About

San Francisco is a popular tourist destination in northern California known for its steep city streets, its cable cars and the Golden Gate Bridge. There are several distinctive neighborhoods throughout the city, some with counterculture associations. In the 1950s, the North Beach area was home to a number of Beat writers while Haight-Ashbury became famous in the 1960s as the epicenter of the hippie movement. Fisherman's Wharf, the historic waterfront, is the most popular tourist area while Chinatown, one of the oldest in the country, is another fascinating neighborhood. You can take a ferry to Alcatraz Island for a tour of the former prison there.

Getting to and from San Francisco

San Francisco International Airport is located about 13 miles south of the city. You can take a free AirTrans from any terminal to the airport BART station and get a train into San Francisco. CalTran commuter trains also run every hour. The SamTrans public bus system runs several routes from the airport throughout San Francisco and the surrounding area 24 hours per day.

Oakland International Airport, about 20 miles from San Francisco, is another option. The BART also travels here every six to 20 minutes.