The foggy hills of San Francisco offer a mysterious, historical, romantic and contemporary vibe unparalleled by any other city in the world. Yet, while millions visit the ‘city by the bay’ each year, many miss the true essence of the San Francisco. As a native of the city by the bay, we are excited to bring you some insider tips that will allow the casual tourist to experience San Francisco as only a local can.

PORTSMOUTH SQUARE

To get into what makes San Francisco so different, the visitor needs to visit the neighborhoods. Unless you have a whole month, this is a daunting task. For a shorter visit we suggest two of the most illustrative of the vibrancy and diversity of San Francisco –  China Town and North Beach.

Key to both of those is Portsmouth Square, the birthplace of the city. The square is named after the USS Portsmouth, which in 1846 brought the first major American soldiers presence to the Yerba Buena settlement (the Spanish/Mexican name, changed to “San Francisco” a year later, in 1847). Portsmouth square is where during the Mexican-American War John Montgomery and the crew of the USS Portsmouth raised the first American flag. On May 11th, 1848, it is where Sam Brannan dramatically announced the discovery of gold, christening the beginning of the California Gold Rush and the development of the Bay area. Interestingly Portsmouth Square is now the heart of San Francisco’s Chinatown, the oldest Chinatown in America and one of the city’s top tourist attractions.

Insider Tip – Watch a couple of the Chinese ‘games’ being played all day long in the park – always by men. What about these games is “improper” for women!?

History is all over the small park with plaques and monuments. Robert Louis Stevenson, author of “Treasure Island” and “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” has a monument dedicated to him due to his fondness of the area during his stay in San Francisco. There’s also a statue of the Goddess of Democracy, a marker where Commander John B. Montgomery raised the American Flag and a historical Landmark for the first public school build in California.

Additional Tip: Portsmouth Square is located above the Portsmouth square-parking garage. If you are hoping to explore the area and don’t want to suffer through the agony that is parking in San Francisco, this is an excellent place to leave your car and head out on foot. China Town, North Beach and Nob hill are all within walking distance.

Lunch – House of Nanking (a not-so-well-kept local secret) is one one-half block down Kearney. Best way to have fun is not to use the menu but to ask the waiter to bring you a few dishes – surprised you might be, but seldom disappointed.

Applicable Links

http://www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/attractions/portsmouthsquare.html

 COIT TOWER 

Irrespective of the urban legend, Coit Tower is not shaped as a fire hose as a tribute to the 1906 earthquake firefighters. Rather, it was built at the initiative of Lillie Hitchcock Coit, a wealthy local socialite and an eccentric who left one third of her entire estate dedicated to beautifying the city.

From the top of the tower you can see it all - the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf, Angel Island, the Financial District, and the infamous Lombard Street.

There is an elevator up the 210-foot-tall tower but for kicks (and at no charge) I always choose to climb the stairs up on foot.

Insider Tip

The fresco murals by Diego Rivera are a major feature of Coit Tower. Less well-known, but equally spectacular, is Rivera’s other mural across town, 74-foot-long Pan-American Unity, now residing at the City College of San Francisco.

One place has fascinated ever since I was a child – the studio apartment at the top of the Tower. The studio is, however, not in use at present – and it is, I must say, my fantasy home…

Additional Tip

The long foot climb up the Filbert Street Steps to Coit Tower offers some spectacular views of the Bay, a neighborhood with no auto access, as well as some unusual wildlife. Keep an eye out for the flock of colorful wild parrots that live in the treetops on Telegraph Hill.

Lunch: Down the hill and over to Washington Park – Tony’s Pizza is the place.

Applicable Links

http://sfrecpark.org/CoitTower.aspx

ALCATRAZ

Often referred to as “The Rock”, Alcatraz is one of San Francisco’s most renowned landmarks as well as one of America’s most infamous prisons – an ideal location due to its isolation in the middle of San Francisco Bay, surrounded by hazardous currents and sharks. Great views, but a somewhat claustrophobic residence – and wrong kind of neighbors, too.

Although the jail was officially opened in 1934, prisoners were being held at Alcatraz as early as the Civil War. The prison was closed down in 1963, and today Alcatraz is a beautiful, if somewhat creepy, tourist attraction, run by the National Park Service. A visit to the island nowadays is as much about birds and the wildlife as it is about the prison ruins. In a way, the rock is closing the circle – ‘Alcatraz’ comes from Spanish for ‘pelicans’.

Ferries to Alcatraz leave from Pier 33, near Fisherman’s Wharf.

Insider Tip:

Join commuter ferries on the bay - head either north to Sausalito or Tiburon, small towns perfect for day trips and bike rides, or east to explore Berkeley, Oakland and Alameda. You can also visit the island neighboring Alcatraz: Angel island. Once called “the Ellis island of the west” it is now a state park. If you feel like getting away from the city environment take a hike through Angel Island.

Additional Tip: During the summer you MUST buy your Alcatraz tickets online as soon as you know the dates of your visit, as Alcatraz can get sold out weeks in advance.

Lunch: Scoma’s is the locals ‘upscale’ favorite at the wharf. And for those with the budget to pay for it, a night at Gary Danko’s, it is “food to die for”.

Applicable Links

http://www.nps.gov/alca/index.htm (Official National Park Service website for Alcatraz)

http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/ (Tours of Alcatraz)

Discover Walks run walking guided tours and adventures that aim to give guests a special moment in the company of a true local – whether in San Francisco, Barcelona, Prague or Paris.  Enjoy the kind of experience you might share with a good friend who was a native – entertaining, informative, and most of all, personal to you and your guide.

Our guides are young, energetic, educated, and most importantly, fun.

Most of our tours are free of charge – supported by tips from our guests.  People can also book exclusive, genuinely local activities.  We operate every day, rain, fog, or shine.

Discover Walks San Francisco offers daily tours (rain, fog, or shine) of Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, and North Beach.

Private tours are also available on request.

www.discoverwalks.com/sf and sf@discoverwalks.com

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