to do in San Francisco to get you started.
San Francisco
The Mission - Vibrant, hip and ethnically mixed, the Mission is easily San Francisco's funkiest neighborhood. A mile or so south of downtown, it is also the warmest, eluding the summer fogs. As the traditional first stop for immigrants, the Mission serves as a microcosm of the city's history and, for the time being, ensures that the neighborhood never transcends the "transitional" stage it has been in for years.
Union Square - The city's heart can be found around Union Square, located north of Market Street and bordered by Powell and Stockton streets. Cable cars clank past bustling shoppers and theater-goers who gravitate to the district's many upscale hotels, department stores and boutiques. The statue in the center commemorates Admiral Dewey's success in the Spanish-American War, though the square takes its name from its role as gathering place for stumping speechmakers during the US Civil War.
Golden Gate Park - In a city with an abundance of green space, Golden Gate Park stands out as not just the largest, but also the most beautiful and safest, of its parks. Spreading three miles or so west from the Haight as far as the Pacific, it was constructed on what was then an area of wild sand dunes, buffeted by the spray from the ocean. Despite the throngs of joggers, polo players, roller-skaters, cyclists and strollers, it never seems to get overcrowded and you can always find a spot to be alone.
Fisherman's Wharf - San Francisco rarely tries to pass off pure, unabashed commercialism as a worthy tourist attraction, but with Fisherman's Wharf and the nearby waterfront district, it makes an exception. An inventive use of statistics allows the area to proclaim itself the most-visited tourist attraction in the entire country.
Chinatown - Its 24 square blocks smack in the middle of San Francisco make up the second-largest Chinese community outside Asia. Almost entirely autonomous, with its own schools, banks and newspapers, it has its roots in the migration of Chinese laborers to the city after the completion of the transcontinental railroad, and the arrival of Chinese sailors keen to benefit from the Gold Rush.
Napa Valley
Safari West Wildlife Preserve & Resort - A 400 acre wildlife sanctuary, Safari West offers guided, open-air jeep tours daily (by reservation only.) Home to over 400 mammals and birds, this lush oasis located in the heart of the wine country offers an intimate exposure to wildlife. Visitors to the preserve can experience Africa at every turn.
COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts - Copia explores our culture, highlighting American innovations and investigating our distinctive approach to food and drink. Enjoy the Center's lively programs, classes, exhibitions, and demonstrations.
San Francisco & Napa Activities
San Francisco
Alcatraz - Alcatraz's exhibits and tours vividly recount the prison's legacy of cruel and unusual punishment, such as unbearably long periods of solitary confinement that drove some men mad. At least 750,000 tourists each year take the excellent hour-long, self-guided audio tours of the abandoned prison, which include some sharp anecdotal commentary and even the chance to spend a minute (it feels like forever) locked in a darkened cell.
Cable Cars - They're only kept on for tourists, but San Francisco's cable cars are still among its most visible and charming icons, offering scenic rides up and down some of the city's steeper streets.
Napa Valley
Scenic Routes
Highway 29 - Every road in the Napa Valley is scenic. Some are just more scenic than others. Highway 29, the main road up the (westish) center of the valley, takes you through all the valley towns and right by some of the area's most famous wineries and restaurants. To get a full appreciation of the Napa Valley, you should definitely drive Highway 29, in one direction or the other.
The Silverado Trail - The Silverado Trail runs along the east side of the valley. It goes outside most of the towns, and there are fewer wineries and much less traffic. Yet it still offers beautiful views, many wineries and quicker driving if you're in a hurry. Don't be in too much of a hurry, however. The view is too lovely and this road can be dangerous, because people drive much faster than on Highway 29 and seem to get more impatient, passing on stretches where it is unsafe to pass. Use caution and you'll enjoy "the Trail" immensely.
The Cross Roads - Crossing the valley from east to west, and connecting Highway 29 with the Silverado Trail, are three major crossroads. Each road crosses the valley at the town after which it's named. They are: Yountville Cross Road, Oakville Cross Road, and Rutherford Cross Road. (Several other roads make this connection as well but they don't quite have the flair that the crossroads do). Each road passes wineries and beautiful homes, and all offer gorgeous views. Try any one of these to get off the beaten path.
Washington Street - Between Yountville and Napa is an eight mile stretch of divided highway. The highway offers beautiful views, but for more leisurely sightseeing we offer two tips. Northbound from Napa, turn right (east) at the Washington Street turnoff, then turn immediately left to go north again. Follow the frontage road to Yountville, enjoy the view of the vineyards by the side of the road, and take pictures of the beautiful views toward the mountains to the east.
Solano Avenue - Coming back at the end of the day, skip the divided highway again. Instead go east off Highway 29 at the Veterans Home turnoff, cross the tracks and turn left on the frontage road (Solano Avenue) to go south toward Napa. This will give you beautiful views of homes, vineyards and wineries to the west toward the Mayacamas Mountains. If this is at sunset, it's even more beautiful. Follow Solano into Napa and then, when you reach the business/residential areas, turn back onto the highway again and continue your journey on the main road.
Yount Mill Road - A beautiful drive that will take you from Yount Street in Napa to Highway 29 north of Yountville. You'll pass the site of the original mill built by town founder George Yount in 1836.
