Often, California is associated with the Hollywood scene in Los Angeles and the beaches on the coastline. However, a well-known but less popular destination is San Francisco. If you’re going to be taking a trip to California any time soon, think about visiting San Francisco. Though it’s still a major city on the west coast, visiting San Francisco is often overlooked and should be considered for vacationing more often.

For people who prefer more historical endeavors, Alcatraz is the ideal place to visit. The history of the island is incredibly intriguing, even to people who might not typically enjoy learning about the past. Seeing the cells of famous criminals of the twentieth century, learning about how the prison came to be, and viewing the skyline of the city are just three things that can be experienced on the island. Learning about history can be a fun and different experiencing depending on your location, and Alcatraz is a great place to visit in San Francisco in order to learn about the city’s history, specifically of the prison system there.

Sightseeing can be done on the mountains that surround the city. Most of them hold roads that can be driven up using a car, you can hike the available paths, or you can rent a bicycle to bike up the mountains. The Golden Gate bridge can be viewed from the Marin Headlands, a former military base that overlooks the bridge and allow for an extravagant view. The city is in the background when you visit this area, and you can see for miles.

San Francisco is a great city to try new types of food, especially vegetarian and Mexican. There are various restaurants that offer authentic Mexican cuisine that is not commonly available away from the west coast. Many places also offer different types of food that accommodates vegetarian diets, which can be interesting to try.

Just outside of the city are the redwood trees, a species of tree that can only live in the northwestern region of the United States. Many are hundreds of years old, some being even older than the United States. There are multiple hiking trails for all different levels of experience in hiking, all with fantastic view of the tall and vibrant trees.

Other attractions exist in the city, including the aquarium, the Fine Arts Palace, and Fisherman’s Wharf. One unusual place to visit is Telegraph Hill, where wild parrots can be see roaming the streets of the otherwise normal neighborhood. They were a result of released pets that have continued to thrive in the neighborhood due to the consistent climate of the area.

I would highly recommend visiting San Francisco if you get the chance. Personally, I had a fun time and I believe that anyone can have fun there if you find the right activities to accomodate you personally.