Places to visit in the San Francisco area range from the rolling hills of the Marine Headlands – the Muir Woods, where you can see coast redwoods as tall as skyscrapers, to Sausalito , which has one of the world’s largest houseboat communities and one has a great view over the bay.

Further north is the Wine Country from Sonoma to Napa . Wine tastings and tours are offered here. In the picturesque towns like St. Helena , Sonoma, Yountville or Calistoga there are a variety of shops and restaurants.

Another very worthwhile excursion destination is south of San Francisco: the Monterey Peninsula with the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium on Cannery Row. Not far away is the quaint artists’ town of Carmel-by-the-Sea and the classic Pebble Beach golf course . 17 Mile Drive, which runs along the coast, is particularly beautiful. Even further south – along Highway 1 – the rugged Big Sur coastline stretches for 70 km.

Muir Woods
According to localcollegeexplorer, Muir Woods National Monument is a protected area in Marin County, about 15 km north of San Francisco. Here you can admire the coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) that were once ubiquitous in the region. This tree species is one of the largest tree species in the world. The sanctuary was established in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt. Tours to Muir Woods and nearby Muir Beach are available from San Francisco.

Advance Reservations to Visit Muir Woods
Reservations for both private vehicles and shuttle rides are required to visit the monument. During park hours ( nps.gov/muwo/hours ) you must have a permit to park and pay park admission. You can get both at gomuirwoods.com .

Parking fees range from $9 to $55 depending on vehicle size, and admission is $16 for each adult (16 and older). Shuttle rides (weekends only) are $3.50 per adult (16 years and older). Admission is free for children up to the age of 15.

Sausalito
From the Golden Gate Bridge follow Alexander Road into town. The coastal suburb offers unique views of San Francisco Bay with the city as a backdrop. The picturesque houseboats anchored in the harbor are the most coveted residences next to the apartments in the bay area. Sausalito is a nice town with some great restaurants and shops.

Napa Valley/Sonoma Valley
Just half an hour from San Francisco is the Napa Valley – the epitome of Californian wine. If Tuscany were in America, it would be in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. The Wine Country has changed fundamentally since the switch from good mass wine to cultivated and increasingly exquisite top wines a few years ago. California’s wines have risen to world class over the past 40 years. A minimum one or two night stay is recommended for a tour to Napa and Sonoma – during the week is best. Most wineries are open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. An ideal place for lunch is tranquil Yountville, which is home to numerous world-class restaurants. In the Bouchon, the casual cousin of the famous French Laundry, www.napavalley.com , www.sonomavalley.com , www.upgradedpoints.com/napa-valley

Monterey
About 120 miles south of San Francisco is the town of Monterey on the peninsula of the same name . The entire Monterey Peninsula is considered one of California’s most popular year-round vacation destinations. After the Spanish founding of Monterey in 1770, the coastal city was an important fishing and whaling port until the 19th century. With the collapse of the fishing industry in the 1950s, however, the coastal town suddenly lost its importance. The premises of many of the former sardine canning factories of the waterfront Cannery Row have been successfully converted into galleries, shops and restaurants. The area inspired author John Steinbeck’s famous novels Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday.

Monterey Bay Aquarium
With more than 35,000 animals and 550 different species, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the world’s largest public aquariums. A wide range of aquatic creatures swim in the more than 200 pools, from tame seahorses to great white sharks. Exhibits educate visitors to the facility, located on the site of a former fish factory, about the mysteries of the oceans and the ways of life of sea otters, tuna, and sea turtles. The 4 million liter pool of the “Outer Bay” connects directly to the open sea. Through a 17 mx 5 m window, visitors get an insight into the underwater world and can watch what’s going on under water. 886 Cannery Row. www.montereybayaquarium.org

17 Mile Drive
The scenic route along the Monterey Peninsula is the highlight of any visit to this coastal region. The private toll road stretches from Pebble Beach to Del Monte Forest, passing a variety of scenic overlooks, golf courses and private homes. When paying the toll, drivers receive a map on which all 21 important sights are listed. The main attraction is the “Lonely Cypress”, which has withstood the Pacific storms for about 250 years on a rock in the sea.

Carmel-by-the-Sea
This quaint little town has been home to many artists, actors and scholars since the early 1900’s and strives to maintain the quaint charm of a coastal village. Restrictive construction measures prevent the proliferation of fast-food restaurants and the construction of tall buildings. There are no electric street lights, private houses and small country houses are not numbered. Pretty Carmel offers a variety of cultural events and festivals, an outdoor theater and museums. Along Ocean Avenue are galleries, small shops and antique shops as well as restaurants. Hollywood stars such as Clint Eastwood, Brad Pitt and Doris Day are among the famous residents of the town.

Big Sur
The coastline between Carmel in the north and San Simeon in the south – over a length of about 100 km – is characterized by rugged rocky coasts and high mountains. The low settlement density gives the impression of untouched nature with a varied flora and fauna. For years, this stretch of Highway 1 along the roaring Pacific coast has been ranked as one of the most beautiful. The famous Bixby Creek Bridge is also spectacular. Several state parks line the coast. There is also access to some. Sea otters can be seen in the sandy bays.

Half Moon Ba y
In the winter, mighty waves pound the rocks of Maverick in Half Moon Bay – and a handful of the world’s boldest surfers take to the surf. Even when the waves aren’t raging, a trip to this pristine shore is a day to remember.

• Visit Pillar Point Marsh and witness the power of nature. Since Mavericks is for experts only, it’s best to take a guided tour. Riptide Sportfishing takes you to 30 foot waves. Or paddle a kayak in the sheltered harbor waters with the Half Moon Bay Kayak Company .
• The Fitzgerald Marine Reserve , 1 mile north of Maverick’s, is one of the premier places in California for tide pool exploration. Fill your stomach with clam chowder at Sam’s Chowder House .
• Continue south toward Pescadero. Stop by the San Gregorio General Store – where pretty much everything is available – and do a bit of browsing. Live music is played here on weekends. Take a long, thoughtful stroll along Pomponio State Beach . At Duarte’s Tavern you should give serious thought to a refreshment. The inn offers steak and seafood, as well as delicious, creamy green chili soup.

Kiteboarding
Incidentally, the forces of the wind and the waves can be combined very well to surf at high speed over the water or fly high in the air. Under ideal conditions, a kiteboarder can soar 12 meters in the air. The principle is very simple: a kite sail is mounted on the small, short surfboards with a thin rope. Hotspots are Crissy Field (at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge), Waddell Creek (north of Santa Cruz, across the street from Big Basin Redwood Park), Cayucos, Jalama Beach (near Lompoc) or in Venturas on California Street. There you can optimally observe the kitesurfers doing their most unbelievable stunts. If you want to try it yourself, head to Coyote Point Park in San Mateo and Crown Beach in Alameda. The wind is gentle there and the water is a little calmer. the Boardsports School offers courses in both locations.
1603 Coyote Point Dr, San Mateo, CA 94401, www.boardsportsschool.com

Golf
The Presidio Golf Course is located in the heart of San Francisco. 300 Finley Rd, San Francisco, CA 94129-1196, www.presidiogolf.com

Friendly staff, an award-winning golf shop, reasonable prices and nine-hole courses in the rolling Livermore Valley countryside.
4280 Greenville Rd, Livermore, CA 94550-9720, www.poppyridgegolf.com

According to CountryAAH.com, San Francisco is the fourth most populous city in the state of California and the 12th in the United States, with an estimated population of 808,976 residents in 2008. It is the only consolidated city-county in California as featured on Abbreviationfinder, and covering a land area of ​​121 km ^{2, it} has the second highest population density in the country among cities with more than 200,000 residents, after New York. It is the cultural, financial and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a metropolitan agglomeration with more than seven million residents.

Location

It is located at the northern end of the San Francisco peninsula, with the Pacific Ocean to the west, the bay with the same name to the east, and the entrance to the bay to the north, so it is only connected to the mainland at its southern end.

The city includes several islands located within the bay (the most famous being Alcatraz), as well as Los Farallones, which are located 43 kilometers from the coast in the Pacific Ocean. It communicates with the rest of the country and the world through the San Francisco International Airport.

History

The first archaeological remains that evidence the population of the area date, approximately, from the year 3000 a. C. People of the Ohlone language group occupied Northern California since at least the 6th century. Although their territory was occupied by the Spanish from the beginning of the 16th century, the Ohlone maintained relatively little contact with the Europeans until 1769, when, as part of an attempt to colonize Alta California, an exploration group led by Gaspar de Portolá he learned of the existence of the San Francisco bay.

Seven years later, in 1776, an expedition led by Juan Bautista de Anza chose the place where José Joaquín Moraga would soon found the Presidio Real de San Francisco. At the end of that year, the Franciscan missionary Francisco Palóu founded the Mission of San Francisco de Asís (known today as “Mission Dolores”) there. The Yelamu tribe of the Ohlone, who owned some villages in the area, joined the Spanish to live and work in the mission and its members were converted to Catholicism.

After becoming independent from Spain in 1821, the area became part of Mexico. Under Mexican rule, the missionary system gradually came to an end and the lands began to be privatized. In 1835, the Englishman William Richardson erected the first freestanding house, near an anchorage area around what is now Portsmouth Square. Together with Mayor Francisco de Haro, Richardson drew up an urban plan to expand the town, and the city, called Yerba Buena, began to attract American settlers. Commodore John D. Sloat claimed California for the United States on 7 July as as 1846during the Mexican-American war and Captain John B. Montgomery he arrived to claim her Yerba Buena two days later. Yerba Buena was renamed San Francisco the following year, and Mexico formalized the cession of the territory to the United States at the end of the conflict. Despite its attractive location as a port and naval base, San Francisco was still a small town with an inhospitable geography.

The California gold rush brought a flood of people in search of this precious metal. The explorers, accompanied by their sourdough bread, settled in San Francisco instead of Benicia, their rival, and the population increased from 1,000 in 1848 to 25,000 in December 1849. The promise of great fortunes was so tempting that the crews of the arriving ships would desert and rush to the fields of gold, leaving behind the port of San Francisco littered with empty ships.

California quickly received State status and the US military erected Fort Point on the Golden Gate and a fort on Alcatraz Island to protect San Francisco Bay. Silver deposits, such as the Comstock Lode, were discovered in 1859, leading to even greater population growth. With veritable hordes of fortune seekers arriving in the city, chaos settled in San Francisco and the Barbary Coast area became home to criminals, prostitutes and gamblers.

Many entrepreneurs tried to take advantage of the wealth generated by the gold rush. One of the beneficiaries was the banking industry after the founding of Wells Fargo in 1852 and the Bank of California in 1864. The development of the port of San Francisco provided the city with an important status as a commercial center. In turn, and to supply the growing needs of the population, Levi Strauss and Domingo Ghirardelli opened businesses in the city. The immigrant workforce turned the city into a center of polyglot culture, especially with the construction of the Chinatown neighborhood.by Chinese railroad workers. The first Cable Railroad in San Francisco was the Clay Street Hill Railroad, opened in 1873. The Victorian houses of the city were beginning to take shape and civil leaders fought in their campaigns for the construction of public parks, which eventually resulted in the Golden Gate Park project. In it is the California Academy of Sciences the most current Renzo Piano museum, which provides an illuminated and sustainable solution to a construction of the year 1934 with an avant-garde design. The Academy applies to win the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) award for best design.

The Presidio facilities became the most important that the US military had on the Pacificcoast. By the turn of the century, San Francisco was a great city known for its flamboyant style, towering hotels, lavish Nob Hill mansions, and an emerging arts scene.

At 5:12 a.m. on April 18, 1906, the city and northern California were rocked by an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter Scale. Despite the fact that many buildings collapsed in the earthquake, the fires caused by the ruptures of the gas installations were more devastating. However, not all the fires were due to natural causes, as some owners did not have their properties insured against earthquakes, but they did insure against fires. With the water supply system out of service, the Presidio Artillery Forces attempted to contain the situation by dynamiting building blocks to create firebreaks. More than three-quarters of the city was left in ruins, including most of the city center.

The results obtained then affirmed that 498 people lost their lives due to the earthquake, but recent studies showed that, directly or indirectly, the earthquake left 3,000 dead. At that time, the population of San Francisco was 400,000; and more than half, 250,000, were left homeless. The refugees temporarily settled in tents set up in Golden Gate Park, the Presidio or the beaches, among other places. Many settled permanently in the east of the Bay.

The rebuilding of the city was rapid and on a large scale. Offers to completely redesign the urban layout were rejected, as the San Franciscans chose to rebuild the city quickly. Amadeo Giannini’s Bank of Italy (later Bank of America) granted loans to those who had lost all their livelihood. The ravaged mansions of Nob Hill, however, they were converted into large hotels. City Hall was rebuilt in a style Beaux Arts, and the city celebrated its rebirth with the Universal Exposition in San Francisco in 1915.

During World War II, the San Francisco Naval Shipyard became a center of activity, and Fort Mason became the main shipping port for sending troops to the Pacific theater of operations. The increase in jobs attracted many people, especially African Americans from the South, to the area. After the end of the war, many military men returned from their service abroad and the civilians who came to work in San Francisco decided to stay. The Charter that created the United Nations was drafted and signed in San Francisco in 1945 and, in 1951, the Treaty of San Francisco was signed, officially ending the war with Japan..

Urban planning projects in the 1950s and 1960s led to the destruction and redesign of western neighborhoods and the construction of new highways, of which only a number of segments were built before the project was halted due to the opposition of citizens. The Transamerica Pyramid was completed in 1972, and during the 1980s the manhattanization of San Francisco began, especially in the center of the city. Port activity moved to Oakland and the city began to lose jobs in the industry, but began to make tourism the center of its economy. The outskirts of the city experienced rapid growth and San Francisco underwent a major change in its demographics as numerous sectors of the white population left the city, being supplanted by waves of Asian and Latin American immigrants. During this period, San Francisco became a magnet for the American counterculture. Generation Beat writers fueled the San Francisco renaissance and settled in the North Beach neighborhood in the 1950s. The hippie movemen to ccupied Haight-Ashbury in the 1960s, reaching its peak in the Summer of Love from 1967. In the 1970s the city became a center of the gay rights movement, especially after Castro’s emergence as a gay neighborhood, the election of Harvey Milk as a councilor by the San Francisco City Council, and the assassination of him and of George Moscone in 1978.

During the dot-com Bubble of the late 1990s, startup companies stimulated San Francisco’s economy. Large numbers of entrepreneurs and computer application developers moved to the city, followed by business and marketing professionals, changing the landscape of neighborhoods that were once poor and then gentrified. When the bubble burst in 2001, many of the companies closed and their employees left, although high-tech and entrepreneurship continue to be a linchpin of San Francisco’s economy.